So picking up a boat today...

[Smossy]

Getting a boat tonight. Title for boat and trailer.
Looks to be a 14ft olymic? With a 50hp evinrude. Friend of the family, just doesn't do boats think he got it in a trade along time ago.

Any advice for these style boats? I literally have only every operated a tiller driven john boat.  Plan to rebuild the whole interior down to the hull.
Tips, tricks, things to look out for?

[CP]

Rot – especially in the deck and the transom
Cracks & missing gel coat in the fiberglass
Corrosion
Stiff or stuck steering
Take the whole fuel system apart and clean everything – replace all hoses – rebuild the carbs,
Make sure you include the fuel tank in the cleaning
Electrical – check or replace all the wiring.  Odds are it has turned to green powder.
There’s more.  And when you thing are done, there’s still more.

[luvmystang67]

While I've never rebuilt a boat as you've suggested, I've worked on crappy boats my whole life.  Rebuilding your interior is going to cost more than you think and it may not be super worth it from a financial standpoint (you'll probably never get that money back out of it).  If it were me, I'd clean up the inside enough to tolerate, get the motor running reliably, and use it until you're ready for an upgrade.

14' is pretty small if you intend to take it on the salt.  It wont be too long before you're having fun, but sometimes a little scared and your wife asks for an upgrade.

Also, there's always another, larger, "free boat" available somewhere.  Thats always the standing joke, there's no such thing as a free boat.  Seems to be the inverse, the cheaper they are the more they tend to cost you in the long run.

If its just a fun project, then power to you...

[Blacktail Sniper]

Today is one of two of the happiest days of a boat owners life, the day he gets his boat.   

The second day is the day he gets rid of it.... 

Actually looks like a decent project. 

One of the few things I know to look for is after you get it stripped down, look close for rot (both obvious and hidden) around the transom, on the bottom, and along any seams. 

Have fun and start a thread of its restoration and if you don't how much each part of the process costs.  Would be interesting to know how much a "free" boat really costs.

[Smossy]

While I've never rebuilt a boat as you've suggested, I've worked on crappy boats my whole life.  Rebuilding your interior is going to cost more than you think and it may not be super worth it from a financial standpoint (you'll probably never get that money back out of it).  If it were me, I'd clean up the inside enough to tolerate, get the motor running reliably, and use it until you're ready for an upgrade.

14' is pretty small if you intend to take it on the salt.  It wont be too long before you're having fun, but sometimes a little scared and your wife asks for an upgrade.

Also, there's always another, larger, "free boat" available somewhere.  Thats always the standing joke, there's no such thing as a free boat.  Seems to be the inverse, the cheaper they are the more they tend to cost you in the long run.

If its just a fun project, then power to you...

Yeah maybe I'll just do that, make it tolerable. We had planned on getting a new 16 ft jon boat soon then this came around.. Maybe I'll just get the motor working solid if it isn't already and save that for the jon.

[Smossy]

Thanks for the quick heads up. Already have me thinking differently. I still want my new boat.

[CP]

It appears to be a simple boat in fair condition and the engine looks like a fine old twin cylinder Evinrude 2 stroke, they are hard to kill.  Check the compression 1st thing, you don’t want to waste too much time if the engine is toast.

[tracksoup]

First thing I would do is grease the trailer wheel bearings.

[baker5150]

First thing I'd do is make sure the tires are road worthy.  Don't want to lose the new boat before you get it home.
Looks like a decent little boat for the price, and if it doesn't work out you could probably dump it for a few hundred bucks

[Smossy]

It appears to be a simple boat in fair condition and the engine looks like a fine old twin cylinder Evinrude 2 stroke, they are hard to kill.  Check the compression 1st thing, you don’t want to waste too much time if the engine is toast.

Got it. Need to pick up a compression tester. Out of the 1000s of tools it seems the in laws have we don't have one of them

[Smossy]

Motor looks to be in ok condition from the outside.
I'll check it out tonight when I go grab it.

[cbond3318]

I stripped down the guts of an older boat, stripped to the fiberglass for inspection. Then I just relayed in marine grey carpet throughout, used the 3M spray adhesive. Maybe cost $50-60 for everything. Don't need all the built in cubby' space and what .Then you have a blank canvas for seats, rod holders and storage.

Of course, mine was geared more towards an open, clear area for fishing....

[highside74]

No such thing as a free pet or a free boat.

[Smossy]

I stripped down the guts of an older boat, stripped to the fiberglass for inspection. Then I just relayed in marine grey carpet throughout, used the 3M spray adhesive. Maybe cost $50-60 for everything. Don't need all the built in cubby' space and what .Then you have a blank canvas for seats, rod holders and storage.

Of course, mine was geared more towards an open, clear area for fishing....

Pretty much exactly what I had in mind. I'm into open room to drop fish in boat or crab pots w.e

[CP]

You'll need this: