'77 32' pacemaker project boat

[JAZZedBW]

We are currently in the middle of negotiating the purchase of a '77 32' pacemaker. The actual gelcoat and exterior of the boat is unbelievably clean. <br /> The inside is another story. The boat sat on the hard in a marina, uncovered for 4 years. It has alot of the interior cosmetic wood removed, especially around the windows because of rot. We can replace whats gone and even replace the side windows with prefabbed windows that would fit right in. The problem is that this boat has been filled up to the waterline with water and currently is a 32' giant ice cube. The broker said a boat similar to this situation was bought like this one ( for next to nothing) and once everything was thawed out there wasn't that much of a problem. Because the boat is going for almost nothing, the broker will not be getting a commission on the deal so i dont see the reason for him to lie. He listed the boat 4 years ago and dropped the listing because of the condition. Has anyone out there ever encountered this kind of problem? If so, how bad was it? I would normally take a few pictures and walk away laughing, but this boat is very tempting because of the condition of the outside and the potential that the interior has. The water is up to the lower drawers in the lower cabin and up to the 7&8 cylinders in the engines. And she's frozen solid.................thanks

 

[CCrew]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Well, you going to do a full repower on it? I can almost guarantee that you'll need to. Engines are probably compromised, if not cracked to boot. Twins? There's a cool $15-$20K and you still can't use the boat because the rest of the issues. <br /><br />Personally, I'd stay as far from this as possible. If this much neglect is obvious, god only knows what's lurking unseen. <br /><br />-Roger

 

[snapperbait]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

If the boat were absolutely $free$, and they gave me a seriously low cost for yard charges for X amount of years at a guarnteed cost durring the time it takes to completely rebuilt the entire boat... Maybe..<br /><br />If I had my own area, not in a boat yard, to do the job, I'd give em' a $1000 bucks, maybe..

 

[JAZZedBW]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

We have a barn behind our house with heat and concrete floor that it will fit in, with enough space for my woodshop. I know the engines will have to be replaced. My main concern is, would the ice inside do major damage?..I understand some things, but would it bust apart the bulkheads from the hull?..Or the stringers from the hull?

 

[Ryoken]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

honestly, sounds like a huuuuge money pit. yes, stringers, etc can be damaged. as well as, consider it a sunk boat, meaning not only are the motors gonna be wasted, but you'll inevitably be replacing all the wiring due to corrosion. 2 motors, wiring, woodwork, pumps, possible glass and core work, etc, imho, i'd suggest finding another project.

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

That sounds like something I would stay away from, you say its sat there for a few years- so assume that each year it fills up and freezes solid with ice, then de-thaws each year.<br /><br />I cant imagine there isnt damage going on from this, sounds scary to me finding a boat solid with ice... <br /><br />-John

 

[CCrew]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

According to NADA, a base 77 Pacemaker 32SR is low book at $16,500, High book at $20,500. I doubt if you can do a new repower for that, not to mention moving 27,000lbs of boat, and the other things it would need. I'll update my original impression.. Run, don't just walk away. <br /><br />-Roger

 

[Bondo]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

I'm the Biggest Baddest Pack Rat you've ever seen.......<br /><br />If they Offered Me $1000.<br />Even I would Run Away from That 1....!!!<br /><br />27,000lbs, That's Allot of boat to Cut-Up + throw into a Dumpster.....

 

[JasonJ]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

A friend of my boss bought a large houseboat that is all aluminum and sets on a standard hull and has two Chrysler 360 inboards. We have been messing with that thing for the last three years. Got the engines running and they died, needing both to be rebuilt. Put a new interior in it and it sank and was recovered. The second new interior is halfway in. It has been moved three times from one persons property to another because they are tired of seeing this 40 foot monstrosity in their yard. It has proven to be very costly, and a huge headache. He could have bought a decent ready to use houseboat for the money he has sank in this thing, but now he is stuck, he needs to finish it.<br /><br />I can imagine with your boat that all that ice that has fozen, thawed, frozen, thawed, has wreaked havoc on the structure. It can damage the stringers, rupture the floor, do all sorts of horrible things, or the structure could be fine. From what you are saying, it sounds like the outer shell is the only decent thing on it. I agree with the others, if you can get it free and don't mind pouring a ton of cash into it, go for it, but it sounds like if you have to actually negotiate the price, then the asking price is already more than its worth and you havn't even touched it yet. I can't say the broker would be lying, but he cannot vouch for the structure for sure. From his perspective, he has had a worthless 32 foot boat sitting there forever that he really wants to get rid of, so I hope you take that into account when you believe what he is saying. Yeah, I'd be a runnin'.....<br /><br />If you do get it, post pics and descriptions of the project progress, we live for that stuff. Good luck...

