Please talk me out of this, please!

Stumbled across a great deal. 

My boat is just about 40 years old. The outdrive is tired and worn. The propeller   has bounced off so many rocks etc  It’s been repaired or replaced nearly every year.   

The engine was replaced about 25 years ago and poorly done.  It’s starting to cost me money most recently the carb was rebuilt and twice now the shop insists the old point  type distributor has to go.  But they can’t get a electronic distributor to work and go back to the old points type.  

Recently they got a mechanics lien on a much newer version of my boat.  Only instead of a 350 cu in small block it’s got a Big block. Either a 454 or a 502. 

It looks shiny new!  Not a nick or mark on the propeller or out drive.    ( didn’t have time to climb into it  to see how many hours  it has and if it’s the 454 or 502).  But just looking I doubt it's got 100 hours if that. 

Money wise he’s looking for $4000 installed. Which is a good deal. Really good deal! 

I might get a few more years out of mine. But then maybe not.   

The wants got a firm grip on me. Logic says now is the time.  

Are you saying they'd sell you the boat for only $4k? Sounds like a good deal to me considering the engine (if in good shape) is probably worth $2k.

Will it fit on your current trailer? Is your old boat worth parting out to recoup costs?

why not?

"Hey GRM, talk me out of spending money on something with a big block."

Yeah that isn't how this works. 

Buy it.

OK.  Dude! Don't spend money on your boat.  Get to work building a race car!  You've been scheming and planing a race car build since I joined this board. 

The first thing I would do is find out why they have a lien on the other boat.  What did they do to it?   

Oh, and quit hitting rocks with your boat. 

A fairly rich dude around here had a boat with a big engine.  "This thing costs more per hour to run than my Learjet."

Spend your money, before someone you know takes it.    Seriously, which fun thing would you spend more time with, a race car you want to build, or a boat?  Both ain't gonna be cheap, considering time and $$.   

So your hole in the water needs money shoveled into it.  You have an opportunity to satisfy those needs as 'preventative maintenance' by shoveling money into your hole in the water right now, which will have the additional benefit of allowing you to shovel the money into it at an even higher rate in the future...This sounds like a win-win for all of you money shoveling needs! 

I would not give a mechanic that can't get an E/Ignition working any money.

Wait a minute. I think Frenchy is talking about $4,000 for the big block and outdrive installed in his boat. That being said it's not bad if it is for just the engine and outdrive including installation. 

Ovid_and_Flem said:

Wait a minute. I think Frenchy is talking about $4,000 for the big block and outdrive installed in his boat. That being said it's not bad if it is for just the engine and outdrive including installation. 

Ah, if that is the case then he is asking us if he should do a big block swap. Which of course, your damn right, a big block swap is always a correct answer. Especially if it is a 502 just for the sheer joy of saying you own a 500+ cube V8.

Most of the “great deals” I’ve ever come across in the boating world have cost me much more than I ever expected. Proceed with caution. I wouldn’t buy anything boating related unless I could test drive it first.

slefain said:

Are you saying they'd sell you the boat for only $4k? Sounds like a good deal to me considering the engine (if in good shape) is probably worth $2k.

Will it fit on your current trailer? Is your old boat worth parting out to recoup costs?

No. I’m just buying the engine and outdrive.  They are maybe 5 years old  but  have been in the marina for at least 4 years. 

APEowner said:

OK.  Dude! Don't spend money on your boat.  Get to work building a race car!  You've been scheming and planing a race car build since I joined this board. 

You understand me!  I want to finish my cars.  This is just a distraction.  I’m sure I’ll find deals like this whenever I need it. 

In reply to frenchyd :

Talk you out of it? Here goes my best shot.

"Just think how far that $4,000 will go to help your soon to be SIL...."

In reply to spitfirebill :

  He explained the lien situation to my satisfaction, it has nothing to do with the motor or outdrive. 

As for hitting rocks etc. I suppose I’d hit fewer with a depth finder,  but the water depth varies a lot depending on recent rain, how much the dam is open and other stuff.  This is a really big lake with tons of bays, inlets, and points of land. It’s all too easy to get inshore of a point buoy or have them place a channel buoy a few feet off the channel.  

slefain said:

Ovid_and_Flem said:

Wait a minute. I think Frenchy is talking about $4,000 for the big block and outdrive installed in his boat. That being said it's not bad if it is for just the engine and outdrive including installation. 

Ah, if that is the case then he is asking us if he should do a big block swap. Which of course, your damn right, a big block swap is always a correct answer. Especially if it is a 502 just for the sheer joy of saying you own a 500+ cube V8.

You are not doing your job!!! You’re supposed to be rational and explain to me why this is such a bad idea!!!! ;) 

Ovid_and_Flem said:

In reply to frenchyd :

Talk you out of it? Here goes my best shot.

"Just think how far that $4,000 will go to help your soon to be SIL...."

Good job,  but wait!   If I spend the money on the motor then I don’t have it to give to my SIL.  ??  

Driven5 said:

So your hole in the water needs money shoveled into it.  You have an opportunity to satisfy those needs as 'preventative maintenance' by shoveling money into your hole in the water right now, which will have the additional benefit of allowing you to shovel the money into it at an even higher rate in the future...This sounds like a win-win for all of you money shoveling needs! 

Historically I spend about $500 a year on the “ hole in the water”  some years much less!  Which 

means over 40 years I’ve dodged a lot of  expense. 

With only 330 horsepower my small block will sip fuel as I slowly Cruise the lake.  With a big block  it won’t be as thrifty  just cruising around!  Heck maybe the 105 gallon fuel tank won’t be big enough?  

Dirtydog said:

Spend your money, before someone you know takes it.    Seriously, which fun thing would you spend more time with, a race car you want to build, or a boat?  Both ain't gonna be cheap, considering time and $$.   

I walk out on the dock and in a minute I’m boating.  Sometimes several times a week.  SWMBO comes with me usually  and my family enjoys boating.  

The boat has a 105 gallon fuel tank and rarely does it need refilling in a year so I’ll probably get close to  180 hours of enjoyment a year. 

Racing  on the other hand  I might get 5-10 hours a year  but it’s much more intense.  The trouble is I’m not sure the XJS  will be competitive  or even allowed.  

Plus even the most modest estimate of the cost of race prepping is many times the cost of the motor and outdrive.  

Racing will be fun for me,  not fun for anyone else.

Darn! I’m not doing a good job of talking myself out of it!  

frenchyd said:

Ovid_and_Flem said:

In reply to frenchyd :

Talk you out of it? Here goes my best shot.

"Just think how far that $4,000 will go to help your soon to be SIL...."

Good job,  but wait!   If I spend the money on the motor then I don’t have it to give to my SIL.  ??  

frenchyd said:

In reply to spitfirebill :

  He explained the lien situation to my satisfaction, it has nothing to do with the motor or outdrive. 

As for hitting rocks etc. I suppose I’d hit fewer with a depth finder,  but the water depth varies a lot depending on recent rain, how much the dam is open and other stuff.  This is a really big lake with tons of bays, inlets, and points of land. It’s all too easy to get inshore of a point buoy or have them place a channel buoy a few feet off the channel.  

You don't have a depth finder? That is insane. I rely on mine. Of course, I'm also going into shallow areas on purpose...

You do realize frenchyd that we are enablers, we do not talk people out of anything.  There are other places for that kind of nonsense!  

Since the other boat is a newer model of yours doesn't it make sense to just make an offer/trade for your boat? Especially if its in that good of shape.