1989 Cobia Spirit II 1950 with Mercruiser Alpha One 3.7

[mikymike712]

I purchased a 1989 Cobia Spirit II 1950 with Mercruiser Alpha One 3.7 and plan on restoring it. The reason is something to keep my occupied. I learned alot of things in this forum.. So I will do my best document and take pictures every step.

This project is strictly done by knowledge from the internet.. My mechanical knowledge doesn't really exceed changing oil and regular maintenance... So it's challenge
And here is the pictures of the day i purchased it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard.

you wont be able to post pictures until you have at least 3 posts

you should have came here prior to buying a boat with the 3.7 liter in it. you basically bought a platypus of a motor. the only good thing about the motor is the heat exchanger (and that was added to keep the head gasket from failing due to poor block design)

however you bought it, and we will answer any questions that you may have.

being a 30 year old boat, you are almost guaranteed to find rotten wood in the structure somewhere. we can help rebuild it.

 

[mikymike712]

Thanks Scott, yeah my whole point from this to learn how to do the work,, in no means it supposed to be fancy boat, i purchased for 450$ to include trailer and both titles, something to learn the parts and technical stuff to include fiberglass work, I am enjoying the demolition so far, and soon I will post pictures

 

[mikymike712]

What is the maximum size on pictures that being uploaded here? I already have 3 posts

 

[Scott Danforth]

I think 450k.

you may have only paid $450, however that motor alone will cost you more to keep going than a supercharged big block. most who own the 3.7 end up hating boating because of that motor.

 

[mikymike712]

Where is the positivity Scott? I take that as a challenge...
Nothing is impossible.. I can make it work to the cheapest.. I am documenting every penny...

But I have to say this.. Tools should not be from the budget.
So far... I will live just fine lol... Come Scott.. I gotta learn somehow..

Please let me know if my pictures showed up

 

[mikymike712]

[No message]

 

[mikymike712]

Scott would you think I am better off buying another i/o engine? Used or new one?
Can someone please tell me if my Dropbox share is working?

 

[Scott Danforth]

not many people like drop box. no-one like to click on things. if you were to embed the pics in the thread, it makes it an easier read

looking at your pics, there are a lot of leave debris in the boat - this indicates the boat was improperly stored outside and things started to rot - as indicated by your rotten seats and interior.

before even worrying about the motor, you need to take a 3/8" drill. wrap tape on the drill about 3/4" from the end. and down low in the bilge, drill into the transom and stringers. if the wood shavings come out light-colored and dry. fill the test holes up with epoxy and keep going. however if the wood shavings come out wet and dark, your looking at a total gut and re-fabrication of the hull

right now, plan on the worst

$3000 fiberglass and wood and incidentals to redo the hull, stringers, transom and deck
$2000 for new upholstery (assuming you do most of the work yourself - double that price if you pay someone to do it)
$1000 on the motor just to bring it up to snuff
$500 to sand/buff/wax hull
$1000 misc things that need fixing.

 

[mikymike712]

Oh great.. I was planning about 10k...
Come on Scott stop being so negative.. Already purchased.. Already gut it.. Still have more gutting to do.. All wood is rotten.. Going to do the transom too.. It's going to be great learning experience..

So far.. I cleaned the hull and outside with bleach.. And hull looks good..no distress fracture.. No cracks.


I like your negative answer on everything though.. Makes me understand how hard of a job on people... And will make me more appericate the work I put in

 

[Scott Danforth]

not trying to be negative. just laying out the facts. many people underestimate the shear number of hours and dollars it takes to refurb a boat. So I yank the band-aid early. I personally would have started with a different motor and newer hull.

having gone thru 3 full re-furbs myself and now in the middle of a complete upholstery/paint/repower, my next boat will definitely be one where only the motors and drives need replacing. what was to take 6 months is soon coming up on 2 years.

