Should i or not?

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English421

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I have always wanted a CD but never thought i could afford one. I have an opportunity to get a 16' CD. the only info i have so far is that its 16' and spent 5 days at the bottom of a lake and then another 4-5 years under a tarp. it is offered to me for $3500.00. I know the motors are garbage but i was wondering if this is going to be a rotten mess i need to stay away from. I know its going to be a project but need some feedback. What do the C-Brats think?

Thanks
 
English421,
It doesn't sound hopeless to me--5 days under water is not that bad. Electronics and electrical will be shot but not too hard to replace. Get a moisture meter to see if there was much water intrusion into cored areas of the hull and cabin. A small amount is easily repairable. Larger areas are also doable but become a big project- depends on your skill level and persistence. Doing is a great teacher.
Even if the steering is gone you could still get a small used outboard and putt around using the tiller while you get after the other stuff. Could be an inexpensive way to get a C-Dory and be on the water. Of course you try to get it for less if you can!!!
There are plenty of threads on this site about water intrusion and core repair. Also people who have lots of experience with repair and will share their knowledge, they may be more realistic about this than me (I'm kind of a plunge ahead and see what happens-everything is doable type!)--this is a GREAT site with GREAT people!!
 
clean it with hot soapy with a little bleach

Air dry with fans

Invest in a survey, if possible

Pull fittings and bow and transoms eyes

Pull screws going into core

Pull drain plug and check moisture

Check transom and deck with moisture meter

Take notes and make repair and upgrade estimates

Then start negotiations with some facts on your side


Good luck
 
I would wonder why it went to the bottom of the lake. I thought boats under 20' had to have positive flotation. They say getting wet does not matter as much as how it is dried out at least with the motor anyway.
D.D.
 
If lt is pre 1987 it may be plywood deck and the bottom also will be plywood. Transom will be some plywood and balsa core. Good luck, have fun. :lol:
 
Doesn't sound like fun to me but then I'm maybe not as old as OLDGUY83 :roll: . Not quite 72 here yet. If you're young and adventurous, go for it! IMHO $3500 is an excessive price. If I were you and if you were as above stated, I'd go look at it with about $1000 cash in my pocket and be prepared to either be elated or disappointed. :mrgreen:

Charlie
 
Automatic distressed project boat. I'd go over with $750 take it or leave it. Discard all equipment, reuse nothing, start with empty boat rewire electrical etc and pull all fittings to dry and rebed etc. repower, re and re all and you're still in for $10K when done. Plus a trailer. Could be fun to bring a hurt cd back to life. Just be clear it won't happen for $5K. Hurt boats are sorry to work on. Do it all with a smile and fun things can happen. Best of luck. :thup
George
 
I would consider a boat like this if I wanted a project to work on (vs. wanting a boat to take out soon), and if I didn't mind "not counting" my labor hours as being worth money and/or had things like an engine available (spare in the garage, etc.).

Reason I say the above is that the biggest "killer" I see with projects is if people's expectations going in don't end up matching up with reality. In general, projects take longer, cost more, and grow larger than first estimated. If you take your figures/time estimates and calmly triple them and then it still sounds like what you want.... then consider going for it. Many people have successfully resurrected project boats.
 
No, you shouldn't.
 
No, you shouldn't. And this is not a duplicate post.

Boris
 
Many things are possible, but unlikely, including a first time inexperienced boat owner being glad he/she did a sunk cored 'project boat' as a first boat. A surveyor would bring you to reality but cost $16/ft or so. What we did (30 years ago) was put savings into a designated 'boat fund'. Invest all those hundreds (thousands?) of hours of free time you have for this project and instead moonlight at whatever you're good at...mowing lawns, hanging wallpaper, amateur dentistry, snake-sitting, fiberglass boat repair work, re-wiring boats, rigging boats at your local dealer, re-building trailers, outboard repairs, whatever. In a lot fewer years than under your plan you'll be able to afford a real boat that's ready to go boating TODAY with a safe trailer. Start your Boat Fund with the 3.5 Boat Units you're thinking of investing (a Boat Unit is $1,000).
The very best boat owners have all taken such good care of their babies that they NEVER sank, not even once. There are plenty of them out there...save your money and your business for one of them.
Best of luck and have fun in any event!
John
 
It would take a lot of money and a very strong marriage to survive a project like you describe. And if you decide to do it in spite of our warning, do it only if you intend to keep it for the rest of your life.
 
Yeah, basically the answer is generally, no, don't do it! Only reason I didn't say it that way to begin with is that there are people for whom a project boat is the right boat. Those people are, however, few and far between. They also generally have enough experience that they don't need to ask anyone else. I don't say that last in a snippy way -- and you were right to ask here -- but just because it is true. By the time most people are ready for a project that big, they already know it. For most people it would be an expensive/stressful/heartbreaking slog (when what they really wanted was to go boating).
 
A friend and I take on projects regularly. Our rule is that you always have to double the time and estimated cost to do things.

The kicker is that even after that doubling you generally still have to apply the rule at least once more.
 
English421
After reading other replies, I think I need to really modify my original thoughts. I think Sunbeam's most recent post is probably right on--if you need to ask, you most likely should not undertake a project like this. If you have the needed skills you will know or at least know you can learn specific tasks to try to undertake what could be a big project. I think the operable thing is you will already have a pretty good idea if you are ready to try. The questions would be more along line of: " x and y need to be done what steps do I follow to do these specific part of the job on the way to completing the project" not "should I undertake this project?"
I'm sorry I didn't think through your question and it's implications in my original answer! However, as I said this website is great and you'll get plenty of good advice! Glad there are people out there who are more cautious and thoughtful than I.
 
How deep was the lake. If it was just barely under, then water pressure on the external hull fittings into the core might mean no real core damage. If it was down a long way, then the fittings into the core could easily have leaked a lot of water due to very high water pressure.

I'd pass on it. Too many ifs. The seller will find a sucker/buyer who'll give him more than a grand. However, it was good that the seller was honest about it being a sunk boat. That was a good thing.
 
Here is a update... So I looked at the boat and it wasn't sunk completely. The back of the boat fell off of a boat lift with out the plug in. It only sank up to the top of the transum but the rest of the boat was out of the water. I ended up buying the boat for 3k. All electronics work and so does the kicker motor. The main motor is garbage but I think I did ok. Thanks for all of your comments. You guys made me look that thing over with a fine tooth comb. It also came with 2 good battery's and 2 new cannon electric downriggers.
 
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