TOPIC: Hello!

Hi!
I just wanted to introduce myself here. I thought I signed on a few years ago but haven't found any old posts by me. I live in Centralia, WA with my wife and daughter. I don't currently own a boat (but do have 3 old smaller outboards) and probably won't be posting much until I do. My wife surprised me and said she actually wouldn't mind having a boat so I'll take that as a green light when I'm ready to start. I enjoy all restoration projects with a focus on old woodworking machinery and tools and would like to add a boat to my list at some point when finances allow it. Looks like the buy-in on a classic glass boat is low enough, in fact I saw a couple nice looking ones on Craigslist, but the restoration costs can be a killer. I need to know I can handle the expense before I start one. I don't want to end up with an unfinished hull sitting in my yard.
I've been spending a lot of time the last few days reading in the member projects section and you guys do some amazing work.
Thanks,
Rodney

Hi, Rodney, good to see a fellow Warsh-ing-tonian on the forum!

Tons of boats for sale on the Craigslist as it's almost end-of-season, you should be able to find a decent project.

I'm up in Poulsbo and located between us in Shelton is my good buddy and local Merc Guru Thom aka "Dr. Frankenmerc".

He's got the local market cornered in classic Merc stuff and is busy during the off-season restoring motors. So if you end up with something in the Mercury flavor, we can help you with that!

What kind of boat are you looking for, that might help. I've seen some very cool wooden boats come up this season, lots of work/maint though. But they sure look beautiful.

Glass boats you can pretty much take your pick, there's so many of them on the Craigslist.

Look for something with a solid transom, as that's probably the most laborious and expensive repair, besides a complete refinish of the boat.

If you build a few Craigslist searches you can check 'em every day and spot the good deals as they appear. The really good ones don't last long for sure!

Cheers & Welcome Back to Fiberglassics........ed

Well, I'm here too! Outside Olympia, out by Steamboat island. Doc 20 miles north me, and Ed in Poulsbo Welcome!

Thanks guys! I saw Dr. Frankenmerc mentioned in a few posts. I didn't know he was local though.
I can't get a boat right now. Finances are at best a little sketchy, I also need to clear out our carport for a place to put it while I'm working on it. If I bought a boat right now it would just be another wreck sitting in my yard wanting attention instead of in someone else's. I've been disabled due to melanoma for a little over 5 years now. I had my left leg off at the knee two Aprils ago due to open sores caused by the cancer that just weren't healing. I'm not here to whine about it though. My treatments are working and I'm finally getting to the point where I can get around well enough to think about some sort of work again. The additional income will be nice.

I love wooden boats but I also know my limits. It's going to have to be small, fiberglass and old enough to have some style, either with fins or something like this one.
portland.craigslist.org/clc/boa/5780437776.html
If I was ready I'd already be calling.

I'm not afraid of tearing into a boat. I'm a sucker for basket cases, I'm also realistic enough to know anything I can afford to pay cash for is going to need a lot of money and work put into it. It's actually part of the attraction to me.I figure the money will be spent on supplies for repairs instead of making payments to a bank.
Rodney

Yeah, that's not a bad deal on the boat, a lot of the hard work already is done.

Years ago a good friend had a Pacific Mariner Stiletto that he ran on Tiger Lake in Belfair. He threw a 1970 80hp Merc on it and believe me, it just lept out of the water!

That's a really light boat and he was using it for slalom skiing. Wake was flat as could be but the skier would tend to drag the boat around if he pulled really hard!

Probably a better family cruising boat with a bit less hp! And of course a flat-bottom boat will ride pretty hard in rough water. It was fun to drive, though, like an overpowered go kart!

Don't get too hung up on any particular boat, if you look long enough there will always be another one on the Craigslist you like! I've seen tons of deals come and go but there's only so much room and time, unfortunately can't drag them all home!

Otherwise I'd probably have this Sabrecraft sitting in the driveway. The trailer is worth more than the asking price for boat/trailer package. Too bad the motor isn't being sold with the boat, that's a Merc 850XS short shaft!

seattle.craigslist.org/kit/boa/5781359394.html

Cheers............ed

p.s. maybe we'll all be running our boats next summer and we can have a big Wing-Ding at Doc Frankenmerc's place on Island Lake! Sounds like fun and I bet I can talk the Doc into it!

Hi Rodney,
Welcome back to fiberglassics!!
When you are up to a road trip to Shelton, WA 98584 send me a PM.
I have a couple classic fiberglass runabouts that might interest you.
Several have clear titles, and just need a trailer & a motor - which I happen to have a 'few' of.
One attached picture is of a Tahiti runabout - but not the one I have up for grabs. The one I'm looking for a home for is dark blue with black interior.
The other picture is of the Raysoncraft I have up for grabs. It is a boat & trailer combination, but the motor is not included.
The Raysoncraft would be a rougher ride in choppy water or surrounded by wakeboard boats since it is almost a flatbottom with only a slight Vee.
I can loan you a trailer to get the Tahiti home.
Thom aka: Doc Frankenmerc

Thanks guys! Dr_Frankenmerc I'll certainly keep you in mind when I'm actually ready to pull the trigger on a boat. It's going to be a while though.
I love classic runabouts and while I love the style of the Pacific Mariner and it's interior layout something along the lines of the Sabrecraft's hull would be more practical. I hadn't thought about the difference in ride between a V bottom or a flat bottom. I just got caught up in the style. Right now what I have in my mind is something that looks good and is suitable for family cruising on a lake. Maybe do a little fishing but fishing wouldn't be the priority.

Sorry to hear of your health issues, as I'm have a bad lag too, but its all still there. I like your attitude! Take your time here, boats are out there, Doc got motors ferya! Help ya all we can...be well..Robby.