boating

[macman]

I've always liked the idea of having a relatively small, cruisey, old style boat, and i've found one, licensed and with a trailer for $1000.

I'm not really knowledgable with boats, but it's about 5m long, and looks like it's from 1969. It's pretty rough and has no interior and it has a 25 HP outboard on the back. I'll try and get some pics later on, but it's fibre glass, the sort with a steering wheel (not a tiller style).

My question is, are there any old boat enthusiasts here that could point me to some general repair info on the net? Will a 25 HP motor be big anough for it? Where can i get tips/info about repairing it/resoting it if i choose to buy it?

[Jason[98.EL]]

get pics up asap

then people might be able to give a good answer

i have been around boats most of my life

25hp seems a lott under powered to me but without seeing a pic of the boat it is really hard to say

jason

[Outbackjack]

Sounds like a bottomless pit in which to throw money. There is nothing quite like an old boat to soak up money. Call it WOFTAM.... you will work out why if you think about it.

But seriuosly, boats are expensive to maintain unless you can do most of the work yourself. Good luck with it.

[Reggie666]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

Sounds like a bottomless pit in which to throw money. There is nothing quite like an old boat to soak up money. Call it WOFTAM.... you will work out why if you think about it.

But seriuosly, boats are expensive to maintain unless you can do most of the work yourself. Good luck with it.

It wouldn't cost much to maintain a boat out at the Springs would it?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Reggie666

It wouldn't cost much to maintain a boat out at the Springs would it?

But he's central to all beaches, like he says!

The irony of a group of car owners on a car forum saying boats are a bottomless money pit doesn't escape me! What has four wheels and a metal body and depreciates from e.g. $50,000 to $5,000 in a few years and costs 1000s a year to run! Not most small boats that's for sure!

Our boat has apprecated from 40,000 to over 60,000 in 4 years - being a collectors item helps and doing most of your own work also. Fibreglass is best if its looked after. At least macman you can lift yours out of the water which helps preservation a hell of a lot. Don't know much about outboards but I have 5hp on my 2.4 m dinghy and it would go into orbit at full throttle.

Its like a car or a house - make sure the fundamentals (e.g. hull) are sound and that the rest can be looked after mostly by yourself to save money. You can get an informed opinion from a marine surveyor. You'll get plenty of advice around the waterfront but like with a car some of it will be good, some not so good.

PS Afloat magazine also has a website with a forum. (Sydney mag, not sure if it gets as far as Perth)

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by Reggie666

It wouldn't cost much to maintain a boat out at the Springs would it?

Boat ownership in the Alice is surprisingly high. A 12 hour drive north will put you in front of some of the best fishing reefs in the world. And a 12 hour drive here is a walk in the park to most people.

[kempster1]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

Boat ownership in the Alice is surprisingly high. A 12 hour drive north will put you in front of some of the best fishing reefs in the world. And a 12 hour drive here is a walk in the park to most people.

Outback is correct, lots of boats in Alice..

Alice Springs have a yatch club also, they hold a annual race in Alice

They normal have a team in the sydney to hobart also.

[Reggie666]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

Boat ownership in the Alice is surprisingly high. A 12 hour drive north will put you in front of some of the best fishing reefs in the world. And a 12 hour drive here is a walk in the park to most people.

Mate...over here in 12hrs you can catch a wild boar, shoot a deer, catch a trout, jump into your boat and reel in a marco shark...and still have time to shag half your neighbours sheep! :

[Skooter]

I think old fibre glass is one of the main things to stay away from, if you want an old style boat maybe think about a timber clinker with a little inboard diesel? You can buy hulls pretty cheap and wack a new or new new engine in it. What is it going to be used for, maybe just consider a tinnie?

[sarrge2001]

25HP on a 5m boat seems a lot on the small side.

Best advice I can offer when buying a boat would be to get someone who knows about boats to have a look at it. Timber clinkers rot, or dry out and leak, bondwood rots and de-laminates, fibreglass can delaminate and degrade over time.

And don't even start me on outboards.........

(BOAT = Bring On Another Thousand)

Seriously - get someone to check it out.........

[meg]

just bought myself a fiberglass boat, it's a 4.5m with a mercury 6cylinder 90hp outboard. goes OK.... 25 would be well underpowered, hope your going to travel with the tide. plenty of cheap boats on ebay especially this time of year as the cold sets in.

[Dark Horse]

That definitely sounds like it's underpowered.

That $1000 is more than likely to quadruple in upkeep just going off your description by the time you do get it up to scratch.

If it were me, I wouldn't touch it, but each unto their own.

However, if you're prepared to learn and put the work in get a copy of Afloat Magazine, which is free from any local marina and has some great articles, links and so forth to get you started.

[The Yeti]

my 5m boat only has a 5ph out bord on it but in a 20knott wind she goes great, but seriasly theres 2 great days in a boat owners life

the day you buy it

and

the day you sell it

at the end of the day its no more a wast of money than having a toy car

[SVT8]

it depends on what you are going to use it for? fishing, family, cruising.....find a boat that fits that criteria, otherwise you will buy a boat and end up only using it a couple of times and thats it!. It hurts especially if you dont live close to water as well, as a boat will just sit in the back and depreciate as getting the boat out there, just becomes a choir (despite how much fun it is). We have had our boat for neally three years and used it fairly often when we first got it, but really we havnt used it in over 7-8 months now...... its 40 thousand dollars just sitting there........

[LUXO_8]

and with a 20knot headwind you'll go nowhere lol......

