On 4/15/2013 10:31 AM, Wayne B wrote:
On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:29:49 -0400, J Herring
wrote:

Do you own a multimeter? If not, get one.

====

Buying a multimeter is good advice. It will pay for itself many
times over.

If you have multiple circuits failing it will probably turn out to be
a bad connection coming from, or returning to, your battery.

On the other hand the wiring, fuse panel and switches in a boat that
old are probably pretty well shot. Replacing all that is a non
trivial project but it will save you a lot of aggravation down the
road.



The boat is from 1976 or so he says? Doubt there is much left worth
salvaging on the thing. He would be better off to just find a newer boat...

In article ,
says...

On 4/15/2013 10:31 AM, Wayne B wrote:
On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:29:49 -0400, J Herring
wrote:

Do you own a multimeter? If not, get one.

====

Buying a multimeter is good advice. It will pay for itself many
times over.

If you have multiple circuits failing it will probably turn out to be
a bad connection coming from, or returning to, your battery.

On the other hand the wiring, fuse panel and switches in a boat that
old are probably pretty well shot. Replacing all that is a non
trivial project but it will save you a lot of aggravation down the
road.



The boat is from 1976 or so he says? Doubt there is much left worth
salvaging on the thing. He would be better off to just find a newer boat...

Plenty of boats a lot older than that still in fine shape.

On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:43:35 -0400, iBoaterer
wrote:

In article ,
says...

On 4/15/2013 10:31 AM, Wayne B wrote:
On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:29:49 -0400, J Herring
wrote:

Do you own a multimeter? If not, get one.

====

Buying a multimeter is good advice. It will pay for itself many
times over.

If you have multiple circuits failing it will probably turn out to be
a bad connection coming from, or returning to, your battery.

On the other hand the wiring, fuse panel and switches in a boat that
old are probably pretty well shot. Replacing all that is a non
trivial project but it will save you a lot of aggravation down the
road.



The boat is from 1976 or so he says? Doubt there is much left worth
salvaging on the thing. He would be better off to just find a newer boat...

Plenty of boats a lot older than that still in fine shape.

====

Yes but it depends a lot on what type of boat it is and how it has
been used/stored. The other issue is valuation. Most boats that
age are selling for pennies on the dollar and it doesn't take much of
a rehab project to turn it into a negative value proposition. This is
particuly true for smaller open boats that are exposed to the
elements.

In article ,
says...

On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:43:35 -0400, iBoaterer
wrote:

In article ,
says...

On 4/15/2013 10:31 AM, Wayne B wrote:
On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:29:49 -0400, J Herring
wrote:

Do you own a multimeter? If not, get one.

====

Buying a multimeter is good advice. It will pay for itself many
times over.

If you have multiple circuits failing it will probably turn out to be
a bad connection coming from, or returning to, your battery.

On the other hand the wiring, fuse panel and switches in a boat that
old are probably pretty well shot. Replacing all that is a non
trivial project but it will save you a lot of aggravation down the
road.



The boat is from 1976 or so he says? Doubt there is much left worth
salvaging on the thing. He would be better off to just find a newer boat...

Plenty of boats a lot older than that still in fine shape.

====

Yes but it depends a lot on what type of boat it is and how it has
been used/stored. The other issue is valuation. Most boats that
age are selling for pennies on the dollar and it doesn't take much of
a rehab project to turn it into a negative value proposition. This is
particuly true for smaller open boats that are exposed to the
elements.

It's not a negative proposition unless you are trying to sell it. I know
plenty of people who have gotten older bass boats and yes, had to work
on them, in order to get the kids and dad out fishing.