Re: 2000 Larson 206
My two cents...and just be forewarned that this comes from a person who isn't a boat professional...is that you need to listen to everyone above.
You seem to have the same "optimist blinders" on that I wore when searching for a boat. A new engine is going to have considerable cost and it's hard to tell what else might have been damaged. In addition, the HUGE red flag is that there is no way for you to get the boat on the water and there is no way to tell if the transom or stringers were damaged from a combination of water, freezing, and rot.
If you're willing to pay $5k for a boat that MIGHT approach 'fair market value' after the replacement, it seems like way too big of a risk. Odds are, you'll put way more into it.
Why not take the $5k plus the amount you were going to set aside for repairs and get a stronger ready-to-use boat? If you're willing to drive 3 hours for a boat, you have a huge radius in which to search.
I made the mistake of falling in love with a boat via pictures and an eager seller's poetry about the boat's condition. It wasn't until we made the same kind of trip you did that we saw the reality. Emotion has to be replaced by logic, regardless of how awesome the boat looks and sounds via photos and salesmanship.
I can't stress enough...no one here is trying to burst your bubble, they've just seen it all before.
Take your budgeted cash and use it on a stronger more stable boat that doesn't need an overhaul. With the season winding down and your willingness to cast a 3-hour radius net, you will absolutely find something better.
