Anyone here DIY on old boat like our old 911?

[rnln]

well, what caught my eye is the price to start with, and also looks like I will have room and convenience for diving with heavy gears.
So, are you saying no no In/Out engine? Is it simply because harder for maintenance/repair, or any other reason?
Thanks.

Gotta go get some sleep, been looking at ugly/beat-up boats through the night

[tdw28210]

Originally Posted by rnln

well, what caught my eye is the price to start with, and also looks like I will have room and convenience for diving with heavy gears.
So, are you saying no no In/Out engine? Is it simply because harder for maintenance/repair, or any other reason?
Thanks.

Gotta go get some sleep, been looking at ugly/beat-up boats through the night

Yeah, I guess that is what I am saying. Maybe it is an East Coast/Florida thing, but a lot the "serious" sports-related power boaters I see have center console boats with multiple outboards. I think motor redundancy is key from a safety perspective, especially if you are going offshore. If your I/O with a 350 Cleveland dies offshore you're not likely fixing it on the water. At least with an outboard you can easily pop the cover and take a look without having to remove panels or go down in the hull. Might just be me. Again, not an expert on powerboats.

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by rnln

Thanks for taking your time to give me the info. Yeah, I heard about the course from a friend, and will take it.

No drug for me, especially when I am in water. In fact, if I am a little drunk, I even have hard time put on my wetsuit :lol:

About "situations", and pump, or any other devices, I think everyone will see me again on "how to" topic when I can acquire a boat. Hope no one get sick of me by then.

For towing, I am searching and making another thread to make sure what I see is correct. I never care paying attention to it.

On which boat and what type, honestly, I can't even decide yet. I started out something like the below, than moving up for safety/unsinkable boats like whaler-revenge/Arima, but these costs a lot more ... This is why my questions are all over the place, and also a reason that I am here. I think I have to sort out all my question into categories to make more sense to everyone.

I didn't even ask about my seasick problem yet. I think I should on the next post....

Thank you much, again.

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/d/fullerton-1989-pleasure-boat-21-ft/7265834821.html

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/d/oceanside-1971-imp-boat/7263109397.html

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/d/dana-point-235-flybridge-boat/7254592929.html

LOL, yes you are all over the place. How many children do you have and their ages. Is there a significant other?

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by tdw28210

I am not a powerboat expert, but I really don't understand the benefit of an I/O set up on a small pleasure craft unless you are really into sport fishing, wake boarding or wake surfing. I'd much prefer the safety, convenience and simplicity of dual outboards vs the complexity and lack of access that comes with an I/O set up.

Speaking of outboards, lol....

The benefit is cost of entry. An I/O is cheaper than a straight inboard or an outboard from a manufacturing standpoint. That means a boat gets to market cheaper. The manufacturer does not care what repair costs are five years after the boat is sold.

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by rnln

well, what caught my eye is the price to start with, and also looks like I will have room and convenience for diving with heavy gears.
So, are you saying no no In/Out engine? Is it simply because harder for maintenance/repair, or any other reason?
Thanks.

Gotta go get some sleep, been looking at ugly/beat-up boats through the night

Steer clear of an I/O unless you intend to replace the entire system. The drive sytems are troublesome. By far the best power set up is a straight inboard diesel. Second would be an outboard preferably an Evinrude E-tec (they stopped building them in 2020) then a four stroke outboard. Lastly a straight inboard gas motor. If you are on a budget see if you can locate a late model two stroke and have it rebuilt. A well maintained two stroke will last a life time.

[onewhippedpuppy]

While I seriously dig the latest fad of big high performance center consoles, we spend a LOT of time on our swim platform. It’s one of the key things we are looking at while shopping for our next boat. Which would be seriously missed with an outboard setup. All of my boating is freshwater though, I would more seriously consider outboards if I was in saltwater because they are much easier to maintain. Much of the I/O maintenance burden is associated with operating them in saltwater.

One other note to add onto what the good doctor said, I wouldn’t focus so much on the “unsinkable” factor. For me it would be much more emphasis on either an all composite boat (no wood), or a boat with minimal wood. Further to that, boats that use marine treated high quality wood that has been encapsulated in fiberglass will be much better as well. Most older boats will have at least some amount of wood involved in the structure, that’s where buying a quality brand comes into play. I would never buy an old Bayliner to fix up because the odds are very good that you’ll find more problems the deeper you get due to the cheap build quality. I would much rather get a high quality boat that has cosmetic or mechanical needs because it will be a good opportunity to update as you repair and replace.

