I recently picked up a late 80s Bayliner Capri 3.0l with trailer for free. The motor was out of it and the stern drive was missing. There are a couple soft spots in the deck and the motor needs a head gasket. The hull is sound and plan to inspect the transom. Its gonna be a whole heap of work but the boat cost nothing... What should i do? Is it worth it to restore or should i dump the project... is an omc stern drive hard to come by? Oh and it looks as though the exhaust manifold has a crack. Internally the motor looks really good...
Hello All
- Thread starter ryzman
- Start date
nathan
Active Member
Welcome if you do go forward with redoing the boat I would either do like chris said and find a donor boat or redo the transom and put an outboard on it. OMC can be hard to find depending on what drive it had but get a donor boat with all the same equipment and you should be set. it will be a lot of work but most boats are that are not new or well maintained.
well.... after thinking about the huge uphill battle i would be facing i have decided to not restore the bayliner. it would need a new deck, interior, engine rebuild, stern drive, and paint... and in the end i would only have a bayliner capri... when i saw the add for free boat and trailer, i was more interested in the trailer anyway. with a trailer i can now find a decent project that will be an outboard, retro checkmate style hull... the inboard/outboard drive system is scaring me and i think i am making the right decision. once i find the right project i will begin to share my progress and ask millions of questions...
thanks for the responses...
joseph
thanks for the responses...
joseph
nathan
Active Member
not sure were you are but this looks like a great starting point.
http://richmond.craigslist.org/zip/3279615033.html
http://richmond.craigslist.org/zip/3279615033.html
I just want something my family can get on the water with and something i will be enthusiastic about restoring. after seeing the additional cost, labor, and headache an inboard can sometimes give, i really want an outboard. easier to swap motors and work on one while the other is running well...
im wanting a basket case checkmate with a decent hull and controls... there is one for 300 bucks in maine but i have to get the bayliner off my trailer before i consider it... just throwing out some ideas but am open to suggestions...
im wanting a basket case checkmate with a decent hull and controls... there is one for 300 bucks in maine but i have to get the bayliner off my trailer before i consider it... just throwing out some ideas but am open to suggestions...
Sean
Well-Known Member
You could consider a classic wooden boat to restore... They can appreciate in value, provide great satisfaction in restoration and also be a super all around family boat you can have a blast in. Plus, they don't have to cost alot and come as outboards too (I have no idea why you guys like blenders lol). Check out your local ACBS classifieds.
i chained it to a huge front end loader at the local demolition depository (dump) and hit the gas... the trailer popped off the ball and the boat slammed to the ground... only cost me a cool $20 to off it... so now im working on the trailer, getting it ready for my future project boat...
just wondering... will i run into problems with different style boats fitting on this trailer or is it based on length? I would hate to do a bunch of work on it and find out that the boat i want wont fit on it...
J
just wondering... will i run into problems with different style boats fitting on this trailer or is it based on length? I would hate to do a bunch of work on it and find out that the boat i want wont fit on it...
J
nathan
Active Member
make sure that you build adjustable bunks so you can move them up or down depending on what you need to fit the boat you get. Length is a big factor as well having a trailer that is too big is ok but having on that is too small will not work although I have seen newer trailers that have bunks and boat that hang off the back but I would not like that at all.