We made this very choice a year ago. We had a 2002 bowrider that we had been very happy with for 19 years. Engine was still rock solid. No problems with hull or structure. But the interior was shot. Vinyl was torn and full of mold spots and the rug had seen better days. So we started looking for a new boat.
After visiting several boat shows and marinas, we realized that we still liked the layout of our current boat and we never saw a new model that fit our use/style better. Certainly not enough to justify the cost. Then we saw a friend's boat that had just been refurbished. It looked like new!
So...a comparable new boat for $70K+, or about one tenth of that cost for a boat we still loved that once again, looks like new. New seats, cushions, rug, and a top-notch detail/fiberglass restoration job. Wasn't much of a decision.
We are thrilled with the result. My advice for marketing your work would be ,ideally, showing the results of a prior restoration you've done, along with the before photos. The finances sell themselves.
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