A new owner in the making

[PatriotsFan]

I am new to your forum. I apologize if this is in the wrong spot. I am trading my jeep for an 88 Sunbird Corsair. The gentleman I am trading with has a title for the trailer but not the boat, nor does he have old registration. It originally came from Connecticut, another state that does not title boats. I called my local town clerk, she said I only need the Bill of Sale. I will have to have a police officer come out and verify the trailor. He lives in Massachusetts. Should I look for a different trade, keep this and go through with it? Or am I going to need more then a bill of sale to register the boat in NH? I appreciate the help guys, hopefully I will be on the water this summer.

[Dave R]

NH does not title boats either. You can register it with a bill of sale.


That said, be VERY wary of an 88 Sunbird. Sunbird was a low cost boat maker and they used the worst materials and build techniques possible in the 80s. Rotten transoms, floors and stringers are extremely common in those boats. They are not known for longevity.

[PatriotsFan]

Thank you for your response. I am very good with my hands and have rebuilt engines transmissions all my life. Are there things I should look for, when I go down? My jeep isnt in the best condition either. I think the trade is pretty good considering there is frame rot on my jeep.

[Dave R]

Being an 88, there could be countless things wrong, mechanically, electrically, and structurally. There could also issues with parts procurement depending on the engine and drive.

Things that would make me run away:

OMC drive. They went out of business 15 years ago so some parts can be hard to get, especially on the earlier stuff, including 1988.

Mercruiser 470/3.7/170 (different names for the same engine). This was an odd engine that Mercruiser offered during the 80s and it is very hard to find parts for these days.

Rot in the stringers or transom


Things that would make me think long and hard about buying a used boat:

80s vintage Sunbird or Bayliner brand. The reputation they have is well -earned, these boats were simply not built for the long haul. That said, if well maintained, they can be OK.

Rot in the cockpit sole. Not as bad as transom and stringers, but not ideal either, and a sign of neglect.

Aluminum gas tank,. They tend to corrode on the underside and leak; and can be very difficult to replace.

80s vintage Volvo Penta drive. The drives are rugged, but the parts are very expensive. Mercruiser drives from the same time period are vastly cheaper to fix and maintain. Also, many VP drives from that era don't have power trim (power tilt only) and that's a big deal.

[Tired of Waiting]

Welcome to the site. Keep a shaker of salt handy as you may need to take some with a few od the folks replies.


"like mine"

Lost of good folks here that will help with anything you bring forth.

ToW

[upthesaukee]

The boat was bought in 2001, and we had to replace the flooring and rugs. Also a couple of stringers. Engine was an Evinrude 112 HP 2 stroke, also cheaply made.

I would say that buying a 25 year old Sunbird Corsair, even if it is an even up trade, will quickly turn into a "throwing good money after bad" proposition.

I didn't know what a piece of junk it was, and I bought it from a "friend" who was selling it on consignment at his marina. Happy with my new boat, but wish I had never bought the old boat in the first place.

I am not handy, but I also would not want to have to tear the boat and motor apart, and hope that I can find the parts for the motor especially. Good Luck.

[Woodsy]

BOAT = Break Out Another Thousand

My advice is simple..... Have the boat surveyed. It will save you money in the long run.

You are trading an old jeep for an old boat... Lots of us got our start in similar fashion. Old boats can be HUGE headaches if they were not cared for properly.

Good Luck!

Woodsy

[4Fun]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

BOAT = Break Out Another Thousand

My advice is simple..... Have the boat surveyed. It will save you money in the long run.

You are trading an old jeep for an old boat... Lots of us got our start in similar fashion. Old boats can be HUGE headaches if they were not cared for properly.

Good Luck!

Woodsy

If you are mechanicaly inclined an old boat may be OK. I owned an older boat a few years ago and it had it's issues that would have cost $$$$ to fix if I did not do them myslef. It was a good boat that did not cost a ton of money to keep going.

If your talking a $1000 boat and you can repair it yourself you really don't have that much ot lose. Just don't drop it of at a marina for repair and dump $5000 in to it...

[Woodsy]

4Fun.... Agreed!

My first boat was a 19 Searay SRV that had a great hull but the mechanical side was duct tape & baling wire! LOL!

Most people can fix the small stuff that goes wrong. Its the fiberglass repairs... stringers, transom, gas tank etc where the big bucks hide. A survey should will give you a good idea of the true hull condition.


