Need your opinions on this boat, buying today.

1

1978 SRV240

New Member
Mar 28, 2009
8
This might be my 1st boat, there is a good chance that I will be taking this home today. I want opinions on what its worth to make sure Im not over paying. We have agreed on $750. The trailer is included, and the motor runs but I have no idea about the compression. There are no soft spots, the hull feels real sound, no patchwork. I hope the pics tell most the story. Im just nervous as hell, I dont want to buy a boat that will never see the water again.. Here is a link to the pics: http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/bbalbano/1978 SRV240/
I tried posting a link to the newbie section and it has been deleted, I hope this thread sticks, I could really use the help.

Thanks
 
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Your link does not work, so this is the generic advice. If you can stand to lose your $750, then go for it. You might find a few days, weeks, months down the road that the boat needs some work that costs more to do than the boat is worth. At that point, it might be cheaper to dump it and run. On the other hand, if $750 isn't throw-away money, then see if you can find someone knowledgeable to help you. Don't know where you are located, so can't help you there.

It certainly would not make sense to pay for a survey, since that would cost a substantial portion of the boat's price.
 
If you are expecting a 24' 750.00 boat to be reliable.
It most likly will not be.

If the hull and trl are in good shape.
And you have 1000.00 to 5000.00 for repairs.
You will be in a position to change out a bad drive, 1k or engine, 3k
Even both for around 5k if need be.
 
Is it a little weird that the Photobucket background is a cemetary? Maybe that's a hint? I agree with the above, if you have the money to put into this boat and you LIKE to do this work yourself, go for it. If you want to pay someone else to do it, I'd buy a boat that has it all done! Boats are too cheap right now. For the money you'd spend on this one, I'm sure you could find a much NEWER boat that is ready to roll.

Don't forget to add 5 new tires and maybe a wiring package, bearings, repack and new brakes to the deal!

I think my first major purchase before hitting the water would be a NEW trolling motor with a tank that is isolated from the main! Make sure it can charge your battery so that it will keep the bilge running too!
 
Dancin Dave said:
yes it worth 750.00.

do you have the next 20,000 or so to make this boat seaworthy?
Click to expand...

I plan on restoring the boat, as far as 20k is concerned I assume you dont do your own work and pay others for their expensive time. Im very familiar with engines and I can do the mechanical work myself. I dont think the hull or interior will require much more than cosmetics. Im really looking to find out if these boats have problematic areas that need to be inspected. I have yet to find any soft spots or patchwork. The interior will be gutted and cleaned/repaired as necessary. Ive restored a few vehicles but never a boat.
 
YIKES!

You are going to dump a LOT of cash into that boat to make it sea worthy... (that's doing it yourself). I could easily see spending 5000 to 7500 on that boat.

Walk away and keep looking.
 
H2ONUT said:
YIKES!

You are going to dump a LOT of cash into that boat to make it sea worthy... (that's doing it yourself). I could easily see spending 5000 to 7500 on that boat.

Walk away and keep looking.
Click to expand...

Can you be more specific, I hate to ask you to itemize butthat would be a big help..

Thanks
 
Now that ive seen the pics.
Thats a major project boat.

No gauges, Awfull rebuilt dash.
Guy was probably a bad mechanic.

The Merc drive is a plus.
If you have no money and can not do your own work.
WALK AWAY.
Shops charge like 100.00 per hr :wow:
 
1978 SRV240 said:
Can you be more specific, I hate to ask you to itemize butthat would be a big help..

Thanks
Click to expand...

Just start with basic things, and do your own research. JUST do re-do the interior with foam and vinyl, along with cockpit seating... your into $1500 to $2000 for materials and doing it yourself. Gauges $400, wiring, god only knows what is good or bad. Once you get the motor tuned up, you have no idea if you will need new risers, elbows, heads... tack on another $1500 to $2000 for that stuff.

Like I said, I would walk... but that's just me. Shop around, you will be amazed what you can find for $5000 to $6000 with a trailer. Prime time to find a boat that you can enjoy right away with minimal work.
 
H20NUT is right, look around for another boat that you can use while you work the kinks out. You'll find a better one.
 
I would agree that if you set your budget at $5-8000K, you'll be further ahead looking at a boat that has all the interior, features, gadgets and may need a new engine or engine work.
The issue I'd have with this boat is the time required if you'll be doing your own work. I spent 100 hours simply adding a few accesories to my boat. This one you're looking at needs everything to be redone. That could be over a years worht of your time. I agree with Mark that just in a handful of items you'll be into it quickly $2500 before you begin on the engine. Now, I'm sure it's overdue for Riser, manifolds, pump, hoses, drive service, bellows, plugs, plug wires, dist cap, rotor. Let's asssume that the engine's been properly winterized(I see it's in FL so I'm assuming it's ok). Even if the engine can run the rest of those items are $3K, doing it yourself.
So now you're a minimum $5500, add gauges, (is throttle control OK?), VHF and wiring and you can easily be another $1000.

