Help with buying 85’ Nautique

Run in the other direction, there are plenty of boats on this site that are ready to go.Sounds as if you will end up with fixer upper that could cost more to fix than the boat is worth.
Floor 1000.00
Seat Skins 2500.00
   Stringers 1500.00
    Major Engine Repair 2500.00

Do you really want to go there??????

I agree with the Doc in principal. There are turn-key boats out there. Unless you are doing a project like some do, for the pleasure and the passion of breathing life back into a classic you might be better served to buy a hook and book. In 1981 one could buy a new Ski Nautique and trailer for $9500.00. I recently spent two years and $17,000. to get a $9500. boat and trailer. The bottom line is what are you trying to accomplish?

Good luck
bj

boat dr wrote: I figure 10.00 per hour rental every time we take her out, at this rate I will recoup my money in 2020............

If you have a good accountant, you could probably claim that as a tax deduction too.

Thanks for the help.

I live in chicago but the boat is in alabama so i cant see it. I know the guy lives in indiana so he would have it pulled up to indy if i purchase it and i would meet him there. I'm pretty sure I could talk him down but he is asking 4,000 it. I guess I should look for a boat in better shape. I thought about getting an older SN but I am a wakeboarder so i would really like to purchase a 2001 but i dont want to spend more than 6k. Any other thoughts.

I dont mind doing somework on the boats like floor carpet and vinyl but I know I cant replace and engine or re do the stringers

Alright so I have been looking at some other sites and found some more boats. I already looked at this one before but am thinking this could be a possibility. Will someone check this out and let me know what they think. http://www.planetnautique.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=9724

Also if you read what the owner wrote on the page it said he sanded out the gel coat and covered the stress cracks on the hull with marine-TEX. Is this a permanent fix. Also what would a decent paint job run for a boat like this. AND....ha, what about the engine. He says he has to let the engine idle for two minutes before he can give it gas or else it will die. Does it just need a tune up or is there a more serious problem. Also this boat has been reduced to 5,800 to high?

Thanks for all the help

TRBenj wrote: uiowawake5 wrote: Alright so I have been looking at some other sites and found some more boats. I already looked at this one before but am thinking this could be a possibility. Will someone check this out and let me know what they think. http://www.planetnautique.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=9724 Also if you read what the owner wrote on the page it said he sanded out the gel coat and covered the stress cracks on the hull with marine-TEX. Is this a permanent fix. Also what would a decent paint job run for a boat like this. AND....ha, what about the engine. He says he has to let the engine idle for two minutes before he can give it gas or else it will die. Does it just need a tune up or is there a more serious problem. Also this boat has been reduced to 5,800 to high? Thanks for all the help That boat is a mess. Assuming the floor and stringers were done properly (which is a big assumption), I still think the boat's only worth $3k max. He says the wood in the floor and 1 stringer is mostly new- he doesnt mention foam. It may run OK, but the cosmetics are awful, both in and out. They are not cheap or easy to fix.

I was chuckling at this boat when I saw the guy's ad the other day. Amazingly, it would be worth more had he never touched it. Now it will be almost impossible to sell, IMO. The best part was the painting the vinyl and trailer because he didn't like the color. Gotta love it.

Hey Patrick,

A fellow just posted an 86 SN on PlanetNautique for $5900, OBO. Looks like someone put some funky stickers on it which need to be removed, but it also sounds like the boat is in better shape than the one you were looking at. Also, it's in Rockford, IL, which I think is closer to you. Might want to check it out. BKH

Those stickers will peel off. Remove, buff out the gel, and, if you want, put back on Ski Nautique stickers. BKH

Good News!

