TOPIC: water filled hull/ restoration?

Looked at a 74 Oday Mariner 19' sailboat today. Boat cover is leaking and it has a foot of water in the cabin (over a New England winter). Boat had cushions in it when it all froze..Unsure how the bilge and mast support are until they pump it out.
Kind of scary......
Stored last 5-6 years....

Seems decent but needs a big cleaning and paint.
Appears complete, spars and sails are good. Have skills to do repairs to glass as needed but am wondering how to figure price?
It is almost a salvage isn't it?
Trailer ok for age, has small outboard.....
They are asking $1500 but I told them I would not be close to that and would have to have a good look once it is pumped out.
Any ideas and thoughts would be helpful?
I am somewhere between RUN and $600
Minor rant but I hate to see such a classic go to waste if it turns out solid...

To the best of my knowledge those were at the lower end of the quality scale.Kind of like a Bayliner to the motor heads. It's a entry level boat period.It is not worth more than 500 regardless of trailer and motor.I would offer that amount and give them your number on a piece of paper and just start walking away.If I wanted a decent 19' sailboat I would be looking for a Lighting or maybe a Highlander. They are "class" sailboats. Meaning there are fleets of them all over and easier to race without all that PFR rating and worth more.They both have a ton of interior room and are easy to trailer.You can probably find a similiar Lighting in better shape for 1-1500,twice the boat.
Back to your "find" There is no transom to speak of, glassed in stringers if any,and no sub floor which means no rot to deal with.Sails are suspect but can be sewn with patches and all hdw should be stainless steel.So if your heart is into that one your resto should be minimal.The mast should rest on the keel with the stays doing the rest of the work.Unless water has somehow seeped into the keel you should be good there. Take a cordless drill and bore a 5/32 hole near the mast in the keel and see if its mush or dry wood. Then put some sealent and a screw back into the hole for the time being if dry.

O'day built a pretty decent boat... I had a '73 (i think...) O'day 22. It's by no means a 'high end' boat, but certainly not junk, either... Think of it as a Ford or a Chevy.

Mariners are pretty good little boats- I've seen a few, and it seems that designs varied a bit from year to year. It's a classic- They've built 'em since the 60's, if I recall. Most I've seen have had a little cuddy cabin and a centerboard- I think that there are keeled versions as well.

As for what it's worth- It's tough to say. $1500.00 is HIGH, though- I'd expect to pay about that for the boat in excellent shape. If it's as bad as it sounds, it should be a lot less. Of course, if the trailer and motor are in good shape, that adds a lot... And the sails, too- There are a ton of Mariners out there, so the sails do have some resale value to them. Just from your description, though, I'd probably be thinking somewhere in the $500 range, and go from there. If they say no, Give them your contact info and walk away.... They might well call you in the near future after they don't sell it!

-Andrew

:N: You might consider a Mobile Marine Survey.? In our town there is a Craig List guy each week advertise for about $45 to visit a boat & write a professional appraisel..If it does come in low or $750 , it is a way of showing the seller , everyone will consult a pro & he may never get his asking price. ? IMO.

Never was a sailer, but I know sails are not cheap , & make use you open them up & feel for thinness of weathering. .Even place a WANTED ad on craiglist to sample what is available in your area for next 200 miles.

Gotta chime in here. My father had a 1965 Mariner, that I ended up with and sailed for several years. The Mariner was a cruising version of the racing Rhodes 19, designed by noted naval architect Philip Rhodes. Same hull, different deck. The construction on the early boats was very strong, but were lightened up when they introduced the 2+2 model. Having sailed them quite a bit, I can attest that they are a very solid and seaworthy boat.

A foot of water in that boat may not be that bad. There was very little wood in the construction, except for cores for multiple layers of glass. The thing to check for is cracks around the centerboard trunk. Other than that, you should be fine structurally.

Another thing to look at is the centerboard. They (the early ones anyway) were made of iron coated in fiberglass. Make sure you can raise and lower it. Replacement may be available.

You can find out more through the class association: www.usmariner.org/

The smaller O'days were all very good boats. Stay away from anything 20 ft or over. They were low end. The design and construction is very different than the smaller ones.

Actually, my father's boat is still around and except for some storm damage and a little fiberglass work, it still a viable boat.

BTW, where in NE is this boat? I'm in CT.

$1500 does seem high for that boat, especially in this market. $500 is probably fair if the centerboard and truck are OK.

Todd

The boat is in New Durham, NH. Private sale and not on craigslist.
Good advice on the survey....I'll check it out.
They seem to go for about 500-1000 if they need work...
I feel that the trailer and motor could be worth $500 alone but I am not looking for a trailer and motor......I want to boat...
thanks to all for the advice and listening to my problems...
I do love the design and it is sized just right for what I want to do.