hey guys new here

not sure if i am in the area or not please move the post to the appropriate area if now.

i am going to be purchasing a 2001 stingray that is brand spanking new condition. merc 3.0 alpha one. i mean the seats look like they have never been sat on, stitching is bang on. the engine looks like it just rolled of the assembly line. it has had 2 owners. hrs are only 75.

my concerns are since it is in such prestine condition what should i look for when it comes to the engine. it obviously hasnt been used much for 11 years. he said he had it out 11 times this summer including last weekend labour day. we are doing a sea trial when i get there. he claims it runs flawlessly. is there anything that could rott out over 11 years with not a tonne of use. i will know more once we do a sea trial. i am not new to boats but i dont everything. i know a loat more about jet propelled engines then prop i/o's

Re: hey guys new here

How much it's used won't affect rot, it's how much it's been sitting outside getting weather on it that matters. You have to approach it a lot more negative than you are at the moment, otherwise you may be missing some tell tales. Don't want to "bring you down" at all, but you're "selling us" on the boat and we don't matter, lol. I'd inspect the boat as if it had 1000 hours on it and go from there. Best case scenario is it IS as clean as you've been told and all is well. Worst case; you've been "sold" predicated on exaggeration by someone who's desparately trying to sell a boat. The goal is save yourself from heartache and, worse still, a money pit. So, pull the seats up, back out a few transom screw, bounce up and down on the transom and the deck. Run the boat for as close to an hour as you can during the sea trial. Back out the "check/fill" screws on the lower unit and see what color the fluid is. Check the coolant and oil in the motor making sure you totally clean the dipstick and push it all the way in. Pull on the outdrive, turn the steering wheel hard in both directions, etc. etc. Basically, do everything you'd normally do if this was a 1000 hour boat that looked like "poop". You'll be happier, either way, in the end. Good luck and keep us posted.

Re: hey guys new here

emoney said:

How much it's used won't affect rot, it's how much it's been sitting outside getting weather on it that matters. You have to approach it a lot more negative than you are at the moment, otherwise you may be missing some tell tales. Don't want to "bring you down" at all, but you're "selling us" on the boat and we don't matter, lol. I'd inspect the boat as if it had 1000 hours on it and go from there. Best case scenario is it IS as clean as you've been told and all is well. Worst case; you've been "sold" predicated on exaggeration by someone who's desparately trying to sell a boat. The goal is save yourself from heartache and, worse still, a money pit. So, pull the seats up, back out a few transom screw, bounce up and down on the transom and the deck. Run the boat for as close to an hour as you can during the sea trial. Back out the "check/fill" screws on the lower unit and see what color the fluid is. Check the coolant and oil in the motor making sure you totally clean the dipstick and push it all the way in. Pull on the outdrive, turn the steering wheel hard in both directions, etc. etc. Basically, do everything you'd normally do if this was a 1000 hour boat that looked like "poop". You'll be happier, either way, in the end. Good luck and keep us posted.

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it has never been outside. its stored in doors. in absoloutely no way am i approaching this on a "i will buy it no matter what" attitude. as a matter of fact this is the 12'th boat i have looked at i passed on 11, this may be 12. i asked what i asked beacuse i didnt know what could be hiding that i wouldnt see. thank for the pointers, i am aslo bringing good friend of mine that knows crap load about boats and motors then i do. i will keeo you all updated. here are some pics. i have lots more.

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Re: hey guys new here

Sure looks nice - hope it turns out to be "the one". You might want to ask owner why only 75 hours in 11 years? That's very low - it has been sitting in storage a lot more than sitting in water. Boats like to be used - electrical stuff ( solenoids and wire connections ) may cause problems (speaking from experience ). Check all the "rubber" stuff (bellows;hoses;belts;ignition ht leads etc. Ask if any maintenance records.

Re: hey guys new here

it was bought off a guy a few years back who bough it new and used a few times a year, he put 40 on it, then the current owner bought it because thye original owner had a divorce and sold it. this guy has it for 2 years and put 35 hrs on it in the mainly all this year. he has three boats. he is pretty maticulous about his stuff which is nice to know, i am the exact same way. i think its 75 it may be more i will see when i get there. he has driven it all summer with no issues, so lets see how the seatrial goes.

Re: hey guys new here

Another retired guy said:

Sure looks nice - hope it turns out to be "the one". You might want to ask owner why only 75 hours in 11 years? That's very low - it has been sitting in storage a lot more than sitting in water. Boats like to be used - electrical stuff ( solenoids and wire connections ) may cause problems (speaking from experience ). Check all the "rubber" stuff (bellows;hoses;belts;ignition ht leads etc. Ask if any maintenance records.

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hey retired guy my parents of a cottage in parry sound not to far from you. i am from bradford ontario, but now live in florida. nothing like the great outdoors in northern intario. i was just there in parry sound all week two weeks ago. caught some seriously nice small mouth. thats where my 06 triton bass boat is.

Re: hey guys new here

jtracc said:

hey retired guy my parents of a cottage in parry sound not to far from you. i am from bradford ontario, but now live in florida. nothing like the great outdoors in northern intario. i was just there in parry sound all week two weeks ago. caught some seriously nice small mouth. thats where my 06 triton bass boat is.

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Hi. Yeah it's nice up here for a few summer months, but I'd rather be in Florida!

Re: hey guys new here

Looks good in the pictures and welcome to Florida, btw. You absolutely MUST have a boat living down here. If it's your first winter, you'll really appreciate our "long" boating season.

A word of caution: there's lots of 'fibbers' down here I'm afraid to say.