The way it usually works, when you're not looking for something, you find it! I spent a Saturday night on my cruiser a couple weeks ago and as usual, was tinkering with something. I needed a part from west Marine to finish my repair so I had to wait until Sunday when they were open. I woke up around 5:30 am and could not sleep, so I decided to drive into town, grab a cup of coffee, and see what time West Marine opened. After doing that, it was still too early to go back to the dock and start making noise, so I had to kill some more time. It just so happens that there is a Bass Pro Outdoor world on the opposite side of the the parking lot from West Marine and they had a whole lot full of boats sitting there. I thought why not? May as well walk through the lot and see what they have and kill a few minutes while I downed my coffee.
I was working my way toward the back of the lot when I saw this:
Hey! This is more my style - someone else's cast off junk. Not sure what it is, but it is sure out of place among all these shiny new overpriced boats. I walked nearer to it and saw this:
Still not sure what exactly it is, but it looks decent from here and the price tag says - that can't be right - not at a Bass Pro store $1200.00. It's got my attention now. I look closer. I can see some sort of Mercury hanging on the rear. I see a custom made cover. This thing is not beat up or abused in the least. Now I'm getting really interested. I move in for a closer look:
I see a "Tower of Power" 90 horse merc with a stainless prop,two brand new tires on wheels for the trailer laying on the casting deck, and a brown "astro turf" interior that looks like it came straight out of the 70's. I sure don't need another boat, but wait a minute. How can I possibly walk away from this. I'm still not sure exactly what I'm looking at.
It's laid out nice. Twin consoles, casting decks front and rear, fairly deep and wide. What is it?
I see it now! It's a Sea Nymph! This warrants a trip back to Bass Pro when they open at 10. Surely they are not going to let this go for $1200.00 or there is something wrong with it. I come back with the wife and find a salesman - "What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing"
"Start it"
"Can't"
Here we go - I knew this was to good to be true. "Why can't you start it?"
"No one here on Sunday in the shop. Come back tomorrow and we'll start it for you."
I ask if I can buy it now, with the sale contingent on hearing it run on Monday.
"Sure can, you don't even have to leave a deposit. Give me the word and it's yours"
How can I go wrong here? I tell him I'll take it. I come back Monday morning, hear it run (there just isn't another sound in the world as sweet as one of those old mercs), hand over the cash and they hand me the paper work. First stop is the gas station - sweet, both tanks are full. got of there cheap! next stop, the marina. I dump it in the water and try to find something that does't work. Impossible task - every single thing on this boat works. Lets give it a sea trial -
42 mph on the gps. Doesn't leak a drop. Man, I'm loving this thing. It turns out to be a 1979 model year, with an 86 Mercury. I'm still not not exactly sure what model it is, but I'm leaning toward it being a SS-165. Anyone know for sure?
