I went with my Grandma and her friend to Chandler, Texas this weekend. We went to see a lady that my Grandma used to teach with.

I was looking around in the old barn and saw a boat. The lady said that her son bought the boat in 1972. He worked at Montgomery Ward in Tyler. A few weeks after buying the boat he went to Viet Nam and lost his life there

The lady said that she would sell it to me for $400.00. It is a fiberglass tri hull boat about 15-16'. The motor is a Sea King 55HP and was never mounted on the boat. It is still in what is left of the cardboard carton up in the front of the boat. There are a couple of boxes in the same condition as the motor that seem to have some cables and levers. Everything is really dirty.

The tires are rotten with pieces missing and the wheels are about 3-4" down into the dirt.

My Grandpa says that after buying tires and possibly wheels and probably wheel bearings just to get it to Houston, that it would probably be a money pit and cost much more that I paid for the boat to get it ready for water. And might have problems with titles.

I trust my Grandpa but would like some more opinions. If possible I could use it for Bay fishing.

Thanks, Jason

Your grandpa is very correct, but all boats are money pits. Just depends on how deep it is.

You have a wise grandfather..that is a deep, dark, and dangerous hole you're looking down into. By the time you spent the time and money needed to get that thing running, titled and seaworthy, you easily could buy something already running.

Good thing she didn't offer it to you for free, then you'd really have a money pit.

I would go to TP&W and talk to them sounds like maybe its never been titled

1972 won't be titled, just registered. All that said though, it'll still be a painful process to deal with at the paper pushers at P&W.

I agree, Unless it has some nestalgia to you or you're looking for a show piece. That boat will over price itself as far as value. There should be some motor collectors that will pay greatly for a NOS engine like that. But be ready to e-bay and ship. The boat registration should not be too hard to get but you have to get a signed executor of estate which the lady may not have or want to.

Was the boat used after her son went to 'Nam? Was it kept in the barn the entire time?

How's the color on the gelcoat and seats? Faded or still pretty crisp?

Take an icepick or screwdriver with you and kind of poke around in inconspicuous places of the floor. If it's soft or the tool goes straight through, then be prepared to do a restore (floor, stringers, and possibly the transom).

Also, check out as much of the wiring as possible. If it's been sitting in the barn all this time, there's a good chance the wiring was snacked on by rats and such.

The way I'm thinking here, if the boat was bought brand new and only used for a few weeks (actually, it sounds like it was NEVER used) and then put away in the barn for the past 30+ years, then you MAY have a good deal on your hands. It's all going to depend on what has happened to it over those years (i.e. was it exposed to the weather, left in the sun to fade, etc). Sight unseen, but in my opinion I would take a chance at it for only $400.

I would give the lady the $400...not much money and she would probably appreciate it ..
then see what you got..it may be junk , or may be be a treasure.
Do You have mechanical skills?
If not pass, if you do then it may be a fun project

My Grandpa said that he thought about it today and we are going to look at it together in 2 weeks. The lady said that it is sitting in the exact place that her son put it the day he brought it home. It has never had the sun shine on it the whole time.
I did not see any cracks or tears in the seats, but I really was not looking for any, just a lot of dust. I ran my fingers over the boat and it seemed to be shiny under the dust. The 2 life jackets do not look good. Grandpa is worried about the wiring and dried up hoses in the motor.
Grandpa says that we might just take the motor if nothing else.

Thanks everyone, Jason

I would take the boat Jason. That sounds like a winner at $400. Heck, if you don't want the hull, I'm just down the road from Chandler!!!

I don't know if an NOS, unused SeaKing will be of any value to a collector, but it is worth checking into. I have read stories of collectors buying NOS Merc's and Evinrudes for big bucks. As for the boat, even if it is in pristine shape, $400 is a stretch unless it just needed to be cleaned up. TO me, this is highly doubtful due to all of the critters that have likely lived in it over the last 3 or 4 decades.

Ron

Really? I thought stories like this were all urban myths. You know; 1969 Corvette just bought, guy goes to 'nam and gets killed. Parents don't have the heart to sell it until 40 some years later, then offers it to someone for $1000.