1962 Cruisers Inc. Wood Runabout. Thinking of buying, need opinions (PICS)

[Cathom]

Its a 18' Cruisers Inc. 302 V with a Johnson 80hp. I've been looking at this boat and I think I can get a good price but have never owned a woody and Im a little hesitant. It looks pretty good but as you can see from the pics the hull has a few dings and cracks. I plan to have a marina inspect it this weekend. What do you think its worth?

[Cathom]

[beernd]

Hard to say, the transom looks a bit worrysome.
And I don't like that blue carpet like thingy on the inside.
Deck, windscreen and hull above the waterline look OK to me, but it is hard to judge from a picture.

[Cathom]

Hard to say, the transom looks a bit worrysome.
And I don't like that blue carpet like thingy on the inside.
Deck, windscreen and hull above the waterline look OK to me, but it is hard to judge from a picture.

Yes, the crack around the transom is my biggest concern. I love the look of the boat and I have a heated workshop where I could work on her all winter but Im afraid I might be getting in over my head with this project. What do you think its worth assuming there are no serious issues and runs well?

[David G]

I love these runabouts. I'm not sure if I'd actually own one these days, because those big engines really burn through the gas. But - if you've considered that, and still want this type of boat... good on ya!

As far as this particular boat - yes it's quite difficult to diagnose by foto. But I'll take a stab. All the fotos look good until you get to the transom. I'm guessing it's gonna need a complete new transom. Maybe just a patch job, but odds are - a complete job. If you hire it done - that's maybe $1,500 to $2,500, depending on what's found when you bust into it, and how much of it you do yourself (like the painting, perhaps?). Next question is the plank ends at the transom. Are they rotted? If so - how far up? It's harder to tell from fotos only, but that could easily be another grand or three.

So... you can tell yourself about the state of the hull. Take an awl or a pocket-knife and begin poking at things. All over. Inside and outside. You'll be able to tell the fairly unyielding texture of sound wood from the soft, punky feel of rotted wood. Map the rotted bits and report back.

Just based upon the fotos, I'd offer them $500. Or... if they doubt that there's that much work to do... I'd offer them the option to do the work to bring the boat up to snuff, and give them $4,500. But, really, do the hull-poking first - and let's talk again.

[michigangeorge]

The fact that the boat is sitting on a roller trailer would be enough to make me walk away. The blue carpet is a certain rot starter and likely hiding many ills. If I remember correctly (my dad had one of these in the 60's), the only vinyl on the deck was the centerline section and certainly the dash and transom were varnished. I've seen one of these on Craigslist recently in perfect condition for less than $5000.00.

[Cathom]

Is the roller trailer really that bad? The specs say it only weights 965lbs

[nedL]

Yes, the roller trailer is really not good (as I explained on your thread on that 'other site'. ) --- You see, this is where I prefer to hang out.

[Oldad]

My first thought when I looked at the pics was, oh no, a roller trailer. You want to see if the bottom is hogged. If you do buy it change the rollers to bunks first chance you get. If the owners object to the ice pick you can use a small mallett and will easily hear the difference between sound wood and rot. See if you can take up some of the carpet too. Use your nose as well as your eyes. She sure is pretty though...

Oldad

[tomfmarblehead]

don't be afraid... a transom not a big deal. your not landing a spaceship on another planet.
it may need strakes but again not a big deal.

[beernd]

I love these runabouts. I'm not sure if I'd actually own one these days, because those big engines really burn through the gas. But - if you've considered that, and still want this type of boat... good on ya!

As far as this particular boat - yes it's quite difficult to diagnose by foto. But I'll take a stab. All the fotos look good until you get to the transom. I'm guessing it's gonna need a complete new transom. Maybe just a patch job, but odds are - a complete job. If you hire it done - that's maybe $1,500 to $2,500, depending on what's found when you bust into it, and how much of it you do yourself (like the painting, perhaps?). Next question is the plank ends at the transom. Are they rotted? If so - how far up? It's harder to tell from fotos only, but that could easily be another grand or three.

So... you can tell yourself about the state of the hull. Take an awl or a pocket-knife and begin poking at things. All over. Inside and outside. You'll be able to tell the fairly unyielding texture of sound wood from the soft, punky feel of rotted wood. Map the rotted bits and report back.

Just based upon the fotos, I'd offer them $500. Or... if they doubt that there's that much work to do... I'd offer them the option to do the work to bring the boat up to snuff, and give them $4,500. But, really, do the hull-poking first - and let's talk again.

Yes do all of the above.
But sure do one thing and that is rip away a corner of that carpet like stuff, do that at the lowest part of the chines.

If that is okay, you probably only have to replace the transom.
The planks, ending in the transom look pretty good (saying again that the paint is still on them and it is a picture).

The thing that has me really puzzled is that from the sheerline down to the chine the planks look real sound and good to me

Anyway, if you're into runabouts this boat is as pretty as they come

Keep us posted.

Cheers

[beernd]

My first thought when I looked at the pics was, oh no, a roller trailer. You want to see if the bottom is hogged. If you do buy it change the rollers to bunks first chance you get. If the owners object to the ice pick you can use a small mallett and will easily hear the difference between sound wood and rot. See if you can take up some of the carpet too. Use your nose as well as your eyes. She sure is pretty though...

Oldad

+1 on these remarks

I forgot to tell you about the mallet, but that works, sound wood making a "ploink ploink" sort of sound and rotten wood goes "duff duff" sort of.

And yes again that carpet, is the great mystery.

[Bob Adams]

As to the engine, that was one of the quietest, smoothest OMC ever made. It's biggest downfall was it's electric shift. Later, electro/hydraulic models would fail so you only had forward, you could get home. When these failed you had nothing. Most common failure was a lack of cooling water caused heat damage to the cable in the leg. I'd keep an aux kicker on that mount if she were mine.

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

Seats are not original. Blue carpet is not original. Deck and covering board vinyl is not original. Dashboard vinyl is not original. Brownish paint on upper most hull plank is not original. Where are the "Cruisers, Inc." hullside name badges? Should be one on each side.

Deck and covering boards should be covered with vinyl, but this white striped stuff is not original. Dashboard should be vinyl covered too, but that blue is not original. Outside of transom and splash well should be stained and varnished, not painted. Flooring covering should be a Nautolex type vinyl.

Have you lifed up the floor boards and taken a look at the ribs and keelson, etc...? That is very important.

I also get a icky feeling about the roller trailer.

Go to www.thompsondockside.com to learn more about Cruisers, Inc. Brochures are available on the Thompson Boat CD-ROM which you can purchase at www.wcha.org

Cruisers, Inc. started up in 1953 making plywood lapstrake outboard powered boats. It was a spin-off that came out of Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. of Peshtigo, WI. Cruisers still make boats - big fiberglass cabin jobs.

Andreas Jordahl Rhude
President
Thompson Antique & Classic Boat Rally, Inc.

[Richard Smith]

Ditto on: "Have you lifted up the floor boards and taken a look at the ribs and keelson, etc...? That is very important." Rot or near-rot in the keelson is a sure sign if the boat was neglected - water left standing in the boat. And, it may not appear near the transom, but forward under the forward seats if the boat was stored level.

[mucrewbtp]

Sound out the transom with a mallet or pick. Most of the hull looks good to me. The transom may looks worse than it is because of some filler and paint. With it stripped too wood you could tell a lot better what you had. You could do the lower portion of the transom or even a full transom, it is not too bad of a job.

Regards,
mike