free boat - opinions
 

I found this on craigslist in my area (looking for more MB diesels, of course).

http://lancaster.craigslist.org/zip/550473076.html

What do you boat guys think? Even worth the effort? My cousins and I spend a fair amount of time on lakes/bays just tooling around or fishing....and these old Formula boats seem well suited for that - and apparently, well built back in the day.

Keep in mind, I know relatively little about boats - but I am mechanically inclined and I've patched fiberglass before - although I may need to extrude fiberglass to fix this thing:D.

But still, it's hard to argue with free. I suppose I'd have to rent a lowboy with a winch or something to haul the sucker away too.

I once looked up the definition of "Boat." It said "a hole in the water into which one pours money."

Haha....yeah, that's what I'm thinking - I've read plenty of the boat talk on here....but still, it's awfully tempting.

One of my friends owns an excavation company and I'm sure he has something to trailer it for me - I just need to convince my mother-in-law to let me keep this money pit in the back corner of her wooded 4 acre lot:)

Honestly, I thought it would be a cool project to slowly work on with my daughters, you know with my copious amounts of free time:D. The satisfaction is resurrecting a free boat and taking your family out on the bay (safely) would be incredible.

I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement here, though. This IS, after all, a Mercedes forum!

The answer will depend on where you ask I suppose. Ask in the vintage forum. They seem to think anything is possible. :D

That boat is a Thunderbird 'Formula?':confused: The TFs I remember were scaled down versions of the Arronow-type boat designs and were racing hulls b/t 17-20ft. Idunno, maybe they made tri-hulls too. My uncle had a '86 42' with 800 hp Hawk Marines called the Virginia Cavalier. Sick.


IMO, you could build a boat from scratch easier than getting into that mess.

go get it... the engine is worth its weight in scrap metal prices.. take the trailer too! steel is at like $8.00 per 100lbs here

Marinetex works wonders....

See....that's why I'm asking...I have no idea. I googled thunderbird and from what I could read, formula made the v-hull like you mentioned and for a short time, the tri-hull in the late 70's?

Well, at least we are equally confused:D That boat, whoever made it, is probably plywood stringers and glass sandwich. Huge bilge with lots of dampness. If the sole is soft at all, you would essentially have to rebuild the boat. Probably has metal tanks too, which will be shot, ect.... Gonna take more than a West Marine Epoxy kit:D

What you need to do is figure out (roughly) how much money you are about to pour into that thing just to get it wet. I can tell you: LOTS.
(You could easily put more money into the trailer axles, brakes, tires and getting it road worthy, than the boat would be worth if it were running.)

Then figure out what you’ll have for that amount of money. Unless you just love 20’ T-Bird Tri-hulls, and have wanted one since you were a kid (i.e. It was the first boat that you spent a summer in because your uncle had one up on Lake ??, and the memories of those summers spent as a kid on that boat are the best memories you’ll ever have….) then go with: NOT MUCH.

Looking at the trailer. The tag situation. The motor situation. The floor condition. The overall condition of the hull from the pictures (And, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some serious wood rot in the transom.), You’ll put much more into it than you’ll ever get out. Not to mention, if it’s just a boat project you’re after, you can find one that can be a “project” and still be wet this season for far less than what this one will run you.

I’d get your friend with the excavating company to cut this guy a deal on digging a hole and disposing of it for him. That’s pretty much what this guy is after anyway. Just getting rid of it.

Nothing is free. And I’m sure Hatt will back me on this one: Especially boats.

I like what TheDon says. Look at it for scrap prices.
If your friend can deal with the hull, and has a trailer you can just drag this whole mess up on. Then perhaps you could make a few dollars at the scrap yard for a few days work.

Thanks everybody - I really do appreciate it......and this is precisely why I value this ecletic forum so much.

To answer your question/thought WVO - no, I don't have a particular attachment to this style boat.....only to "free" things:)

I agree with the scrapping concept too - although I'm not really looking to make money in my free time. Had it been slightly more convenient (a road worthy trailer), I might consider it.

I still sent the poster an email though - just to see if it's still available.

I love free stuff too. :D
I totally understand where you’re at with the concept.

And, the thought of a free boat has to spark some interest in just about anyone.

This is not a “free boat”, however.
It’s a big pile of ---- that the current owner wants gone off his property.

It’s only value beyond scrap prices, is that it may (also read: may not) have the potential of perhaps being a boat again. And that part of the equation is far from free.

A friend of mine got a similar boat for "free" a few years back, a North American 24. Yes, the floors have moisture and the whole hull was checked gelcoat but so what? For $630 in parts it ran. Paid $400 for a used trailer. Used bimini top for $150 and new plastic fuel tanks $300. New paint job, Interlux high build primer and then rolled-n-tipped topcoat, $300 Ran it for two years like that. Blew the motor last season. Just picked up a running take out motor for $850 and its back in the water for this season. Crappy beater boats can be lots of fun. It'll never be great to look at but it will get you on the water for pretty cheap if you are handy with a wrench. Just make it safe. The boat above looks really good from 20ft.....:D RT

See.....now after reading the last part of WVO's post (that it MAY be a boat again) and rw's.........I'm getting back on the rails of the crazy project train:)

Thanks for the different perspective - I suppose I just need to go look at this thing firsthand and stop dreaming about it.