 

[Woodonglass]

MM Scot is telling you like it is!!! What you're perceiving as Negative Input is actually 100% fact. Years of experience and hands on knowledge is what makes this forum the best in the world. If you spend some time browsing the forum you soon realize that you aren't the only guy that bought a boat and soon discovered they had a full gut job ahead of them. You'll do well to take advice form these WELL informed members give you. No one on this forum is going to criticize you or your methods but.. if their experience tells them you're going down the wrong road isn't that what you want? I hope so. There's an Old saying..."Why is it that some people don't have time to do something right, but...They always have time to do it over!!!"
You have No Worries cuz everyone here will do their best to ensure a successful restoration

 

[ondarvr]

Scott is being polite and positive about the odds this being a good project. At this point, due to the motor, you could give the boat away and come out ahead, it would be cheaper and far less agonizing to start with a different boat/motor combo. Any boat you get will need a complete gut and rebuild, but some have motors that are reliable with readily available parts at a good price, so when you're done you'll a have strong running and reliable motor, those are two things you won't have with this motor.

​If your budget is really $10K you could be boating tomorrow.

 

[mikymike712]

not trying to be negative. just laying out the facts. many people underestimate the shear number of hours and dollars it takes to refurb a boat. So I yank the band-aid early. I personally would have started with a different motor and newer hull.

having gone thru 3 full re-furbs myself and now in the middle of a complete upholstery/paint/repower, my next boat will definitely be one where only the motors and drives need replacing. what was to take 6 months is soon coming up on 2 years.

Thank you Scott as you said... It's a rough job, takes time, and patience.. You done 3 refurbishment, but I bet you good at it now way better than when you started...

 

[mikymike712]

MM Scot is telling you like it is!!! What you're perceiving as Negative Input is actually 100% fact. Years of experience and hands on knowledge is what makes this forum the best in the world. If you spend some time browsing the forum you soon realize that you aren't the only guy that bought a boat and soon discovered they had a full gut job ahead of them. You'll do well to take advice form these WELL informed members give you. No one on this forum is going to criticize you or your methods but.. if their experience tells them you're going down the wrong road isn't that what you want? I hope so. There's an Old saying..."Why is it that some people don't have time to do something right, but...They always have time to do it over!!!"
You have No Worries cuz everyone here will do their best to ensure a successful restoration

I never joined a forum before,, this is my first,, because I know people here are well experienced and friendly. I have no doubt in that, i know the boat I am working on is a lost cause

 

[mikymike712]

Scott is being polite and positive about the odds this being a good project. At this point, due to the motor, you could give the boat away and come out ahead, it would be cheaper and far less agonizing to start with a different boat/motor combo. Any boat you get will need a complete gut and rebuild, but some have motors that are reliable with readily available parts at a good price, so when you're done you'll a have strong running and reliable motor, those are two things you won't have with this motor.

​If your budget is really $10K you could be boating tomorrow.

I knew the first second I stepped on it that it need a full gutting work, I know there is no hope for it... Lol,, but I am not working on this for the hopes of being on the beach with my cool boat...

I purchased it for the hopes of learning the components of boat, how to fix them and how to make them work,,, some people think this is not right choice,, thats understandable...

And yes I can be with 10k boating tomorrow, I have a yamaha vx 2017, and my neighbor have fishing boat and we both on the beach in Chesapeake every weekend,,, but as I said,, thats not what I am looking for..

 

[mikymike712]

Now as we all moved on and cleared the fact of what is my intentions, and you guys cleared your intentions,, let's enjoy the suffering and hard time I am facing
Now what is better way to send the pictures than drop box,,, pictures taken by phone,, and forum saying it's too large

 

[Scott Danforth]

just so youre understanding that this will be an exercise in restoring a hull for education purposes. there will be near zero re-sale value in this boat that you plan to sink $10k into. you may get $1200-$1500 for it when it is completely done

as for the pictures, change the settings on your phone to take smaller pictures, or email them to yourself which will automatically reduce the size and then paste.

 

[kcassells]

I use my cell phone and make the settings 1600 x 1200 {4.3} 2.0M send to my em, then save to folder then attach thru iboats.

 

[ondarvr]

There's nothing wrong with a big learning project, lots of people here have similar gut and rebuild boats, that's not the issue, it's that you have a very undesirable motor in this one, if you switch to another boat with a better motor you'll have far fewer headaches and a much more usable finished product.