TOPIC: 1960/61 Cutter Avon 17'-Is She Desireable?

I have a 1960/61 Avon non-hardtop that will be heading to the junk heap but would prefer it to live on. It has a Merc 800 Direct Reverse that should be running in three days.
Transom is rotted and needs to be replaced, along with a hole above the waterline at the Starboard stern, the windshield is cracked and missing pieces.
Original Vollrath Bow light and bow hardware-Original Vollrath stern light has been replaced.
No interior, original gauges, helm, and control box.
Original trailer that does roll and can be towed fine.

I have no idea if she is worth anything, or the engine itself will be desired by anyone. The engine has many new parts and the original brass/bronze prop with all covers.

Please help me with any guidance.

Pictures will be posted in a couple of days.

Based on the description, you may get someone to take it away by giving it to them for free.

Whats the status of titles for the boat and trailer?

Pull the motor off and remove the boat from the trailer and you might sell the motor and trailer for a hundred or 2 total if the title is in order for the trailer.

Good luck

If it was me I would take every part and piece that can be removed and put then up on ebay individually. Then post the hull on CL in the free section. Or maybe a couple hundred with a good trailer.

JoeyManhattan,

WELCOME ABOARD. - Sounds like a GREAT first project to me, IF the hull itself is sound.
Otoh, IF the hull is trashed, I'd strip it out for parts, fix the dock-buster, sell or use the trailer for an other boat and turn the hull into a component of a local artificial reef.

yours, satx

My old boats are likely not worth a nickel to anyone else on here. I bought the first one at an auction sale purely because I liked the vintage look that it had. A few days later I went to our Microsoft boat dealership to see if I might be able to find a few missing parts. Low and behold there was another one of the same kind but different model there and somehow it followed me home. So I bought another parts boat for the motor and got another boat given to me I have to pick that up not sure what it is yet. I am having some fun with it and that to me is the true value in this for me. If you are interested in your boat for the same reason it would be a great reason to rebuild it. If it is an old boat that is laying around that you want to cash in on and you have no real interest in it strip it and sell the pieces. There would be a little money there but you will not be able to buy a new car from the parts.

Like anything else, it depends on what it is and how bad someone wants it. That being said, the boat probably has little interest. The motor will have more. Guys are always looking for Merc stuff, especially a good DR.

Thanks all for the insight, originally I intended to rebuild her myself but I just took on a Hammond San Tropez that I couldn't pass up.
I'm hoping someone here will have an interest in the Cutter as I already brought her a long ways from what she was, these are the only pics I have on hand:

She's much better now, cut the trees and pressure washed her out, I'll add pics this week. She sat for at least 30 years in the same spot until I moved her out and started repairing.

To quote the Lord Humungus, "Just walk away!"

If it was here I would do it.

Robert-lorigan,

Me TOO, as FINNED boats in restorable condition are SCARCE in South TX. = Our mild winters & warm-HOT Spring, Summer & Fall mean that may boats are used 9-12 months a year & used until they are worn-out.
(One of "the inside jokes" in Corpus Christi is that it's "BRRRR-COLD" if the Canadian GRRLS are wearing "cover-ups" over their bikinis.)

Nearly all of the FINNED boats that I find in South TX were brought here by "outsiders" and (especially) by GIs at Ft Hood, Ft Sam Houston, Randolph AFB, etc. OR they are found in a storage building/outbuilding after someone died.
(My latest "find" is a 17 foot molded plywood runabout with original OMC engine on a "break-down" trailer, that was found when a warehouse near Waco was "cleaned out". - According to the last registration sticker, it was last registered in MN in 1971. =====> The State of MN has NO RECORD of the boat/motor/trailer after 44 years, so I cannot even find out who it was last owned by.)

yours, satx

Her last registration was in 1968 and the original numbers are outlined in the hull. She's not beyond repair by any means but it'll take man hours to repair. I'd hate to separate the original boat, trailer, and engine though.

You didnt ask if it was 'worth' anything.

I didnt say it wasnt a worthy project, just that based on your description and question of worth, it isnt 'worth' much.

The pix dont change my impression that it has little to no value being a complete tear down project. Boat, motor and trailer all need lots of work.

Could it be done, yep, sure could. Just need a good bit of time, lots of effort, plenty of money and a heck of a lot of want to.

jbcurt00,

My GUESS is about 600.oo in materials/parts/paint to resurrect the boat/OB & a GREAT DEAL of man-hours of hot/dirty labor BUT if one does their own work, it is a LOT cheaper than a new "tin" johnboat, alone.

just my OPINION, satx

WOW...If that boat can be restored for $600 bucks then I must be doing something wrong!!!! I bought a 1961 Lonestar 4 years ago, Boat, Motor and Trailer for $250 and it was and a LOT better shape than this boat and I now have about $1,500 in her and I AM a C.O.B.!!!! Didn't buy TOP DOLLAR anything but the Nickel and Dime stuff ALL adds up over time. I did my Own Upholstery, Did my own Paint Job using Rustoleum, the B.I.L. did FREE Mek-a-Nek work on the motor and I also did all the restoration on the Trailer including Paint and I didn't have to do Stringers, Deck or Transom. The Parts for the motor rebuild were $300, Upholstery Material was $150, Paint for Boat and Trailer $125 etc...etc...

Back on track here; if she's actually worth anything it would be nice but I really want someone to take on the project instead of seeing her rot more. I've already put a couple hundred dollars into the engine that would be nice to see back of course, but I spent that for my own enjoyment to see if she would run.

