How mad am I?

[Livid]

I bought my sr4 off my great uncle in 2013 for 1500 quid all up, trailer and engine included (a 1999 yam 40veto) It was a bit rough around the edges but in good nick overall and we've used it every year without fail, patching up the little issues as and when they've arrived, like me accidentally cracking a valve off and losing all the air in one of the tubes.
Come 2020 and I knew she was very tired. There's a fair bit of water ingress and the deck is bendy and the boatyard told me the transom is borderline dangerous. Couple phone calls later and it's looking to be 6 to 8 grand to get it up to scratch. and I'm actually considering it

Picture of my floating scrapheap for reference/amusement. Do please let me know how much of an idiot I am, I know I deserve it.
I value the two up front seating far too much to swap to a jockey console RIB, to the extent I'm looking at getting it grafted into a new rib if mine is beyond repair

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Livid

I bought my sr4 off my great uncle in 2013 for 1500 quid all up, trailer and engine included (a 1999 yam 40veto) It was a bit rough around the edges but in good nick overall and we've used it every year without fail, patching up the little issues as and when they've arrived, like me accidentally cracking a valve off and losing all the air in one of the tubes.
Come 2020 and I knew she was very tired. There's a fair bit of water ingress and the deck is bendy and the boatyard told me the transom is borderline dangerous. Couple phone calls later and it's looking to be 6 to 8 grand to get it up to scratch. and I'm actually considering it [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38] Attachment 134176

Picture of my floating scrapheap for reference/amusement. Do please let me know how much of an idiot I am, I know I deserve it.
I value the two up front seating far too much to swap to a jockey console RIB, to the extent I'm looking at getting it grafted into a new rib if mine is beyond repair

Is that including new tubes or just the structural bits like transom and floor?

[Livid]

Everything. New tubes, transom and deck and all the fitting and fixing and bolting together. Guy said even if it's all totally shot to bits (which ngl I suspect will be the case) it won't exceed 8k. If they can salvage the deck and transom then it'll be closer to 6k, but I'm not sure if it's worth the savings.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Livid

Everything. New tubes, transom and deck and all the fitting and fixing and bolting together. Guy said even if it's all totally shot to bits (which ngl I suspect will be the case) it won't exceed 8k. If they can salvage the deck and transom then it'll be closer to 6k, but I'm not sure if it's worth the savings.

Still seems a lot of money tbh but I guess it depends on what they are going to do, new tubes inc fitting should be around 4k. Thats leaving 2k potentially 4k to refurb the hull which seems a lot unless your talking all new deck and transom plus full hull repaint & seats upholstered etc?

[Poly]

6k or 8k doesn’t matter, it’s not worth it. Why do you like the seating arrangement so much? Have you tried jockeys on anything modern? SR4s have their fans, and some of the reputation is justified but a lot is nostalgia. If they were that good there would be SR4 clones, and Aluminium hulled SR4 copies, etc (with either seating arrangement)...

[Livid]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Still seems a lot of money tbh but I guess it depends on what they are going to do, new tubes inc fitting should be around 4k. Thats leaving 2k potentially 4k to refurb the hull which seems a lot unless your talking all new deck and transom plus full hull repaint & seats upholstered etc?

That is basically what is happening, all new deck and transom, seats and full rewiring because dear god, it might only have 5 wires but time and my questionable skillset really haven't been kind to them.

[Livid]

Originally Posted by Poly

6k or 8k doesn’t matter, it’s not worth it. Why do you like the seating arrangement so much? Have you tried jockeys on anything modern? SR4s have their fans, and some of the reputation is justified but a lot is nostalgia. If they were that good there would be SR4 clones, and Aluminium hulled SR4 copies, etc (with either seating arrangement)...

It's comfy, I stay drier and yeah I've tried jockeys on a lot of newer ribs and idk why they just didn't resonate with me. I prefer sitting low in the front all enclosed as it jumps off waves and lands semi gracefully (I'm not the best driver). It's definitely partially nostalgia and attachment to it because it's been in my family since new and I don't want to be the one to scrap it. Also I like having something different. Half of all the boat's down here are black brigs and they all look the same and it's so booooooringgg. I know it doesn't make financial sense, but I'm an idiot 😂

[Maximus]

How Mad are you?.....Pretty!
Two up front seating instead of Jockeys!??

[jeffstevens763@g]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-ZODIA...item5d751ff639

[Livid]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-ZODIA...item5d751ff639

I can actually get one for 8k, but I already thought of that and they can't get my dashboard in apparently

[Livid]

Originally Posted by Maximus

How Mad are you?.....Pretty!
Two up front seating instead of Jockeys!??

Hahahaha yeah I'm pretty mad

[Highland Haggis]

That's half the price of a new one your money so you decide good luck in whatever form you take HH

[Livid]

Thanks man. I do have a sentimental attachment to it. The unpleasant extras are probably going to bring it pretty even between the two. I would probably get a new sr4 if I could transplant the dashboard etc into it, but the boatyard are saying it's not possible which is rather frustrating

[jeffstevens763@g]

For interest why is the dash so important?

[Livid]

I just really really like that setup. My dad took me up 4m waves in the thing when it was more seaworthy and it just feels more secure and comfortable than jockey seating. I have no friends so the lack of extra seats doesn't matter much to me haha

[John Kennett]

It’s clearly a boat that you like and works for you. If £6-8k will effectively get you a boat that’s as good as new then why not if you can afford it?

You won’t get it all back if you decide to sell, but that’s the same on any new boat.

[Ferryman]

I sold mine cheap for £3k mint condition, original tubes and a 3 year oldish 50 HP Etec with about 60 hours on it. White hull and well looked after.
I could maybe have got about another 500 quid but I needed to sell quickly! If you really love the boat then go for it but you won’t get the money back.
The best bit is a new engine if you’re used to an old one, try saying ‘it’s a revelation’ in a northern accent - it’s that good!!

[xpertski]

Clearly a labour of love and the sentimental value can’t always be financially measured. Boating rarely makes financial sense, we all do it because we just love it - the financial side, we glaze over in one form or another.

Enjoy it and document it with lots of photos! Enjoy! Look forward to seeing the progress.

[Livid]

Originally Posted by Ferryman

I sold mine cheap for £3k mint condition, original tubes and a 3 year oldish 50 HP Etec with about 60 hours on it. White hull and well looked after.
I could maybe have got about another 500 quid but I needed to sell quickly! If you really love the boat then go for it but you won’t get the money back.
The best bit is a new engine if you’re used to an old one, try saying ‘it’s a revelation’ in a northern accent - it’s that good!!

Oh my god I would have bitten your arm off if I knew. My family have had very bad luck with modern engines. We went through 5 years of pain and suffering with an f40g with fuel injector troubles and the alternator has just blown on our 3 year old Mercury 150. I think I'm just going to give it a load of love as the engine I've got is bulletproof. Never fails unless I've run out of juice. Already done a few things like replacing the atrocious stock spark plug caps with NGK, going to change the coils and clean the carbs for better idling and maybe some of roflhats more sane alterations to make it sing a bit more

[Livid]

Originally Posted by xpertski

Clearly a labour of love and the sentimental value can’t always be financially measured. Boating rarely makes financial sense, we all do it because we just love it - the financial side, we glaze over in one form or another.

Enjoy it and document it with lots of photos! Enjoy! Look forward to seeing the progress.

Me too, I might still have some affection in my heart for it but my girlfriend definitely doesn't approve. Also I'm a little tired of having the tattiest boat in the Carrick roads 😂 with any luck it'll be back up for another 40 fun years