17.5' Hourston - what to do

[2muchdraft]

I've got an old Hourston with an old 4cyl Volvo I/O & 280 leg.
The motor is old and will need replacing soon. I've been chasing repairs on it for years now. My dilema is....

Repower with a new inboard motor?
- cost would be under $4000 if I can find a decent new motor or rebuilt motor somewhere. I'm comfortable working on standard motors.
Pod it and put an ouboard on it?
- pod would cost $2k (right?) and outboard (used) maybe $12k for a good one.
Sell it and get a bigger boat with Outboards
- I figure my setup would be worth around $7-8k, I could put another $12k in and get a boat worth $20 - I'm hoping for a Stiper or cheap Grady if possible. The next boat would last me for many years.

Obviously repowering is cheaper but is it worth it.
I've been struggling with this decision for a few years.

I fish in Sooke and on the inside in Barklay Sound but would like to go outside.

Thoughts?

 

[quicksilver11]

Start looking on Yachtwold, Boatworld, Brinesfield boat basin, Kitsap Marina ect. and there is many more across the line (Google) and see what you can pickup in your price range compare to what you have. Getting something a little bigger, newer and more reliable will open up your fishing opportunites. If money is tight the $4000 is a cheap fix but when was the last time leg was looked at is also worth considering. Maybe get the rest of the season in and have all winter to sell and find a new rig.

 

[Sushihunter]

If you are serious about going off-shore, then you should look at moving up to a 20' - 22' boat.

Thanks to the economy, there are some really good deals out there if you are patient and willing to look around and maybe travel a bit.

As far as fixing what you have - call around to all the shops and see if you can find a package used motor and leg. They sometimes have them after swapping out twins where only one really needed replacing.

The other question is - what condition is the boat hull in? Is it worth dropping $4K into?

Personally, if I could find a Striper or a Proline for a good price, that is the way I would go. Grady Whites are overpriced in my opinion.

Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[2muchdraft]

The leg was re-done last season and he said it was in great shape. I haven't had the hull surveyed - there is a soft spot in the floor but I suspect it's just the plywood flooring. The hardtop needs to be lifted and re-sealed. The inside looks old - it's a hardy fish boat.

I agree about going south - thanks for the tips on where to look.
I was steering to Grady's but have heard the same (overpriced) before.

I think your suggestion is a good one - fish out this season and look at an upgrade next year.

I've been waiting to go offshore but I'm not going to do it in my boat.

 

[Charlie]

I would seriously think about upgrading to a larger boat, especially if you plan to run offshore. It doesn't sound like the Hourston fits your needs anymore? Personally, I would get at least a 22 foot? A friend of mine has a 20 foot Trophy and to be honest, I am no longer that comfortable 5 miles offshore in his boat and it is the last one that I had the privilege of coming in on the kicker. It must be an age thing!

On my last purchase, which was the Whaler, I wrote down my needs and wants, then started my search for a boat… and did look for about a year before settling on the Whaler. It ended up being the choice of "my wife" and she picked it over the Proline (which I really loved), Stripper, Grady (which was my choice), Robalo, Trophy, and many other well-built "offshore" boats and they are all good boats. I have found if you get the wife involved, you will probably end up with a much nicer boat, regardless of make! You are going to love her reason… More head room, in the head! It had nothing to do with the "sea worthiness" of the boat!

Here are some of the criteria that I used:
1. My budget.
2. Had to have a head (wife's requirement).
3. Sleep 2 couples.
4. Fairly new, so I wouldn't get caught with a lot of maintenance.
5. Large enough for me to be comfortable offshore in 15 swells, that is swells NOT seas! My opinion at least 24 feet.
6. I did not want an I/O. My Proline was an I/O and it was a lot cleaning to keep the corrosion off?
7. I wanted to be able to put it on a trailer.
8. It had to be designed for offshore, with a Deep V haul.
9. Had to have Radar, once you have radar you will never go out there again without it.
10. Twin engines a must and I do not mean a "kicker". I have come in on enough kickers in my lifetime.

I would start looking now. What I did was just kept looking until I found someone who really wanted to "dump" a good boat. Made a stupid, cheap offer and ended up with a very nice boat! Don't limit your search. I bought mine out of California and shipped it, which saved several thousand dollars from buying it locally and actually helped keep it within my budget! There is a LOT of good boats at very good prices right now.

