Am I sunk?

[Captain Crestliner]

Being new here I thought this might be the place to start.
last fall I bought a 1978 muskie crestliner bowrider inboard outboard after finding the serial number came to the conclusion it is a 1976.The fellow I bought it from said it ran fine. Come to find out it has a crack block. The engine is an OMC. My question is what engine and stern drive can I replace it with without a lot of work and dollars? or should I just right it off and find a boat the works and chaulk it up to a learning experience? Any suggestions would be extremely helpful.

Thanks

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: Am I sunk?

if the block is cracked, replacing without a lot of work or dollars is not likely.....you will get other opinions on what to check for before taking the boat to the dump... costs involved with cracked blocks often exceed the price paid for the boat and trailer...I am sorry to hear the block is cracked...if you decide to bag it and start over, continue reading about what to check out BEFORE you buy a used boat...there are a lot of good used boats out there, there are also a lot of bad used boats out there, people lie, sad but true.. if you look for another one.. I would recommend you stay away from OMC and get a GM product..---> Mercruiser......parts are readily available, engine blocks are not what you want to replace..

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Am I sunk?

Welcome aboard, Capt. Crestliner.

Need some info to get started. First - OMC what? A lotta motors were used by OMC. Second - What part of the world are you in? Some places have more parts than others and are priced accordingly. Third - Are you farming the work out or doing it yourself?

Sorry the new boat isn't up to snuff, but we'll try to help out.

 

[Walt T]

Re: Am I sunk?

It's a '76 so it's a stringer no doubt. Dude, cut your losses, maybe part it out.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Am I sunk?

'76 OMC is an Electric Shift Stringer. You cannot replace with anything besides an OMC Stringer without doing a LOT of expensive boatbuiding (you may not even have a transom to support anything else). If the boat is in REALLY GOOD shape, and you have some money into it, you may want to just try to replace the motor or find a complete replacement Stringer Drive.

If the boat's in pretty rough shape and/or you don't have much money into it - I'd move on. You can find something mostly lake-ready for $3k or so.

Have ya' ever had it runnin'? (curious is if the drive it shot or just the engine)

Welcome aboard Cap'n.

 

[boobie]

Re: Am I sunk?

Agree + 1...........

 

[mopar_nocar]

Re: Am I sunk?

Welcome aboard, Capt. Crestliner.

Need some info to get started. First - OMC what? A lotta motors were used by OMC. Second - What part of the world are you in? Some places have more parts than others and are priced accordingly. Third - Are you farming the work out or doing it yourself?

Only reasonable response thus far.

Just got a 1981 OMC for a song. Had a cracked block in it, but heads and everything else was good. It was a 305 chevy motor. I found two blocks on Craigslist for $100, got rebuild parts from Northern Auto parts and Summit and viola:rebuilt engine and a working boat. Total outlay for boat to take to the lake is <$800. I'll recoup some (admittedly not much) from scrapping the cracked block and selling the crank/rods and pistons.

As the quote says, it depends on what block it is, if you have the skill/tools to do the work yourself, if the rest of the boat is nice/the outdrive is in good shape. IF you have to pay someone, it will be cost prohibitive, if you can turn the wrenches yourself, then maybe not.

sb

 

[Walt T]

Re: Am I sunk?

Yeah but..... It's still a stringer.

 

[triscadek209]

Re: Am I sunk?

"If the boat's in pretty rough shape and/or you don't have much money into it - I'd move on. You can find something mostly lake-ready for $3k or so."


THIS^^^^

 

[triscadek209]

Re: Am I sunk?

Doing your own work and finding your own parts is so much cheaper... parents had a new outdrive put in last year for $4k, my boat requires the same outdrive which is being replaced as we speak, no joke $350 for the outdrive and $50 for my buddies "finder fee" Im giving him. It pays to do your own digging but as previously mentioned, its up to you on the current condition of the boat and if youre willing to put in the work. I bought mine a few months ago and its still in great shape for a '90 but to get it to where I want it (as perfect as possible) and doing the servicing myself has taken a lot more time than I expected.