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3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
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3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
I'm assuming that the motor is gone, the stringers are rotted and the electrical needs to be redone. It also comes with a trailer--I'm assuming that it is history also. Sight unseen does this seem like a worthwhile fixer upper? Assuming that the fiberglass hull itself is ok does this price seem fair? And how much to have the motor and stringers re done? Or should I let some other fool buy into this nighmare? Im looking for a inexpensive boat to charter as a 6 pack here on Lake Erie. This is the boat of choice around here. Paul
Power is a 440 chrysler inboard. He says it's "been gone through" Also, he towed the boat up from Florida to Ohio himself so he must have thought it was worth something. Also, in his hick accent the "Hulls got bugs in it" whatever the hell that means.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
I've always been impressed with the amount of deck space they have, probably good for the 6-pac charter. My question would be just how much coin are you going to have to drop into it to make it meet your needs. I'd guess $15 - $25K, then you'd still have an old boat. A good boat but an old one.
There are a couple other 30 footers on Yachtworld for under $20K and are newer. Better deal? Only you can tell that. If you buy the old one I'd offer a lot less to start.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
I actually thought you meant he was going to pay you $3000 to take it. That would be ok. Really, I'd run. No good for chartering, considering liabilities.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
I'm curious, why do you think the stringer's are rotted?
Also, usually around here if someone says the engine has been gone though it would simply mean that they checked it for anything wrong that could be easily spotted or repaired and had tended to them. Usually that only means belts, hoses, plugs, maybe a set of wires, maybe even points if that engine is that old. It doesn't mean much more than that but other than the risers/manifolds it might be just fine for a long time to come. There are an awful lot of those old Chrysler V-8's out there in fresh water that have been doing good duty for a mighty long time.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
I’m surprised no one has said “get it surveyed”. That seems like the obvious route to me. Then you’d still have to run the motor to see what’s up with it. Buying it sight unseen is a crap shoot. If you do look at it I’d love to know what “bugs in the hull” are! Good luck.chip.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
Afriend of mine has one and I fish on it alot. Plenty of deck space, a look only the designer could love but a very stable platform for inshore use only, we had it in a good chop and it would shudder going through the waves .
If it's close it can't hurt to take a look at it, besides I want to know what kind of bugs it has.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
Chip and others,
Many older hulls used plywood unlike what is available today. Termites like to make their home in these hulls and literally consume the wood stringers and any other wood they can get too. Last week I had occasion to stop at a fibreglass repair shop locally and saw just what I described. The stringers were actually full of tunnels. To repair this boat the tech had to strip the hull of everything to the glass and rebuild it. Not a very cheap project!
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
Could be quite a bit more expensive than $20,000 depending upon what you find after tearing the boat apart. Of course you will not know this until after you buy the blessing/nightmare and do the tear apart work.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
I would not buy it for 3k sight unseen. As far as that goes, I would not buy it for 1k sight unseen. I really think you need to make the efford to go look at it.
If at that viewing you decide to intertain the thought further, then hire the surveyor.
With that being an older salt water boat from down south, I would figure chrome, faded glass, risers & manifolds, teak and fabric would also need attention. But you never know?
How handy are you? Or will you be subing everything out?
When in doubt which direction to go, move forward.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
An early 70's 30 foot Sportscraft was featured as the "Boat of the month" in Florida Sportsman about ten years ago. As I recall, he the owner replaced the stringers, engines, deck, and fuel tanks.
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare?
I just finished a total refit of a 78 sportcraft 24ft, it was rotten from stem to stern....I now have 10,000 dollars is a 5,000 dollar boat...get it surveyed...Mick
3,000 for 30 ft. sportcraft inboard year 1972---A blessing or nightmare? 
That would be ok. Really, I'd run. No good for chartering, considering liabilities. 
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