I talked to the seller of the 86' SN 2001 that BKH had told me about. I'm going to look at it this week. He did mention that the engine is from a Martinique....Any problems with this? also he said there is a gash in the vinyl on the engine cover and I might want to re do some of the seats. Also he said if he were to keep it he would re carpet it and re fiberglass the strips of fiberglass that are between the floor and the side hull on the inside. Does anyone know what this means. He said they are little inserts that run along the wall on the floor. Does this take a lot of work? He said he would just recomend doing it if I recarpet to get rid of the bit of flex in the floor. So if I do purchase this boat I will take the stickers off, re do the carpet this winter or next, and get the vinyl fixed on the seats. Finally, I will put in a monster tower that might come before everything else. Does anyone know what it would take money/time to recaprt and fix the fiberglass inserts in the floor.

AGAIN thanks for the help everyone. I think I have found my boat and hopefully will be part of the CC SN family soon enough.

If anyone has any thoughts on this boat and if I should purchase it our not let me know.

I will be posting the pictures I am recieving from the seller soon.

Thanks again,
Patrick

uiowawake5 wrote: Also he said if he were to keep it he would re carpet it and re fiberglass the strips of fiberglass that are between the floor and the side hull on the inside. Does anyone know what this means. He said they are little inserts that run along the wall on the floor. Does this take a lot of work? He said he would just recomend doing it if I recarpet to get rid of the bit of flex in the floor.

Maybe he is referring to the vinyl trim around the base of the carpet? The "flex in the hull" is confusing. Better get some clarification on that. He claims that the stringers are solid, but Id check them carefully. If there are any soft spots in the floor, run away.

No problem using the Martinique motor- theyre the same. Its a genuine PCM shown in the pics.

This is a standard interior:



This is a delux:

TRB,

Thanks for those photos. what year are the boats in the pictures. It looks like the bottom one is a 86 or older but I can't tell with the top one is it about the same year or earlier?

Behind,

I think I'll just run the floor out until it craps out on me. I just dont want to cause any spider cracks in the hull because of the week stringers (if there are any) and the extra weight in the boat. whats a good way to check if the stringers are solid? besides turning the bolts by the engine....

Patrick,

Please be careful. It sounds like you are really excited, and perhaps are already leaning to "I've found my boat."

What I think you've found is a boat which meets your criteria in terms of brand, location, and price range. My advice would be that you go look at the boat with no emotion. Make sure you have an open mind to really scrutinize the boat. Make sure it is in satisfactory condition for what you will pay. Make sure you don't allow yourself to overlook faults just because you want a boat so badly, and because this one fits in your price range. In short, you should be equally as willing to walk away as to purchase the boat. There are and will be lots more boats out there.

If you do your due diligence, get the right price for the boat, and decide to purchase it, then post some pictures and we can all share in your excitement and enthusiasm.

Regards,

BKH

Two boats I looked at this past year that were 2001 models both had the floor separating at the edge which I understand is not all that uncommon. The one I ended up purchasing does have some separation therefore gives the impression of a soft spot.

The PO thought he simply had a soft spot and when I pulled up the carpet edge and showed how the floor was actually seperated he came off the price.

I've already taken it to a local guy and he said it's pretty easy to fix with a new strip of fiberglass. It's pretty thin right up on that edge of the floor it looks like. I did the check the stringers first though and the boat had no vibrations so I felt ok with it being separated. Money I talked him down will pay for the repair.

Chris

UOI,

If the owner that boat is Brian Huels he is the former owner of the CC dealer in Rockford, IL, IIRC it was rockford marine or B3 marine, he is a good guy and a true CC enthusiast. There are some guy's in the area here if you need some help, just let us know.

Good Luck!

BTW, JMurphy I think bought a boat from him also.

uiowawake5 wrote: TRB, Thanks for those photos. what year are the boats in the pictures. It looks like the bottom one is a 86 or older but I can't tell with the top one is it about the same year or earlier?

I believe they are both '85's. The stripe pattern might be a little different for '86, but otherwise theyll look the same.

This is what it looks like when the floor seperates from the hull:



Like others have voiced, this would be a big concern of mine. Even though it may be a simple fix (reglassing), the damage may already be done. That huge gap is likely to have allowed water below the floor, which inevitably leads to soaked foam and rotten stringers.