I just can't do it all anymore.........

[42JOHNNY]

A few of you know by my post in the boat owners forum that I am trying to get my Excalibur Running.(86 42' excalibur 502's borg trannies, trs drives)
Bought it in Nov. 07 and went to put it in the water only to re-trailer it ,as it had a noise in driver's side motor.
No biggy, I will pull the motor and repair..................

Little did I know what that ment,as I never had an out drive boat before and of course one never this large.
So off to a shop to pull the motor,found a guy who seems great.
And he was great, pulled the motor, found out it needed rebuilt,spun bearing-bad crank.
Oh yea, the motor was rebuilt and it still needs it as the cyl. are worn.
Ok.... now a total rebuild for one motor.
Lets check the other motor to see what we have........
Now both motors are out and at first I thought cool, rebuild bigger hp.
Then the total colapse of our income, well not total, but very hurtfull.

Well I get the motor #1 in the shop......
Then the boat shop owner calls and said" I am closing up shop,can't make it come get boat,motors and ect....

Great, low money, boat now in storage yard, motors in garage.
Both need lower ends as I had the heads done while still trying to get this barge in the water.

Meanwhile I had to take all cabin out as the rot/mold in there was very bad.
( the last guy kept in covered 99% off the time, but the hole in the cover let water in the cabin)
So there was moldville to contend with.

Ok .....
As of today there are two motors in my garage with all the other stuff.
Do not know when I may get them done, do not know who to take it to as I have had quote's from $1200 to $3000 just to put motors back in the boat,. I have no idea how to as the drives need to come out first.
It is 118 degree's today when I got home and damm to hot to work on it in the eves or even on weekends for that matter.
I have opened up the bathroom and removed/made new seats in the cabin.
I really love working/having this boat and wish things could work out better for me to work on her. I am lucky the interior is in good shape as the hull is clean also. Not perfect, but clean.

But, sometimes I feel like I done,just can't do it anymore.
I drive 2 hrs every day to work and 2-3 home.
My wife and kids need me on the weekends as I can't spend my weekends working on the boat.
Plus, with work being the way it is I am spending more time working weekends.

I know I will get it done, it just sucks seeing other boats in the water or even being towed.
Sorry, don't want to sound like a whinner, anyone else like this????????



Johnny

[Ratickle]

In 2003 we almost bought a complete race team at the Worlds. 3 years ago we bought a nice Black Thunder. Shortly thereafter Terri, my wife, got really sick and almost died a couple of times. Then, with the economy in MI I became unemployed for a while. Two years ago both my parents were killed in a head-on car wreck. The BT still sits there with the other three boats. Our friends take us out if we want, and my wife continues to improve.

Moral, don't worry about it, it could be worse. The Empress is being checked over now for launch. The Scorpion just needs a once over and it should run anytime I want. I just raced for the first time with a guy who I respect for allowing me to do it with him. And I will be racing again this weekend. Enjoy what's right, make a plan to fix what's wrong, and save up a little of these good healthy times for when you might need them.

Now, having said that, start a new thread for assistance in your area with boat mechanics who are trustworthy and can get done what you need. That's why we're here.....

[insanity]

I feel your pain bro. Had to do transom and stringers in my boat, started working on it in January and barely half done and mine is only 24 feet, couldn't imagine trying to do it on a 42! Hoped to have it back together by Memorial Day but 'life' got in the way.

I moved to be closer to my boat to work on it over the winter, and my work moved me further away so I couldn't. Working 70-80 hours a week, weekends too and the company I work for just sold my division and now the uncertainty of who will get offers to stay with the new company starts. Supposed to be on a family vacation this week, but boss couldn't find anybody to back fill for me, all the while he takes vacation himself. I try to look at that obviously he is replaceable, me being the one with the skills to actually get the job done, replaceable just the same but a little harder to do so. Thinking about taking a job closer to home but half the pay just to try to have a normal life myself, I couldn't imagine having to commute 4-5 hours a day. But when you have a family you have to to what you have to do. Stay up bro, in due time things will work out.

[Wobble]

For now just tell everyone it's a race boat, that way you can seal off the cabin until your ready. Two short blocks are not that expensive to overhaul.

You said the interior is good, so really all you "have" to do is get it running. Your perspective will improve dramatically at that point. Cabin work should only be tackled during the winter anyway.

a little bit of networking on the various sites should help you locate someone with a lift that can help you set the motors back. your beer and pizza tab will increase dramatically however

[imco offshore]

johnny your not alone i think we all have been there, if you rush it you will feel , it is taking to long, just work at pace you can keep your family happy. and before you know it will all come together, good luck, my 2 cents ,,,,always get 3 estimates,,, and referances, or youl find out what BOAT really stands for, Bust Out Another Thousand

[Buoy]

Feel the pain the Bro.
Bought my old resin bucket almost three years ago.
24 Pantera.
Immediately yanked the motor and tore it down - found a cracked block.
Tried to repair. Went to a new block. This was the end of summer #1.
Summer #2 - got a promotion at work, WOOHOO!!! yeah, more money, oh but BTW your going to need to work 12-14 hours a day 5, sometimes 6 days a week.
Summer #3 - wife gets promotion, we move across country, and economy is in the tank, and I'm still looking for a job.

