We have had this boat in the family since the mid 80's. My family is growing and it is being used more than it has been in the past. It is and has been a GREAT ski boat. I'm thinking it is time to do some upgrades or maybe upgrade to a larger boat. I am not sure I am ready to give up having a nice ski boat. I have a couple question if anyone can help- - Is the windshield still available -Can I replace the rub rail -How do I make the boat shine like it used to. It is not as bright as it was years ago. Lastly if I sell it what should I ask for it? Thanks, Neal
1. Doubtful, but try google, ebay, craigslist, etc. for used ones 2. Yes, search Wefco on this site 3. Depending on how bad it is will determine the amount of work to restore the shine. Could be a quick buff and wax, maybe some wet sanding then buff and wax, or may need to re-gel coat or paint over. 4. Depends on the condition, but you could just give it to me for free if you wanted.
I thought my last post wasn't going though on the original thread, so I copy pasted to notepad to try later, saw this thread and tried again before realizing it did go though. Sorry for the double post.
Interesting looking boat and color. Don't think that I have seen a factory bench in the rear on an i/o 18 before. I would need to know the engine size (V-6 or V-8) and hours or condition to better understand your boat. RiverRat covered some of the initial questions. For getting it back into condition (and if this is original gelcoat (not paint) and is dull and will not hold a shine, then wet sanding is the answer. If is paint, you will bust through real quick and a re-paint is in line. I did a bit of discussion on gelcoat wet sanding/restoring on my 1985 HD 20 i/o on the restoration section of this site, it takes a lot of time and it was not easy but turned out real nice in the end. As to the value, you do have the original trailer but the condition of the motor, hull, and trailer is everything when selling. If the boat/trailer has sat in weather for extended periods of time, I would expect that the hull's floor and possibly the stringers are soft and require replacement and sun-checked tires are a sign of neglect for the trailer and hubs as well which will take away from the value if a buyer knows where and what to look for. My 1975 HD 18 i/o sold for the mid-$5K range last October but the motor, hull, and trailer were in real nice (boarder-line exceptional) shape and always well maintained and stored dry. That Boat traveled to Avon, CO with only the pictures on this web-site (and a few phone calls) for reference. Good luck and ask questions, Kevin-
Thanks for the info. The boat has a 305 chevy block I think its called a 898. The block was replaced 10 years ago due to issues with blow by. The boat is stored inside over the winter and sits on a covered boat lift. I installed new floor plywood and took it to a local marina to check it out before I put it back in. They told me everything looked fine at that time. I use the trailer, but I would say its nothing to brag about. I installed new bearings and tires years ago but its not as nice as the boat. If I get to the point that I want to sell is there a good place to sell classic boats ? What should I ask for it ?
