Is It Cheeper To Keep Her?

[PunkyBoater]

Let me start out by saying I LOVE MY BEEZER! I have a 1969, 20ft 3in, Biesemeyer Mini-Daycrusier V-Drive. It is Equipt with a Velvet Drive Trans w/reverse and a Crusader Gearbox. This Boat is powered by a 1969 Marine Version of the Famed L-88 Done by Aero-Marine. The Aero-Marine plate labels the engine as an L-88 but the difference between What would be in a Vette is my engine has Cast Iron Closed CHamber L-71 Heads. Im pretty sure this is because the aluminum heads would have corosion problems. My boat is mostly original with the exception of the pistons and an MSD Ignition System consisting of an Electronic Billet Distributor, 6AL box, Soft Touch Rev Limiter, and Blaster Coil. The Guy i bought it from was the second owner and from what he said the mechanic on the boat since it was new. The story as i Understood it was that the boat was originally owned by a race boat driver as his family/party boat. The boat also spent a lot of day trips tied up down at the long beach circle track. During the 70's fuel shortage the original 12.5:1 pistons were swaped out with a set of 10:1's. At this time the carb was also swaped out with a smaller holley. At the point of sale to my surprise i was givin a box containing the original 12.5:1 pistons all in good condition along with the original Holley Carb which i have since rebuilt and put back on. I have run the boat for two seasons and have had a blast with it. Ive done a lot maintnance since the boat was sitting for near 20 years it did take a bit to get it back on the water. Im starting to expierience some pains like one of the fiberglass fuel tanks cracking and a deterierating interior. Im at a cross roads where its time to dump some major money into the boat like upgrade to some nice new stainless tanks and a new interior. I'd also like to do some other things like ad an engine hatch maybe to make the boat more rough water capable and maybe even a new paint job. When i think about it though i spend a lot more time in rougher water and am getting older and want something a little more roomy and comfortable. The wife wants all these same things along with something "not so loud" . This is where im having trouble deciding what to do. I LOVE THIS BOAT and I've tried to find another one just out of curiosity and it seems like Biesemeyer did not make a 20 footer in 1969 from what one of the guys i've talked to that used to work there has said. Do i have a one off custom? I've found a 1971 Beezer that looks identical to mine on the top half of the hull but the lower half is a jet and the hull is deeper. Do i have something that is too rare to just get rid off? I'm picking up a 1993, 19 foot open bow, in/out Reinell 5.0 v8 next month to have for this season while i go through my Beez if that is the road i decide to go down. I have tried other forms and have been givin lots of good info but still have not answered the question if this boat is one of a kind. I read somewhere on this form that the Biesemeyer Emblems on the side alone are worth $500 bux! I went out and checked if mine were still there after . How rare is this boat and what is it worth? Should i sell the two boats at the end of this season and get something new? Also if anyone has any information on this boat or boats like it, i would love to hear it! Im located in Southern, Ca and i believe this boat has lived here its whole life as well. Thanks in advance to any and all info on this post. Thanks-*PB*
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...ODBOATSHOT.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...BBCRTSide4.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...ky/427BBC1.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...aysTransom.jpg

[DEL51]

Your boat is very nice. May i ask how old you you are? Seems to me that a simple exhaust upgrade could change the sound to a more acceptable level. If you love it keep it and stay out of the rough stuff. I wouldn't part with emblems.