 

[BillP]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

The boat probably needs a full restoration, even if the ice damage is minimal. The boat likely has wood stringers and engine mounts which could be rotten. The engines, transmissions and exhaust systems won't be salvable or rebuildable if they were wet for a long term. That is at least $15-20K and half that for good used set. Tanks and plumbing may need to be removed for cleaning. All through hulls and seacocks and hoses will need replaced. Electronics, electrical systems and wiring replaced. The list goes on. Even if your labor is free it will be cheaper to buy a good used boat. If the engines and trannies were good it would be a different situation

 

[billh1963]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Remember that water expands when frozen. If the bilges were full when they froze the ice has to go either out (hull damage) or up (deck damage) or both. I don't care how good a price you get the boat is salvage...period. You will spend twice what you can buy a decent boat for. To repeat what everyone else has said....run away. Remember this...experience is learning from your own mistakes; wisdom is learning from other people's mistakes. Showing wisdom on this one will save you lots of money and heartache!

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Imagine cleaning it up, repowering it, then on the maiden voyage you hear "hey where's all that water coming from". And then the salvage company tells you about a crack, from the ice damage, that worsened from engine vibrations...........<br /><br />Not worth investing..........

 

[Solittle]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Why not wait until spring - have the owner get the water out and get a survey? Then you will know and can make a decision.

 

[Maximerc]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Like a line in the first Jurassic Park... Just because we can doesnt mean that we should ...<br /><br />I have taken on projects that looked fun in the beginning but months later ... yechhhhhhhh. And most of my stuff is pretty inexpensive. <br /><br />Kinda like modifying a car .. putting thousands of dollers into it .. you cant plan to get that money back !

 

[capcourageous]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

and thats 14 tons without the water inside, hmmmmm<br /><br />options:<br /><br />1 RUN<br /><br />2 Wait<br /><br />3 charge disposal fee<br /><br />ok, so you bought it. now what?<br /><br />leave it unpowered, have a floating home<br /><br />power it with a pair of SeaDrives<br /><br />bite the bullet and repower<br /><br />reduction drives and packing boxes are prolly shot<br /><br />water gets everywhere, and when it freezes, it expands - and exerts incredible force<br /><br />odds are good that the stringers are ok, sorta like the dividers in an ice cube tray - but if there was a crack in there, the water went down, and then it froze ... separating glass from wood<br /><br />just something to think about

 

[airman]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Get a evening/weekend/holiday job at McD's. Put in about 3000 hours. That IS a reasonable estimate for the condition you describe. Now take the money you saved, add the cost of the boat plus $15,000 for rebuilt engines and drives, add another $3000 for interior stuff, add another $2000 for new fuel tanks, add another $2000 for wiring and electronics, and another $2000 for hauling. You now have at least $40,000. Go buy a nice boat and congratulate yourself on how much nicer it was to spend your time working at McD's than in a boat's bilge. I like projects but that sounds like a nightmare unless you've got LOTS of free time to fill. If you buy it I'm quite sure you'll have lots of questions to post, though.

 

[JAZZedBW]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Too late now!<br /><br />JAZZ

 

[capcourageous]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

UH OH!!!<br /><br />Time to play THE NAME GAME <br /><br />and the top three names are ...<br /><br />Titanic II (hit an iceberg? it IS an iceberg!<br /><br />The Money Pit<br /><br />and number one ...<br /><br /> Ya Want FRIES With That???? <br /><br /> <br /><br />I think that I shall never see ...<br /><br />a boat as scary as "ALMOST FREE" <br /><br />

 

[airman]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

I'm sure everyone here wishes you all the best. Actually, $40k isn't a bad deal for a boat, as long as that's where it all ends. Before you do anything else, do yourself a big favour and do a very good inspection of the hull's integrity. After you have drained the hull, use a small hammer to tap everywhere, listening for delamination. Good Luck!

 

[CCrew]

Re: '77 32' pacemaker project boat

Dunno airman, in my book $40k is a bad deal for a boat that books at a high of $20k..<br /><br />Like PT Barnum said though...<br /><br />-Roger