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Biesemeyer Caribbean Value

9K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  Pjaf 
#1 ·
Hi ! New to the forum. Reason for joining is im tossing the idea of purchasing a 1968 Biesemeyer Caribbean from a friend of a friend. He knows nothing about V drives. Period. I on the other hand grew up with wakeboard boats and other merc powered watercraft. So I'm not entirely green on the flattys being my general time around the marina, I also have many friends who build v drives so I have a fair amount of "basic" knowledge if you will. But what I really need is other boat guys to tell me a fair price for this clean 396 powered Caribbean. What's a realistic price ? The boat is very clean and does run but has sat quite some time. I can say I've seen the boat in person and it is in very good condition and looks very original to me.

1968 Biesemeyer Caribbean 396" 2 bolt main with Hall Craft everything and original single axle trailer ( tires are ruined )

Guy has the number $5800 in his head

From my knowledge and input from experienced friends 4-5k is more realistic.

Figured I'd say $4500 sighting the boy-so-desirable block and trailer as reasoning the offer. Also given she's sat a while and will need a tune up before the water.

Please let me know if I'm right wrong High or low

Thanks !
 

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#2 ·
My 2 cents, $4000.00 tops. What you have there is a basic starter ski boat and thats it. The motor is basically a chugger and not worth much. If it hasn't run in a while, I'd pull a valve cover and see if the motor is rusted out? Pull the dip stick and see if it has old nasty oil thats been sitting in it for a long time? Figure at least a carb kit and new hoses. New water pump impellor and maybe a fuel pump. Don't forget a new set of road worthy tires. The v drive box is old school ski boat stuff. Old bronze running gear. Missing the back seat. Paint single color-just presentable. Depends what you want long term? If you only want a 50 mph ski boat, thats all thats gonna ever be. If your thinking of going any faster in the future, thats just a complete waste of time and hard earned money. Sorry to be negative. Just want you to have your eyes wide open going in what is really there. :)Unsure
 
#3 · (Edited)
Not a bad looking little ski boat. I agree with all said in the previous post. As far as value on these kind of boats......depends how much YOU like it and want it.
That being said, that hull looks like no other Caribbean hull I've ever seen. I saw several back in the day, they were beautiful boat, however never known for their performance. NEVER saw a fast one.
Here are pics of a mid sixties Beisemeyer Caribbean, and as you can see they are nothing like the hull you're looking at. Jocko
 

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#4 ·
Thanks for the input guys. I do of course realize what this boat is capable of and what it is more so, NOT capable of. I'm not looking for a crazy hot boat just a fun run around. I live on a lake and figured she'd be a good weekday cruiser. Thank you guys for your time and honest opinions. I really do like it. She's a funky old thing !
 
#5 ·
It does look like a cool cruiser for sure. One thing that I look at first with every hull I look at now is the condition of the floors. If the fiberglass has delaminated from the wood core then you have a bunch of work to do to make it a solid/safe hull, even for skiing. I would take the back of a screwdriver or something like that and tap around all over the floor. Areas that are delaminated will have more of a dud sound where the solid spots will sound and feel solid. With the equipment it has, if it has a lot of delam then there is little value in it for me. A race hull with great hardware I would consider knowing that I will have to do a bunch of work myself, or pay to have someone do the fiberglass work.

Just a little more info to give you something to think about.

On a side note, what does the bottom look like? Does it have strakes?

Paul
 
#6 ·
def a biesemeyer trailer................looks like a newer version of the caribbean.(adj cavs too)..ive never seen a 68 so maybe thats why its different......$4k all day long torquey 396 would be a blast........great lake boat..you should have a blast in that thing..........
 
#7 ·
To answer some of your questions, yes from my research original trailer. Seen a pic of one of rustys originals and trailer is near identical. As far as fiberglass goes the thing looks incredibly good especially given the age. I'd assume it was not used much.

And no there were no strakes.

I found the shape a little funny too. He is the 2nd owner with all original documentation. The word "Caribbean" appears no where on the registration but with Arizona boats it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't put on any of the boats registrations. It is 100% a Biesemeyer but yes it is different ! It has the Biesemeyer plastic co. Emblems so I know from that/ and obviously the year it was after the fire at the original Biesemeyer shop. Maybe the original mold burned and this was changed up ? Who knows. I've never seen a 68 either in my endless google searches.

Boat does appear to be all original from what I can tell.

General consensus says I'm safe at 4K. I think I'll offer him that and let him kick that around with the wife.
 
#9 ·
And no there were no strakes.
.
I asked that as there was a boat built with the later Race Biesemeyer bottom on it and a deck that looked like the old Biesemeyers. It was called a Pleasurecraft if I remember correctly. There were only a few built and the mold was in a personal shop that had fire damage and the mold had been partially burned so it got scrapped. Good luck, and if it falls through, there are other good boats out there as well.

Paul
 
#8 ·
4000.00 is probably ok assuming you're not buying a project. :bangmyhead: Unfortunately the market for this kind of mechanical toys is sorta depressed, so some of the older guys still think its worth a mint and hold pretty tight. Buy it with the mind set you're going to use up your investment in good experiences and memorable fun.:buddies:
 
#11 · (Edited)

A few years ago I looked at a early Caribbean ( and took photos) that was for sale. I compared the old photos with yours and noted a difference in the decks and the bottoms. The early versions had a bottom that was referred to as a "non-trip chine" (also noted in a previous post by Jackorace). Yours has a very different bottom design with later style chine design. The decks are totally different as well. I'll include my old photos.

Lynn aka "Pie"

PS - It's still a "neat" boat !!!
 

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#13 ·
Yes both are very different. Not really sure ... too bad there's not too much info on Biesemeyers. I may go by burgeron marine. I'm told there's some knowledge about them there.

Of course the gentlemen who owns the boat currently claims the original owner was certain it was a boat owned by rusty himself, or at least built it with the intent of keeping it. Would be a cool story. but sounds like a stretch and a half to me. I think it's just a story and nothing more but Could possibly explain its differences but I highly doubt it !
 
#14 · (Edited)
I spent a lot of time in one of these as a kid through early adult. First, and foremost, are the gas tanks still original glass? Back in the 80's they were causing problems in my dads and my late 70's Howard I had to pull them out of. Make sure they arent beginning to fall apart inside.

The boat is heavy and will run fairly slow for a flat. I bought my Hondo when we had the caribbean and going from my dads caribbean to the hondo was night and day for a flat. The caribbean cuts through the chop better than a regular flat but will take water over the transom like all the other flats. It had an old Hallcraft V-drive too.

Our boat is exactly what Mouzer posted, except it had a 392 hemi. The orange boat looks a little different
 
#16 ·
I bought the book bill biesemeyer wrote and it covers most of what they made quite well. I see no hull like this one Ive been looking at. Is there a possibility someone pulled funny business and got it titled as a biesemeyer when it really wasn't ? Seems like a ton of work to do for a cheap ski boat. My only thoughts is that's the case or a funny off-beat hull they turned out ? I'm just kinda at a loss for what to think of this boat. What ya guys think ? Remember I'm a newbie so please show some mercy !
 
#17 ·
If you think the boat is cool and you want it, make an offer and buy it. If the lineage is highly important to you, sounds like a pass. Maybe it is what you're being told it is. Maybe it isn't. But, in any case, it is what it is. Whether the family name is adopted or not is only important if you want it to be. At the price point, it's not likely to dictate much in the way of value.

Good luck :))THumbsUp and welcome to the boards

-Seth-
 
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