Woodsy

[salty dog]

First, welcome to the forum. This brings painful memories back (of not that long ago) when I purchased an '81 Wellcraft V20 over in Smith Cove. I talked them down a little but surely paid too much. I was really a complete newbie and sadly the meaning of "bring on another thousand" began to sink in during the next 3 seasons. Powered by a OMC 5.7 and 800 outdrive (just the worst). I was lucky to find a yard and a guy who would work on it in Ipswich Ma near my home. Every time I took it out something would go wrong. Leaks and manifold and head issues, all sorts of outdrive issues. When the engine came out for work (and power tilt/trim motor replacement) it could not be re-installed; the lag bolts would not secure because the stringers were rotted. Structural work needed to be done. And on and on. The problem is you feel hooked; you've spent way to much to can it and maybe just one more repair will do it. It really was the most expensive mistake of my life. Finally one day after it almost sank at the dock due to a leaking outdrive seal and a stuck bilge pump float, my wife and I finally decided to throw in the towel. I sold it (don't ask) and we bought a much newer bowrider. The sad truth is that I could have almost paid for it with all the money spent on the Wellcraft. Not that this would be in any way your tale of woe, but if my story could ever help be a warning cry to a new boater it might give me some measure of comfort. As Woodsy stated, having it surveyed would be money well spent. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

[dave603]

It being from Connecticut, One BIG question to ask him is if it was always run in Saltwater.
I had an old 84 Cruiser that was, nothing but headaches with overheating, even after we tore the engine apart.

[BroadHopper]

I bought plenty of used boats and this is my take.

Fresh water only! I bought some boats that were used in salt water and the corrosion problems were a pain. Even if it is a closed cooling system

Survey! Definitely have to boat surveyed by a reliable independent marine surveyor. I call my insurance company and they have a list.

History! Check out the history of the builder, who owned or built the boats during the year of manufacturer. What were the reviews? You can find the answers by Googling. You will find boat quality varies from year to year because of economy, owners etc.

Quality! Obviously a Thunderbird/Falcon/Formula boat is top notched while an older Bayliner will give you headache. You may pay a bit more for a higher end boat, but you save money on the long run.

[Ken]

I have rebuilt a classic g3. Replaced the transom, stringers, defects from the original mold etc. Old boats can be a tremendous amount of work and expense. I did mine because I wanted a g3 like I had when I was a kid on the lake. It was a love of the boat. If you are not prepared to work and work and work, then do not get a old boat. They can be a huge money pit. If you are doing it like I did as a project, then go for it.

[PatriotsFan]

I really appreciate all the friendly responses and I enjoyed reading all of your headaches lol. I bought the Jeep a few years ago, rebuilt it from the ground up and now I am having issues with my past life in the military catching up to me. So I am getting rid of her. I am now thinking I dont want the headaches of a boat lol. Im going to sit and think about it. Thanks everybody.

[thinkxingu]

I know you've decided to think on it already, but I didn't see my sentiment shared and wanted to throw it out there: unless one is an avid historian/mechanic, boating is much more fun trouble free. We thought about buying an older boat a few years ago but decided to wait until we could get something better and more reliable. I'm real glad we did because while some friends of ours spent the summer repairing their boat we were out every weekend. Just a thought, especially with a short season.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by PatriotsFan

I really appreciate all the friendly responses and I enjoyed reading all of your headaches lol. I bought the Jeep a few years ago, rebuilt it from the ground up and now I am having issues with my past life in the military catching up to me. So I am getting rid of her. I am now thinking I dont want the headaches of a boat lol. Im going to sit and think about it. Thanks everybody.

Aluminum boats with outboard power may not look flashy, but they rarely have structural issues, are very easy to maintain, and hold their value very well. My advice would be to start with one of those and see if you like it.

[tis]

If you rebuilt the jeep yourself, it seems like you are pretty capable so couldn't you fix any issues that you might have on a boat? I bought a brand new jet boat and used it for a couple of weeks and the engine blew so I was without it all that summer. So you can have issues, new or used.

[Formula]

Originally Posted by PatriotsFan

I am new to your forum. I apologize if this is in the wrong spot. I am trading my jeep for an 88 Sunbird Corsair. The gentleman I am trading with has a title for the trailer but not the boat, nor does he have old registration. It originally came from Connecticut, another state that does not title boats. I called my local town clerk, she said I only need the Bill of Sale. I will have to have a police officer come out and verify the trailor. He lives in Massachusetts. Should I look for a different trade, keep this and go through with it? Or am I going to need more then a bill of sale to register the boat in NH? I appreciate the help guys, hopefully I will be on the water this summer.

