Bought a used boat (finally)

22E6441 · #1 March 28th, 2009, 10:37 PM

I've been looking for a few months for a new used boat. Some of you have probably seen a few of my threads about various searches....the latest was about a trihull with a 70 that I went to look at today. That one didn't pan out....rotten. Rotten top, rotten floor, rotting transom though you could still crank on the engine and not have any transom play. Drove almost three hours to see that rotten piece of junk.

Got home, checked kijiji again and found a 14.5ft bowrider with a johnson 50. Here's the description of the ad:

I have a 14.5 ft fibreglass Steury Bowrider boat, motor and trailer(tilt-trailer) for sale. Great for fishing or waterskiing/wakeboarding...........Reaches about 30-35 MPH depending on water conditions.........

It includes new hummingbird fishfinder, gas tank, etc.

I do have the tops/cover but the large one is pretty beat up. The carpet (ski & surf) was redone in 2007 and is a "charcoal black."

The motor is a 1990 50HP Johnson. Has a new bottom end (2008). The "powerhead" was completely rebuit in 2007. Pistons, Head bored, carb kit, fuel filter, etc.

Selling because I purchased a new boat ............

Open to any offers as I need to get rid of it. (according to the wife...lol)

Went to see it. Pretty solid hull except for a soft spot on the floor port back by the stern. Guy said it's probably like that becasue that's where you'd step in to the boat (he's a big guy). Of well, the transom seemed strong and solid, and the rest of the floor was good. Needs new seats and a floor patch.

The motor.....whew....what a beauty. He hadn't had it started yet this year. Was winterized properly (fogged, etc) and we put the muffs on, hooked up a battery and some gas and vrooom! Wow. This thing started and idled awesome. Sounded good too. Just the right amount of smoke out of the exhaust too. It's a VRO motor but the vro was disabled after some problems that resulted in a rebuild. Impeller changed every year....it's a family of mechanics.

The trailer is nice too. Good bunks, spare tire, buddies, really nice winch and jack, good lights, tilt.

I'm getting it for $1500.

Pick it up in the morning....so fingers crossed until then. I have verbal agreement, but until the boat is hitched behind my van.........

Here's a couple pics.

hillbillyrider · #2 March 29th, 2009, 12:32 AM

nice looking boat. hope everything works out for ya

bhammer · #3 March 29th, 2009, 01:01 AM

Looks like a nice boat. Just do a lot of checking around the soft spot on the floor. It could easily turn out to be worse than expected.... Congrats.

ebry710 · #4 March 29th, 2009, 01:10 AM

I like the classic design of the hull.

tashasdaddy · #5 March 29th, 2009, 06:34 AM

nice boat, you will love that motor, you can get seats reasonably on ebay, pay attention to the height of the base boxes.

5150abf · #6 March 29th, 2009, 07:26 AM

Nice find and sounds like you got a really good price.

Stuery made some very nice boats, they were another company that was local to me in way north Indiana so there are quite a few of them still around here.

Agree with TD, the OMC 50s are bullit proof if you take care of them, I have an '81 with the original power head and it still has 135lbs compression so yours with a new lower and fresh rebuild should last you a very long time.

22E6441 · #7 March 29th, 2009, 12:10 PM

Success! The boat is in my driveway. I'll be posting more pics every now and then. I'll put up some more later today once I try and put up what's left of the top.

Very happy....hope it performs well.

I think I got it for a great price. Good trailer. Great motor with a fresh rebuild....1990 50hp Johnson. $1500. With a fishfinder and two downriggers.....but the downriggers are at his Dad's place and he says he'll call me when he gets them. Even if he doesn't, I'm not real sure what to do with downriggers anyway! lol

ebry710 · #8 March 29th, 2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 22E6441

Success! The boat is in my driveway. I'll be posting more pics every now and then. I'll put up some more later today once I try and put up what's left of the top.

Very happy....hope it performs well.

I think I got it for a great price. Good trailer. Great motor with a fresh rebuild....1990 50hp Johnson. $1500. With a fishfinder and two downriggers.....but the downriggers are at his Dad's place and he says he'll call me when he gets them. Even if he doesn't, I'm not real sure what to do with downriggers anyway! lol

Go to the fishing forum. Lots of downrigger talk. Sounds like a well equipped boat.

windsors03cobra · #9 March 29th, 2009, 03:35 PM

I hope you have good luck with it and may you never get stranded.

Sure did/do build a lot of recreational products in Indiana, must be alot of folks knowledgeable about building boats and mobile homes/campers/rv's there. Lot of truck caps too.

5150abf · #10 March 29th, 2009, 09:00 PM

At one time within 20 miles of where I live we had Sea-Nymph, SmokerCraft, Starcraft, Bluefin,Rinker,ChrisCraft,Suncruiser pontoons, Godfrey(Aqua Patio-Hurricane) Bennington,Oddesey,JC pontoons and I am sure I am missing some.

Of coarse alot of them have been gone for a long time and most of the trailer places have packedit in.

