We are offering for sale a 1976 Sanger Gull Wing Bubble Deck V-Drive that belonged to my father-in-law, who passed away earlier this year. This was a project he put a great deal of time and money into, but unfortunately he never had the opportunity to get the boat back on the water and see his work in action.
My wife and I inherited the boat and, to be transparent, neither of us knows much about boats or about the specifics of this type of high-performance V-drive build. Because of that, rather than trying to guess at the condition or value, we hired an accredited professional marine surveyor in the San Francisco Bay Area to inspect and appraise the boat in July 2026.
The boat is a 20-foot 1976 Sanger Gull Wing Bubble Deck powered by a Chevrolet 454 big-block V8 with high-performance components and a Casale V-drive transmission. The boat underwent an extensive refit between approximately 2020 and 2023, including engine and transmission work, steering, gauges, wiring, shaft components, cosmetic work and approximately $12,000 in fiberglass work.
According to the survey, the hull was found to be structurally sound and the vessel was considered to be in above-average overall condition. The surveyor did not find structural damage, evidence of flooding or significant structural defects during the inspection.
The surveyor estimated the current market value at approximately $19,000 in its present condition. Because we do not have the boating knowledge to independently evaluate this type of build, we are using that professional appraisal as the basis for our asking price.
We have the title for the boat. Will need to perform a VIN verification/process for the trailer.
A custom tandem-axle trailer is also available and can be sold together with the boat as a package. The trailer was extensively refurbished between 2021 and 2022 with work including fenders, brakes, wiring, wheels, bunk boards and lights. The surveyor described the trailer structure as sound and noted no significant corrosion or rust scale.
Important trailer disclosure: due to the trailer’s registration history and the VIN not being clearly legible on the trailer, I will need to take it to the California DMV for VIN verification in order to complete the registration/title process. I want to make that clear upfront to any prospective buyer.
The professional survey is available for serious buyers and contains detailed information about the boat, engine, V-drive, fuel system, electrical system, hull, trailer and items the surveyor recommends addressing. Since the boat was on the trailer at the time of the survey, the engine was not operated and a water/sea trial was not performed.
We are motivated to sell, but we would especially like to see the boat go to someone who knows and appreciates these older Sanger V-drives and can finish what my father-in-law started.
Asking $19,000 based on the professional survey/appraisal. The trailer is available as part of the package and is negotiable on top of what we are asking for the boat. Serious inquiries welcome.
