reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

alloffroad · Jun 19, 2011

I am trying to trade a quad for a family size fishing boat and have found a 1986 capri. The current owner bought a newer bayliner and just doesn't need 2 boats but wants a quad. He says he has had no issues with it except for the trigger in the motor(85 hp ob) but he has fixed it. It was missing during cruising speed. I want to here pros and cons on this boat and bayliner in general, i.e. customer service. Thanks

NYBo · Jun 19, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

Well, 1986 was a year or two before Bayliner quality took an apparent nosedive, but this is still a 25-year-old boat. You still need to check all the wood carefully (cockpit sole, stringers, transom). A quick-and-dirty way to assess how the boat was cared for is the condition of the vinyl. If it's original and in decent shape, chances are the boat was kept covered. That's a good sign.

Many people also bash Force outboards, but much of this is completely unwarranted, IMO. Check compression and the condition of the oil in the lower unit. Water and metal in the latter are bad things.

alloffroad · Jun 19, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

I already know that the original vinyl is gone and the seats have been recovered. The current owner got the boat with the seats cracked. He has kept it covered. I will try to see about soft spots. Where do I check the oil in the lower unit and what should the compression be with a fresh motor. I will be meeting up with him next weekend at the lake. He will have both boats out. I will run it through its paces.

NYBo · Jun 20, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

Compression should be at least 125 PSI in all three cylinders (150 would be great!), with less than 10% difference between the highest and lowest.

The drain fitting for the lower unit is an Allen-head plug almost at the bottom of the drive, up near the nose. It's a fairly small size. Do NOT loosen the slotted screw above it!

alloffroad · Jun 20, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

OK. After picking a little for the HID from the owner he realized that this boat is a 1988 and not a 1986. Apperantly he is not real familiar with his toys. NYBo, you said 86 was a year or two before bayliner took a nose dive is quality. How bad does this thing sound now. I am also seeing these boats with the 85 hp and 50 hp force motors. LAstly, does anybody have a boatfax they can run the numbers on just to check on any history this might have.

NYBo · Jun 21, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

Well, if it's a bowrider, it's the same boat I have. The same advice I gave previously applies, with a special emphasis on the wood. They didn't seal the plywood very well in some areas, especially the edges of the ski locker opening.

alloffroad · Jun 21, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

OK. It is a bow rider. I will jot that down and pay extra attention to that.

alloffroad · Jun 25, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

I met with the owner and it floats. The motor runs great. The boat planes up real nice. Now the bad. There is a soft spot in the floor right at the front where the bow seats all meet. There is a piece of plywood screwed down to the floor like a patch. It is rather small. What say you.

NYBo · Jun 25, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

I also had a small soft spot in that area. The patch job was easy to do, compared to the much larger area I had to replace farther aft.

My repair was somewhat similar to patching a hole in drywall. I determined the extent of the rot, and drew a rectangle that came no closer than an inch to the soft stuff. I cut out the rectangle using a 45 degree cutting angle on the saw. I then cut a matching patch out of 1/2" oak plywood, sealed the bottom and edges of the patch (and the cut edges of the cutout) with polyester resin. I cut another piece of plywood the width of the patch but several inches longer, sealed it, and screwed and glued (with resin) it to the underside of the deck to support the patch. More resin and a couple screws to hold the patch in place. I finished with a layer of fiberglass cloth soaked in resin over the entire area between the bow seats.

alloffroad · Jun 26, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

Something else that has me wondering is the steering wheel is hard to turn and will pull to the right on its own with out a hand on it. I had to apply about 10lbs of force to get it to turn. is this normal?

alloffroad · Jul 4, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

I got it. The first thing I did was to pull the carpet that was loose on the floor. Is there supposed to be storage in the floor on these boats??? There is plywood screwed to the floor like a plug. The cut outs are sealed and very straight. I am wondering if the original doors were ruined and somebody replaced them with regular untreated plywood. There is 1 over the gas tank and 1 long one between the seats.

NYBo · Jul 4, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

There would have originally been a ski locker between the seats. Does the wood look all the same?

Treated plywood is unnecessary, and is in fact problematic: the moisture prevents a good bond between the wood and fiberglass resin.

alloffroad · Jul 4, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

it is definatly different. Also the front between the bow seats is in need of repair, as described earlier in this thread. What did you use to cut your soft spot out( what tool). I dont want to have to pull the seats out but i may have to to get a 45 deg. cut to the floor.

NYBo · Jul 4, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

I used a circular saw.

alloffroad · Jul 4, 2011

Re: reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

got the plywood and resin today. Too bad it is 104 outside.

reviews on 1986 capri w/ 85 hp ob

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