Currently, motor is sitting in boat, but not aligned and drive is in garage.
Need to re-wire, and re-rig everything.
Hyd steering is in garage, Dash is in Garage.
Boat is in back yard.

In summer #2, I had plenty of money, but no time to get anything done.
Now, Summer #3, I have all the time in the world, but with two house payments, and only one job between me and the wife, I'm afraid to spend money on anything except food and beer.

I'm not giving up. It'll get done when it gets done. And it's a boat I always wanted. It'll never be for sale.

Keep the faith, at times it can be hard.

[Pure Energy]

You commute 5 hrs. a day??? Keep the boat and move closer to work!

[Airpacker]

BTDT, matter of fact I am hoping like he ll that this weekend is splash time after almost 3 years of rebuild,redo,rerig etc. Somedays the mountain looks very, very high. Somedays not so much. Keep at it when you can. It won't dissolve in the rain or blow away in the wind. When you're done, you're done and you will be happy.

[gerritm]

It's just a boat. There are more important things in life. Make sure you put the family first. You won't regret it.

[JupiterSunsation]

It's just a boat. There are more important things in life. Make sure you put the family first. You won't regret it.

+1..... get rid of the boat and buy a cheap center console/deck boat whatever that you can run every weekend if you have the time. That boat is a noose around your neck, cut the rope. Even if you had 20K to dump in it you already have spent too much time/effort/money on it to actually enjoy it.

[Trim'd Up]

I feel the pain too. I gutted mine completely to the bare hull, new stringers etc. all the way to the front, new engine, new transom. I was planning on new interior and paint this year but I can't take it anymore. I closed off the cuddy and threw the old interior back in.
It ****es me off that I have a ton of money and time in the boat and it looks the same as it did last year, but hey, at least it sounds different.

[BraceYourself]

+1..... get rid of the boat and buy a cheap center console/deck boat whatever that you can run every weekend if you have the time. That boat is a noose around your neck, cut the rope. Even if you had 20K to dump in it you already have spent too much time/effort/money on it to actually enjoy it.

+2
The real cost haven't even come. Once it hits the water is when you find out everything that's wrong that you thought was fine. Cut the noose, and get a boat your family can enjoy now.

[42JOHNNY]

About cutting loss's

tried it.

This is the problem... WIFE!!!
No money out of savings for boat.
No money out of savings for down on new boat.
New boat people will not give money (down payment) unless boat is running.
Oh! by the way I have a 18' jet boat in the garage we are redoing for my 14 year old son...

So she is boat shy right now.......................................








Johnny

[DonziGirl]

Ask Tony about going crazy doing a re-rig... I think we're on 2 years at this point. Hopefully at the end of it.

[fund razor]

I feel your pain man.

No... really... bought a boat last fall. Needed two engines, then a gas tank, then some bulkhead repair. May not even see water this year, and I have owned it for 9 months.

Hope that you can hang in there.

[Tony]

Johnny, go here: http://www.seriousoffshore.com/forum...?t=141&page=21

Read posts 411 down thru the rest of the page. Theres countless other posts scattered across this site involving the fiascos ive had dealing with theese stupid boats. In the end I will win.

[old377guy]

Johnny, bear with me, I totally understand. With my last boat (1979 377 Scarab) 20 years ago every damn little thing had to be absolutely perfect in every way and every day- it ended up nearly bankrupting me mentally, physically and financially. Today I have another old 1983 377 Scarab, of course the cabin, cockpit, engine room, motors and trannnies need re-doing - but it runs. I've changed my PERSPECTIVE from perfection to "how can I provide a great time boating to all my friends and family". Its almost magic, the pressure isn't really there anymore and I'm having more fun than ever. For gosh sakes, scrub your old 42 down, take stock of everything that works (however old and worn) and just concentrate and the few mechanical issues that you have - betcha the trannies and drives probably will work ok especially if you don't flog the heck out of them. Really, compared to other types of boats (cruisers etc.) with all the attendant systems - shore power, generators, macerators, a/c, heat, freshwater storage, FWC, etc, all you and I need to have a great time on the water is a pair of motors that start and run. Its more straightforward than we make it out to be. When we become blessed with financial wealth we can move forward with all the projects that will give us pleasure in the years to come - Keep It Simple. Good luck,

[TCEd]

Two thing,
old377guy has it correct
and
get a good survey

ed

[PatriYacht]

42 Johnny, hang in there. If you were closer, I'd come over and give you a hand. If it's 118, I know your not in Michigan. Replacing the engines is somthing you can do if you have a little mechanical knowledge. I rent a forklift. With the drives off and a decently long set of forks, you can drive up behind the boat and set them on the mounts. Drives are not a big deal. They slide right on and off. Most of the time anyway, lol. If it's too hot to work on it now, wait till fall. Don't kill yourself over rebuilding a boat. It's supposed to be fun.

[Ms PatriYacht]

42 Johnny, hang in there. If you were closer, I'd come over and give you a hand.

Hey what you takin bout, I am sooooooooooo glad to hear you have time to help Johhny, since wifey here has a honey do list you ain't finished yet. I doubt Johnny has any