Need to bring boat from FL to CA - ship or cross country trip?

[Hai Nhi]

Hello everyone.

I'm buying a 2000 Cobalt 292. Im getting quotes to ship from FL to NorCal the last couple of days and asking price is anywhere from $3000-$4500.

I was just thinking, what if I just take my wife for a road trip and tow it back?!

My wife seems pretty ok about it as first quick talk today. We will discuss more when I get back from work.

If we do it, we probably have to leave the 2 kids (6 & 4 boys) home. Maybe start out on a sat and get back on Sunday night, estimating ~6 days of driving, a couple of days touring Florida.

Thoughts and advices are welcome.

We probably spend about $1500-$2000 on gas & food/lodging. So we'd pretty much get our trip paid for, and then some. Only thing is the long drive in short time might wear us out of the potential fun. I'm thinking about enlisting my brother in-law as an additional driver but not sure if that works .

thank you

 

[Slip Away]

I would look for a different boat, closer to home.

 

[Hai Nhi]

Thanks for replying. I looked around for a bigger size open bow (27' & up). Nothing comes in my budget that makes sense (sea Ray, formula, chaparral, cobalt, $10-$20k).

I got this at a pretty good deal that potentially gives me one of the best made brand. That's why I jumped on it.

What's on the market for this is listed around $30-$39k, nada guides is around $28-$30. I got it for about half of that.

 

[foodfisher]

A forced, time constrained drive will be tedious. Add to that, trailer worries. A leisure, touristy trip will be memorable.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... How Wide, 'n how tall is it on it's wagon,..??

Whatcha towin' it with,..??

 

[Hai Nhi]

I figure if 2 drivers, each drives for about 8-10 hours/day then we'd get there in 2.5 days. Drive less ea then it'd take 3 days. Sounds doable on paper . If my brother is coming too, it'd get a bit faster / more relax of a trip.

The boat is an open bow with no tower. So on trailer it's probably about 10' high, 9'5" wide. We plan to tow it with our 2012 f350 king ranch diesel.

 

[Mischief Managed]

I bought my boat 1000 miles from home and sold my last boat to someone near my new boat, so I ended up delivering the old boat and picking up the new boat while towing 2000 miles over 2.5 days. A friend came with me and despite two blow outs, we had a great trip. I like adventures and think that if you are anything like me, you'll really enjoy making memories on a trip like that. It will surely make you appreciate the boat more. I can still recall how excited my wife and kids were when I pulled into the driveway with our "new" boat. Make sure the trailer has tires that are less than 5 years old and procure a pair of spare tires on rims before you head out. Also, ensure the trailer wheel bearings are all up to snuff. I would also recommend flying out to survey the boat in person before you buy it, that's what I did.

 

[Bondo]

I figure if 2 drivers, each drives for about 8-10 hours/day then we'd get there in 2.5 days. Drive less ea then it'd take 3 days. Sounds doable on paper . If my brother is coming too, it'd get a bit faster / more relax of a trip.

The boat is an open bow with no tower. So on trailer it's probably about 10' high, 9'5" wide. We plan to tow it with our 2012 f350 king ranch diesel.

Ayuh,.... Legally, that's a must permit load,.....

 

[jbcurt00]

8hrs each, 3 drivers, is non-stop both ways, w/ no problems or delays. I've done 2/3rds of your pending trip 4 times. I only had to go 1way, and it was exhausting every time. I'd be hard pressed to talk myself into that drive and there is NO way my Admiral would agree to going down and back in 5 days, let alone taking a turn behind the wheel. A nice week in Florida between cross country drives might help, but I'd expect some resistance.

I hope your trip goes great, and the boat is everything it was represented to be.

 

[smokeonthewater]

3 drivers = 3 times the bathroom breaks and longer stops for food.

I could just about make the trip faster alone even w 8 hours in a motel room.

 

[Slip Away]

So what happened to the 1993 Cobalt 272 in California ??? Not what you expected ???

I got this at a pretty good deal that potentially gives me one of the best made brand. That's why I jumped on it.

What's on the market for this is listed around $30-$39k, nada guides is around $28-$30. I got it for about half of that.

I am having difficulty accepting you found a good looking, well taken care of 292 with well maintained salt water used engines for
that price. Usually engine or outdrive problems, or a hurricane boat is what you get in that price range. I sure would never undertake
such an "adventure" without seeing the boat, and sea trialing it before I gave the seller one penny. But, on another thread you say "It's a fixer-upper kinda boat though" Hopefully NOT the 99' 292 in Port Orange, Florida......
Different strokes I guess. Good luck with this one.

 

[milehighjc]

So what happened to the 1993 Cobalt 272 in California ??? Not what you expected ???



I am having difficulty accepting you found a good looking, well taken care of 292 with well maintained salt water used engines for
that price. Usually engine or outdrive problems, or a hurricane boat is what you get in that price range. I sure would never undertake
such an "adventure" without seeing the boat, and sea trialing it before I gave the seller one penny.

Different strokes I guess. Good luck with this one.

This is along the same lines I was thinking. I drive CO to OH with some frequency. I recently did that as a round trip in just over a week (2 days out, 2 days back, and a few days of visitation time). There also was a side trip to PA. In total, we burned up about 4000 miles. It was a tiring trip (we are in our mid 50s).

Having said that, If I had not seen/sea trialed the boat, I would drive it anyway, just to make sure I knew what I was getting before money changed hands.

Another option to investigate might be to fly there, rent a tow vehicle, and tow it home. One way rentals are $$$$, but maybe would still come in under the cost to ship it?

