need owners manual

[Darbyogill]

I've looked everywhere I can think of to try to find an owners manual for a boat I just bought. It is a 1977 Crestliner/AMF Crusader II. I have had no luck at all, and was hoping maybe someone on this forum may know where I can find one. There is so much I don't know about this boat, and would like to be able to take full advantage of its potential. Help would be gratefully accepted !

 

[jbcurt00]

What info?

The owners manual was likely a generic basic boating and safety guide, unlikely to have much (if any) info specific to operation of your Crusader.

 

[JASinIL2006]

You'd be better off asking your questions here; usually, a manual for your drive (and engine, if an I/O or inboard) is much more useful. Anything specific you want to know, or just trying to learn what all your boat can do?

Oh, and welcome to iboats!

:welcome:

 

[82rude]

Brochures etc might be found at Fiberglassics.(sp)

 

[Darbyogill]

Thanks for the responses. The boat has been "molested" by previous owners, and I don't know if it had a galley, for one thing. The dash has an anchor winch switch, but I have no idea where the winch is (was). There is a power steering pump on the engine (Ford V8), but I have no idea if it does anything. I was looking for a shop manual for the engine and drive, but couldn't find one yet. There are some wires at the stern that were connected to something at one time, but aren't now, so I need some kind of wiring diagrams for this boat. I know, I'm probably on my own there, but one can always hope :-}

 

[jbcurt00]

Does the Ford (OMC?) run? If not, thats a whole different conversation that need to be 1st...

Sounds like its possibly a gut and start from scratch, so add a galley if you want.

If the motor doesnt run, is it possible the orphan wiring is supposed to be connected to the motor, motor manual will help w that.

There likely was never a wiring diagram for the boat, except the most basic one needed at the factory to build it, if there was one at all, and it never would have been made public anyway.

So start from scratch, add a pulpit and/or anchor winch if you want 1

Might be too new to be considered a Glassic, but you could try there as 82rude suggests. Spend a few hours @ google searching images. Might get lucky... Lots of boats are simply not well documented online w the info you're looking for.

Maybe your rehab can help the next guy looking for similar info on a Crusader, so post some pix of yours. Cant possibly be any worse then some other posted here, my new favorite is the boat filled w 4inches of composted debris w a nice green carpet if moss covering 100% of the interior deck........ :LLAMA:

 

[Darbyogill]

Thanks jbcurt00. I know absolutely nothing about boats built after about 1960. This one, I was told, is a Mercruiser drive, and has a 235? HP Ford engine. I'll try to make a long story short... the boat was a dealer trade-in on a $140,000 boat, so the dealer really didn't care what shape it was in, as I'm sure they didn't give him a whole lot on it. The trailer had $1000 invested for bearings and all new electric brakes. They said they had no idea if it ran, and were going to wholesale it out in a couple of days if it didn't sell. I made an offer, about what the trailer is worth, and they took it. I got it home, and the key wouldn't turn the ignition. I turned on one of the 2 bilge pump switches, and heard the pump run, so knew there had to be at least some juice in the battery, so went to the auto parts store & got a new switch. I wired that up, and was astonished that the engine turned over. I checked the gas, and it smelled fresh, so I cranked it over a little more, and it started!!! I shut it off immediately, as I didn't have a water connecter for the outdrive. I went and bought the connector, hooked up a hose, and started it again. It has a torn bellows in the outdrive, so leaks water and exhaust in the middle, but revved up like a race car, so I think the engine is fine. I didn't put the drive into gear yet, but hoping it is ok as well. Outdrive lift pump and trim tab pumps had leaked all over the deck, so I'm rebuilding those (I've used those in custom car applications, so know how to fix them), and then will check to see if the gitalong spins like it's supposed to.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Any owners manual will not give you any of the information that you are looking for. We tinker with cast off boats at a buddy's building. With those older boats where the wiring is a nightmare spaghetti factory we just cut all the wiring off and start from scratch. It's just amazing what people can do with wiring. A red becomes a black with a connector then becomes yellow etc. I have seen extension cords and that old brown flat wire used for TV antennas used as marine wire. I have even seen that TV wire and extension cords used to wire a cottage, my cottage in fact. Start from scratch. Amazing the engine started. That is a good start.

You have a project ahead of you, have fun and do it right.