How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

[rbryant1492_mfb]

My question is how long did it take you from the time you got that project boat home until you put it in the water?


I keep setting little goals for when I will have my boat ready for the water and each deadline had come and gone.
I lost a lot of time this summer waiting for a clear title so I moved slow getting parts just in case I had to get a refund.

 

[drewpster]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

It gets difficult going without the float time huh? I hear ya! I own two boats. One is a runabout, the other a small cabin cruiser. The runabout took about a year to get to the condition it is in now. But I was also using it through the time I worked on it. The cruiser is another story.
We bought the boat in the water at a marina. We used it for two years. Then we decided to have another child. Yes, thats right, after sixteen years of having an only son, we decided to have another one. (she is now 18 months and the love of my life BTW). However when she was born, the cruiser came home too. I have been restoring it ever since. Maybe I will get it back in the water by next season, but honestly thats being optimistic. Work is progressing nicely though. And I will never regret doing it. (the boat or the baby heehee)

 

[External Combustion]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

Six years from drawing the plans to hitting the water. It kept me off the streets, watching reruns or other non productive uses of my time. It also brought the family together on a fun project that we still enjoy, kept up communication and made it easier to handle some of life's rough dealings later on.

For me the project was not the boat, but getting time on the water in the style that we wanted. I do not regret it and have had brown, green and clear water under her keel.

Have fun with whatever project that you take on, just remember that you own it, it does not own you. Walking away from it for a while is not a bad thing to do every so often. It helps keep your perspective. The short recess will also allow you to come up with better solutions to the problems and give you the wherewithall to finish the project and be proud of the accomplishment.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

So far it's been seven months, with one short day on the water when I switched from one project boat to another.

I bought a boat in february so I could work on it before the summer, then I got a house to work at, then my deadline slipped to june. I switched boats (too much work left on the first one) in July, then had a wreck, which pushed my deadline to august 1. Spent too much time trying to get a used motor working, which pushed me into Sept. Now my reman longblock is in the boat, and I'm about to try starting it for the first time.

Schedules slip, boats especially take more time than you thought. But, if you enjoy working on them it's time well spent. Ideally you can get one done by the time you need to winterize it, then you'll have a boat to enjoy all next summer while you start on your SECOND project boat

Erik

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

i do a lot of restoration, i have set one deadline, and got one from a stripped hull to the water in 3 weeks, 10 hour days. that's the only one i have set a strick deadline on. i had sold all my runners, and have been without a runner, other than my 1993 PVC, until Sunday, this week i will splash the 2nd project. i have another in the yard, that i pull the wood out of the transom 4 months ago, but no hurry.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

We got our Lund in May of '06. It is probably about halfway restored now (that includes building a trailer for it)
It was intended to get done before the winter, but with moving, and 4 kids in the house, and dads long work days, we just don't have time to hurry with it. Our Alumacraft came about a month ago, so far, we have taken it off the trailer and gutted the trailer (boat was gutted when we bought it) The trailer is awaiting a paint stripping.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

first real boat I bought was a couple of months, but it didn't need a floor or a transom. Just cleaning, new seats ect. I was working for myself at the time looking for work and had to do it on the cheap. Second boat, bought it in September and had it in water the next April. Again it did not need a floor or transom just seats and cleaning. Third on a friend of mine went in on together and he had now traded me out of my part. Got it last fall it's still sitting there like it was day we brought it home. It's killing me, but it's his boat. I am building a boat now. I could have it ready for a late fall launch, but it will be next spring and it will kill me to wait, but wait I will.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

It depends on the boat. My 1977 Starcraft Super Sport 16 needed a floor. It was an aluminum boat so it just needed the old floor pulled out and new one put in - no glassing required. Took me two weekends. I sealed the new floor with exterior oil based paint and used the boat for several seasons.

I replaced that boat with a 1977 15-foot Starcraft American. It was a fiberglass boat that neededstringers, floor and interior. That one took me about two months of fairly steady work.

Liking the hull, but disliking the color of the 1977 American 15, I found a 1974 version - this one needing stringers, transom, floor and interior. Being that I already had the other boat to use, the sense of urgency was less on this one and it stretched over two years of on again off again work.

Desiring a larger boat, but liking the looks and ride of the American 15s, we bought an 18-foot American two years ago. I started working on it in earnest in June of 2006 and finished it in June of 2007. It got new transom, stringers, floor and interior (still in progress as we are having the original seats redone after we pull it out this Fall).

The last two boats were complete rebuilds, while the first two were more along the lines of major repairs. I probably put more time and money into the rebuilds than they were "worth" monetarily, but in truth, I enjoyed the experience, it kept me productively busy, and I really like the look of the 1970s Starcrafts - something I can't say for any new boat in my price range.

- Scott

 

[i386]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

Since 9/11/06...

Mine could probably be done in 4 or 5 weekends if money and time were no object. I'm just enjoying working on it when I can. It'll be done when it's done and that's ok with me. It's good to have a working boat and a project boat.

 

[boatguy19]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

took one year on and off, all new stringers,floor,carpet,all new seats,risers, belts hoses, bellows, new trim senders,ujoint bellows,new trim cylinders,new skeg on drive, new stero,all new gas lines in and out of the tank,new gps. new foam under the floor. this all started from a little soft spot in the floor, what i have in it is cheaper than buying a new boat. what s@&ks is i wont even get to use now till next year still have a few minor things to do yet.

 

[thunderroad]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

I drug my boat home on March 30th of 2005 and took the before pictures within the first week. The after pictures were taken on June 22nd of 05 and I made my first run in it on June 23rd. It was far from finished, but it became a work in progress as I had a lot of fun with it on the water that summer.

