1988 Ski Centurion Tru Trac II light restore

[Omar88Centurion]

Hey how’s it going guys. I just purchased me a 1988 Centurion Tru Trac II on Friday. My first boat so new to this boat world. I got the boat I think cheap for $2300, boat is all there and runs a little rough but doing a little tune up on engine and carb, and a good detail. First I’ve been deciding if I should go with a tower or just the pole extension (striper pole) I really like the look of the tower. I found a tower anybody have any reviews of the MT1 monster tower? Any upgrades/maintenance I should do to the boat and or engine? It’s been sitting for about 4 years so said the previous owner.

So far the things I’ve done is plugs, valve cover gaskets, exhaust manifold gasket (it didn’t have any not sure if it needs any or not put managed to put it in there wasn’t the easiest doing alone (so far I have one side done still need the other side) got rained out this weekend. I have distributor cap and rotor also. Ordered the impeller also should be here this week. Doing oil change also I heard to use VR1 oil. Any suggestions and advice I’ll really appreciate it

Here’s the link to the tower I found. https://monstertower.com/mt1-wakeboard-tower.html?options=cart

 

[Timr71]

Welcome. I'm subscribed.

 

[Omar88Centurion]

Welcome. I'm subscribed.

Thanks Tim. I’m going to take some pictures of the boat right now and I’ll post them in a few min.

 

[Omar88Centurion]

[No message]

 

[Timr71]

Wow, love the pics! Looks really good in most places. I like the glare sheild on the dash. What's the story on the steering wheel? Doesn't look stock. That mark on the passenger / observer seat...that might come off with a lot of effort. Platform hardware in the back looks good...at least from the pictures. Good luck!

 

[Timr71]

That first pic, is that a botched up fiberglass repair? I've not fixed that kind of thing, but many others here have. I'm betting that with some guidance you can make that A LOT better.

 

[Omar88Centurion]

Wow, love the pics! Looks really good in most places. I like the glare sheild on the dash. What's the story on the steering wheel? Doesn't look stock. That mark on the passenger / observer seat...that might come off with a lot of effort. Platform hardware in the back looks good...at least from the pictures. Good luck!

Thanks I think I got a good deal. I’m not sure about the steering wheel I got it all like that. I just got the boat on Thursday. I haven’t done anything to it looks wise yet just small cleaning and stained/oiled all wood trims and swimming platform. Yea looks like the guy had a spare tire on there I took most part off the top haven’t really gone in it yet. Should have some time today if it doesn’t start raining.

 

[Omar88Centurion]

That first pic, is that a botched up fiberglass repair? I've not fixed that kind of thing, but many others here have. I'm betting that with some guidance you can make that A LOT better.

Yes looks like a repair maybe the bumped into the trailer when loading it is my guess. It doesn’t leak took it out for a small test run ran ok for sitting needs a good carb cleaning/rebuild. I should get the kit some time this week. I was hoping it was fixable looks pretty tacky.

 

[ACon977]

Hopping on to watch how much you may have to do. The hull ding looks a little questionable but glad it doesn't leak.

Love that color, excited to match you

 

[Omar88Centurion]

Hopping on to watch how much you may have to do. The hull ding looks a little questionable but glad it doesn't leak.

Love that color, excited to match you

Yea doesn’t look to safe does it. Once I get engine finished tuned up and carb cleaned get the stereo and some speakers put in that’s going to be next to look at and see what I can do or have someone fix it. I like how you made those storage under the seats going to copy a little of that seat up just a little taller so I can fit some 6x9 speakers and hope I still have room for storage. I love the color just gives it more of a summer vibe I think.

 

[ACon977]

Yea doesn’t look to safe does it. Once I get engine finished tuned up and carb cleaned get the stereo and some speakers put in that’s going to be next to look at and see what I can do or have someone fix it. I like how you made those storage under the seats going to copy a little of that seat up just a little taller so I can fit some 6x9 speakers and hope I still have room for storage. I love the color just gives it more of a summer vibe I think.

