Florida is known for its palm trees, car culture, beaches, and boats. Not surprisingly, there are so many boats in that area of the country that occasionally buyers come across some incredible deals. One gentleman found a used 2003 Sea-N-Sport boat that he was able to purchase for $100. At that price, the vessel came with its own jungle growing out of it. But, surprisingly, it took very little to turn the boat from a giant plant pot into a gem. The comeback restoration is, of course, documented for posterity on Youtube.

Used 2003 Sea-N-Sport

We are all familiar with stories of people finding themselves in a bind and having to sell things. Such is the case with the seller of the 2003 Sea-N-Sport. Health issues in the family necessitated that the boat be sold, trailer, and all. Our Floridian Youtube friend saw the advertisement for it and jumped at the opportunity to purchase it. The asking price was a minuscule $100.

Upon arrival, the boat was found as advertised, in used condition. Sadly it had sat in a yard for a long time. So long, in fact, that vegetation has grown and died there. And, then grown and died again. The end of it was that layers of vegetation were in the vessel. The sun had also done its fair share of baking everything together. 

Restoring the boat started with a shovel

After a quick trip with its new owner, the boat was relocated and the work began on its restoration. A shovel was needed to start scooping the layers of vegetation and loose trash out. Following quite a few shovel-full heave hoes, the floor of the marine craft could actually be seen. Surprisingly, the floor seemed solid. It didn’t seem to have any cracks or damage that would cause concern for the rigidity or its float-worthiness. So, then it was just a matter of giving the boat a cleaning and checking the mechanicals. The video is found on the ThatBoatGuy channel and is posted below.

As a nice bonus to the really inexpensive purchase, the Mercury 40, two-stroke outboard worked. So, after a good pressure wash, a new battery, new sparkplugs, fresh gas, and blowing out drain lines, the boat was finally ready for a sea trial. 

The boat was easily worth the purchase price

Judging from what was seen in the video, it looks like the purchase of the boat and its restoration might have reached $250. That is incredibly inexpensive for a seaworthy vessel. There is no doubt the purchaser is patting himself on the back for recognizing the great deal when he saw it. 

The galvanized trailer alone could command $100. A working Mercury outboard could also easily surpass $100. So, even if the boat had failed the sea trial, there were still ways to recover the money spent on the purchase price.  

Boat deals are harder to come by

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, boat sales have been soaring. So, deals have become fewer and farther between as inventories have been depleted. This boom is happening for new and used boats alike. Thankfully, as we head toward Winter, the manufacturers will be able to catch up and be ready for the next boating season. In the meantime, many people are scouring the various social media marketplaces, like our Youtube friend did to get this deal. He was not only ready to buy but also to put in the elbow grease needed to restore a boat. In the end, he ended up with a gem and no monthly payments. That’s the best way to add a Sea-N-Sport to the family fleet.