Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

[Coyote23]

Hi, new member, although I've been reading plenty on here in the past. I'm wanting to buy a boat again, and don't want to make any mistakes. I want outboard, I've taken one apart completely in the past and am fairly comfortable working on them. There is one I'm looking at now, (see pictures) that I really like the seating on. It has a 1988 Johnson 90 v4, and the boat is a 1982 Procraft. My main questions are:

1. Is that a good engine choice (reliability, easy to get parts, easy to work on?)
2. Anything I should be careful about with the boat? (problems to look for, maybe one of you has a similar boat?)
3. Is his asking price of $1,750 reasonable?
4. Anything else you'd like to add, like that I'm a stupid newbie :facepalm:

Thanks a lot!

 

[bullcity101]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Looks to me it's in decent shape! I would first make sure everything is solid. Hull, transom, floor. Tap around and listen. Should sound firm, not soft. Make sure you hear the engine run for a while. Let it get to operating temp, listen for any knocks and so forth. That engine should be very easy to get parts for. Those OMC's are bulletproof. I have a 1985 envinrude. It's great!
Also lastly, go for a sea trial. You wouldn't by a car without driving it right?

 

[Coyote23]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Looks to me it's in decent shape! I would first make sure everything is solid. Hull, transom, floor. Tap around and listen. Should sound firm, not soft. Make sure you hear the engine run for a while. Let it get to operating temp, listen for any knocks and so forth. That engine should be very easy to get parts for. Those OMC's are bulletproof. I have a 1985 envinrude. It's great!
Also lastly, go for a sea trial. You wouldn't by a car without driving it right?

Thanks! But, why do you call it an OMC? I had an OMC outdrive on my last boat and I was told OMC is out of business and is hard to get parts for? Educate me...

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Transom and floor. If either of those two things are rotten, walk away. The boat could use some TLC on the finish, too. The engine is about as time-tested as any. The 90HP v4 Johnson had been around for two decades before the one on that boat was made, they are solid engines. I'd sat $1,350 is probably what I'd pay if everything were in good shape.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

By the looks of the cap on that boat (UV damaged and worn), the vinyl and carpet have been replaced... maybe more than once. This could mean that boat has a "deck over" job, this is where someone just put new plywood over the rotten decking and stringer instead of doing the job right. This fix is very short term and only works for a little while until the new decking starts to rot.

Open the ski locker and take a big sniff as soon as you open it, if it smells like rotten wood run away. Also look at the decking in the ski locker and see if you can see 2 layers.

That motor may be a good motor, but I would be very suspicious of that hull.

I suspect that whale tail is to help that boat with waterlogged foam get up on plane quicker.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Run the specifics of the hull and engine through NADA Boats (. Boat Price, Boat Value, New Boat, Used Boats, Boat Trade in Values | Sailboat Values, Outboard Specs, Boat Prices & Boat Trade In Value | NADA Boat, PWC, Powerboat & Marine Guides | NADAguides ) to get a general idea of the value.

Shine 'er up and loose that whale-tail and you might be happy.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

While the boat looks to be cared for, I can also see some sun burned vinyl, which could mean it's been out in the elements. Solid floor and transom are a must, then it's worth low $1000.00's not much more IMO. Any chance you can take her for a 1/2 hour run around the lake? If you can get a sea trial, then you might feel better about the type of offer. Looks like a nice small lake boat, waves won't do well with this one, agree?

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Open the ski locker and take a big sniff as soon as you open it, if it smells like rotten wood run away.

......and on that thought;
Take a look at the area directly below the drain plug, outboard. If the hull has a reddish-brown stain beneath the drain hole, insert the plug, run some water in the hull, allow to sit a few minutes and drain. If the water has a tea color to it and a musty-moldy odor......that's wood rot!!!

 

[Coyote23]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Looks like a nice small lake boat, waves won't do well with this one, agree?

I'll be on a midsized lake, not much for waves, but I will be hitting wake of bigger boats. Anyone else see a problem with this?

Also, I didn't even notice it until you guys mentioned it, but what is that "whale tail" and why don't you like it?

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

, I didn't even notice it until you guys mentioned it, but what is that "whale tail" and why don't you like it?

Speaking from both outboard and stern drive experience, the whale tail generates a tremendous over-turning moment either on the out drive, or in your case, the transom. A properly trimmed engine will not need the assistance of a whale tail.

A previous poster's comment on the whale tail masking wet flotation foam is a good one. I believe NADA boats also list dry hull weights. You may want to verify your weights.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

The whale tail is a common addition to lower units in order to help get the boat on plane. Sometimes they are added because of a design flaw in the hull, sometimes the boat is underpowered, sometimes the owner just wants better performance than the boat gave from stock. I wouldn't necessarily equate a whale tail with a rotten/waterlogged boat, as there are plenty of them on 1-2 yr old boats as well. Just be sure to check the floor/transom thoroughly for rot. The whale tail was simply a device that was used before Smart Tabs were invented/more common.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Thanks! But, why do you call it an OMC? I had an OMC outdrive on my last boat and I was told OMC is out of business and is hard to get parts for? Educate me...

