Brand New Dummy!!

[Chadmandu]

Well I guess I will start off by introducing myself and saying hi.....Hi ....I am brand new to the forum and fairly new to boating in general. I couldn't find an introduction page and this topic is kinda where I need to start anyway so here I am.
My name is Chad and I have recently decided to take on a boat project that I think will be fun and exciting. She's a 1980 Hawaiian 18' open bow. I think I have a photo attached.
Hull and interior is in pretty good shape and she has an OCM Stern Drive I'm relatively sure. You will have to bear with me as I am seriously pretty new to this. Doctor said I need a project so I got one. I've built several Jeeps and a few cars in my time so I am fairly mechanically inclined but this old girl didn't come with the engine. What I am trying to figure out is what engine is she supposed to have and if there is a way to find out what she was given in . I say OCM Stern Drive because that is what is stamped in multiple places. I was told that there was a 305 in her that froze at some point and was pulled. the mounts and most of the manifolds and the fly wheel was all in there still but no engine itself. from what I can tell is there are several different manufactures of marine grade engines and what I don't know is what I need to order for the existing bellhousing and drive assemblies to all work. I have considered just finding another vessel that has an engine and drive but bad hull and/or interior and doing a full swap but with the engine already out I would just assume to put a new powerplant in there that I won't have to worry about going forward.
Any help is greatly appreciated and I will ask for some forgiveness up front for all the stupid questions that I will inevitably ask as I embark on this new journey.
Thanks again.
Chad

 

[ezmobee]

It's likely OMC not OCM. OMC has been out of business for a long time now and parts and service are tough to get. By looking at the year and the picture, I'm thinking you have an OMC Stringer drive which is even harder to find parts for. Since it needs major work anyway, it would not be worth trying to re-piece together the OMC. Your best bet (if the boat is in good shape) is to try to find a complete Mercruiser or Volvo motor and drive setup from a rotted boat. Find one with Chevy based power for best parts support.

 

[bruceb58]

Problem with putting a Volvo or Mercruiser in that boat is that the cut out in the transom is huge and you will have to rebuild the transom. My suggestion is to not put anytime in a boat like that.

 

[ezmobee]

My suggestion is to not put anytime in a boat like that.

Honestly, given that it's a dated-looking tri-hull (redundant) I'd be inclined to agree.

 

[Chadmandu]

Thanks ezmobee, That's the kind of info I was looking for. I was thinking that it may be cheaper to find an old rott as well but oly get the engine. this changes my search criteria. .The boat is in real great shape other than the mentioned.
I'll get on the lookout for a n old POS to strip. I'm glad that I asked because I was researching the OMC stuff trying to find a solution. I don't want to waste my money on something that I'll be regretting. This boat will be a full restoration that I will be wanting to enjoy for many years to come.

You say Chevy, Is there any preferences from one to the other for an all around boat? I want to be able to ski behind it when I want as well as just cruise from time to time at low speeds

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard Chadmandu: what year is the boat? While I agree that you don't wanna' pump a buncha' time and money into a restoration with an OMC, I would say that if the boat is in good shape as it sits, and you can find an engine inexpensively that'll work ... in other words, it all happens on the cheap. It could be a decent boat to play with.

The OMC Stringer has a bad rep, and some parts are getting hard to find. But I'm not completely afraid of them under certain conditions. One being, you already have the boat in hand

At the same time - if you want a project to sink some time into for fun and pride, and you want it to be the one and only ... I agree: move on.

 

[Chadmandu]

Well maybe with some patience the thing to do might be to look for one with a solid hull and trashed interior that I can use the interior on this one in. hmmmmm. I live in Colorado so the boating season is pretty short lived and It will not get used nearly as much as one would in placed like FL or CA and so on. I'll go through what I have in place now and see if the drive is solid before making to many drastic decisions. I figure If I can get a couple of different boats at under 1K total cost it will be worth the investment of 2-4K to have a great boat and then the enjoyment of the work will be bonus in hand.

 

[Chadmandu]

So it sounds like the Volvo or Mercruiser drive system with a preferable Chevy power plant would be the way to go. I will start looking for a different "fixer-upper" then I suppose. I am definatley wanting an I/O and am kinda bummed about this one being a little bit of a turd. It's in great shape for its age compared to all the other ones that I have looked at so far. Oh well. I guess that's what happens when you research after the fact. There are still some great things on it that can be reused and to top it off it does have a pretty decent trailer that I can convert into a mobile tool shed.
Thanks
The search for the right project boat continues.

 

[ezmobee]

The Chevy thing has nothing to do with reliability or preference. It's just a matter of parts support. Ford got out of the marine business over a decade ago and Chrysler even before that. Volvo used some of their own motors for a while and I don't know what the support scene is like for those. You can't go wrong with a Chevy based Mercruiser or Volvo. You also want a boat with a solid deck, stringers, and transom. Boats typically rot from the bottom up so if there's ANY soft spots in the deck/floor, 9 times outta 10 that's indicative of more serious rot below in the stringers and often the transom. Repairing rot on a fiberglass boat is do-able (and we have a bunch of members here tackling it) it's very labor intensive and the fiberglassing materials aren't exactly cheap.

