How much money do you put into an old boat, before you say "Enough!"

[garbageguy]

Usually too much.

On the face of it, if the engine (cracked block?) and/or hull (rot?) are compromised, it's probably time to move on...

 

[MH Hawker]

and my boat may be worth 5 k at the most and i have some place around 12 k in it so i am hardly a good sorce

 

[Patfromny]

I would run it a few times, getting it up to temp. If it is leaking water into the engine, a few warm and cold cycles will net more water. I would guess that if your dipstick is clean that the water is either left over from the sink or condensation from it sitting through several season changes. Let it warm up a few times over the next two or three days and that should tell the tale. As far as money into a boat. Totally your call. Your skill set and budget as well as your desire to be on the water are the factors you need to consider. If your budget can handle a newer boat then I would suggest that. If it doesn't then make a punch list of everything you would want and need to fix. Then get prices for each item on the list. This in itself might make your decision for you. It sounds like you are a casual boater...Maybe sell this and get a smaller outboard version. A bit less complicated and easier to maintain. Basically, weigh all your options. There are a lot of them. Hope I helped.

 

[scoutabout]

It's pretty rare to see anyone come out ahead on a boat investment in a straight dollars vs effort vs worth calculation. But then most of us here know that going in.

I actually know a few guys who'd rather be wrenching on their boat vs driving it. That's quality time to them that's worth something in their own personal calculation.

Myself I'm a couple dozen hours and probably $1500 into building a boat from scratch with my son. Aside from testing the engine out, neither one of us expects to be getting spray in the teeth for many a moon yet.....however it's top quality time with my kid who will be moving on with school and life in another five years so it's a blue chip boating investment so far as I'm concerned.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Government cheese]

Those guys are probably like me, where working on a project is relaxing to them. Sitting around doing nothing isn't.

My daughter is two and always wants to go for a boat ride, and likes to go fast. Part of the reason behind this is for her. Plus, looking around, it is a lot cheaper to fix this one than it would be to buy a newer boat.

 

[Patfromny]

Usually too much.

On the face of it, if the engine (cracked block?) and/or hull (rot?) are compromised, it's probably time to move on...

Good point here. Before investing any real money, make sure the engine is good to go and take core samples of your transom and stringers. Wrenching on a project is one thing, doing a full resto is quite another. Your daughter might be 5 and want pony rides by the time you finish a full restore. :lol:

 

[Government cheese]

Right now I'm trying to ind the how-to on pressure testing the block, but I'm not seeing it. Lots of threads come up in search about compression tests and outdrive pressure tests, though. For now I've got a small hand vacuum pump that I will use to get a sample of engine oil. Maybe that will tell me something.

 

[Patfromny]

You could just drain the oil. If you have a bad enough leak you will get alot of water before any oil comes out.

 

[gm280]

The original question actually is an interesting one. Seems we all put more into our boats then initially planned. But here is how that goes. We initially look over the boat and think it will take this much money to make her prefect again. But then as we start doing the work, other things crop up that we initially didn't see and it becomes "might as well redo that" syndrome. Then after many hours of elbow grease, we feel we now have built up escrow into the boat and don't want to give that up. And the hours and money grows from there. If we had some magic view of the true cost to do things (or at least a realistic view) we would probably make a better decision to not redo the boat in the first place. But on the other side of that coin, we do get some self satisfaction as we rebuild our boats. :decision:

 

[willamettejeff]

When you question the money and time you're putting into a boat? .................... It is time to get rid of it.

My boat is my hobby and you don't question how much time or money you put into a hobby. Besides it is a classic 1965 Larson Valero I've rebuilt better than new. Get compliments everywhere I take it. Priceless :joyous:

 

[WIMUSKY]

When you question the money and time you're putting into a boat? .................... It is time to get rid of it.

My boat is my hobby and you don't question how much time or money you put into a hobby. Besides it is a classic 1965 Larson Valero I've rebuilt better than new. Get compliments everywhere I take it. Priceless :joyous:

Exactly. Same with cars. A lot of people sink way more money into them than they can get back out of them. But, you can't put a price on miles of smiles......

 

[Patfromny]

I rebuilt my boat so my daughter,nefew and neices would have something to tool around the lake with as well as something for me to fish out of the 2 or 3 times a year I get up there. It was my dad's and there was some sentimental value, more from my brothers than me to be honest. I honestly thought it would be cheaper rebuilding it than buying a used boat off CL. I quickly realized that this would cost a whole lot more than I originally thought. I did go completely overboard on this little fishing boat but I know me and if I was honest with myself I would have known where this was going. I decided to break the build up over a few winters to ease the pain to the wallet. It was the best thing I could have done. I did a little each year and used the boat each summer. The kids and my brothers were blown away each year and the pride I felt was worth the expense. My boat isn't at all rare other than it seems to be the only one you'll find anywhere. If you goggle "77 Crestliner Nordic 16" you will get pics of my boat. Pretty funny. Anyway, it isn't rare but it has been mine since I was 10 and that is worth something. In the end I have about $5000 and still going into a boat worth maybe $3000. Probably closer to $2500 but the work was fun and rewarding, I learned a bunch, and I found you guys because of it. Win win in my book. I figure that if I would have bought a $2500 boat off CL I would have still sunk the same amount into it so I'm $2500 ahead.....right....guys??? Where did you all go??

 

[Government cheese]

Thanks for the head check everyone, the boat is gone. I traded it for another boat.