Seeking Advice Desperately!!!

I hate this being my first post here, but I would really like some advice form other owners:



Ok so as of last week our(3owners) boat(83 sn2001) was sold for $9200cdn pending a marine survey. The marine survey was performed and the surveyor said that all though he could not test all the stringers the ones he could get at his tool(said was like an ice pick) penetrated through the stringers easily. He also said that the boats hull had extremely high moisture readings. As well as some spider cracks acording to him because of flex from weak stringers. So now the buyers are not interested. In canada a boat over 15 years old must pass a marine survey to be able to insure it. We were told that we should not put the boat in the water because any large wakes might crack the hull. This really came as a shock to me because the boat ran awesome, floors felt super solid and the past owner said he redid the floors. The three of us are all students who really cant afford to fix problems like this.

So now is where your advice comes in.
1. Take the offered $4200 from the buyers - so they would be getting an 83sn2001 with 690 hours, monster tower, 2 monster brd racks, acme 351prop, depth finder

2. Convince the other guys to fix this problem and then sell it?

3. Buy the other owners out at $1400 each and ride her till she breaks


How much and how hard would a job like this be/cost

I know I could rip the floors and out myself as well as glass and install the new ones just dont think I could handle the stringers.

sorry for the book

pswann wrote: Convince the other guy to fix the boat. When they find out how much it would cost to repair then buy them out for 500 dollars a head then ride her till the interior trashes or you blow the engine which will be a good long time. Looks like a great boat!

Do you think the stringer will be a problem? I dont want to take the boat out with some ballast in her and then hit a wake and it crack in half on me?

Sell it in the U.S. No marine survey needed!

Actually, I don't think fixing the stringers is as bad a job as you might think. Lots of guys on this site have done it. And you don't necessarily have to replace the stringers either, depending on how bad they are. Search around on this site and you'll find lots of advice there.

4,200 in Canadian dollars equals 3,738.98 US dollars (noon) 0.8902

Hay Paul how about this "project" boat?

S&wn2001 I would buy your buddies shares and keep it.

I was thinking you could take a long boat trip. It would probably take no more than 30 days and another 3700.00 in gas.

Have you thought about getting a second opinion?    How well do you know / trust the marine surveyyor? It seems like a lot of money at stake just to take his word. Did you see the results of the stringer test? I know the results are not out of the question, but from the looks of the boat, it seems a little strange.

High moisture levels can be dried out..Doesn't mean you have rot. Tearing the floor and stringers out would be a last resort.And even if you did, your buy out price is low enough to where you could sink a little money into it and still get it back latter when you sell it.

Canadian "Marine Inspectors" sound like Texas "Home Inspectors". They critque the boat as though it's coming off the showroom floor. The boat's over 20 years old. There are going to be some spider cracks, espeacialy if people have been adding 1000 pounds of water as cargo. This is why you're asking $9K instead of $25K-30K. If you can afford to buy the other owners out, do it. Don't sell that boat for $3.7K American. That's crazy.

Thanks alot guys. This is definately the advice that I wanted to hear!

Another vote for buying your buddies out. I've never replaced stringers myself, but it seems like something that's do-able, and you'll be happy to still have the boat.

pswann wrote:
No problem, but dont take my word for it. I bet there are more wasted stringers out there in these boats then there are good stringers. Anyone else want to agree or disagree?

Sounds plausible.

Do your own inspection, and a little research on "how to repair". I'm quessing if you were involved with the tower and sun deck add on's, you will be able to do the floor repair with a little advice from those here who've "been there done that".
Buy out your buds, use the boat, check your hull once in a while for piece of mind, and have some fun with that now,.,., one owner boat!!