Re: New Penn Yan Owner
Just got a 1980 20.5 ft tunnel drive explorer. So far I am just charging the battery and cleaning it up. The anchor windlass runs, I hear a clicking when I try to start the motor and with another switch I hear a motor running, probably a bilge pump. Steering is stiff and almost impossible to move, I do not know if the motor runs or not. It is a V-8.
Any info I can get will be greatly appreciated
Bill, is this your first boat project boat??
In general, be VERY VERY VERY patient. Take lots of pictures to help you remember how things go back together and where they go. i keep a journal of what I'm doing and what I need to do.
You're going to want to go through each part of the boat, BEFORE you ever try to start the engine. It's not a good idea to try and turn the engine over electrically. You got "clicking" when you tried; could be a solenoid. You fix the solenoid, try again and the engine is frozen, you break the starter or flywheel. You see??
In essence, you're "building" a boat that is already built, so you want to go through each component, piece by piece, just like a model, to make sure it's all good. It's easier to fix a sea water strainer or raw water pump on the trailer than in the middle of the lake!
I just brought home my fourth since 1986, a '76 PY 20.5 tunnel drive Explorer. Both yours and mine have the "second generation" tunnel drive -- "new and improved." Take a look at
www.slawecki.com -- he has the PY boat catalogs there as pdf's. Yours will be there, he has the 1980 model year. Secondly, there's a fellow in NY, TJ Amato, who used to be middle or upper mgmt at the PY plant in PY, NY. He's a nice guy, wealth of information. You can contact him at:
TJ Amato*
Penn Yan Parts & Accessories
PO Box 764
Canandaigua, NY 14424
phone 585-554-6636
fax 585-554-6636
pennyan@eznet.net
cell 516-652-6855
With electrical like the bilge pump, you might start under the dash, verifying all of the connections, getting a feel for what's what and what's where. Check the fuses, check for frayed wiring, etc. (There's a wiring diagram on the Slawecki site).
Bottom line, what I've learned (the hard way, of course) is that a boat sits up, you're going to "re-build it" from stem to stern, to some degree or another. I've made a sign that is up in my shop -- "Do NOT cut corners!" I'll pass that suggestion along to you. You'll end up paying later, big time. Use stainless fasteners and washers, make proper electrical connections (crimp with heat shrink) using the correct wire colors, use good quality fittings and parts, etc. For parts and hardware,
http://www.marinepartssource.com/ and
http://boats.wholesalemarine.com, and Jamestown Marine and Boaters World are among many that I've found to be good.
There's a great site for "how to" on inboards --
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects. He points out, for example, the pitfalls of replacing "through hull fittings" with non-marine parts. Disaster!! Also, check out Glen-L Marine. They published a book on "Inboard Motors and Installation" -- that will help you understand better what you're dealing with.
Make lists of what needs to be done and try to prioritize the work. Set target dates and again, be patient, don't give up. Keep a journal so you can see your progress. It does take time and money. That's why it's called a "hobby" (and a "boat" -- "wood and fiberglass hole into which you throw money.")
Know that not EVERYTHING has to be addressed before you test the boat or even before you begin using it. That's what winters are for! My first boat never got painted; it wasn't pretty, but we used it from 1987 to 1999, had a lot of fun in the our "Old Blue Boat." Looking back, I shouldn't have sold it and bought project #2, but that's hindsight...
Last but not least, when everything on the boat is spot on and you're raring to go out, go through the trailer. I mean go through it thoroughly -- wiring, springs/shackles/u-bolts, bearings, tires (dry rot is sometimes hard to see), safety chains, winch, rollers, bunks. And make sure you have a spare tire or two and a floor jack in the back of the truck! My first outing on my first project back in '87 ended up with a broken undercarriage from the trailer laying on the ramp and later, the boat sitting on the bottom of the marina. No kidding...
So, read a lot, ask the questions of the "pro's," and be patient. I wish I had. The best thing to know, is to know that you don't know and ask lots of questions.
There are alot of PY owners out there, you'll find them on
http://www.pennyanbbs.org/. Wealth of info and experience!
All that said, despite the nay sayers ("don't ever buy a used boat without a survey" and "don't every buy a project boat"), project boats are GREAT -- you get a classic craft that you'll have a lot of fun with, costs a lot less than buying a new boat, and will be unique at the landing and on the water.
Regards,
Weareallnuts in SC
