Stupid Aluminum Boat Purchase...and Salvage a bad decision

[weimedog]

OK....rushed the purchase of this boat as I wanted one to take on a short vacation to North Carolina. And was planning to leave it there.... Digging through the "facebook" marketplace found what looked like a "cheap" option. Was looking for a high sided 14 or 16ft aluminum boat. LOTS of things like Starcraft's and older ones with a low freeboard...not many high sided ones. SO when this turned up the price was..low and is was only an hour away so I rushed to get it as I had to be driving the next day.  Unfortunately the two "sins" of boat purchase were simultaneously done. Not looking over ALL the boat, seeing the signs but wanting to make things work AND not seeing the motor run.

Got home....motor didn't pump water. BUT ran....and to those who are familiar with that era of Mercuries know that's a sign of more ominous things at times. AND the transom was....rotted completely. BUT there is MORE! There was a rip in the bottom of this boat. Needless to say I spent 600 bucks or junk. SO what to do? The following two video's are the last week of my life:

Started Like This...all happy and hopeful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08BZUVooaQE

Ended Like This.. ( Jump to minute 3...  )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esRgVbGcOCw

[sawguy21]

You didn't do badly for 600 bucks, the running motor is worth that. The water pump is an easy fix as long as it is a freshwater motor. Salt water is a whole 'nuther ball game.
I have been looking for something similar, people are asking 3-400 just for the boat in similar condition to yours.

[weimedog]

Typically that price would get a really clean boat, no trailer or motor; so yeah...it wasn't terrible. I was suffering a case of buyers remorse as while patching the bottom, replacing the transom plywood, and fixing the motor are all relatively simple as individual tasks...but being non stop time compressed that all of those tasks add's up to time I really don't have. :( SO I did patch up the boat and swapped in a different motor for the weekend....

The mercury? It's going to be a video I think, to put bearings and seals in that lower unit along with a water pump. Just hope the gears aren't wasted.