It would not be a highly costly project, but it would take time. I've another boat my time will be going to and I can't do both.

My Flamingo,

I don't think that I said that I could fully restore the boat BUT for about that much, I can buy the plywood, glue, paint AND get a "Plain Jane" but perfectly serviceable upholstery job done in Nuevo Laredo OR Juarez.
(MOST of the cost of restoration are "frills" that I see little point in doing to a USING boat for the South TX bays & large rivers/lakes.)

One local tech school will thoroughly sand & repaint the boat & sandblast/prime/paint the trailer for the wholesale cost of paint/chemicals AND a 50.oo donation to the school, which is tax deductible, btw.
(I've had two POVs done at the school & they looked professionally refinished. The 1986 M-B W126 sedan was about 175.oo and the PU for about 200.oo)
The SOLE problem with having your boat/car/truck done by the school is that they put you on a "waiting list" & it may be 60 days until you get your "turn".

IF I was going to refinish the boat, I'd pop the deck, rip out the floor, replace the transom with MDO & epoxy & glass. Then I would put in the new floor, glass the floor & turn the refinishing over to the school's shop for painting & trailer refinishing.
Meanwhile the seating/trim would "go on vacation" to Mexico, once completed, I'd reinstall the seats, trim myself & then start enjoying fishing from it.
(Truthfully, the "dockbuster" would be sold or traded for a pair of BigTwins, as I'm not a big fan of Mercury OBs.)

IF all that exceeded about 600.oo (plus or minus 100 bucks.) in materials & the Mexican upholstery work, I'd be very surprised.
(Of course, I'm counting my "scut-work" to be worth ZERO, as I'm fully retired now & "need another Winter project".)

yours, satx

If anyone is interested or knows of anyone who might be, it would be greatly appreciated to see her saved.

Nice tractor.

What part of the world are you located in Joey? (It might help somebody considering the project.)

No disrespect intended!!! Just saying with the price of Resin, Glass and all other necessities I couldn't come close to getting that boat on the water for $600 bucks. If you can then that's GREAT. I WISH I could. But I have to order my supplies online and shipping is EXPENSIVE!!!

MyFlamingo,

MY (UN-solicited) advice: Find yourself a shop that restores/rebuilds CORVETTES & "make friends". = That's where I buy my glass supplies & generally for relevantly CHEAP.
(For starters, such places buy at wholesale prices/in bulk & therefore get much better prices per gallon/pound for materials & better rates on truckload freight, which hobbyists don't get.)

yours, satx

MarkS wrote:

What part of the world are you located in Joey? (It might help somebody considering the project.)

My mistake, I'm in Northeast PA. I'm used to the other forums I'm on showing it automatically.

Well, I'm in Kittanning , not really far but I lack money. If you need it gone before scrap just leave me know. I don't really want the outboard. My son has a car trailer and can haul it.

Hmmmm, I KNOW a guy!!! Across the street Neighbor is an Autobody man that does that kind of work. I think I'll pay a visit. Good Advice.

robert-lorigan wrote:

Well, I'm in Kittanning , not really far but I lack money. If you need it gone before scrap just leave me know. I don't really want the outboard. My son has a car trailer and can haul it.

And I'm about an hour south of you. I could definitely find room for the outboard if you do drag it home.

Sorry for not having any pics yet, have been concentrating on getting the engine running. I found out today that the fuel pump membranes are shot and flooding the engine-which is why she didn't run today when I got her together. More parts on the way...

MyFlamingo,

GOOD PLAN. IF he "won't play ball" look on "the worldwideweird" for vendors of CHEAP, GENERIC & "crude industrial" epoxy & fiberglass products, which will last longer than the hull will.

As for me alone, I tend to use the cheapest epoxy resin/hardener that I can find for my hobby projects as in 2015 all the "industrial epoxies" work FINE. Furthermore, I use "agricultural pulverized lime" (from the local "farmer's co-op store) for "thickener", as I (or nobody that I know, who builds/repairs "hobby" boats) has had any problem with that "cheap filler", either.)

The repair of glass hulls "ain't rocket science." - IF I can do it successfully for 20+ years, anyone can do it.

just my OPINION, satx

Always a good idea to go through the entire fuel system Joey. Carbs, fuel pumps, and rubber lines are all things that should be serviced and refreshed before putting one of these old gals back in service IMHO.

MarkS wrote:

Always a good idea to go through the entire fuel system Joey. Carbs, fuel pumps, and rubber lines are all things that should be serviced and refreshed before putting one of these old gals back in service IMHO.

The thing is that I had replaced everything else, sans the fuel pump diaphragms.

New parts as of today:

All the fuel lines, opting for Mercury hose cut to length over hose barbs rather than the fitted lines that are a PITA to work with.

Rebuilt the input fitting with Mercury innards.

Carbeurators were clean, but were gone through as a precaution.

New timing belt and re-timed.

New rotor

Cleaned the cap and checked the points (amazingly clean and functioning)

New Mercruiser wires

New spark plugs

Replaced most of the failed wiring internally with proper colors.

New impeller, gaskets, seals, guide tube, valves. The propshaft seals were left alone although I have new ones as the lower unit pressure tested OK.

New Mercury drive oil

My second job is working at this Marina, so I've been treating the work as if a customer was paying for it to be done right as per Mercury procedures.

It's just goes to show that it's always the part you think is fine and don't change that fails....

I hope to come across the fuel pump rebuild kits in the parts archive tomorrow, otherwise it'll be a month before she runs.

Just researched and found out that it is a Gator trailer.