 

[Hai Nhi]

Thanks for all the solid points.

I checked out the layout and look on the 272 and I'm not so fond of the back with pop-down swim platform. I like how the 292 looks much better.

The one I'm buying IS the '99 from port orange. I checked on cobalt website and nada guides and 2000 is the earliest year they list/have brochure for it.

Hull is in excellent shape, engines do need work. Outdrives only need some maintenance. Boat store in dry stack storage up till for sale.

Survey will be performed this Saturday.

This is what I was thinking before making an offer on it:
+ engines:
- best case scenario: major services on both. My own labor and my uncle mechanic (free labor). Materials estimate: $2000 max
- mid case scenario: major service on one, replace block on other. Materials estimate: $3500 max
- medium worst: replace blocks on both. Materials estimate: $4500 max
- worst case: replace blocks on both and then some. Materials estimate: $6000.

So, if I can get the boat home plus engine works and everything else for $20k, I would still come way under those listed on the market. And if anything less, it would be much better.

But that's only thoughts coming from one head (mine). Pls chime in your thought on this as well.

Thank you

 

[Slip Away]

Okay, you asked for thoughts........

1.) This boat shows it has not been dry stacked always. you can see the tannic acid water line where it has sat in the water, and was power washed
to sort of clean it up.



2.) This statement worries me deeply.... "According to the owner , both motors need work and are not running at this time, he does not know what they need in order to make them run "

3.) Major corrosion issues on both these engines, plan on replacing fittings, clamps hoses, pumps, relay's etc etc etc......






IMO, you should up your estimate on engine replace/repair costs to closer to 10K or even higher if you add the time
and labor to change so many components etc. By the time you are done, with travel, fuel, food , expenses, lodging,
the repair bills for parts and labor, this boat will be darn close to over $30K in cost when all is said and done.

If you just have to have a 3rd boat (or however many you have, I forgot ) I would travel half the distance, and negotiate the price down on the 292 in Wisconsin. freshwater boat, year newer, much better condition, and it actually runs.

 

[Brian 26]

I too am scratching my head on the numbers. Here are my thoughts: I think $6k for two new engines as a worse case scenario is wishful thinking.

My worse case numbers would go like this:
Boat value once it's running and in good condition: $30k (you did mention $39k was the top of the market but this a saltwater boat)
Purchase price $15k + $4k shipping + $10k in repairs = $29k

I hope it all works out for you and the you get the boat you want

 

[Hai Nhi]

This is great! That's why lots of people resort to forums to seek for advice and inputs.

By the way, it would be my first open bow. I have an EC but it only accommodates my family of 4 when go camping at the lake. I mean maybe 5-6 people can board the boat but it's really crammed. That's why we're thinking of getting a bigger open bow for our group (families of my workers - we go camping at lakes every year; and to local lakes often when weather is nice. Also I'm part of a youth group and I'd like to be able to take them out once in a while to do tubing/wakeboarding/picnicking at local lakes, etc...). That's why it kinda justify a bit more in my situation to get a second boat, within reasonable cost of course.

Back to the boat, I was more thinking about replace re-manufactured long blocks (or factory long block if it doesn't cost much more) vs brand new crate engines. Also, I was factoring in our own labor vs paying out - sweat equity . So let's say worst worst case, if cost of repair still go up max of $10k, + $4k shipping (if we go pull it back, it's gonna be more like $2k), what's the max you would pay for it, provided that the hull is in perfect condition? In another words, what the max total investment I should aim for?

What I'm trying to get a feel at is what would be my line is in term of cost - what number should I stop & look at a ready-to-run boat vs fixing a fixer-upper (I'm still prefer fixing if it makes sense financially). And, the trouble for going through all these because I was thinking, if I can have a good bone/brand boat, then replace/upgrade/service the engines to be top notch (might be able to replace with factory blocks, which kinda equates with zero hours, right?), I would then own a much better boat for much less. That's why I went after this one in particular.

What do you think?

Thank you

 

[Slip Away]

The boat you are considering is not worth the cost to repair it, sweat equity or not. It will be worth about the same or less than $30K once all repairs are made.
Based on that, buy a boat already in good shape, running and enjoy it immediately.

The 292 is a poor choice for a ski/tube puller. The wake is way too large at tube pulling speeds and will not really be safe for kids riding behind it on tubes. They will be beat to a pulp.

This scenario you propose make no sense to me at all.

I'm done..... next ????

 

[ssobol]

Also, remember the return trip will not be as fast as the outbound leg. You will not (should not) be able to drive at the same speed as when unhindered by a boat trailer. Also, the return trip will be a lot harder on your gas budget.

 

[Hai Nhi]

Is the big wave because of the twin, or the size of the boat? I'm trying to get a boat that's big enough for 12 or more underway, at the same time do tubing/wake boarding (beginner - immediate level only).

I originally looked at yamaha jet boat (one of those 242 LS) from dealers so I can do payments. But it's still lots of money however I look at it (~$55k). I also looked at sea Ray 270 slx. Those look nice too but not a lot for sale, and mostly in the $30-$40k range.

In any case, back to the cobalt: would it even make sense if the sale price is cheaper?

Ssobol: I noticed about the gas budget. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[alldodge]

Try looking for the bulletin boards which list folks hauling. Guy here had his 330 searay hauled from AZ for next very low cost. Found the guy on either craigs list or haulers board. Guy he found likes doing it on the side to pay his way so he see's the country for next to free. Its an option