Hours on a boat??

[laserbrn]

Re: Hours on a boat??

I'd prefer a boat that I know what used a LOT over a boat that was barely used.

I just took the heads off of the motor in the boat that I purchased with 1300 hours on the hour-meter. Obviously I don't believe for a second this boat was running for all those 1300 hours, but the cylinder walls still have factory honing/cross hatching marks. No lip in the cylinder and I haven't buttoned it all back together yet, but I'm going to guess that the compression on all of these cylinders will be very acceptable.

It's a much safer bet than a boat with only 50 hours on it....that one I'd be real concerned about. It's going to need everything changed.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Hours on a boat??

It may not actually have that many hours on it. As someone mentioned, if they key was left on the hours will clock....even if it wasn't running.

Take it to a Merc mechanic and have the computer scanned. That'll tell you exactly how many hours the engine has been run (and at what rpm). Well worth the $50-$75 it'll cost if you're considering buying the boat.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Hours on a boat??

I changed out my powerhead mostly a a precaution after roughly 2200 hours of saltwater use.

To put hours into perspective, I put over 100 hours on my boat fishing the two week long Spring Trophy season alone. Figure another 60-70 hours during the fall season in November. The commercial guys can put 1000-1200 hours a season on a motor.

 

[MJG24]

Re: Hours on a boat??

It may not actually have that many hours on it. As someone mentioned, if they key was left on the hours will clock....even if it wasn't running.

A few people have mentioned this, and while true, I'm sure the guy selling the boat would clarify that, and not represent it as having 800 hours on it if a large portion of tham were non-running hours...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Hours on a boat??

yup, way high . . . 50 hours per year is typical . . . so a 2006 should have about 300 hours. This one is almost triple that.

why do you say 50 hours is typical?

And typical of what? the type of boat matters, the user and primary use varies; the location (number of minths used) matters.

then there are those who have a long slow ride from home port to good boating grounds, and back, that adds hours with no ill effect.
When fishing, I put relatively few hours on the meter compared to the clock b/c I mostly anchor or drift, key off. My brothers on the lakes, I hear, troll for hours and hours.
Big boats and go-fasts don't get run much. Give a 14 year old his first boat in the summer and it never stops running. Full speed, at that.

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: Hours on a boat??

Since there is so much variation to any one hour reading based on use type, maintenance, simple use of the ignition switch and a myriad of other factors wouldn't a better answer be "just do a compression and a leak down test and really know something?" Or would that save too much bandwidth ?

 

[JEBar]

Re: Hours on a boat??

See Post #28

link and info appreciated .... the logic behind the formula is most interesting

Jim