[PunkyBoater]

Im 28 so this boat is only 10 years older then me =)....I come from a family of boaters and race boat fans and was constantly at the boat races when i was a kid. My dad used to take me to lake Irvine and we would use our family's daycruiser as the deignated tow boat for that weekends racing. Thats why Im a V-drive guy =)....most of my boating friends find it strange cause they all have their Ultras and HTM's and an assortment of wakeboard boats and theres nothing wrong with that, but they always rag on me for being into the older boats...then they get mad cause i smoke'em when its go time :devil: ...I would never sell my emblems i just thought it was crazy that they are worth so much...My biggest question is what is this thing worth? and is it a one off custom? Its kind of hard for me to stay out of the chop cause all my local lakes get pretty big. I know i can quiet it down without too much of a hassle but its not just that. The boat pounds the heck out of you in the rough and even in moderate chop....its just so close to being a flatty it has that kind of a ride. Plus with the hull being so shallow it makes the driveline very intrusive into the interior of the boat. Also like i was saying im about to have to spend a lot of money on her to get her where i want her and im just curious can i get the money back out of her? I must say when the waters glass theres nothing like droppin the hammer on this thing! IT IS A BLAST!...I have to admit though im kinda liking the new boats and when i have kids im not going to be able to stuff them all into this thing. The Reinell is a temporary fix but i dont want to have to keep up two boats for the rest of my life. I just know everytime i go out im going to want the other one at times and it would be nice to just have one kick ass boat that would work for all my purposes. The Beeze is by all means an awesome boat and thank you for the compliments. I just think i might be growing out of her and I'd love to see my plans for her completed and have one last great season with her. I also want to cover my butt and see if theres a market out there for something like this or would i be better off pulling the motor and letting the corvette guys ravage it and drop a crate engine in the hull and sell it that way. Its just such a rare combo it would kill me to split her up. Maybe she just needs a dedicated spot in the garage and be my trailer queen. I was thinking of trying to enter into the v-drive regatta this month down at lake Irvine which i saw advertised in this monthes HOT BOAT. Maybe i will be able to talk to some people there that know whats what. Thanks again for listening and for the compliments...P.S. dont tell my Beeze but im really digging the new Miller Evo V-drive! Now thats a ***boat! If your into V-Drives you have to check out what they are doing over there at Miller Custom Boats these days! Im also thinking about going Shockwave or with a Howard Bullet. To get any of those though there would just be no way to keep the Beeze =/, i would not be able to afford it. *PB*

[V-DRIVE VIDEO]

i spend a lot more time in rougher water and am getting older and want something a little more roomy and comfortable. The wife wants all these same things along with something "not so loud" .
Do i have something that is too rare to just get rid off? Is this boat one of a kind.
just my .02
Sounds like you need to decide what you want. The V-drive Biesemeyer cruisers aren't real common but there are a few out there. I looked at a 73 identical to yours but with an olds engine a few years back. It needed a complete go through and the guy was asking $3,500. The boats that bring the big bucks are the boats that have a proven themselves on the race course.
I'm picking up a 1993, 19 foot open bow, in/out Reinell 5.0 v8 next month im really digging the new Miller Evo V-drive! Now thats a ***boat! Im also thinking about going Shockwave or with a Howard Bullet.
You could completely restore your ride for half of what you'd spend on a new Shockwave or Howard Bullet. Either way you'll need to get your moneys worth in usage because we all know these boats don't go up in value. The Miller would probably hold its value the best.
It really comes down to deciding what you want from a boat then getting the one best suited to you.
I read somewhere on this form that the Biesemeyer Emblems on the side alone are worth $500 bux!]
$500 bucks? Lol, probably not....
http://www.v-drivevideo.com/jerrysga...DSC01305~0.JPG
Good Luck and feel free to look me up at Irvine. I'll be on a white mountain bike or behind the video camera.
--Jerry

[PunkyBoater]

I found a boat on ebay only three hours away from me same year, same color, same hull, except its a jet with an olds. The interior was crap but the rest of the boat seemed pretty solid and it went for like 1200 bux! Plese tell me my boat is worth more than that.

[GofastRacer]

same hull, except its a jet with an olds
There's a message there!..

[V-DRIVE VIDEO]

I found a boat on ebay only three hours away from me same year, same color, same hull, except its a jet with an olds. The interior was crap but the rest of the boat seemed pretty solid and it went for like 1200 bux! Plese tell me my boat is worth more than that.
Its worth more than that....