Mystery Boat...can anyone ID this?

Karl

New member
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Being sold with trailer and radar for a mere $4,000...
Described as 23' Dorset. Power is OMC I/O.

OK, it's not a C-Dory, obviously, but I'm curious.
 
I'm thinking that it really is one of the Dorsetts, which were very common, and there are still quite a few of them around.

They were mostly from the at 1950's and 1960's, as I remember. I see them in the classifieds and on Craig's List all the time. Must be reasonably durable.

The pilothouse looks homemade. I don't recall seeing one that large, either.

I'd look it over very carefully for workmanship and structural integrity at that age, and particularly at the pilothouse.

The I/O's can be a lot of cost to repair when they get old. The I/O unit is on the order of $4000+labor to completely replace, and anything other than a water pump and a lubricant replacement will run $800-$1500.

Older boats with I/O's are often abandoned to the scrap yard when the cost of the I/O repair or replacement becomes excessive compared to the residual value of the boat. Outboards are much easier to renew or repower.

I've got two Mercruiser V-6 Alpha Ones in my Sea Ray, so I've lived with the apprehension of the I/O repair costs, and have incurred them three times.

The I/O drives are a interesting solution to the power choice problem, but are complex, have their own problems, often don't age well , and can be very expensive to work on.

Be sure they've been serviced well. If you're unfamiliar with them, have someone who is ride with you on the sea trial and listen to them and check them out. A professional mechanic would be my choice. A pro can hear and spot problems that will cost you later. Often people dump these boats when they know trouble's coming.

I really don't want to be so negative, but feel the warning is only appropriate, as I've BTDT!

Good Luck!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
At this point, my interest is merely academic, although the boat is local (Albany, NY)...

I am fighting to prevent this from becoming an obsession...I will not go to look at it, I will not go to look at it....

Why did I just transfer $4K from savings to checking? I will not go to look at it...

Hope it's a horrible piece of sh*t when I get there.
I need to get into boat rehab.

-Karl in Albany
 
Karl-

One more thought-

On re-reading, I note that the I/O is an OMC. They haven't been made for quite a while, so parts availability may be very limited..........

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Karl":kcrtki6t said:
At this point, my interest is merely academic, although the boat is local (Albany, NY)...

I am fighting to prevent this from becoming an obsession...I will not go to look at it, I will not go to look at it....

Why did I just transfer $4K from savings to checking? I will not go to look at it...

Hope it's a horrible piece of sh*t when I get there.
I need to get into boat rehab.

-Karl in Albany
Fight it man - fight it! You know how this will go. You'll first just take a look. An innocent look. And then you will have to touch it... just a little bit. Then... touch it just a little bit more.

And you'll tell yourself, "It's ok, I am not hooked. I can walk away any time I want." And then just to prove it to yourself, you will do just that. But by then, my troubled friend, it's already too late. You'll be back for another hit. Then another. And Another. And soon you'll be forking over all your cash.

Hooked, and you never saw it coming.

And then someday down the road, you'll see an Craig's List Ad for the hard stuff. The C-Dory stuff.

And you'll tell yourself that you don't need the hard stuff. You'll tell yourself you are stronger than that! But then, you'll just take a look. An innocent look.

And then you will have to touch it...
---
mike :shock:
 
My concerns would also be the attatchment of the pilot house to the hull (Carlins)--and the OMC Cobra drive. The engine and marinization parts are farily common. I agree that this is a home made pilot house. Probably plywood and 2 x 2"s--hopefully epoxy, bolts and glass over ply with epoxy--more likely it will be polyester and screwed together. Look at the transom for dry rot, and delamination. look at the engine stringers and bearers. A friend rebuilt the stringers and deck on a boat of that vintage a few years ago. Worked well for 2 years, and then sank on the launching of the 3rd year. The transom separated--with rot in the core.

Take someone who knows boats and outdrives with you.

Good luck.
 
But, but, but...the radar alone is worth the $4K asking price, right?
Even if the radar uses vacuum tubes and a CRT display?

My ex-wife (the "exorcist") just left here, and maybe she had some good advice about the boat: "Karl, go f*ck yourself"

I just transfered $4K from checking back to savings...
 
Don't worry Karl... we can not get every boat we see, and, after you get out of the snow and freeze, there will be others.....that, may be a better reason for the amount you transfer from savings into checking. Keep looking, you boat is out there.
 
Karl":10q6zk1d said:
But, but, but...the radar alone is worth the $4K asking price, right?
Even if the radar uses vacuum tubes and a CRT display?

My ex-wife (the "exorcist") just left here, and maybe she had some good advice about the boat: "Karl, go f*ck yourself"

I just transfered $4K from checking back to savings...

Karl, your ex is correct. Better you do it to yourself than the guy with that boat! :lol:

Charlie
 
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