Oh the misery....Help! Need input

[Parrot6909]

Fillet....we must vist the same sites a lot! That combo has been out there for 14+ months now....Doesn't look in great shape from the pictures....its not a terrible idea though....still awaiting one final response from the marina's fiberglass guy...hope its a good call ala we can do it and its going to be cheap....tho I find that Highly unlikely. I'd settle for, if we do this you can use her this year, then decide what to do. Doubt that happens either. We shall see....just keep the responses coming guys! Maybe something will click in this pea sized brain that I have.

[fillet1]

Parrot,

I agree about the pics! That boat has been for sale for a year. I dont think the guy is too reponsive to inquiries. But ya never know until you see it in person. Those old looper evinrudes run forever!!! Commercial guys snatch them up used.

Where did your present boat come from? (NJ?) Did you know about the cracks before you bought it? You said (I think) that there was epoxy or putty or something on one of them? are the cracks open or just spider webbed? Did you test run the boat before purchase?

I heard somewhere that rainwater/freshwater rots wood faster then saltwater? Maybe the fresh sloshing around in your bilge had something to do with it?

I feel your pain.

[Parrot6909]

Fillet----boat was from ebay. There was a thread in the for sale section about the boat......Guy even responded in there stating that everything was "rock solid". What a bunch of BS. The cracks in the chine area are open ever so slightly. The spider webbing is about 2' long on each side of the crack. Couldn't see it in the pictures nor was it listed that way. Unfortunately I don't think there is any recourse other then the lesson learned.....it just outright sux. My wife was talking to me yesterday about how nice it looks and that she wants to help me redo the interior on it so it looked like new again. Trying to figure out what she could buy for it for my 30th birthday in September. Haven't told her the news yet...too upset right now. We are on a single family income, just me....my wife stay's home with my son. Extra money doesn't fall from the trees......whatever I decide to do is going to be done in the form of a loan, I don't have any other choice....My max price was 5k, spent 3,400 and change on this one thinking the extra 1600 or so would be use for upgrades....well, I guess I thought wrong.
The boat was a mostly freshwater use boat. Used on lake wallenpaupac up in northern nj. Guy didn't do crap to the boat. Its really a shame.

[fillet1]

I just re-read the ebay ad. Did he send you pics of the cracks in the bottom? Can you post them here?

Was the boat owned/sold in the name of his company or him personally? Who did you write the check to?

I'd get a second opinion on the stringer delamination. The boat looks nice otherwise.

[Parrot6909]

Was sold by him personally. There was no mention of the cracks....when I picked it up it was getting dark out, didn't notice them until about a week later, they were definitely there before though, there is some kind of peanut butter colored stuff filling in the cracks. The boat on the exterior looks great, interior leaves a whole lot to be desired but I didn't care about that. I was planning on painting her up and making her beautiful again. I can probably get pictures of the cracks in a few days to post.....problem is that its at the marina and they open after I leave for work and close before I get back. I asked the seller about the cracks after I had paid for the vessel, he said he was "unaware" so if that is the case, they have been there for 6+ years now.

What does seem odd to me about all of this is the transom is rock solid. Wouldn't you think if the stringers are shot that the transom would have gone too????

I am surprised the auction is still out there, thought it would have been 90 days already. He also failed to say in the ad that the skeg is missing a chunk out of it...look at the pictures of the lower unit, you can tell if you look really hard.....Guy must be a professional photographer for a living. The rod boxes were shot, seats don't budge so the floor there is still good.....just don't understand.

I know I am jumping all over the place. I thought I found a decent deal. Maybe it will just be some bad glass and not the stringers, the guy who looked at it yesterday said it was but who knows, maybe I'll get lucky yet!

[CT_V-20]

Parrot, I have been following this thread but your last post broke my heart, because like you, I don't have a $$ tree out back and am on a single income for the same reason. First, be thankful for what you've got, this is just a boat. Second, the absolute #s aren't huge so even if you take a complete loss I imagine you'll have situations in your future where you lose even more on other ventures. Third, establish if the boat is safe to float, that way at least you know you can put in your slip if you need to and don't let your insurance lapse. If it isn't, July 1 is a long way away and you could probably find something else in that time period. Fourth, it totally sucks that it often seems like you're the only honest person around, but it isn't true. And for sure, what goes around comes around - if the seller screwed you intentionally then he will get his eventually. Fifth, sell the thing with full disclosure either locally or on ebay and start fresh once you get comfortable with the timing on keeping your slip. When I lost my Sea Ox I was surprised at how much I got for the boat, motor and trailer in a totally honest sale. In fact, those proceeds bought my V-20. Good luck.

[Parrot6909]

Thanks CT......I have been on this board for years now, saving every penny I had hoping I could buy one of these. I have fixed up plenty of boats, 7 in total, to get enough $ together in order to buy my baby. I remember the first time I visited this site, pre-new home page many moon's ago, salivating over the hull on the home page.

I am thankful for what I have, believe me I am. I am thankful for the fact that I took the boat to the marina to have them look at the scrapes on the bottom to see if they could marinetex it. There are only two things in my life that are worth more then anything money could buy me, my wife and my son. Thankfully I lucked out by having the guys look at the bottom, maybe I saved our lives, who knows.

And even though I feel totally ripped off I still think the guy "may" have been honest. From what he told me this was his first boat, didn't really know how to maintain it etc. He thought the gas tank cover was supposed to flex due to foam under it....who knows, maybe its been like that since he got it and he was ripped off too....

I know things will work out and I appreciate everyone's input, I truly do. This is therapeutic for me right now...and I need all I can get!

[CapnBill]

Parrott

I know how you feel - hang in there - it is $3500.
I've know folks to go "up side down" for alot more than that - please don't tell my wife!

Anyhow, talk a look at Jester's post in WTB about a V-20 in the Baltimore Sun. Give the guy a call see if he still has it.
Jester say the ad says $3,200. Both Jester and I are local (I'm outside of Annapolis) and may be able to at least take a look see for you - snap a few pics etc.

OK on the the one from Ebay - the trailer is worth say $1K, the motor another $1k - so that at least gets some of it back.

BUT REJOICE MY SON - YOU SAID YOUR WIFE LIKES THE BOAT - THAT IS PRICELESS .....!!!

[Parrot6909]

I appreciate the offer Cap Bill. I may take you up on that.

As for the one in the Asbury Park press.......lets say the seller is a really nice guy. Trailer is new....um, motor is rebuilt and ok, my mom said if I couldn't say anything nice.......

Needs a new rub rail all around it, ton's of gouges out of it, transom is missing the tubing that goes thru it for the splashwell drain, stuck my finger in the hole and pulled out nothing but rotten wood. And firm at 4700...go figure ::). I am going to put mine out there for 6k!

[Vic]

Parrot, sorry to hear it man. Wish I could help.