Look for that boat that just needs some engine work, that you can get for a song.
The best part is that the trailer's worth $750.
Either Way best of luck.
 
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In My opinoin the best thing for you to do is figure out what your budjet is and what you want out of it. I am repairing a 73 SRV 240 http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14559
The boat is worth nothing except what it is worth to you. In my case as noted in the above thread there is no way a blue collar guy on my budget will ever get a nice big running boat since I will NEVER finance a toy. So the Old 73 with no engine will work for me.
By the way, spend a good day cleaning her up. Get all the leaves out and the loose wiring and you will find yourself in a much better mood about it and better replies on here. Bear in mind most on here have much newer equipment and better cash flow. Boating is expensive and it is hard to keep up, but not impossible.
The $750.00 should be money that you can afford to loose. Expect nothing but rebuildable cores from the engine and drive. This way you can expect trouble that you will have.
Good luck.
I would do it only if you can afford to take a step by step rebuild of basicly everything over time.
 
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jitts3 said:
In My opinoin the best thing for you to do is figure out what your budjet is and what you want out of it. I am repairing a 73 SRV 240 http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14559
The boat is worth nothing except what it is worth to you. In my case as noted in the above thread there is no way a blue collar guy on my budget will ever get a nice big running boat since I will NEVER finance a toy. So the Old 73 with no engine will work for me.
By the way, spend a good day cleaning her up. Get all the leaves out and the loose wiring and you will find yourself in a much better mood about it and better replies on here. Bear in mind most on here have much newer equipment and better cash flow. Boating is expensive and it is hard to keep up, but not impossible.
The $750.00 should be money that you can afford to loose. Expect nothing but rebuildable cores from the engine and drive. This way you can expect trouble that you will have.
Good luck.
I would do it only if you can afford to take a step by step rebuild of basicly everything over time.
Click to expand...

I like the way you think, I dont have 5-7k righ now to buy a boat. I definitly wont finance one, so i figure I can get a good size boat and restore it month to month. I see myself spending 3-6k fixing her up, but when thats stretched over a year it doesnt hurt so bad. I think im going head 1st into this project, I will keep you all posted. Not to mention I have a 5 year old that loves to feel like he's helping out his old man in the garage..

Thanks again for all of the input
 
I like your attitude. If you are realistic about the time commitment required to get her back in shape, doing it yourself and budgeting $1k a month, it's a feasible way to get on the water in a decent boat. If you concentrate on the mechanicals first, you can even put off some of the interior work while you boat.
 
I really hope you are reading all the responses carefully....but I don't think you are. It seems you have your mind made up to buy this boat. You asked for opinions and the majority of them are saying to continue looking.

I have a lot of experience doing what you want to do and I would not attempt this. But as I said, I think your mind is made up.

The next piece of advice is to save this thread so that you can look back at it in 6 months and say to your self, "I should have listened to those guys."

Good Luck. You're gonna need it.
 
Hi, I bought a 74 SRV 220 last early September for $600 with a nice roller trailer with new tires. Bought it knowing i would need to rebuild the motor and eventually replace the manifolds and risers. Spent a little less than $500 rebuilding the motor. New pistons, cam, valve springs, timing chain, and oil pump. I used an auto gasket kit with marine head gaskets which saved a bunch. The outdrive oil drained good and found reciepts from a rebuild 10 years ago and the boat was last used 5 years ago. Now i'm redoing the stringers and floor. Next year is the transom. I couldn't affrord a $6,000 boat at the time. Plus i like the lines of the one i got.

If your willing to do the work yourself then buy the hull you like and then anything else that's good is just icing on the cake. It's just wood and fiberglass.:grin: I think the key is to do a little at a time and still being able to use it while your working on so as to not get dicouraged. The 6 times i went out last year my boat looked like hell. But it ran, floated and i was out on the water waving to people on shore.

Jeramie
 
rdj59 said:
Hi, I bought a 74 SRV 220 last early September for $600 with a nice roller trailer with new tires. Bought it knowing i would need to rebuild the motor and eventually replace the manifolds and risers. Spent a little less than $500 rebuilding the motor. New pistons, cam, valve springs, timing chain, and oil pump. I used an auto gasket kit with marine head gaskets which saved a bunch. The outdrive oil drained good and found reciepts from a rebuild 10 years ago and the boat was last used 5 years ago. Now i'm redoing the stringers and floor. Next year is the transom. I couldn't affrord a $6,000 boat at the time. Plus i like the lines of the one i got.

If your willing to do the work yourself then buy the hull you like and then anything else that's good is just icing on the cake. It's just wood and fiberglass.:grin: I think the key is to do a little at a time and still being able to use it while your working on so as to not get dicouraged. The 6 times i went out last year my boat looked like hell. But it ran, floated and i was out on the water waving to people on shore.

Jeramie
Click to expand...
This is exactly what I mean. Very well put.:thumbsup:
 
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