Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

P

Parrot6909

Junior Member
Well, looks like the boating season may have ended for me before it began. I purchased my V20 off of ebay back in Feb or March, don't remember which one.....Boat was a freshwater boat, 200 merc and trailer.....Boat was said to need cosmetics but was "structurally sound". What a bunch of BS. Floors were solid until the temps went above the freezing mark as was the gas tank cover. Floor isn't terrible, just a few soft spots, figured I'd use it as is for this year and then put in a new one over the winter. Gas tank hatch was going to be pulled in another week or so to fix that. Well....took the boat to the marina yesterday to have them tune up the 200 merc and put in a new waterpump, yadda, yadda......said to the guy, how much for bottom paint and repairing a few scrapes? He said lets look at the scrapes. So we crawl under my baby, take a look most of it was just war wounds from hitting the trailer, no big deal. Then (other post about this) we took a look at the cracks that were "from hitting the trailer"......they aren't. Stringers have delaminated from the hull causing the cracks.....fiberglass guy is going to call with an estimate on fixing them but of course the stringers that popped are right under the cuddy. I don't have the time to fix it myself or I would (hence having them bottom paint the boat). What would you guys do? Right now I am into the boat for $3500. My wife loves the boat which is huge in and of itself considering every boat we have owned up until now she has greatly disliked. I have no idea how bad the $$$$ is going to be. It will need new stringers, deck and as long as its all up I'll do the gas tank too, heck why not do the transom? But a local guy quoted me 1500 for the floor, at least that for the transom.....the boat's an 86'. Any advice you can give me would be great. Tell me what to do here......I feel sick, gotta go...... :'(
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

I have a 90 V20 paid 6500 for it.  It's in great shape.  Therefor I would say you've got 3-4 thousand to get it in good order.  They are a great hull with a great ride.  If you have the money go for  it.  Bill Mc  ;D
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

Want to sell me yours? I'll trade!

Feel like I am going to puke. I am done with ebay. Too trusting, I wish more ppl were like me. I am honest, I'll tell you whats wrong with it, you decide whether you want to fix it or not.

More opinions please......
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

well this is BIG!!

If it were me, I would try to sell it! Get all I could back even if you had to piece it out, which in this case might be the best thing to do!
Motor is going to fetch the best money, what year motor?? only freash water? I would say there is $2000+ for motor and controls.

Then start over with a different hull.

But this is me! You are in control so best of luck to ya!!
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

Motor is a 1987 Black Max Merc. Hours unknown other then the prior owner (who is not my favorite person right now) only used the boat about 6 times a year for the last 6 years. Saturday (before getting the bad news) I hooked up the hose to her, put fresh batteries in and turned the key. She started right up. Motor was used in fresh and salt, primarily fresh though. Parting it out is an option I guess, but what to do with the hull if I decide to go that route?

Part of me says I should just scrap it, sell off what I can and start over...the other part says that if I go and find another V20 that I may end up in the same situation again......

Keep the opinions coming guys, I need all the help I can get!
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

after selling the motor you will have most of the money back (your going to lose sum) and then put the hull and trailer on ebay for the best buck you can get.

you have $3500 in now, then another $5000 I am sure to fix, if not more?? for $8000+ you can buy alot of boat.

But if you fix what you have, you no what you got!!

sorry, but I am glad you have to decide and not me!!
 
Sux, dude.

I guess it all depends on how much of a Do-It-Yourself-er you are. If you can sneak in the time over the course of a year, you'll save a lot of labor $$$ so your numbers won't sound as bad. It might take six months to a year to sell this one off, find another hull, etc. so you might have the same amount of "down time".

That said, if it were me, I know I wouldn't have the time with a day job, sideline gig, and three small children. It'd take me two years to fix all that, so I'd probably just dump it and shop for another one. There are some gems out there, but it takes a lot of work to find them.
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

I would say that most of the cost of the repairs needed would be for the labor involved.
Paying someone at today's rates might be hard to justify; however this sounds like it could
be a do it youself project at a much more reasonable cost if you have the time and inclination
to do it.

I just had another idea. In my area there is a technical/vocational school in which the students
do repairs to cars and boats just for the cost of the parts required. The labor is free as a part
of their course. The process is not very fast, but if you are willing to lay the boat up for a
while, that may be something to look into in your area.
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

See, that's the problem. If I had the time I'd do it myself, but with a little one at home and a full time job, there just isn't enough time.

