Our old Wellcrafts have value!
 

Today I pulled into the fuel dock near Harbor Island on San Diego Harbor. The attendant sees big and little boats all day every day, of course. He sees slick Chaparrals, and other 20 foot boats that sold for $40K up! He remarked and kept commenting, "that is a nice boat!" I told him it is 40 years old, etc. and he knew all about it. He said the "deep V" hull shape is increasingly unusual today-- and accordingly very desirable for those who encounter rough water. He said he wants "first refusal" if I ever want to sell it. I promised.

I shouldn't have told I had gotten boat, motor, and trailer for free and later bought that huge Bimini top and those leather Chaparral seats for $100 on Craigslist, ha.

So I swaggered back into the Marina, proud to be driving an old Wellcraft among 30 foot sailboats, whose canvas alone would cost multiples of my whole rig!

Larry

Yup. You've caught the fever...don't fight it, just savor it.

Hence the reason I said cutting out the cuddy would destroy the value of the boat. Sofa boats are a dime a dozen but these are WORTH keeping in one peice.

Value? Yes! Worth more parted out unfortunately.
Look for a replacement if you don't think they have value. I look then I crawl back under my rock and forget the whole thing for a while..
23' Sailfish at Capt. Pete's Yachet Sales looks mighty nice, but I digress. Fever indeed. :embarsed:

I think there may be a good profit to be made by bringing Wellcraft V20s and/or good boat trailers from Great Lakes and East Coast locations--to California.

larry

Perhaps only to the current owner!

Not really! The fuel station attendant at Harbor Island on San Diego Harbor was serious about his personal desire to buy my boat! He said that deep V design is increasing unusual, but still needed for a nice ride in rough conditions.

I searched iBoats and found NO Wellcraft V20s anywhere near San Diego or LA.

I would seriously consider taking on another project on a V20, especially one with a decent trailer. I could have someone rent a car and tow it out here, then fly back.

Larry

Got 2 I'll give you. $750 each with galvanized tandem axle trailers. Bring 2 trucks.

Don't laugh. I may do it. Send me photos and specifics about the boats, electrical, controls, floors, fuel tanks, etc. What will be required to restore them? If the trailers are ready to travel, I could hire someone to tow them here.

Larry

If I ever get around to getting a camera and taking pictures I owe a few people here some pictures of my V20 first.

The Chris Craft and the Chaparral are decent PROJECT boats. They need some work, but aren't rotted out hulks like some I've seen. The trailers are the real deal, you will be hard pressed to find one for the price I have them at in any kind of decent condition, not to mention with a boat on them. I would repack the bearings If I was gonna take them cross country. The tires on the Chris Craft trailer have some dry rot, I've trailered ones with much worse though. Figure on replacing everything electrical and mechanical wise. I would at least pull the tanks to see what your working with and probably replace them, they're 30+ year old marine fuel tanks. Some glass work depending on what you want to remove and fill accessory and hardware wise, plus glassing in the transoms for a bracket if you chooose to go that route. Both have strong decks, but the Chaparral has a slightly spongy fuel tank hatch cover and the Scorpion will need a bulk head as you step down into the cuddy. Like all project boats (and all boats really) as you dig into them you usually find additional things needing attention. Both of these would be great for a bracket conversion and pushed with a 150-200 hp outboard. Both are sweet old school classic V hulls which to the right people are worth saving.

So in other words, nothing you couldn't throw $20-$30K at and have a nice boat to be proud of, $10-$20K if you do all the work yourself. :sun: