NPmechanic
Recruit
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 1
Hey everyone, I am new to the forum and a real newbie at boating. A little info about myself, I am an automotive technician still in college.
Family just brought an old used boat, a 1973 Crestliner Muskie 15 with a 50 hp Force outboard (haven't yet figured out the year of the motor) for $1500 total that includes life jackets, fishing poles and other accessories, and just cleaned most of the junk and dirt inside that came with the boat. Never put it in the water yet, looking forward to it! but I wanted to make sure I checked out everything thoroughly before putting it in the water. I have a lot of questions that needs answered and lots of ideas that I need help with planning it out in the future.
1. obviously I need to find out the year of the 50 hp Force motor, anyone know how I can find out? The sticker on the motor is completely faded and whatever number was there before is gone now.
2. I have skimp through the forum about buying old used boats, one thing that caught my attention is the floor and transom rotting concerns. The floor does feel soft all over but its not exactly flat, I can feel the plywood itself that isn't leveled out where two ends joins and it moves up and down a bit as I walk over it. I am not really looking to spend $1000 on replacing the floor and transom this year or the next even. So not really a question but any tips as to how I can be careful without destroying the boat before I can restore the floor and transom if needed.
3. other thing I found out about skimping through the forum is that whatever holes are made in the floor has to be sealed properly. when I removed the drivers seat and passengers bench and seat, it looked like it was all homemade and used whatever screws they could find in the garage to screw the seats to the floor and the bottom part of the screws are rusted. should I be concerned?
4. the foam thing under the fiberglass at the transom, is it required to have the foam there? or can it be removed for additional spaces for gas tank, batteries, and maybe some extra storage spaces? will removing the foam compromise the floatation or strength of the fiberglass?
5. the previous owner installed a Humminbird TCR ID-1 fish finder but said he have never used it. when I looked at the wirings close to the transom, it was a real mess, two of the wires have been cut and crimped back together, all the hardware mounting on the outside of the boat was screwed in and glued on but the transducer mounting plate is broken. my original plan was to take it all out of the boat and lay it out and figure out how it goes together but since the hardware are glued to the fiberglass, that plan seems busted right now. I will keep at it and see how I can clean the wiring up and make it work if possible.
6. the way the seats are for the driver and passengers, I want to throw it all out and start afresh with new seat layout. I had several ideas about the seating, one is to mount 4 swivel seats in but space seems too small for roomy leg rooms to fish with the swivel seats. other idea is go classic and put two back to back seats on each side of the boat and maybe add one tall swivel seat at the rear for fishing. I am open to ideas.
7. the 50 hp Force outboard has no power tilt, was wondering if its possible to install one without major changes to how the motor mounts to the boat, such as the CMC power tilt which I don't want.
8. at the front and back of the boat, there is 4 total opening with tubing going into the boat which seems like the bilge area. anyone know what's the purpose of those things?
9. there is millions of snap button all over on the boat, I am wondering if there's a cover or cap that goes on them? and where can I find one? it would be nice to still be able to drive the boat and have a shade area or cover if its raining while out on the lake.
I have many more questions that I can't seem to remember right now. I will try to upload some pictures of the boat next time.
Family just brought an old used boat, a 1973 Crestliner Muskie 15 with a 50 hp Force outboard (haven't yet figured out the year of the motor) for $1500 total that includes life jackets, fishing poles and other accessories, and just cleaned most of the junk and dirt inside that came with the boat. Never put it in the water yet, looking forward to it! but I wanted to make sure I checked out everything thoroughly before putting it in the water. I have a lot of questions that needs answered and lots of ideas that I need help with planning it out in the future.
1. obviously I need to find out the year of the 50 hp Force motor, anyone know how I can find out? The sticker on the motor is completely faded and whatever number was there before is gone now.
2. I have skimp through the forum about buying old used boats, one thing that caught my attention is the floor and transom rotting concerns. The floor does feel soft all over but its not exactly flat, I can feel the plywood itself that isn't leveled out where two ends joins and it moves up and down a bit as I walk over it. I am not really looking to spend $1000 on replacing the floor and transom this year or the next even. So not really a question but any tips as to how I can be careful without destroying the boat before I can restore the floor and transom if needed.
3. other thing I found out about skimping through the forum is that whatever holes are made in the floor has to be sealed properly. when I removed the drivers seat and passengers bench and seat, it looked like it was all homemade and used whatever screws they could find in the garage to screw the seats to the floor and the bottom part of the screws are rusted. should I be concerned?
4. the foam thing under the fiberglass at the transom, is it required to have the foam there? or can it be removed for additional spaces for gas tank, batteries, and maybe some extra storage spaces? will removing the foam compromise the floatation or strength of the fiberglass?
5. the previous owner installed a Humminbird TCR ID-1 fish finder but said he have never used it. when I looked at the wirings close to the transom, it was a real mess, two of the wires have been cut and crimped back together, all the hardware mounting on the outside of the boat was screwed in and glued on but the transducer mounting plate is broken. my original plan was to take it all out of the boat and lay it out and figure out how it goes together but since the hardware are glued to the fiberglass, that plan seems busted right now. I will keep at it and see how I can clean the wiring up and make it work if possible.
6. the way the seats are for the driver and passengers, I want to throw it all out and start afresh with new seat layout. I had several ideas about the seating, one is to mount 4 swivel seats in but space seems too small for roomy leg rooms to fish with the swivel seats. other idea is go classic and put two back to back seats on each side of the boat and maybe add one tall swivel seat at the rear for fishing. I am open to ideas.
7. the 50 hp Force outboard has no power tilt, was wondering if its possible to install one without major changes to how the motor mounts to the boat, such as the CMC power tilt which I don't want.
8. at the front and back of the boat, there is 4 total opening with tubing going into the boat which seems like the bilge area. anyone know what's the purpose of those things?
9. there is millions of snap button all over on the boat, I am wondering if there's a cover or cap that goes on them? and where can I find one? it would be nice to still be able to drive the boat and have a shade area or cover if its raining while out on the lake.
I have many more questions that I can't seem to remember right now. I will try to upload some pictures of the boat next time.