My other issue now is that if my boat isn't in my slip by July 1st, I lose it. I am part of an association in my area, my slip costs me $300 for the year (doesnt get much better then that). However, new management took over the docks and if she isn't in by 7/1 I lose my slip. There is currently a 3 year waiting list to get another one....this is absolutely miserable.
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

If it were me I would sell it and get another. Ripping it apart and going through the whole rebuild could be a great experience, but it sounds like you bought the boat to use now. Also, I bet your wife won't be too happy with all the extra money going into "that boat" - she'll be hating it real quick - mine would. Get rid of it and move on (to another v20 of course.)

You should also post a negative review on the guy you purchased it from on ebay. That really stinks.
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

That story makes me sick... Ok what to do... How about putting the boat you have in the slip to keep the slip and selling the motor off the boat,youll be able to let someone listen to it run. If the trailer is in good shape keep it and go find another v20 without a trailer, thats been dry stored. I did this, I had to travel but found a good one... you might find a gem also...Look at boattrader.com... As far as the v20 you have sell the 200 merc. and controls after that maybe youll find a v20 in the same year and youll have some spare parts cuddy door, hatch covers in the rear, if the fuel tank is in good shape there is value there... You got over 350 guys here with the same hull. Does it have a bimini... You have value there even with the bad... Sounds like alot of work but hey if it was easy everyone would be boating... Thats what makes us different... Good luck and keep posting... Maybe the marina will help sell off the merc. if they make something... Keep the slip... Be prepared to drive to find one. Again, Good Luck...
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

Thanks for the replies, keep em' coming. So far no one is really for fixing her unless I do it myself which isn't an option.

Discussed this with a few buddies a little bit ago....weighing out the pro's and con's...

Pros of keeping her and getting it fixed:
Brand new boat when done
No headaches worrying about rot if its done right
Look and work like new again

Cons:
Never get the $ back
Lots of other V20's out there that are in good shape


Pro's with finding a new one:
Instant gratification and back in the water

Cons:
ending up with the same problems I have now on a more expensive boat (haven't seen any for the 3500 price range that are decent).
Spending 7k on a solid one, losing 2k on this one gets me to the same point I am at if I fix it.....

Gotta love it, buy yourself an early 30th birthday present on a wing and a prayer and find out that your boat is shot....If not for bad luck, I'd have none at all.
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

buy a small 12 or 14' tin boat and throw it on the slip. Calm morning you could play in the harbore for some fish and keep the slip at the same time!!

I don't no how much you no about Cape Cod, but my first boat 12 foot sears game fisher with a 6 hop johnson, I use to cross the cape cod canale to fish!!

I was never to smart any way ::)
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

1987 V20 cuddy Boat and trailer 2 axle, no motor bimini and 3 sides Beaufort, SC. 843-522-9461 Butler Marine $2500 obo... Boattrader.com they have had it awhile... Like i said you may have to travel, but they are a marina and have a rep. to take care of, so you should get good info. before you drive...
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

Not a bad idea, problem is that there is a length requirement for my slip....needs to be 20'. Maybe buy a couple 10' jon boats and string them together to make a 20? Ugh......i appreciate the idea though, i have an 11' in my driveway right now....just add water and it grows right?

Hit all the major boat sites that I know of for used boats...Boattrader, Salty dog, boat shopper magazine, AC Press, AP Press, Boats.com, Yachtworld.....don't see any for under 6k. That's fine, but the 6-7k range are early 80's hulls with OLD power....this is a big old zero on the fun scale.
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

Parrot, man I hate to hear all that. I thought I had it bad with my cracked transom.

I'm having to pull my motor and fix the crack. All the same thoughts have gone through my head. Since my floor is solid, I'm just going to let a pro fiberglass guy fix my transom. Then I'm new-motor shoppin!

If I were you (in a sense I am - two kids, full time job, etc.) I think I'd have to sell it and try to find another one. Just my opinion.
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

How about this in the Asbury Park Press? You already have a trailer....

20' WELL CRAFT Step V '82 Rebuilt 140. Trlr Xtras! $4700/bo 732-681-6966
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

That's not a bad deal in the press......I'll give the guy a call and see if its still around. There is another one down the road from me with a 95' Evinrude on it....problem is he has a stringer coming up thru the floor so I'd have two bad boats and two good motors......
 
Re: Oh the misery....Help!  Need input

left him a message. One of the guys I always look to for advice on glass projects said that based on what I told him its not worth fixing. SO......I want to hear what the guy on Wednesday has to say, if there is a quick fix to get her in this year and then dump her.....we shall see. If it comes down to having to bite the bullet and find a new one, I will have ton's upon ton's of parts available. We shall see....really don't feel like working today, just want to go home and have a stiff drink. Trying to find another boat isn't what I had in mind for this time of year...nor was trying to find the $ that its going to cost me........oh well.
 
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