Re: Used Chaparrals - Vp or Mercruiser a Deal Breaker?
Ah, have your "buddies", or do your "buddies" know that even with a Bravo you should be pulling it off every year or so to check the ujoint bellows, ujoints, gimbal bearing, engine alignment? Just like you should with an alpha.
Mark, this is why we're reading up. And it was not a choice per se of Alpha vs. Bravo - it was Alpha vs. VP.
We do know about bellows and gimbal bearings, and DH is "in charge" of the mechanical stuff. He's been over to the local mechanic who handles both VP and Mercruiser, and he's continuing to educate himself. As am I.
So now that you know both an alpha and a bravo drive need to get pulled off for "proper maintenance", you're down to whether it's easier to split the halves on an alpha and do a water pump service or from the front of the engine on a Bravo.
If you've read other threads about a Bravo pump service, a lot depends on access in the boat. Don has told a story of actually having to pull an engine to do a Bravo pump service....not easier than an alpha.
No. We're down to whether we'd consider a Mercruiser over a VP.
I have done both types fairly recently and in all honesty, the alpha is not any harder as in order to get to the bravo pump on my Sea Ray, the whole pulley needs to be pulled off and part way out first just to undo the hoses which to get to a bolt for the pulley on the engine means the lower water circ. pump has to get pulled. It's all about access for a Bravo. That's not easier than an alpha.
We can always pull it out of the water and into the garage.
I'm unsure what when you say:
"The brother-in-law, DH, and the buddies are all gearheads, who tear down engines for fun, and rebuild carburetors in the dining room."
has anything to do with knowing about Alpha drives, Bravo drives or Volvo drives?
No, it has to do with making sure you know that I'm not the sum total of our mechanical background. So asking about Alpha vs. VP for routine maintenance matters is helpful, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED. You seem upset that I'm admitting we don't know it all, and we're trying to make a thoughtful choice. I have not in any way said that we're experts on this - but we're not mechanical virgins, either.
You can discount Don's opinion in favor of guys who can rebuild a carb in the living room, but why?
I did not discount Don's opinion. IN THIS THREAD, there is no history, no links to past experiences, and no idea of who's a post ***** vs. who's knowledgeable about these particular drives. I've searched the other forum subjects, looked at the FAQ that Don posted (which required a downloaded executable file, which I don't do, thanks), and have down a fair amount of googling and reading. And then I came back for a simple answer to a simple question - is the Alpha a dealbreaker for experienced mariners - thus trying to get a sample size of MORE THAN ONE. I would consider that, as Toddavid said, "Due diligence."
I'm close to feeling bad for you that you seem "stuck" having to listen to guys who think they might now stuff instead of guys here who have been doing this for so many years and actually know what they are talking, but you have to live with them.
Hope it works out for you.
Mark
I don't know why you think we're "stuck." We're light years ahead of where we were just three weeks ago. But we're willing to do our research for the right boat, since we're likely to have it for many years.
I've gone through this in car buying, house buying, vacation planning, jet ski purchases - just about any purchase that requires a big outlay of cash. And because I've been careful, and thoughtful, and analytical, we're very happy with the outcomes in those decisions. You sound a lot like my husband's best friend - "Have you bought a boat yet?"
We will. And we will be happy with the results of our research, I have no doubt.