[Dantilla]

While Bayliner is an.... "entry level" boat, they have done a fantastic job at marketing.

Once upon a time, when one chose a new boat, the salesdude's next question: "What engine do you want? Let's go look at Evinrude's line of outboards"
Then: "I suppose you want a trailer?"

Bayliner was the first to sell the complete package, boat, motor, trailer, all for one price.
Made boat shopping easy, and they sold a buttload of boats because of it.

[petrolhead611]

Have you noticed what a high proportion of boats for sale are advertised as "we bought it to restore X years ago and have spent £££ on it and now it only needs this that and the other to finish it"?
I don't know about where you are, but certainly in English marinas, the hard standing on every marina is littered with incomplete projects. People seem to under estimate just how long it will take to rebuild a boat . They rip everything out to a shell( the free and easy bit) and then find that just restoring the windows is a big task.
Just sayin'

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by petrolhead611

Have you noticed what a high proportion of boats for sale are advertised as "we bought it to restore X years ago and have spent £££ on it and now it only needs this that and the other to finish it"?
I don't know about where you are, but certainly in English marinas, the hard standing on every marina is littered with incomplete projects. People seem to under estimate just how long it will take to rebuild a boat . They rip everything out to a shell( the free and easy bit) and then find that just restoring the windows is a big task.
Just sayin'

You are spot on, same goes with a car. How many unfinished projects are sitting in peoples yards and garages?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Totally true! I think the ability to easily DIY is a big factor. Not only ability but time, tools, and readily available space. Paying somebody else makes any restoration an expensive proposition.

[drcoastline]

I think what happens way to often and I have even seen it in property restoration is people go in and just start tearing everything apart. I have never done that on any of my projects. I focus on one thing, finish it then go to the next. This keeps a project manageable and something gets completed. Nothing worse than working day after day and it doesn't look like anything is being accomplished.

[911 Rod]

When buying a boat, just like a Porsche, buy the newest and best example you can afford.
I wouldn't get hung up on looking for a particular model. Boats that have been left to be exposed to the outdoor elements just piss me off.
Don't buy a Bayliner. They were crap when new.

[Nostril Cheese]

Had a GF who was into sailing. She had a 35' sailboat that CONSTANTLY needed work. Spent more weekends working on the boat than sailing it. Replacing stainless fasteners, etc.

I'm glad I dont have to put up with all of that again.

[Sunroof]

I have owned eight sailboats since 1978 beginning with a Helsen 22 to now a Catalina 30. For three years I lived aboard and cruised on my Coronado 35. Boat maintenance, especially if you have diesel or gas power, pressure water systems, AC and DC circuitry, propane stoves, fiberglass repair, steering systems, etc all require up keep. I learned through boat ownership and a lot of DIY manuals how to stay on top of it. Ever get a price for a service from a boat yard? VERY COSTLY. If you can work on your Porsche you can work on your boat!

Whatever you venture into on the water, get caught up on the boats systems, operations, replacement costs and have the right tools for the job. BTW, you can save $$$$$ if you shop at RV supply stores for everything DC powered (water pumps, interior lighting, switches, panels, etc).

fair winds

Bob
Catalina 30 Mark II
Breezin II
Georgia

[drcoastline]

I would advise staying away from this one. Although if they paid you the disposal fee to take it, There is plenty of good stuff to catabolize before hauling it to the landfill.







You can thank me now.

[KC911]

Hmmm... nice cinder blocks !

[dar636]

Christmas trees aren't cheap either!

[herr_oberst]

That wheel has some life left as a hose reel or a kid's toy in a tree fort. And those cleats wouldn't get thrown away at my house!

[JeremyD]

I tracked a 911 for years - and had three boats at one time (down to one) I always tell people that boat ownership can make Porsche ownership seem reasonable.

[Tim Hancock]

Here is my boat project.... a 1995 Larson.

Another project.... a boat with soft floor

It was not fun cutting out old rotted plywood stringers and grinding fiberglass, but we have been enjoying the boat now for a couple years and I fixed it better than the factory originally built it in regards to waterproofing and glassing the new structure in with epoxy. If I were to do it again, I would only buy a boat new enough that it did not contain plywood stringers etc. Most of the common brands went to all fiberglass internals by the late 90's and early 2000's.