When is a boat getting too old?

[granddaddy55]

21 hours ago, Woodski said:

Scrolling through the thread and specifically seeing Martin's '87 perhaps boats are subject to an inverse relationship.  The older models will last much longer than the newer ones thanks to simplicity and lack of those pesky electronics.  I do think the sweet spot could be the early woodless models, no wood, no electronics, no cats, super basic fiberglass bathtub with a super simple iron small block.  Take care of it and it should last a long time.

i think the well debugged indmar drive train in a 14 Axis is that spot, only digital on controls is at bottom of analog speed/tach and its pure DOS with no stereo integration,  so carling toggle switches through out and this was decades of this drivetrain snd control system

even has the very debugged 2011/12 researched and 12/13 customer sea trialed snd reliable Mslibu Surfgate first gen system.

 a thermostat last year i did and a small valve cover gasket leak 5 years ago (under the Indmar 2 year warranty) snd a surfgate repair this year i did in 985 hours, less than  $650 in retail OEM parts plus maintenance.  thats a steal in 6.5 years 

i think its potential is easily 25 years, that’s my plan at least

Edited October 28, 2020 by granddaddy55

[Dsingram]

Thanks all, you are motivating me to do a little more work on the old girl.  Our kids have grown, but grandkids should be just around the corner.

thanks so much for the sage advice.

[Bozboat]

1 hour ago, dtb said:

Fun to read this thread, and a little bittersweet for me.  I recently sold our 2000 VLX that I owned for 18 years.  I babied her and she was in pristine condition for the age when we let her go.  I would often get asked at the gas dock if it was a brand new boat!  Very few issues, even maintenance related, and I was able to do all the maintenance myself.

Also, @Bozboat I recognize your tower in the pic above as that is the same tower/bimini setup my boat had.  It was an exceptionally built tower, rock solid, and looked much better than the "factory" towers of the era.  It was also taller.  Mine was powder coated black but otherwise same design.  It was from a Texas company called Tops N' Towers which is no longer around if I am not mistaken. 

 

Yes, it is a tuna tower from Tops and Towers down by Houston. I saw one in Arkansas this summer, and now yours. A few years ago I thought about adding a Bimini like your boat had, but they were out of business. It’s a great tower other than it doesn’t fold down.  It will lay back but that doesn’t get you under a 9’ door. 

[dtb]

21 hours ago, Bozboat said:

Yes, it is a tuna tower from Tops and Towers down by Houston. I saw one in Arkansas this summer, and now yours. A few years ago I thought about adding a Bimini like your boat had, but they were out of business. It’s a great tower other than it doesn’t fold down.  It will lay back but that doesn’t get you under a 9’ door. 

My tower would lay back and then the front arms could be removed.  There were joints with two flush allen head bolts at each cross brace.  With the front arms removed it would fit under an 8' door.  I did that for the first couple years of ownership, then it lived on a lift the rest of the time.