Spooner2010
Petty Officer 3rd Class
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2010
- Messages
- 96
Hey folks. New member here. I?ve been a boat owner a little bit longer than I?ve been a member here. (just joined yesterday) Never owned a boat before but the long story short of it is my wife and my father conspired to buy a fishing boat my dad had seen in someone?s front yard for me for Christmas. He delivered it last week.
Neither of them knew what I was looking for in a fishing boat but dad thought this one was such a good deal they couldn?t pass it up.
They paid $1000 for a 1981 16? Aluminum Pikemaster with a 76? beam. (I think beam is the right word for the width. Correct me if I?m wrong. Still learning. That?s why I?m here) The motor is a 40 horse Chrysler (don?t know the year) and the trailer is a 1966 Shorelander.
Now here is where things start to go sideways. The plan had always been to buy a boat that was set up close to what I was wanting in a fishing boat. Deep V with a deck, livewell, depth/fish finder, trolling motor, rod locker and plenty of storage space. It would have a 40 or larger horse motor on it and it would run well. It would have 4 seats with additional pedestal bases in different spots of the boat to arrange people as needed. It would be clean and the carpet would be in good condition. And above all EVERYTHING would work and work well.
Here?s what I have. It looks as though the guy bought this boat as a project boat and then decided it was too hard or too expensive and slapped it all back together to sell it quick. He said he was selling it because his wife bought him a new boat. I?m not so sure. Anyway. I looked the hull over real well and didn?t see a single dent however the top half has been freshly painted. Not well I might add. The guy had no clue what ?overspray? means. But all in all the hull is tight. Onto the motor. Dad said when he saw it run it was kicking out a lot of white smoke and sounded like it was missing slightly. (I hope it?s something cheap and simple) He pointed out that one of the blades on the prop is bent but thought it could be bent back easy enough. While we were standing there talking about it I noticed a small crack about half an inch long on the motor mount.
Next the interior. The one thing that just screamed cobbled up mess of jearry rigging was the steering. The cables are too long (why I have no idea) and so he ran this piece of angle iron across this way with some nuts and bolts and a metal rod running from that to the motor and cobble cobble cobble. If I was on the lake and lost a bolt I would have no clue how to get this mess working again. After I got over this huge white elephant in my new boat my dad points out that it all has to be completely re-wired. As I looked I started seeing the wires were cut at everything requiring power except for the motor. The trolling motor he wired directly to a battery he would sit next to it. My dad then points out that it?s missing the bow light. The reason the bow light is missing is so he could mount his trolling motor directly off the front of the bow. The deck looks new. At least the carpet is new. The deck is all one solid piece the full length of the boat. No steps or risers. The front casting deck is missing and the guy built this wooden bench and attached a pedestal seat to it instead. Because the casting deck is missing the livewell is missing too. In the floor he framed around the pump and left the hole in the floor without a lid and there is only 2 inches of wire sticking out of the pump. The hose on the pump he plugged with some copper fittings. The hole on the side of the boat for the livewell (I have no clue what this hole is for) is plugged with a long bolt and a bunch of rubber washers and then painted over. There is a rod locker, a compartment behind the steering console where the battery for the motor goes, the gas tank sits out in the open, a small compartment under the seat at the steering console and another small one in front of the steering console. None of them have latches and none of them can be locked. The steering console has holes in the dash for gauges but no gauges. The wood of the console is weathered and grey. The steering wheel and control lever are old and there are no switches to operate the electronics on the boat.
That?s all I can think of for now. Looking at it, it looks like a clean boat but as you get into it, it seems to have a lot of issues. Issues that on the surface seem beyond my abilities. I?m hoping you guys can convince me otherwise. I?m relatively handy. I?ve wired electricity in my home, I?ve sweated copper water pipes, framed and sheet rocked walls, I?ve even re-carpeted my house. I?ve replaced fuel pumps, U-joints, tension pulleys and water pumps on my vehicles. So I can turn a screw and drive a nail. But there are tons of books and resources online on how to do all that stuff. I haven?t had a lot of luck when it comes to this boat.
I have a million questions that I hope you guys can either answer or point me in the right direction. I know nothing about boats so I have a lot to learn. The biggest question I have is did my wife and father get a good deal? Is this going to cost me a ton of money I don?t have to get it in working order? Are there books or internet sites that explain decking and decking layout? Where is the best place to get my parts? Where do I start? Wiring? Deck? Livewell? Steering? Motor? Speaking of motor are there books on Chrysler motors?
