1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

Hello all.

This is my first time posting to this forum and also my first time getting ready to buy a boat, I need some feedback!!

I am considering purchasing an 18' bayliner capri with a 90hp force outboard. I really like the look of the bayliner and I can get a great deal on it, but with a great deal there comes some uncertainty.. The boat hasnt been started in a while and the only thing I am being told is that the boat only needs a starter and a battery and I will be good to go. The reason the boat is being put up for sale is because the seller wants a small fishing boat.

From what I have read on the force engines it seems like the starter does seem to present alot of problems. What else should I look for to make sure I am not buying a total dud? Are there any tests I can run on the engine without having a battery or a working starter?

I am not very wise in the ways of the outboard... I am somewhat mechanically inclined when it comes to my car though so I am not a stranger to working around an engine.

What should I look for around the engine and what should I look for around the boat to alert me of potential expensive problems?

Thank you for any help you guys can offer!

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

Welcome to the forum av8tor.
If you can...post a few pics? What area are you from and looking in?
Anyways, I have the identical boat to what you are looking for so here are a few tips:
1) Make sure the floor is solid. Get down on your hands and knees and check, look and poke for any soft spots around the centre bilge compartment and around the back motor and seat wells.
2) Check the transom around the motor for cracks, blemishes and repairs.
3) Get under the boat and check out the hull underside. Scratches? dings? gouges? repairs?....or easy beachings only?
Mechanically:
1) Without question: do a compression test on all 3 cylinders. They should all be over 100psi and ideally all over 120psi. Higher than that is just gravy.
2) You have to run this motor prior to even considering purchasing the boat. I would push for a lake test and offer to throw $10 in the gas tank to compel the seller to do this important task.
3) The lower unit should be checked to ensure there is not water in it...but this may not be an easy part of a quick on-site check.
4) How quickly does the motor start up?
Ok, thats just a few things that came quickly to mind so helpfully some of the other members will chime in with some good additional info on top of that.
Here is what I consider very important as well:
-Boat ownership history and overall condition? (neglected? abused?)
-Look at the owners house and where he keeps the boat and how he presents it. Clean? full of crap? Undercover? kept in a garage? stuffed on the back of the property with a $2 tarp? full of leaves? Does it have its original canvas and framework?...this is a very good sign in my opinion.
Get a boat that has been cared for and it will show and be evident when you check out not only the boat but the owner. Does this guy look like he takes care of stuff in his life? house? car? yard?...boat will have been maintained the same way.
These boats are nice little lake boats but they need a good history and good owner maintenance history.
Ok, maybe too much info to start so I'll off there for the moment.
Good Luck and keep us posted.
BP

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

Big P spelled it out quite nicely.

I can't add anything, but how the craft was taken care of will give you a good idea what you're buying. & definitly start that motor.

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

Thank you! I definitely understand the importance of making sure that there are no soft spots on the deck.

Another question I have, if there is no starter and no battery power to the engine, how might I be able to start it to check and make sure it will turn over? Is there a way to pull start the engine to check? Also, what fluids should I check and make sure are present in the engine before I pull start? Do I need to make sure that there is a hose connected with water flowing? Thanks again for your responses!

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

av8tor3sp said:

Thank you! I definitely understand the importance of making sure that there are no soft spots on the deck.

Another question I have, if there is no starter and no battery power to the engine, how might I be able to start it to check and make sure it will turn over? Is there a way to pull start the engine to check? Also, what fluids should I check and make sure are present in the engine before I pull start? Do I need to make sure that there is a hose connected with water flowing? Thanks again for your responses!

Click to expand...

I don't like the 'starter/battery doesn't work' angle. It might very well be true but it also sends up a flag for me. It precludes being able to quickly do an all important compression test but also an all important running test. For me, no motor/running test....NO SALE, unless its discounted 50% or more. If that motor is hooped, you are going to quickly find yourself $2000-3000 lighter repowering that boat...so get ready for that and factor that money into your offer.
Again, no compression and running test....NO SALE at listed price. If he is really interested in selling the boat at his asking price (whatever it is) he should be working to instill confidence in the boat and helping you check that motor out.
Be careful here, very careful.
BP

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

av8tor3sp said:

Is there a way to pull start the engine to check? Also, what fluids should I check and make sure are present in the engine before I pull start? Do I need to make sure that there is a hose connected with water flowing? Thanks again for your responses!