[Van D]

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

and with a 20knot headwind you'll go nowhere lol......

That's what tacking's for ay.

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

and with a 20knot headwind you'll go nowhere lol......

eh? the only time I go nowhere is in no wind, give me a good strong wind I dont care what direction I'll make it work o and guess what MADNC the world isnt flat either

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

eh? the only time I go nowhere is in no wind, give me a good strong wind I dont care what direction I'll make it work o and guess what MADNC the world isnt flat either

dude chill!....my comment was merely a joke.....

[sprjenkins]

All these blokes saying its under powered, bah, it depends what you want to use it for mate. If you want to go hooning around, or racing of course it will be underpowered, but if you wan't a fishing/cruising boat youv'e got heaps of power. Our boat is a sailing yacht so it doesn't rely on the motor for primary power but for getting in and out of marina/harbours and for traveling when there is no wind. That being said our boat is 8.5 metres and if you know boats this means its also heaps wider and deeper than a 5m vessel and it makes do with a 9.9hp outboard. You'll be up and moving no worries.

As for info on restoration try get down to open days at marinas and yacht clubs and trying all the boating magazines power and sail, I think some of these may have websites etc.

I don't really know of to much info on the net but the thing you gotta be real carefull of is that the fiberglass in these boats is real thin. You think it would be heaps thicker than what it is, we found out first hand when we had another boat sail into the side of ours during a race and got talking to the boat repairers. So don't go sanding to deep into the glass.

[Van D]

Agree with sprjenkins, depends what you want it for.

You can easily go out and cruise around harbours/bays with a smaller engine no worries. I did it all the time with my Pake when we took the yacht out with some family who were scared of sailing (heh) so we just cruised around and fished with the outboard.

Then again, if you want to go fast, then it won't be enough (I use wind for that stuff).

If you do it smart, boating can be easier than most think, just like cars. I've spent a bit of time on the water in my life and helped my Pake build his yacht in his backyard. If you look after them it's not too bad. I'm actually starting to build a little dinghy in the backyard next week to take fishing, it's good fun.

[jaydee]

Sounds like a cheap boat I got once. Then the steering gear went, then the electronic pack went, then the carbys stuffed up, then the battery was shot (again),then the hydraulic tilt packed it in, then I sold it.All in 12 months.
SUCKER.

[Dark Horse]

A little more reading.

[Green X]

In all honesty mate, don’t even think about it, if you want a boat. Save up and get a Good one first off, doesn’t have to be new just one that is in good nick and has been looked after; otherwise it will just be one issue after another.

I would also like a boat, but will wait until I can get a nice 5-6 metre Quintrex or something along those lines.

[TURBOTAXI]

I have only ever bought cheapish boats.

I think it has a lot to do with who you buy it from.

Buy them from old blokes who have too much time in retirement and give them regular use and attention. I would rather get a well used rig than one that has sat for very long periods.

I bought a 19ft Jet boat with a holden red motor for $800. Spent money on the trailer, gave it a paddock respray, then traded it for 3 motorbikes and a 14ft pride runabout with 30hp o/b.

My mistake purchase was a thunderbird yacht moored on the pittwater when I lived in the mountains. I paid $1500 worked on it most weekends for about 6 months and then only got $2800 for it when I moved to Mendooran, factoring in time and fuel and materials I was down about $2000. The lesson here was that I should have paid $2800 for a boat that had just had $5000 spent on it.

Most recently I bought a little zodiac with hard floor and a 6hp 4 stroke with fuel tank etc.... for $800. Scrubbed it when I got it home, looks like new.

I also have a "project boat" a 28ft Houseboat caravan with steel hull, big party deck pressure water to shower and kitchen all on a triaxle trailer. I pulled a three way fridge and stove out of an old caravan. For it, and have done nothing else. No water in the dams anyhow.

[kempster1]

We looked at lots of second hand boats but could only see other peoples problems.
So we ended up up buying new
http://www.allycraft.com.au/Showroom.aspx?ProdID=DR480

[LUXO_8]

yeah i know about it..... looks like a whole lot of fun.... and a good excuse to get very drunk....lol

[Iphido]

Depends where you live.

My mum lives outside brooklyn. Water access only. Boat is more important than a car for people who live there.

Get a tinny. Seriously. They are awesome. Beach it, scrape it back, paint it, crash it, over load it, sink it hav it bash against a mooring in a storm... They last forever. Well, nearly.

Get the biggest engine insurance will cover you for. Makes the boat easier to sell. 50Hp on a 4.5m tinny.On a 4.8 you can put a 60hp on it. If your not going to sell it, get the biggest newest motor you can fit. Lower revs when cruising extend the life of your motor. Buy Yamaha. All the commericals and daily boaters buy and use them.

A more expensive boat doesn't always give you proportionally more fun.

[EF Futura 07]

hold up here people, before we all say"Get a bigger motor" what sort of HULL is it? speed/semi-displacement/displacement. im guessing semi because its only 25foot. that 25hp will do the job depending on what size prop it has.(if it has a big prop it will have speed but no power and wont rev, if it has a small prop it will rev its tits of and have heaps of power, but will have not much speed) that is what you want on that sort of boat its hull is only disigned to plow through the water and not"PLANE" so 12-15knots max. my parents have a 50foot timber boat, it weighs 50tonne and is a displacement, it does 12knots flatout but it will do that in any sea/wind condition(thats what its purpose is). if you post some pics i will be able to help! PM me if needed

[meg]

I agree too much bull****, i'm going fishing!