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If I can get it in the water for a year or two before a major stringer replacement I would be happy. If I don't work a double shift tomorrow, I am going to try the pilot hole deal and see what the wood looks like. I haven't even started it. It was winterized and cold, so I didn't want to put water in it to start it. He assured me it would run fine. But he also assured me that the floor and stringers were fine. Live and learn I suppose.
Maybe I will just put a trolling motor on it, take it to the lake, go out about 50 feet and sit and drink beer.
I will give him a call tomorrow. I appreciate the referral. I could handle $10,000 over 3 years. Just not this week. I was allowing $2500 for upholstery repairs when I bought the boat. I am hoping to get the seats done for around that if I repair the wood bases and frames myself. They don't look to complicated. I am hoping I can get through the year with the stringers the way the are. But my gut tells me I won't. We shall see. I do really like the boat. Feel like I already have a connection to it. Guess I am just going to have to work a lot of overtime the next couple years to get her fully restored. I dig the 454 also. Can't wait to fire that thing up. Hopefully it runs. :D
Well you thread is inspirational. I guess I will just grin and bare it. Hopefully I can get her sea worthy this year, and prepare for a long winter next year. I am hoping.
As you can see, there are many ways to tackle this project. The one thing that I can promise is that reality won't be as bad as it seems right now. Talk to Donny, read this forum (there's a lot to read). We're here for support.
After 3 years of boat ownership, you'll realize that the $4800 you paid for the boat is almost nothing.
I paid close to $10k for my boat and was faced with the same situation as you are after about a year. I'm sure I've got at least another $10k into it. Can I sell it for $20k? Absolutely not. But have I got my $20k out of it? Without a doubt!!
There's no guarantee with boats. You could have easily spent $15k on a boat and still need to put $10k into it over the next few years. Purchasing the boat is rarely the shockingly expensive part.
I can echo Wotan's remarks above. Purchased my boat for around $4K, had to rewire it and do a whole bunch or work the first year to get it to the point where I felt comfortable leaving the dock. Last year, put all new upholstery in it. All said and done, I am sitting just less than $10K total invested in the boat. I could not sell my boat for that at all, nor do I want to as I have really come to love my boat.
You can do it yourself if you are at all handy and patient.
I am fairly handy. But I don't know that I can do the stringer replacement. I don't really have a place to pull the cap. I could pull the engine and get it down to that point. So I am going to check it out when i get home and see if i can tell how bad things are and proceed from there.
Well good news I think. I put an inch longer lag in and it gripped into something. So I think it will hold. Don't know if I should try to go a little longer. Looks like the string is pretty thick. Guess I will do some measuring before I go any longer.
I talked to Donny in TN and he said he would do the stringers for $5000. He thought with what I told him it would probably hold up for another season. He suggested putting some Git Rot in to add a little more strength. He said at least it wouldn't hurt it.
So I am thinking I will get the seats done, put down some carpet and run it as is. Then if we like it well enough have the stringers done next winter.
I am going to wait until the weather is a little better to try the engine.