Click to expand...

yup but u would likely pull your arm off roping that monster... take a spark plug out one at time. plug it with your thumb and have the seller turn the flywheel(big thingy with starter teeth) and see if it blows your thumb off(not literally). while it wont give you a number it'll tell you if the motor is seized cause he cant turn it or no compression on a cylinder cause it wont woosh ur thumb... like BigP said, no runny, no money.

ciao

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

I can only hope that my particular capri and the absolutely, incredibly the most horrible shoddy workmanship Bayliner did when they constructed my boat happens to be a freak incident.
Whomever did the mating of the cap and hull as well as installing the bulkheads, seats and flooring had either no clue as to how to do the work properly or perhaps hated their job and felt the need to take it out on their work. To hold the cap to the hull they first used either a skill saw or sawzall to trim along the edge of both cap and top rim of the hull. However, the job of cutting was uneven there are places where the cap extended beyond the the top edge of the hull by only 1/2" or so. Plus, they drilled so many rivet holes used to hold the cap and hull together it ruined the integrety of the fiberglass along both edges of the cap and hull. About one hole every 1/2" apart and also drilling some holes halfway thru existing holes as well as instead of one row of holes there are holes directly above and below existing holes. Then the rivets used were not long enough to go thru both cap and hull. Only rivetiing the cap to the rivet. The bump rail attachment railing was pieced together of seven strips of aluminum and follows the wavy edge of the cap. On the inside of the hull, one of the workers had taken a skill saw to the tops of the fiberglassed runner boards that are installed to stiffen the hull. Allowing bilge water to get into the wood and rot it. Whomever drilled the holes that mount the O.B. to the transom also drilled one set of holes about 1/2" lower then the otherside. Making the O.B. sit crooked. Also, if a piece of wood wasn't long enough, they took bailing wire and tried to wire two boards into one. This is on pieces that measure 2 feet in length or less.
Whomever brought the boat brand new I can only hope paid less then 500 bucks the boat or took them to court and sued.
That said I must say this...I quite enjoyed the challenge of bringing this boat up to speed. However, in the end it took twice as much money to fix then I paid for the boat not to mention the hundreds of hours I put into it to correct Bayliners workmanship.

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

Thank you all for your feedback! I think what I am going to do is try buy a rebuilt or new starter, try and start the boat and then go from there. Does anybody happen to know of a place where I might be able to find a used or rebuilt starter in the Los Angeles area? I figure if I am able to find a starter then i can test the engine. If the engine works then I will buy the boat, if it doesnt, then I can possibly resell the starter to someone who needs it. Thank you all again for your help!

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

Aviator, I was in the exact same position as you about 5 years ago. The guy did start the engine in his drive-way, fired up almost immediately. But I'm certain he did something because for the past 5 years I've had nothing but problems starting it up, and I've gone through almost every avenue in regards to starting a Force. I would tread carefully on this. Even if you do pick up a starter and happen to fire it up. I wouldn't be convinced. I know it's a stretch, but you could ask for some sort of warranty or guarantee. This is all just coming from experience and I don't like seeing good people get hosed.




SSS

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

NFA said:

Aviator, I was in the exact same position as you about 5 years ago. The guy did start the engine in his drive-way, fired up almost immediately. But I'm certain he did something because for the past 5 years I've had nothing but problems starting it up, and I've gone through almost every avenue in regards to starting a Force. I would tread carefully on this. Even if you do pick up a starter and happen to fire it up. I wouldn't be convinced. I know it's a stretch, but you could ask for some sort of warranty or guarantee. This is all just coming from experience and I don't like seeing good people get hosed.
SSS

Click to expand...

have you tried new fuel pump diaphram and cleaning carb jets and passages?

and, btw, for whatever it is worth ... my boat is '89 trophy CC. It has a very thick and well made hull. I would guess that Bayliner made some good boats and some crummy boats. Someone once told me that Trophy CC were handmade in a separate factory from rest of Bayliner boats. I don't know how you can find out which boats were made where and which boats have what quality of hull. Maybe someone here knows good from bad? Or maybe I just got lucky.

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

Just had to respond here. & I truely mean No Disrespect, but Mathew, if your boat is such a poorly constructed craft, why did you buy it? or was it free?

I have a '84 capri cuddy, 16' w/ the 85hp. OK, not the best boat construction & maybe even laughable to some people (except the ones getting towed in) but it has proved most adequate for Lake George which can toss & turn 30 footers. For the money I paid, I would gladly pay all over again as I've had great service, cheap to maintain & pretty darn comfortable as I sleep on it most summer weekends. Then again, maybe you're right & the person who made yours had a really bad day.

Re: 1990 18' Bayliner... What should I look for before I buy??

RRitt said:

have you tried new fuel pump diaphram and cleaning carb jets and passages?

and, btw, for whatever it is worth ... my boat is '89 trophy CC. It has a very thick and well made hull. I would guess that Bayliner made some good boats and some crummy boats. Someone once told me that Trophy CC were handmade in a separate factory from rest of Bayliner boats. I don't know how you can find out which boats were made where and which boats have what quality of hull. Maybe someone here knows good from bad? Or maybe I just got lucky.

Click to expand...

That was on the agenda this season, but I said forget it and went with a complete swap to a Merc Optimax. Set me back a bit, but I'm smiling way more these days.



SSS