CONTINUOUSWAVE

Hey guys. I'm brand new to the forums, Whalers, and boating in general. My Dad used to own boats before he had a family, and he and I have recently rented boats a few times and really bonded over it. I don't have a ton of money to work with at the moment, but it would be more feasible to put money into a boat over time, so I feel like a project boat might be right for my situation.

There are two available on Craigslist right now that I could jump on, both are[16-footers] with one being a 1970 and the other being a 1974.

Here is an album of the two: https://imgur.com/a/fbOmEAh

The 1970 was hit by another boat while on its mooring. It has significant damage to the front of the boat.

The 1974 has been sitting for a number of years, and has significant wear on the deck floor.

Both boats come with trailers, but without motors.

1970 owner is asking $1300
1974 owner is asking $1700

Advantages of the 1970: still mostly in tact (center console, seating)
Disadvantaves of the 1970: major hull damage, possible structural damage, seems like [repair] could be difficult for a novice

Advantages of the 1974: doesn't seem like there is structural damage, base of hull seems like it is in decent condition
Disadvantages of the 1974: not as intact as the [1970], missing center console and seating; deck and floor needs significant work; could be water logged or saturated


Which do you all think is the better project boat for someone who has never had a project boat?

Maybe the answer is neither, but I figured I would ask anyway. I think it would be really cool to work on something like this with my Dad, and I'm prepared to put the work in to restore a Whaler to its former glory.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

The [1970 boat] has profoundly serious hull damage, and the [1974 boat] has been thoroughly trashed over many years. The asking prices in both cases are absurdly high. That's my opinion.

Boston Whaler boats in general hold their value better than other boats, but this notion seems to have engendered some sellers to think that boats that are in very poor condition must still have substantial intrinsic value--which is probably not true.

If you are looking for a very long and complicated project that will involve a lot of work and expense, both of the boats you show are excellent candidates. The sort of time and money you would put into either boat will likely not be rewarded by a commensurate increase in their value--unless you put no monetary worth on your own labor and ignore the cost of materials and new parts.

The boat with the damaged bow is probably unrepairable except perhaps by expert craftsmen. Many of its fittings look like non-OEM parts.

The other boat is stripped of all hull accessories, whose replacement would cost a fortune.

If you want to get into owning a Boston Whaler, buy a boat in better condition and work on improving it. The two you show are not really particularly suitable for a beginner to restore, and neither seem to be priced attractively.