Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

[Banker Ed]

I just bought an old 14 foot Arkansas Travler and a Dixie Craft Trailer at a steal. I plan to clean it up some and put it back on the market through a local Craig's List. Is there any market for a boat like this or not? Any suggestions to bring top dollar would be appreciated. I will try to post some pictdures if I can figure out how to do that. Ed Bell

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

did ya get the cat 2?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

It will be a sellers market Mar.-Aug. of next year.

What do you plan to do to the boat?

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

2 rules to go by.
1. KISS, keep it simple stupid.
2. Don't over do it.

1st thing to do is put some water in it and make sure it doesn't leak. If it does fix'm. Next check all the wood for rot, seat benches, transom. Next, strip down all that ratty old paint and repaint. Stay with easy colors for resale like white, red, blue, tan. Greens, yellows and black not so much.

I also wouldn't add a bunch of stuff like decking, new fold down seats or lights on this thing. Let the new owner add them if they wish to. Then when you're ready to sell comp it to other like sized boats in your area. Don't over price yourself out of a sale. I see it all the time in my area were the owner has put so much into it that they will never recoup it and then they price it way over what the area market will allow and then they wonder why their beautiful boat wont sell.

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

The cat came well before the boat.

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Thanks! I will probably still have it then. I have it listed now for $500.00 on Craigs List, sorta as is. But, on nice days I plan to replace the rotten wood in the rear of the boat and probably take at least the paint off of the bottom of the boat and maybe the inside. Trailer is almost completed still need to shoot a coat of gloss black on it and clean and paint the wheels.

It will be a sellers market Mar.-Aug. of next year.

What do you plan to do to the boat?

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Thanks! I will probably still have it then. I have it listed now for $500.00 on Craigs List, sorta as is. But, on nice days I plan to replace the rotten wood in the rear of the boat and probably take at least the paint off of the bottom of the boat and maybe the inside. Trailer is almost completed still need to shoot a coat of gloss black on it and clean and paint the wheels.

It will be a sellers market Mar.-Aug. of next year.

What do you plan to do to the boat?

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Thanks for your helpful post. Do I put it back on the trailer to put the water in it? I am sure you will need it up to see if it leaks and where. How much water will it need? Or should I say how high do I take the water. Could you ever get the boat back to a natural aluminum and have it look like anything? I've got it listed on Craigs List now for $500.00 with the trailer and I don't see much compotition. I probably won't put more than a couple hundred dollars in it in repairs and paint and will go up accordingly. My time isn't worth much now that I am retired. Thanks again! Ed Bell

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

You're going to have to get a least a couple inches maybe 3 so that the bottom is full to where the waterline would be. Best to have it on the trailer or at lest up off the ground enough to see any leaks.

Some times they can be taken down to bare aluminum and look really good, others not so much. Alot depends on the condition of the hull and is it all banged up.

As for retirement, I'll be in that same boat soon enough!

 

[SwFL]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

did ya get the cat 2?

HAHA ....I like the sweet grill made out of a keg in the picture.

Looks like a nice aluminum boat though especially if you got it cheap enough.

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

That retirement does take a little getting use to. Especially if you are a little hyperactive and have a type A personality. I retired in 2008 and am just now almost getting use to it. Thanks for your help. Where the old paint is flaking off the aluminum looks good. What about putting new PVC pipe around the top edge? I have some missing. I did cut out a small piece about 3 ft. long and cut the opening out with a 4 inch grinder. It worked pretty well but it's not that easy to keep it streight and even. Are there any other suggestions? Ed Bell

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

I got the grill at the same place I got the boat. I think I stoled both of them. The little smoker cost me $3.00 but the boat and trailer you will just have to guess. Ed Bell

 

[64osby]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Do I put it back on the trailer to put the water in it? I am sure you will need it up to see if it leaks and where. How much water will it need? Or should I say how high do I take the water. Could you ever get the boat back to a natural aluminum and have it look like anything?

If your trailer is all back together, take the boat to a launch add about 400lbs of whatever, you, a motor or two and anything else. Drop it in and look for leaks. Easier and a better way to test for leaks. Mark any with a pencil.

Yes you can get the Alum looking clean and nice. If your just looking to flip the boat then strip the paint and see what it looks like. It sure can't look any worse.

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Thanks Commander, it will take me an hour or so to put the trailer back together. New two by four runners are ready to install, need to sand blast the rims, paint them and put them back on. I like the idea of putting it in the water. I guess its been nearly 50 years since I have been on the water other than the Memphis Queen on the Mississippi. Don't have a motor but I have a large buddy that may go with me. He is not 400 lb. but he will cover over half of it and I will just about make up for the other half. I don't guess an orr would be adequate to do much manovering. Thanks again for your suggestion. Ed Bell

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

If you put it in the water and find out it leaks... but you can't find where the leaks are you can do the water test on the trailer later, lots easier to see where water is dripping out of a boat than to see where it's coming into a boat.

 

[SwFL]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Just out of curiosity, how to you repair say a pin hole in aluminum hulls? Jb weld?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Just out of curiosity, how to you repair say a pin hole in aluminum hulls? Jb weld?

JB Weld Marine or Loc-tite marine epoxy if it's below the water line. If it's bigger than a pin hole you can drill it out and use a closed end blind rivet to fill it. Like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MA1-5NXjs&feature=related

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

I liked that youtube video but I sure don't want to spend $25.00 for the rivets and a hundred or so on the large rivet smasher on a $500.00 boat. That would eat up all my profit, if I am going to have any, and I will probably never need a rivet again. I hadn't used one in the past 69 years. Hopefully, the old boat won't leake. All of the rivets sure look good.

 

[64osby]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

On the leak test you don't even need to unhook the winch strap from the boat. No motor needed. Just getting the boat to float and see if or where it leaks.

Chances are it will leak, 90% or more IMO. If the rivets are tight but it leaks then your looking at applying Coat-it or Gluvit to seal the seams and rivets.

 

[Banker Ed]

Re: Arkansas Travler SP 14 needs some attention

Not quite sure what IMO is but if it does leak, does the coat-t or gluvit go on the inside of the boat or the outside? On second glance I bet IMO means "in my opinion". I don't do much texting at all and not a lot of e-mail short-cuts either. Ed Bell