53C 1978 in Miami river

[bostonhatteras]

Anyone know this boat? Doesn’t appear to be a basket case but no ER photos. Certainly needs a lot of work but appears to be in one piece. Ad states 12-71 without hours listed. I think N engines weren’t available any longer by this year. Do turbos and related components age poorly just sitting around? Regardless of hours I doubt this boat has moved much for years. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2357110695...pb9CdBbQD6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[scallywag]

Oh boy.

My back hurts just looking at her.

Edited to add: By my personal experience, the worst form of abuse for a diesel engine is neglect. Heck, this applies to all of the machinery. But yes just sitting there leads to mucho problemos.

 

[rsmith]

It’s usually the inter cooler that are a problem. There is a decent running one on Marketplace asking 70 same year. 78 Hatt offered 8/92’s also. They were supposed to be lighter and more fuel efficient but in reality same speed and fuel burn. 650hp is 650 Hp IDK why but nearly every 78/79 53C I’ve ever seen is galley down 2 stateroom. For me and a lot of people it’s undesirable. FWIW the TI over the N’s had little speed increase without adding lifting rails to the chine.

 

[bostonhatteras]

It’s usually the inter cooler that are a problem. There is a decent running one on Marketplace asking 70 same year. 78 Hatt offered 8/92’s also. They were supposed to be lighter and more fuel efficient but in reality same speed and fuel burn. 650hp is 650 Hp IDK why but nearly every 78/79 53C I’ve ever seen is galley down 2 stateroom. For me and a lot of people it’s undesirable. FWIW the TI over the N’s had little speed increase without adding lifting rails to the chine.

Seen a lot of 53s with full length lifting rails added. Definitely a double edge sword. You don’t get something for nothing. The one owner that they allude to is an interesting aspect of the boat that doesn’t necessarily mean positive things, but probably on balance better than a whole bunch of owners in short succession. With what I’ve experienced and been through on my 45 and my belief that the 45 and 53 are scaled up, scaled down versions of each other, I think I would feel immediately at home on this boat. Funny enough when I look at this boat with the galley down and the dinette that is the part that particularly appeals to me. I am really tired of sitting at a high low table and couch to eat dinner. Plus, I just picked up a 13 foot whaler so looking at that cradle on the bow and crane suited for a whaler I nearly got this 53 complete already! Ha ha

 

[Pascal]

This boat would have to be free to make sense and even then….

Considering the humidity levels down here any boat sitting unused will go down hill very fast. All portholes are open so no air con… can’t imagine the state of the interior.

Run Forest, run.

 

[jim rosenthal]

The only thing more expensive than a cheap boat would be a free boat.