Looking at buying a used boat

[Jbpope]

I'm looking at a 70's something marlin 17.5' boat with a 225 OMC , 305 engin so I'm told. I was told if it had a oh my *** (OMC) I shouldn't buy it . What's up with these motors?

 

[Scott Danforth]

OMC went out of business a long time ago and parts are an issue and unless you do the work yourself, most mechanics no longer work on them.

being a 70's vintage, it will be an electric shift stringer.

 

[southkogs]

... AND ... they can be a little finicky ... parts can be a little tough to find sometimes ... On the flip side, they are fairly robust and I personally like the way an electric shift delivers power.

If you're new to boating, I don't suggest buying an OMC Stringer. If you're familiar with boating, weigh it out carefully. You'll need to stay ahead of the drive and treat it like the "vintage" drive it is. Marc or Volvo will probably be easier to deal with (for the most part).

:welcome:

 

[lineman09]

I would skip the omc setup .. back in the day they were a good set up, but they are spendy to repair and get parts for .. my friend bought a 83 seaswirl with the 3.8l omc without knowing anything about omc , used it one weekend and the lower unit went out.. it was several thousand$$$ to get it repaired.. he never fixed it..i think he ended up giving it to the shop..

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... A '90s something OMC is a Bad bet,....

A '70s something OMC is worse than buyin' an ole Merc 470,.....

 

[Jbpope]

Thanks all, I said no to the boat and I'm still looking. I live in BC Canada north of Spokane just an hour from the border. I have a $3000.00 Canadian budget.

 

[Redrig]

For me , I wouldnt be nearly as concerned with the fact its an OMC , I would be concerned over any 1970's boat . What I mean is how has the boat been stored and is the structural integrity compromised .

If you look over at the resto forum you will find hundreds of threads that start off with a used boat purchase then it turns into a full restoration because the stringers / transom / foam is all waterlogged.

So if you are looking at older boats , to me the drive is almost irrelevant.

I would take an OMC drive in a well taken care of boat way before a newer merc in a boat that has been stored outdoors for 20 years .

I would focus more on the storage of the boat over the years . Stringers, transom , ect is way more important than the brand of drive.... JMHO.

 

[vasy]

Thanks all, I said no to the boat and I'm still looking. I live in BC Canada north of Spokane just an hour from the border. I have a $3000.00 Canadian budget.

Cool. Must be close to me, I'm in Richmond BC
I know what you mean, $3k don't get you much here. I've been browsing craiglist for a while.
2 strokes at best but finding a good 4 stroke is not easy.
I was at the same budget initially but after spent $6k to get something that runs.
I see a few running boats $5k-$6k range, not much in $3.

Best I can think for $3k is a 50/50 ownership on a 6k boat

 

[Jbpope]

How do you check stringers, transom,etc.? What am I looking for?

 

[Bondo]

What am I looking for?

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... Newer than say 1980, with a Mercruiser or Volvo drive, 'n Chevy based motor,.....

Rot is many times hard to find, it's usually hidden behind fiberglass or aluminum,....
It usually comes down to invasive tests to confirm suspicions,....

 

[boltonranger]

Ayuh,.... A '90s something OMC is a Bad bet,....

A '70s something OMC is worse than buyin' an ole Merc 470,.....

Ouch that hurt! But you're right Bondo-
The 470 is not a good choice. Of course if he bought one with the 470 he would quickly become an iboats addict. But really jb - pick a common more trusted power plant. Your wallet will thank you.

 

[Redrig]

How do you check stringers, transom,etc.? What am I looking for?

Soft spots on the floor is a dead giveaway .

 

[Jbpope]

Thanks guys I just picked up 17.5' with a 140 4 cylinder with a merc leg 1978 year looks solid to me

 

[Redrig]

Congrats