 

[danthewire]

How much is the present ride worth 4-5 grand,(after repair costs are subtracted) or more after? Sell it.Take that money buy a 23 Hourston or 22 Double Eagle project, pod that with new power,that would make more sense than putting money into a boat that is not going to suit your future needs.PS was in Renfrew yesterday saw a 22? Double Eagle project boat finished,Beautiful job,Pod,new power,radar arch,new paint,etc.Made me think thats what I should of done,oh well hindsight is 20/20.Dan

 

[2muchdraft]

Charlie - you sound like you were in the same boat (sorry for the pun) I'm in. Those are all the same criteria that I have in the same order.

Dan - I hear what you are saying but projects take time and skill and room. I dont think I have all that and to trust others doing the work... hmmm. Don't know if that route is for me.

I thought today how much I've spent each year in repairs... probably close to $2000 a year. If I put $1500 into payments on a newer boat... Starting to make sense now.

I'm apreciative of all your thoughts.

 

[danthewire]

Yes its a lot of work for sure.Wolfs boat is a good example of a project boat along with both of Kellys Hourstons,but I hear you.Try Craigs List in San Diego there are some screaming deals down there.Dan

 

[profisher]

Go for a 23 Hourston over a 22 Double Eagle. They both make good boats but the Hourston has a better resale value when freshened up. Double Eagles hold their value up to about the 18.5 foot model then drop off the scale. I've had 17 foot Hourstons and Double Eagles...I prefer the 17 Double Eagle over the Hourston.

 

[chris73]

Good advise here. However, if you go by your wife's standards or follow some of the recommendations here you will end up much higher than $20k from the sounds of it. Especially if you don't have the time and skills to do most of the work by yourself - and we all know you don't have the time If you go with a 22 - 23' that will be tough to tow around and stay flexible unless you will also invest into a heavy duty truck too. Now you are probably into $50k already. Take that into account too. Not being stuck in one marina is very valuable to me. If your family is not crazy about boating and fishing and you don't plan on guiding then a 19' - 21' is probably plenty enough for your needs. I'd rather have a smaller boat with better equipment. Even though is buyers time now - $20k is not much for a decent striper/grady etc if you want a decent sonar/gps and maybe radar on top... Check out Arimas too - the 19' hardtop is a really nice fishing machine and is towable with an 6 cycl SUV... Make sure your proven baby lasts at least over the derby this year

BTW, to find out if your old boat is worth investing into - check out the condition of the stringers, transom and floors. Poke into them in several locations and if they are soft or look dark through the glass then your boat is written off I'd say. Don't need a survey - you can check this yourself.

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by chris73

Good advise here. However, if you go by your wife's standards or follow some of the recommendations here you will end up much higher than $20k from the sounds of it. Especially if you don't have the time and skills to do most of the work by yourself - and we all know you don't have the time If you go with a 22 - 23' that will be tough to tow around and stay flexible unless you will also invest into a heavy duty truck too. Now you are probably into $50k already. Take that into account too. Not being stuck in one marina is very valuable to me. If your family is not crazy about boating and fishing and you don't plan on guiding then a 19' - 21' is probably plenty enough for your needs. I'd rather have a smaller boat with better equipment. Even though is buyers time now - $20k is not much for a decent striper/grady etc if you want a decent sonar/gps and maybe radar on top... Check out Arimas too - the 19' hardtop is a really nice fishing machine and is towable with an 6 cycl SUV... Make sure your proven baby lasts at least over the derby this year

BTW, to find out if your old boat is worth investing into - check out the condition of the stringers, transom and floors. Poke into them in several locations and if they are soft or look dark through the glass then your boat is written off I'd say. Don't need a survey - you can check this yourself.

Yep! And, I tow a 30 around by myself, without any problems! Let me guess your age, but you could be as young as 18?, 22; Status, not married? Size of your boat...18... or 19 feet? Hmmm, I quess I don't need to ask any more questions, do I?

quote:BTW, to find out if your old boat is worth investing into - check out the condition of the stringers, transom and floors. Poke into them in several locations and if they are soft or look dark through the glass then your boat is written off I'd say. Don't need a survey - you can check this yourself.

Nope... it has all to do with market value! How much is someone willing to pay!... You should have learned that that in 101?

 

[chris73]

quote:Let me guess your age, but you could be as young as 18?, 22; Status, not married? Size of your boat...18... or 19 feet? Hmmm, I quess I don't need to ask any more questions, do I?

Wrong again Charlie, and if you are in bad mood today then please spare us the spill-over. If you want to convince someone here that towing and launching a 30' boat is a piece of cake and comparable with a runabout then maybe look for a different audience in a pub in your area. Comments like your last are not helpful for someone who seeks honest advise!

 

[2muchdraft]

back on topic boys (and don't worry - other people's comments are helpful - they give a different perspective).

I'm 40, separated - starting over (yeah, I guess you could say it's a bit of mid life crisis)- looking at the future of my boating.

I have been interested in chartering in Bamfield so a boat that I could use for that purpose is a consideration but not for many years. I take lots of people out fishing including family.

I bought a 1/2 ton diesel truck to haul a boat cause I knew I'd need it. I take my boat up to Bamfield regularly (we own a cabin up there).

I agree with the earlier posts - 20-22' boat is a minimum up there to really enjoy the Barkley Sound area. I want to fish in all kinds of weather throughout the year and that dictates many things in a boat. Come down the canal between 1 and 4 on most days and you'll have made up your mind.

My dad says there are lots of boats sitting in boat yards for sale up island - i think on my next trip up I'll take some time and stop in and have a look.

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by chris73

Wrong again Charlie, and if you are in bad mood today then please spare us the spill-over. If you want to convince someone here that towing and launching a 30' boat is a piece of cake and comparable with a runabout then maybe look for a different audience in a pub in your area. Comments like your last are not helpful for someone who seeks honest advise!

Kind of sensitive, are we? I apologize; if I offend you, but you are right… you are wrong again! [:0]

Estimated Trailerable Weight of a 23' Proline = 5,900 lbs. http://www.prolineboats.com/images/...08 23 Express Owners Manual - Letter Size.pdf ½ Ton will easily handle that weight!

The Towing Capacity of 6 cylinder, 2006 Nissan Pathfinder SUV = 6,000 lbs http://www.nissanusa.com/pdf/techpubs/pathfinder/2006/2006-Nissan-Pathfinder.pdf That will accommodate most boats up to about 22 feet.

Again, I have no problems towing (or launching) my boat, at 14,000 lbs, it draws 1'8" (engines up), so it and can be launched at just about any ramp you would be launching an 18 foot boat. But, you are right you can't do that big of a boat with a ½ Ton! I also have to admit I have been towing and launching larger boats for quite a few years, so maybe it is easier for me, than you? There really isn't that much difference, you are still towing, it's just a little longer and heavier. The only hassle is if the beam exceeds 8'6", you need oversize permits to tow on public roads (both here and there)!

My boat setting on a trailer, waiting to be towed from California!
LOA 30'8"
Beam 10'4"
Trailerable Weight (Wet) Approx 14,000 lbs
Purchased at 2 years old, for less than half of the orginal price! [:0]

 

[2muchdraft]

sweet boat

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by 2muchdraft

sweet boat

Thank you and I love it!

But, the point is... keep looking, until you find the boat "you" want! They are out there... it might take you a year, or two, or so, but they are out there... and like I did... find someone who is wanting to "dump" a good boat, "because he is tired of it"! I made a stupid offer, the "broker said he would never accept and "he" countered, I accepted, with the broker eating the difference! Broker wasn't happy, but I ended up with a nice boat!

 

[fishnphil]

If your looking for a good deal, give Terry a call at Five Star in Comox. He has a 26 ft hourston that has been there for a yr and a bit. It would be a good project for podding. He can be reached At 250-339-2238. I would bye it for myself if I hadden't built my own 20 ft hourston with pod and 200 yammy....
Good luck.

 

[El Pescador]

2muchdraft, I have been in your same situation. I owned some time ago an older 17.5’ Double Eagle with a 4 cyl I/O, which I used mostly to fish around Bamfield. Went offshore with it many times (5-10 mile banks, that’s it), but I had to watch the weather far more closely than if I had a larger boat, and the ride was not always too comfortable. And many times I had to turn around while other larger boats kept going offshore seemingly undisturbed by the large swells and strong wind. Yet, I managed to bring in quite a few nice halis over the years with that boat.[^]

Eventually, and by following your same train of thought, I ended buying a 22’ Double Eagle, which did not look too bad. However, a few months after the sale, all the hidden problems started to show-up and I ended buying a new trailer (the one that came with the boat was not even nearly rated for the boat’s weight), repowering from a Ford 351 to a Chevy 350, new transom (it was starting to get soft in some areas), new floors, new fuel tank (the one on the boat was leaking), new hydraulic steering, new electronics, new...well, I think I better stop here [xx(]. And, unfortunately, now that I have the “new to me” boat I don’t go fishing as much as I used to, one of the factors being the high fuel costs. At 2 liters of fuel consumption per nautical mile, do your math and calculate how much you would burn launching in Clutesi, going to Bamfield (35 nautical miles), then going offshore (5 nautical miles from Bamfield to Cape Beale, then whichever number of miles you go offshore), then fish around and return to port. Also, remember you will have to fuel-up in the Bamfield area at much higher prices than at your friendly road gas station. On the bright side, I know I have a mechanically sound, strongly built boat where I can sleep onboard and can handle rougher weather (and with a nicer ride) than with the 17.5 footer.

Regarding your options, you could consider refreshing the power on your current boat by getting a 4 cyl OHC Volvo car engine (either B21 or B230 block depending on what engine you have now) from an auto wrecker, then marinizing it by transplanting all the marine parts from yours (fuel pump, cam, carbs, starter, alternator, distributor, raw water pump, expansion tank….you get the picture?). Also, if you want some additional power, a Weber carb kit will likely help. Since you seem to be mechanically inclined, you will probably be able to do the job yourself.

Regarding buying a Hourston or Double Eagle “project” boat, just keep in mind that you will invariably end doing a lot of work you did not budget for, and all adds up (don’t ask me how I know...[}]). Even if today’s fad is podding the transom and installing a large outboard, keep in mind that just by installing say a 250 Yammy, you will be close to an additional 40 grand in the hole after the dust settles. Then you will find that new Yamahas also break down, and repairs and parts are not necessarily cheap. If you have on the “project boat” say a Volvo Penta AQ package, you can get used 280-290 legs for $400-$1000 on the Buy & Sell, and you can probably get a rebuilt 350 (or whatever is installed there) for around 3 grand (or a brand new engine for not much more than that). And even if you end paying say $5000-$7000 to freshen-up the power plant, you are still around $$33000-$35000 dollars ahead of the game when compared with repowering with a large 4-stroke outboard (you can still buy a lot of fuel for that money!!!!).

Some setbacks of owning a larger boat include launching (I can launch and retrieve mine by myself with no problem at Clutesy, but not at China Creek) and towing (you won’t tow a 22’ Double Eagle loaded with your ½ ton truck, you will need something larger).

I hope this may be of some assistance.

 

[juandesooka]

2much...exciting and scary time...the big decision!

A few thoughts from my limited experience:

-- I've given up on I/O's as way to expensive to fix, but if you're able to work on them yourself, especially pulling and installing, then it might be a feasible lower cost option. You do have to think about time though...you aren't paying someone else to fix your boat, but you aren't getting paid either. Will you be spending all your boating time fixing motors?

-- If you go with older I/O replacement, DON'T CHEAP OUT on a "bargain"...spend a little extra and get something good. And make sure you hear it running first, don't take their word for it (sadly, been there done that, utter disaster). Don't fall in love with the deal because you're tired of looking! And possibly better to consider replacing the leg if you need to than to constrain your possible motors to a very short list...that was yet another of my mistakes.

-- I would only consider repowering an old boat if I was 100% sure it is sound or planning to gut it down to the hull and replace all wood. Anything less and you are throwing good money after bad... if you're not sure, then take the hit and sell it for what you can, and walk away. For me, the sense of relief when the albatross was gone was immense, even if I took a massive beating on it.

-- new motors are very expensive, but so nice. Old boats are basically disposable. My goal was to find the newest outboard motor I could find, and then a "good enough" boat to go with it. Replace the boat if needed, take the motor with it.

-- I ended up with a 18.5' campion 542, bought in Seattle for about 60% of Canadian prices. Definitely shop in USA! [once you have it narrowed down a bit, use search in google: site craigslist.org (search term) ... this will show you every arima or trophy 1902 or campion 542 or whatever you select for sale on every craigslist throughout USA]

-- I paid way more than I intended, in support of this stupid hobby/obsession, but once done, was quite relieved to have a set up I trust. Kind of like buying a car, you spend the extra, maybe outside your comfort zone, but rarely regret it once spent.

-- 18.5' is the perfect Sooke / Renfrew fishing boat, can fish 3 with comfort, 4 in a pinch. Can be out in pretty much any weather and feel safe enough, though maybe not comfortable (tested this limit last night off Secretary... [:0]). BUT just on verge of sketchy for offshore...can do it, but has to be the right day...meaning those iffy days you'll want to go anyway, and you'll have some "clenching/puckering" moments.

-- definitely agree about radar with Charlie...pretty much a requirement if you want to fish swiftsure, with the shipping lanes and fog. I am personally struggling with this, as my boat needs it if I want to go offshore, but not sure I want to invest that kind of money in this particular boat (building an arch, etc). So...if you buy that barely used Striper in California, and it happens to have radar already installed, there's another $2k plus saved!

Like I say, exciting and scary decisions...this is not a poor man's game we're playing, and having to do it with a budget pretty much sucks!