bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...which?

[kennyboater]

mods, if this is not the best forum, please move

ok guys, so while only half way through restoring the first boat (about 14.5 feet long and just under 5 feet wide) it is the green fiberglass pictured below, i bought another one today. the second one is 15 feet long and 5 feet 8 inches wide aluminum pictured below...

on the first one (fiberglass) i have torn out the floor, stringers, transom, and it is about ready to start putting back together (fiberglassed of course) so it is not going to be cheap to finish and will take time.

the second one (aluminum) needs to be cleaned up and seats ect, but it is not a total restor like the first because of course it is aluminum. although the transom needs some work. (less expensive than the fiberglass)

so the wife is not going to be happy if i keep both

so i have said what i think they both still need. i have one 25hp merc 1985 XD. looks like it will work on either boat. if the wife will only let me keep one, which should i keep? what are the pros and cons of each, one being fiberglass and one being aluminum. i have put a ton of work (time, not too much money yet) in the fiberglass one already, but I know glassing the stringers, floor and transom is still A LOT of work to do. where the aluminum nees some work, but not nearly as much (i think). let me know what you guys would do and why.

sorry for the long post, but i need some advice as it does seem like i will be able to keep both

 

[JB]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

Which is more important to you, Kenny? Working on boats or going boating?

I would dump the glass one and fix the tinny. . .then get on the water.

 

[kennyboater]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

i appreciate it JB. besides working more on the fiberglass, are there any pros or cons between the two?

thank you,

also forgot to mention; i paid $175 for the fiberglass one, with trailer (has surface rust and needs new tires) motor (motor had not run in 3 yrs, cleaned the carb and fuel lines, now it runs) and trolling motor.

I paid $200 for aluminum one today with a nice trolling motor (no gas motor like the first boat) and very nice trailer with new tires (not the trailer pictured. i had the guy give me a better trailer)

I will be using the motor from the first boat on either one of these

 

[wbeaton]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

Tin boat. No question. Lighter, easier to maintain, higher resale value, etc. The tinny also looks deeper than the glass, which is a serious plus for a 15' boat.

 

[kennyboater]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

thanks wbeaton,

JB, i forgot to answer your question;
i would rather spend time fishing but i do have some fun working on the boat too

 

[QC]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

Well I restored a similar tinny last year and I have a couple of comments. It doesn't really matter what stage you're at, you can run the tinny. The only things that I don't like about her is the bottom is cold in cold water, and she's a little noisier than an equivalent glass boat. Other than that, I am pretty sure they are the best quick fixer out there. Have fun, but don't P.O. the wimin folk . . .

 

[pduquette]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

I 'd have to agree with the gentry here, get the aluminum hull going. Get it runnin nice , spend money improving instead of trying to get it to the water . Then introduce your wife to boating (think nice romantic picnic cruise) - then she may warm up to a nicer rig !!

 

[HondaPower]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

My vote is for keeping the tinny. I love mine and while I ofter admire the sleek glass boats I see at the lake I have used mine since day one. I am now heading into my 3rd year of an ongoing restore upgrade process but can stop at any point and go fishing.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

Ditto, with one caveat. Finish the hull refit in the glass boat, paint the trailer by hand and make it road worthy...then sell it and put the bucks into something your wife wants, or something you both want. Keep the tinny and make into your ideal rig, for the moment...if you like boats, etc., it will lead to others.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

let see if i have this right, glass boat you payed $175, got boat, troller, and motor. correct? all you've done to it, is gut it. and have a troller, motor and trailer., for $175.00. you've lost nothing so far. you can put free boat sign on the boat, haul it to someones house and push it off the trailer, then sell the trailer, or make a utility trailer.

take that $ to do the tinney, keep the best troller, put you motor on and go fishing.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

just for kicks, and preventive maintenance, coat the interior with Gluvit.

 

[kennyboater]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

wow! thanks everyone!

it seems the general concensus is to keep the tinny now i have to figure out how to get rid of the fiberglass hull and trailer, i think i might do as tashasdaddy said

 

[cbavier]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

Mark it as a free boat at the Curb. Who knows perhaps the person wanting the free boat will give you something for the trailer. Keep the Tinny!

 

[Willyclay]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

One word of caution before you make any final decisions if your wife is going to be boating/fishing/cruising with you. Get your wife's input and opinions from actual experience. My wife did not like our 15ft fiberglass CC boat because she thought the seating was uncomfortable and she got splashed in rough water. At her suggestion, I swapped for a 16.5ft aluminum boat with a covered forward deck and windshield. I really liked this boat but she never did because of the noise the hull made underway. After some other attempts at satisfying everyones' boating needs, I acquired an 18.5ft fiberglass dual console boat. This is my last project boat no matter what. Good luck with yours!

 

[BF]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

+1 for keeping the aluminum. We had a very similar hull to the fiberglass one set up as a runabout when I was a kid. It had a 40 hp on it. I suspect it'd be a real dog with only 25 hp on it, and those trihulls will rattle you (and all your gear) something whacky in even slight chop. They're stable as a floating dock when stopped, but it was only really an enjoyable ride in the smoothest of conditions.

Yes, you sure did well in your deals! Up here either rig would've been at least $1000 as you described them... probably more.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

The beer can will look just as god after 50 years. I know as mine still does (Appleby) and is ready to use on any day. I can't say the same for old fiberglass. Polishing, nick repair, etc. cuts into fishing time and time on the water.

As TD said you can torch the glass hull and sell the trailer and come out money ahead. Don't put an ounce worth of work into it to sell it. The "free boat" idea might even be better as you won't have to get a burn permit!

 

[CATransplant]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

Like the others, I'd keep the aluminum boat. It's a nice-looking hull, too. It won't rot, either.

I had a trihull like that one, but dumped it and bought an aluminum boat. I fish with my boat...that's all...and the tinnie is all around a better deal.

In the Winter, I take everything out of it, turn it upside down on the trailer, and forget about it. In the Spring, I flip it back over, attach the stuff and head for the lake. Excellent!

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

Personally, I'd keep both. "Give" the glass one to your wife with fancy lettered "HERS" on both sides... and, of course, name yours "HIS".

Boats are like potato chips. You can't have just one...

- Scott

 

[kennyboater]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

lol scott, not sure if she would go for that

 

[kennyboater]

Re: bought another boat today while still restoring the first, can only keep one...wh

question on selling fiberglass,

many have said to give the fiberglass boat away for free, then sell the trailer...
would it not be better to just sell the fiberglass hull and trailer together as a project boat?

if i give the boat away and sell the trailer, how much should i ask for the trailer (tires hold air, but are dry rotted and the trailer has surface rust)?

if i try to sell them together, what would be a fair price?

thanks