For sure, Are you talking about the front or back? The rear seats need to stay low so that you dont catch the rope on the rear seat. Im nervous about that with mine at the moment.

Also, you may want to just check out the soft spot in your floor before doing too much to the boat. Makes me nervous that you may have rot. which is, as I'm sure you've seen on lots of posts, the start of a huge project.

 

[Omar88Centurion]

For sure, Are you talking about the front or back? The rear seats need to stay low so that you dont catch the rope on the rear seat. Im nervous about that with mine at the moment.

Also, you may want to just check out the soft spot in your floor before doing too much to the boat. Makes me nervous that you may have rot. which is, as I'm sure you've seen on lots of posts, the start of a huge project.

The rear seats yea so I built the whole box with a storage but lifted the seat 6 inches from the hull so what I did is cancel the storage and made the speaker box smaller so it could fit inside the backrest part of the seat and the sitting cushion can just go over it. I haven’t tested it out yet but should work this time. Yes I’m going to take a look the floor later today see what’s going on.

 

[Omar88Centurion]

So update i finished the spark plugs and oil change. When I was draining the oil it had very little probably like 1 quart or 2 not a good sign. Put new oil vr1 new filter started up after having some issues but starting fluid did the trick. Seems like the impeller stoped working or worn out. Not pumping water out the back so I shut the engine off. I took the impeller cap off put the damn ski pole is right behind it and can’t pull it out. Any ideas or recommendations on how to take it out? Looks very trashed if you ask me. Is the impeller in there to big for it or why is it look all bunched up in one side?

 

[Omar88Centurion]

So I got the passenger seat off after some bolts and man this boat had some of the lake with it still lol you guys think I have a water leak in the boat or just from stored and rain? The boat was parked on a driveway with the bow down so water could of leaked in? I see 2 foam patches? Doesn’t look like it came like that. No holes on the bottom. Wondering how so much water got in here thinking about going through and take a look under all the floor.

 

[archbuilder]

Looks like to me you are going to need a new deck. I would also check the stringers and transom too. Sucks but that is the way it works. Looks like the deck was pretty rotten. Leaving the bow down in a no no. Make sure it is up, and the plug is out of the transom, with a cover. If possible keeping it inside is always best. Water is the nemesis of boats, which is kind of ironic lol!

 

[Omar88Centurion]

Looks like to me you are going to need a new deck. I would also check the stringers and transom too. Sucks but that is the way it works. Looks like the deck was pretty rotten. Leaving the bow down in a no no. Make sure it is up, and the plug is out of the transom, with a cover. If possible keeping it inside is always best. Water is the nemesis of boats, which is kind of ironic lol!

I just got the boat a week ago and it’s my first boat so I didn’t even know what to look for when I went to go buy it. Yes looks like just from the engine up. Everything looks to be good but I’m going to take another look tomorrow and redo the flooring. The other side wasn’t to bad but I’m going to replace it also. Gave up on the impeller for now I’ll take a look tomorrow. Good thing we aren’t going to have rain and it’s going to be pretty warm so it will help air out and dry anything else. Yea I leave it out but Idk if the previous owner did or not.

 

[archbuilder]

Not a criticism by the way, just observations. Boats are like everything else, there is always a learning curve, but you did pick a cool boat!

 

[Omar88Centurion]

Not a criticism by the way, just observations. Boats are like everything else, there is always a learning curve, but you did pick a cool boat!

I really appreciate the advice and recommendations no worries I’m learning as I go so anything is knowledge and definitely no not todo that down the road.

 

[Omar88Centurion]

Any thing I should look at here while everything is open?

 

[archbuilder]

Is the foam wet, looks like it. If so you will probably find that it has water in it, I would drill some hole into it and see if the inner foam is wet. If so it needs to come out, it never drys out once it is wet. If it is dry you can seal it up the holes you with some epoxy. I would also do the same thing to the stringers down low in several places. If the wood is dry, you are good to go. If it is wet than they need replaced too.