OMC was the parent company of OMC sterndrives (I/O's), Johnson outboards and Evinrude Outboards. You'll see the outboards referred to often as 'Johnnyrudes' because they were essentially 'badge engineered' (like a Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable- same car under the skin). 99% of parts are interchangable between the two brands.

Yes, OMC I/O's are generally to be avoided. Not so with the outboards. Taken care of, almost nothing lasts as long as a Johnnyrude. And, so many were made over the years that parts are readily available.

My .02

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

looks OK to me if the hull is solid and motor runs. Cosmetics are cosmetics.
At that price I doubt you'll get a sea trial but that depends on how long it's been sitting for sale.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Run the specifics of the hull and engine through NADA Boats (. Boat Price, Boat Value, New Boat, Used Boats, Boat Trade in Values | Sailboat Values, Outboard Specs, Boat Prices & Boat Trade In Value | NADA Boat, PWC, Powerboat & Marine Guides | NADAguides ) to get a general idea of the value.

Shine 'er up and loose that whale-tail and you might be happy.

I disagree about price guides for a boat that old--it's condition, market and time of year that matters.

I agree about losing the whale tail

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

IF I were buying that boat I would first make sure everything was SOLID... Second, with a PERFECT sea trial I would offer up to about $1200... With no sea trial, $350 max

 

[southkogs]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

looks OK to me if the hull is solid and motor runs. Cosmetics are cosmetics.
At that price I doubt you'll get a sea trial but that depends on how long it's been sitting for sale.

I'm kinda' with HC ... I'd want to know everything is solid, and I'd wanna' run the boat on the water. $1,700 is too high (IMHO) for my area and probably yours too. $1,300 to $1,500 would be where I would want to land.

I wouldn't be afraid of that Johnson. Plenty of 'em still running out there and tons of parts like JoLin said.

 

[MarkSee]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

I'm wanting to buy a boat again, and don't want to make any mistakes.
4. Anything else you'd like to add, like that I'm a stupid newbie :facepalm:

The first "mistake" you're making is by saying you "don't want to make any mistakes". That's ridiculous; it's a boat you're wanting to buy and a cheap boat at that. This isn't a $10k, $20k, or $100k boat, it's basically $1,500.

Here's maybe a little different perspective than the other guys but was exactly mine back in the early 80's when I was looking at my first "cheap" boat and even similar to what you're looking at.

You want to buy a boat; a cheap boat that hopefully will last at least 1 season without needing too much money put into it.
Do not put any more money into it other than what is necessary to make it "safe" so no one gets hurt.

Then after using it for a season and with a year of experience under you belt, you have a decision to make:
1-You really like the boat and want to keep it several more seasons which now means putting more money into it for the cosmetic stuff.
2-That was fun but I want a bigger or different type of boat for next season. Sell it and look for another. Your cost of ownership was minimal for that first year.
3-I don't like being a boat owner after all so I'll just sell it for whatever I can get and find another hobby. Again, cost of ownership was low.

My first 2 boats back then I even heard water sloshing around in the hull somewhere but I didn't care; I owned my own boat! After year 1 I sold the cheapy 14 footer and bought a cheapy 15 footer which after a year I sold it and bought a brand new '83 Bayliner 16 foot bowrider. Had a couple issues with the cheapy boats but never got hurt and loved being out on the water in SoCal.

So while I agree with the others on doing all this checking for water, wood damage, etc. etc. etc. for a boat of significant cost, I say for this boat don't over analyze it, do a little checking that the motor seems to run ok, there seems to be little or no water coming out of the bilge when the drain plug is removed after running around in the lake for a little bit.

If you try and find a "perfect" boat, it just isn't going to happen and all you have to lose is around $1,500. Even new boats have issues as reported here in other posts on IBOATS.

Mark

 

[Coyote23]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

Thanks a lot for all the help!! Seems like at least now I could at least ACT like I know something while looking at a boat....

The first "mistake" you're making is by saying you "don't want to make any mistakes". That's ridiculous; it's a boat you're wanting to buy and a cheap boat at that. This isn't a $10k, $20k, or $100k boat, it's basically $1,500.

I understand your point... my idea of "mistake" is what happened to me on the last boat: 1976 OMC I/O that was nearly impossible to get parts for, and if you could find them you would have to amputate one of your arms to give in exchange.
If I had posted THAT boat on here, I think you all would have steered me clear of it perhaps, though it was in the same price range. Thanks again! -Michael

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

I disagree... $1500 (and maybe $500 or less if you shop like I do) will buy a boat in that size and style with absolutely no major problems.... sure it might be a little rough around the edges but no leaks, no rot, no waterlogged foam or unexplained sloshing noises.

 

[MarkSee]

Re: Advice please, can I go wrong with this one? (pics)

I disagree... $1500 (and maybe $500 or less if you shop like I do) will buy a boat in that size and style with absolutely no major problems.... sure it might be a little rough around the edges but no leaks, no rot, no waterlogged foam or unexplained sloshing noises.

Dude: this thread is from a new member who admits he's a newbie seeking some advice on if he thinks he can go wrong with a specific boat for around $1500 not on your "expert" abilities to apparently negotiate incredible deals and take someone for every dollar.......

Mark