 

[JustMrWill]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

I got the boat Spring 2006
My first goal was end of April 2007...but since I have to work around the weather and a full-time job and a family...it still has not hit the water.

I wanted it to be a complete restore and 100% before it splashed...I have now settled to get it functional (no interior etc) and get it in the water to test...and then spend the winter working on the "fluff".

Tonight I got the motor fired up on muffs...and it shifted sooo...I MIGHT splash it after work this week...

I don't think project boats are ever "DONE".

-JMW

 

[kalla man]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

i dont know if i will ever call it DONE, but it took about 7 months (working double time!!) to get this one out for its maiden voyage, but ill tell you what.... there was no better feeling!!! one of the most fulfilling things ive ever done in my life. the only problem is I WANT TO DO ANOTHER! when i tell my girl this, she looks at me like shes ready to submit me to the psych ward! kinda like the look she gave me when i brought the first one home

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

Kalla Man,
I hear you... I've done three boats over the last five years ? and I still find myself cruising eBay and statewide Craigslists daily. Any drive down side roads involves rubber necking to check out open garage doors and back yards. My wife is even in on it, as I find post-its on my computer screen when I get home at night with brief descriptions and phone numbers of boats she has passed on her way to work.
This winter is pretty much filled up as a friend of mine who liked my other boats has found one for me to rebuild for him. He wants me to do the structural stuff and then he'll handle the cosmetics when I'm done. It's a pretty cool little boat - a GW Invader 12-footer. Much rarer than the 10-foot models. Needs the transom brought up to 20-inches and the floor replaced.
- Scott

 

[rheagler]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

It took me just under 4 weeks for my 1983 Glassmaster. I set myself the goal of having getting the boat to be "safely waterworthy" within enough time to use it this season. I replaced the steering, shift and throttle cables. Replaced all the lights, switches and wiring adding a fuse panel. One entire weekend was spent polishing the very oxidized finish and scrubbing mildew from the seats. I replaced all the cleats and refinished the wood step pads. I also had to reposition the rear crossmember on the traler as well as move the axle forward. After the second "sea trial" I rebuilt the carbs and fuel pumps and replaced all the fuel hoses. After the season is over I will repair the soft spots in the floor and replace the trailers wheel bearings. I am very happy that I chose to get the boat in the water to enjoy the season rather than do a full out restoration from the start, but everybody has their own way of doing things. Enjoy your project!
Here is mine, on the water....

 

[redfury]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

I had big plans to have it done and on the water this year, but as usual, life gets in the way. Big move into the house, and work taking up valuable weekends and nights like crazy this year, and the boat was pretty much the lower priority. I did manage to remove the transom wood and get the cap off the boat...that's pretty much it this year. I might get out with the grinder and get the stringers prepped for replacement.

High hopes for next year are getting the new transom put in, finally getting the stringers done and flipping the bottom over for paint. Once I've gotten the bottom painted and the floor in, it'll go fast...but that's a pretty big hurdle for time and money at the moment.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

I'm not even sure how to measure the time for mine. I spent a good 4 months planning it all after I drilled two soggy holes into my floor, but still used the boat, even after the day my pedistal seat ripped out of the floor. Spent a weekend tearing it apart when it was just too cold for me to go boating anymore. 2 weeks later the snow fell so I had a good solid 6 - 8 months to get it going. I collected all my materials first and then just lazed along as I needed to. If I had a warm place to work it probably would have only taken a month for me, my GF and our buddy to get it done. However, I'm still not done, want to customize the boat more (some kind of open bow conversion), fix the cracking in the hull from the previous owner and paint it, do some work on the trailer, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Being up north in the praries of Canda and being a hobby custom motorcycle builder, I've learned what can and can't be done while the season is bad so you can still enjoy your creation over the summer. I've learned to build in stages Best thing to do if you can.

 

[Old Carver]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

Our first complete refit took two years,78 formula F hull,
and our current is just getting to two years,80 Carver Montego.

 

[chrismarion]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

I think that if you go into the build with the attitude ' This will be everything I want in a boat before it goes into the water ' works well. Atleast it did for me. It took me about 1 year and 5 months to complete her. The entire time I was nagged by friends and family to get it finished, your missing the season. But like I told them, I am just giving everyone else a chance before I get out there.

I took my time because I believe I have some type of OCD, has to be. No matter what project I am doing wether its my car, my 79 truck or the boat I will want it perfect before I will use it. Funny thing is I have been able to use it now for 6 months and I already have ideas/plans drawn out to tear it apart again to make it even better. I saw many good ideas I will perfect on in other boats and add some things that I dont see in boats that would be an awesome addition in this old boat.

In conclusion, its worth it when your done to back her down into the water with a line of others waiting to launch. They see your boat and trailer look almost new, but know that its not. Then ask if you bought it that way and tell them " No sir. I rebuilt this boat. I have everything a brand new boat does, minus the Fuel Injection and the monthly payment. Nothing more I could ask for! " Along with the fact that it has a 125hp in the back, HA HA! You have no idea how many people with boats a bit bigger than me look and say; ' Thats an awfully big motor you got there. A little much?! ' But they smirk when I tell them thats my warranty, it guarantee's that I will get there before you do.
Priceless

 

[GiMLit]

Re: How long did your boat project take before you put it in the water the 1st time?

Wellllllllllll
Sept 7 2007 I got my boat.
I am off work now for a couple days shy of 2 months with a screwed up knee, so my time availability to work on the boat is great but my body isn't cooperating.
I am looking to drop it in the water in or around the May 24 weekend 2008.
Hopefully I get what I want done (hehe I pulled it all apart so I wouldn't short cut.) before that date.
Wish me luck.