I?m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment and I hope you guys can help me to get organized and informed so by spring I can dig in and get it sea worthy within a short period of time and to it right the first time. I?d hate like hell to get it done and by then end of the season have a long list of things I wished I had done.
Have at it guys. Any questions and all suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Neither of them knew what I was looking for in a fishing boat but dad thought this one was such a good deal they couldn?t pass it up.
They paid $1000 for a 1981 16? Aluminum Pikemaster with a 76? beam. (I think beam is the right word for the width. Correct me if I?m wrong. Still learning. That?s why I?m here) The motor is a 40 horse Chrysler (don?t know the year) and the trailer is a 1966 Shorelander.
Now here is where things start to go sideways. The plan had always been to buy a boat that was set up close to what I was wanting in a fishing boat. Deep V with a deck, livewell, depth/fish finder, trolling motor, rod locker and plenty of storage space. It would have a 40 or larger horse motor on it and it would run well. It would have 4 seats with additional pedestal bases in different spots of the boat to arrange people as needed. It would be clean and the carpet would be in good condition. And above all EVERYTHING would work and work well.
Here?s what I have. It looks as though the guy bought this boat as a project boat and then decided it was too hard or too expensive and slapped it all back together to sell it quick. He said he was selling it because his wife bought him a new boat. I?m not so sure. Anyway. I looked the hull over real well and didn?t see a single dent however the top half has been freshly painted. Not well I might add. The guy had no clue what ?overspray? means. But all in all the hull is tight. Onto the motor. Dad said when he saw it run it was kicking out a lot of white smoke and sounded like it was missing slightly. (I hope it?s something cheap and simple) He pointed out that one of the blades on the prop is bent but thought it could be bent back easy enough. While we were standing there talking about it I noticed a small crack about half an inch long on the motor mount.
Next the interior. The one thing that just screamed cobbled up mess of jearry rigging was the steering. The cables are too long (why I have no idea) and so he ran this piece of angle iron across this way with some nuts and bolts and a metal rod running from that to the motor and cobble cobble cobble. If I was on the lake and lost a bolt I would have no clue how to get this mess working again. After I got over this huge white elephant in my new boat my dad points out that it all has to be completely re-wired. As I looked I started seeing the wires were cut at everything requiring power except for the motor. The trolling motor he wired directly to a battery he would sit next to it. My dad then points out that it?s missing the bow light. The reason the bow light is missing is so he could mount his trolling motor directly off the front of the bow. The deck looks new. At least the carpet is new. The deck is all one solid piece the full length of the boat. No steps or risers. The front casting deck is missing and the guy built this wooden bench and attached a pedestal seat to it instead. Because the casting deck is missing the livewell is missing too. In the floor he framed around the pump and left the hole in the floor without a lid and there is only 2 inches of wire sticking out of the pump. The hose on the pump he plugged with some copper fittings. The hole on the side of the boat for the livewell (I have no clue what this hole is for) is plugged with a long bolt and a bunch of rubber washers and then painted over. There is a rod locker, a compartment behind the steering console where the battery for the motor goes, the gas tank sits out in the open, a small compartment under the seat at the steering console and another small one in front of the steering console. None of them have latches and none of them can be locked. The steering console has holes in the dash for gauges but no gauges. The wood of the console is weathered and grey. The steering wheel and control lever are old and there are no switches to operate the electronics on the boat.
That?s all I can think of for now. Looking at it, it looks like a clean boat but as you get into it, it seems to have a lot of issues. Issues that on the surface seem beyond my abilities. I?m hoping you guys can convince me otherwise. I?m relatively handy. I?ve wired electricity in my home, I?ve sweated copper water pipes, framed and sheet rocked walls, I?ve even re-carpeted my house. I?ve replaced fuel pumps, U-joints, tension pulleys and water pumps on my vehicles. So I can turn a screw and drive a nail. But there are tons of books and resources online on how to do all that stuff. I haven?t had a lot of luck when it comes to this boat.
I have a million questions that I hope you guys can either answer or point me in the right direction. I know nothing about boats so I have a lot to learn. The biggest question I have is did my wife and father get a good deal? Is this going to cost me a ton of money I don?t have to get it in working order? Are there books or internet sites that explain decking and decking layout? Where is the best place to get my parts? Where do I start? Wiring? Deck? Livewell? Steering? Motor? Speaking of motor are there books on Chrysler motors?
I?m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment and I hope you guys can help me to get organized and informed so by spring I can dig in and get it sea worthy within a short period of time and to it right the first time. I?d hate like hell to get it done and by then end of the season have a long list of things I wished I had done.
Have at it guys. Any questions and all suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance.