 

[airshot]

You might even consider just cutting your loses and scrap this one and search for an older aluminum hull boat for your project. No rot worries with alum like you have with older glass hulls. Most alum boats are either OB or use mercruiser O/I equipment and either one is easier to find parts for. You mentioned only using it a few times a year, better yet for unloading the glasser and finding a decent alum hull boat.

 

[Chadmandu]

You might even consider just cutting your loses and scrap this one and search for an older aluminum hull boat for your project. No rot worries with alum like you have with older glass hulls. Most alum boats are either OB or use mercruiser O/I equipment and either one is easier to find parts for. You mentioned only using it a few times a year, better yet for unloading the glasser and finding a decent alum hull boat.

I get that but I want to have minimal initial investment so that I can put enough into it that it's a custom boat for our needs. I can find fiberglass boats fairly easily around here that have the interiors baked by the all to close sun. The aluminum hulls are hard to find and also go for premium dollars around here anyway. But I will surly take one if I see one at the right price. I just don't have enough patience to wait one out. LOL I'm ready to get started so that I can hopefully have something ready for water by June.

 

[Chadmandu]

I know of one now with a 165 HP mercruiser
good engine? Needs a bunch of interior work but has a solid deck and a unmolested hull.
18 footer

 

[Chadmandu]

https://denver.craigslist.org/boa/5946173860.html

 

[TyeeMan]

If the floor, transom and hull are solid, that looks like a fine deal! Even if the in-line 6 needs a rebuild sounds like you have the wherewithal to do that.

Just remember, the only dumb question is the one you never asked.

 

[southkogs]

I'm a big fan of that 165. My OMC was that engine (Chevy 250 I6). Real easy to work on.

 

[Scott Danforth]

going to throw my two cents in here....may get change back.

if your looking at boats with a trashed interior.....DONT. that is the indicator that the boat has been left outside.

you want a boat with a pristine interior, pristine exterior and a pristine motor owned by the old couple that owned it for 40 years and garage kept it. or you are getting a project boat that you will sink between $5000 and 10,000 into

the 165 is a good motor. its the 250 cubic inch that was in millions of chevrolet trucks. its just not a great motor. the intake ports and combustion chambers limit the motor to about 4500 RPM max in a naturally aspirated configuration. (trust me, I love inliners. visit inliners.org for more info.)
the GM v8's and the 4.3 V6's are good motors. the 3.8 is obsolete and parts are difficult and expensive. the Buick 3.8 is even more difficult and expensive
ford motors are obsolete and parts are expensive
stringers have some good design ideas, and a bunch of issues that only going out for peyote on ones lunch break would explain. that whole split vertical drive shaft with crappy sealing and the ball gears are really expensive to repair.
if you have an OMC stringer, and you want to change to anything else, you need to rebuild the transom. the OMC stringer had the largest transom cutout ever....
then again, if your looking at any boat with a rough interior, you will need to do the transom, deck and stringers

if you plan on a driveline swap, get the complete boat, pay double that you want because it will be about 5x cheaper than piece-parting the driveline together.

here is a sticky that you should read. specifically link 14 http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...r/295740-how-to-s-and-other-great-information

here is another sticky you should read. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...eeding-help-buying-a-boat-a-buyer-s-checklist

Here are some numbers to think about
restoring a hull with stringers, deck and transom is about $2500 and about 500 hours of work or more
restoring a driveline is $2500 to $15000 and about 100 hours worth of work or more
restoring an interior is about $2000 and about 100 hours worth of work or more
replacement windscreens can be up to $5000

buying a garage-kept well maintained boat that needs nothing as your first boat will be priceless

What is your budget? any boat under $5k (and most under $10k) require a bunch of work and should be considered a project unless you find that gem that some old guy wants to sell.

 

[ezmobee]

Wanna get on the water cheap? Throw a motor on this and go https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/boa/5952652627.html

I just searched the Denver craigslist and you ain't lyin'. Not many tinnies for sale there right now.

 

[Tnstratofam]

Wanna get on the water cheap? Throw a motor on this and go https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/boa/5952652627.html

I just searched the Denver craigslist and you ain't lyin'. Not many tinnies for sale there right now.

Yep that's a good option right there.

Pretty much exactly how we ended up with our Starcraft SS. We bought a rotten glasser boat and wanted to stay on the water cheap while we rebuild it.

So picked up our SS160 needing a transom ( Much easier and cheaper to replace on an outboard alluminium boat. ) and some motor work and parked the glasser to be restored. Still working on the glasser by the way 2 seasons off the water. While we've used the smaller Starcraft to keep us on the water.

Scott's post was spot on too by the way.:encouragement:

 I would only add that boating as a leisurely activity can be expensive sometimes. Well most of the times. Actually for us it's where we spend most of our extra cash these days as I have contracted MBS ( Multiple Boat Syndrome.) and can't seem to stop scouring CL for my next boat, er project, er yard ornament.:becky:

 

[Scott Danforth]

my house from google earth has 3 boats visible

 

[southkogs]

... and a bunch of issues that only going out for peyote on ones lunch break would explain ...

^^^^ That is awesome

Sorry - had to comment - :focus: