Boatlopnik 

"BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre" (bigblock472) 07/08/2018 at 02:39 • Filed to: boatlopnik, Divorce, Bad Ideas, Help me spend money

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I hope it’s cheaper to fix what you have rather than buy slightly used. My mom bought this boat back in 2005 and used it every spring, summer, and fall until she died in 2013. It’s a 1984 Fisher Freedom 220. It originally came with a 60hp Mercury but when my mom purchased it there was a 40hp Mercury on it... just enough to putter around the 280 acre lake she lived on.

My husband and I have been toying with the idea of restoring/updating it and I think we may just pull the trigger. It will need new decking, carpet, possibly new furniture, and new helm(?) and definitely a new outboard motor.

How hard/expensive/marriage-ending  can it be, amirite?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre 07/08/2018 at 05:25

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Not hard but it will be expensive. The value is there only if you are absolutely committed to using often and well . That's life with a boat...

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre 07/08/2018 at 09:02

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If you do everything yourself it’ll be costly. If you pay someone it’ll be obscenely expensive. Do it,  but just understand what you’re getting into.

shop-teacher > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 07/08/2018 at 09:08

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Seconded.

functionoverfashion > BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre 07/08/2018 at 09:33

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Unless you really have an attachment to this boat, y ou’d honestly be better off getting a used boat that doesn’t need all that work. A new outboard would be $4k just right off the bat. Wouldn’t be hard to spend the same on new furniture and helm. Then you should have a cover, to keep all your new stuff from getting ruined in 2 seasons. Pretty soon you’re approaching $10k and you still have an older platform with smaller tubes (newer pontoons generally have larger diameter tubes, which allow them to sit higher in the water, perform better, and hold more people and stuff).

The good news is, if you can find a decent used motor and the floor isn’t too bad, the basic structure of a pontoon is simple and can be rebuilt without a degree in marine engineering. It’s plywood and an aluminum frame. A blank canvas, if you’re willing.

Just how soft is the floor? Can you give this thing a thorough cleaning and use it as-is? Is the motor seized, or otherwise junk? Or just... old? 

PyramidHat > BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre 07/08/2018 at 11:11

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No such thing as a cheap as a cheap boat.    The outboard will be the most expensive- is the current engine dead?  Or does it just need a tune up?   Why do you think it needs a new helm?   The good news is that you  can do repairs gradually while you’re using it, so long as it’s seawothy. N

BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre > functionoverfashion 07/08/2018 at 11:16

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The floor is only soft in one small spot. T he 40hp motor that’s on it suffered a small fire two years ago that was quickly extinguished (the motor it replaced caught fire several times but was patched together again and again so we replaced it). The furniture was replaced about 7 years ago and just needs a good cleaning but I’m not opposed to replacing it with more modern looking stuff. Functionally the helm works but it’s small and too close to the seat, although that’s easily remedied. I would indeed be better off just cleaning it up and using it as-is.

It does have some sentimental value since my mom loved it, although it  would definitely be easier to buy a used boat for sure.

HammerheadFistpunch > BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre 07/08/2018 at 11:54

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The motor is going kill ya.  they aint cheap.