What is the year and model of the Jeep you are trading? I might have something of interest

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Dave R

Aluminum boats with outboard power may not look flashy, but they rarely have structural issues, are very easy to maintain, and hold their value very well. My advice would be to start with one of those and see if you like it.

Or an all fiberglass boat such as a Boston Whaler, very little maintenance!

[MOXIE]

Dave R is correct. Sunbird boats are the cheapest built boats out there. I have a friend who got a brand new one in 93 ($14,000) and five yrs later he sold it for $2500. He used it mostly in the salt, washed it after every trip and the stringers rotted. The gas tank leaked and when he pulled the hatch, he found the rot. Every screw came loose. Junk boat.
Jeeps are easy to swap, find another boat that was a fresh water boat. If this boat is in Conn, I would bet it has a lot of salt in it's past. Good luck.
MOXIE

[RLW]

PatriotsFan, I was just browsing through the forum and noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

[TiltonBB]

I agree with staying away from boats that have been used in salt water. It seems that once the corrosion starts there is no stopping it.

There is a magazine with a great website that calls itself "The Voice of The Great Lakes". It is Lakeland Boating.com. They have a boat search section with thousands of freshwater boats.

In 1996 I bought a large boat on Lake Ontario and had Miles Marine haul it to the lake. I sold it in 2003 for all that I had invested, including the trucking and the cost of having air conditioning installed. It is not often that it works out that way but if you spend some time looking there are some great deals to be found.

And, it was a good excuse to take vacations to the Thousand Islands area to go boat shopping.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

I agree with staying away from boats that have been used in salt water. It seems that once the corrosion starts there is no stopping it.

There is a magazine with a great website that calls itself "The Voice of The Great Lakes". It is Lakeland Boating.com. They have a boat search section with thousands of freshwater boats.

In 1996 I bought a large boat on Lake Ontario and had Miles Marine haul it to the lake. I sold it in 2003 for all that I had invested, including the trucking and the cost of having air conditioning installed. It is not often that it works out that way but if you spend some time looking there are some great deals to be found.

And, it was a good excuse to take vacations to the Thousand Islands area to go boat shopping.

I bought mine in Indiana 10 years ago and it was in awesome shape, no regrets at all.

Coincidentally, I plan to trailer mine out to the 1000 Islands for a multi-day trip aboard the boat. It's a shame NH does not allow overnight anchoring.

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by Dave R

I bought mine in Indiana 10 years ago and it was in awesome shape, no regrets at all.

Coincidentally, I plan to trailer mine out to the 1000 Islands for a multi-day trip aboard the boat. It's a shame NH does not allow overnight anchoring.

If you are near Alexandria Bay, NY you should visit: http://www.boldtcastle.com. You can take your boat there or take a tour boat. It is quite impressive and the boathouse that was built for a sail boat is huge.

The boathouse building is very interesting and really like a boat museum. They call it a "Yachthouse". It must be a New York thing. The picture on their website does not do it justice. There are at least 10 restored boats of many different sizes inside.

The last time I towed a boat to Alexandria Bay it was about a 7 hour drive. It was interesting once you got off the interstate. A lot of small towns, farms and a different way of life. One of the ways to get there involves a lot of miles on roads along the St. Lawrence.

Winnipesaukee connection: Dave is taking his lake boat there!

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

If you are near Alexandria Bay, NY you should visit: http://www.boldtcastle.com. You can take your boat there or take a tour boat. It is quite impressive and the boathouse that was built for a sail boat is huge.

That's on the list of things to do. Hoping to do around 75 to 100 miles of cruising per day and lots of sight seeing during and in between. Did Narragansett Bay 3 years ago, Lake George 2 years ago, and a 210 mile cruise down the Hudson River around NYC and back last year. They are all great places to boat, but Winnipesaukee is still my favorite place, by far. It has the best of all of them and I'm glad it's also the most convenient.

Thinking 1000 Islands will be similar to Winni, but on a bigger scale. I love having a boat I can trailer easily, cruise at 35 MPH all day, and sleep aboard. I would not like to be land-locked in one lake. I like to explore...