I saw a headline in the paper yesterday' UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN TO 18%" Yikes.

22E6441 · #11 March 29th, 2009, 09:31 PM

For reference:

Boat is 1974 V415SS
Engine is 1990 Johnson 50 VJ50BELESR

Had it fired up in the driveway...awesome. Such a strong stream from the tell tale...love it.

Need to rewire horn, lights, etc. I'm going to make a new thread about that or search for some questions I have.....

Here's some more pics:

22E6441 · #12 March 29th, 2009, 09:35 PM

Couple more.

The top isn't too bad....just really dirty. I need to do some work with a few of the snaps though.

The seats are fully rotten, so they have to be changed for sure.

I'm thinking of painting it. Just white for the hull, and maybe a colour for the upper? Or maybe white and white with a coloured stripe down the side. Of well, I probably won't paint it until next winter. I just want to put it int he water!

windsors03cobra · #13 March 29th, 2009, 10:13 PM

The back to back seats in mine are total rubbish as well, I cant wait to get some news ones but I think I will doctor up and use what I have for now and focus on maintenance and mechanical stuff for this summer, Just got my registration stickers yesterday, good to 2012.

I have seen some decent back to back seat sests for $350. Plastic based now-em-days.

sebago_kid · #14 March 29th, 2009, 10:20 PM

Damn, man!
nice find!
How the heck can you beat that for the money???
That's a nice little boat!

ezmobee · #15 March 30th, 2009, 08:45 AM

Nice little boat. Looks like you could set it up for just about anything you want. I like that little area up front. Not exactly a bowrider but should be perfect for a casting deck or fishing chair. Nice find.

Bob_VT · #16 March 30th, 2009, 09:11 AM

Wow.... I miss my old Steury 1500 tri hull. It was a great boat and the construction was very solid.

My advice is if you are going to replace the seats..... put the top up and try to get out of the drivers seat!! I am 5'10" and I mover the seats back a bit..... it was tight.

22E6441 · #17 March 30th, 2009, 11:11 AM

Good point about the seats and top height.

I might try and put a couple little jump seats up front. Not sure if I can make them fit....one pedestal would fit really for fishing though.

I'm going to do a lot of little projects with this boat I think.....

pinkham89 · #18 April 14th, 2009, 01:11 PM

let me know how that pedastal workd for you. im 6'2 and have a tough time squeezing into my steury.

oddly enough, I have a soft spot in the floor in the exact same spot... i wonder if that was a steury thing or what

Gary H NC · #19 April 14th, 2009, 01:20 PM

The new back to back seats are built with no wood...
That would be an easy upgrade and get rid of those 70's brown seats...

Nice boat,The trailer looks to be cared for too..

22E6441 · #20 April 14th, 2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkham89

let me know how that pedastal workd for you. im 6'2 and have a tough time squeezing into my steury.

oddly enough, I have a soft spot in the floor in the exact same spot... i wonder if that was a steury thing or what

Funny about the soft spots....

I'm 5 10 and I find it tight too. I'm going to mount my new seats a few inches back for some additional leg room.

22E6441 · #21 April 14th, 2009, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary H NC

The new back to back seats are built with no wood...
That would be an easy upgrade and get rid of those 70's brown seats...

Nice boat,The trailer looks to be cared for too..

New seats are going in this week.

I started a project thread for my boat:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=304239

Huron Angler · #22 April 14th, 2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 22E6441

Success! The boat is in my driveway. I'll be posting more pics every now and then. I'll put up some more later today once I try and put up what's left of the top.

Very happy....hope it performs well.

I think I got it for a great price. Good trailer. Great motor with a fresh rebuild....1990 50hp Johnson. $1500. With a fishfinder and two downriggers.....but the downriggers are at his Dad's place and he says he'll call me when he gets them. Even if he doesn't, I'm not real sure what to do with downriggers anyway! lol

Use thoe 'riggers to run some deep lines with squid, spoons, dodgers and J-plugs in Huron or Erie and catch yourself some Walleye, Salmon, Steelhead, Brown Trout or Lake Trout. Just be sure to trim the grey fat before grilling or you'll get a little mercury along with it.

Chiliando · #23 April 14th, 2009, 09:13 PM

Nice looking ride! Can't believe the price! Once you have her the way you want it will be awesome.

Get her wet often!

mickjetblue · #24 April 14th, 2009, 10:25 PM

Neat combo that should serve you well.
Enjoy you boat!

BLDFW · #25 April 15th, 2009, 10:31 PM

I'm restoring a '70 Evinrude Explorer tri-hull and ordered two Wise highback folding seats

http://www.iboats.com/mall/image/vie...ey_blue_23.jpg

for the rear due to it's narrow confines (16") and some Attwood folding buckets for the front

http://www.iboats.com/mall/image/vie...grayblue_8.jpg

which have yet to be delivered.

I would have stayed with all one brand but Atwood doesn't make 16" wide seats. I'm hoping the 8' separation will be enough to keep it from being obvious.