I think I decided on a boat. but have questions.

[roscoe]

The "3 cylinder io" is a defunct Force L-Drive, 2 stroke. totally junk since day one, and only made a few years, no parts, no service available.


3.0 gm omc motor with a merc out drive ???


Just stay away from anything that doesn't say Merc on the engine and outdrive.
You can't afford to make that mistake as you may end up throwing the entire boat away.

Like southkogs said, you can't just swap or mix and match brands in an i/o boat. Even if you could, it would cost thousands.

 

[Stixx925]

Then the seller might be misinformed, that's why I asked for pics of the motor.

 

[Stixx925]

So I looked at boat. I drove 100 miles. I get there they cant start boat. Said they think coil bad. I was like if that's case go to napa and grab one. One thing I noted bildge is full of water. And it looked old. Second thing I noted was most the floor was solid. But found a hole on passenger side, checked ski storage. Full of water. Checked stringers lower half flexable. Rejected boat. Pretty pissed I drove 200 miles for nothing. Other things I noted, lots of trash on property. How's lacked maintenance. Property told same story as boat.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

So I looked at boat. I drove 100 miles. I get there they cant start boat. Said they think coil bad. I was like if that's case go to napa and grab one. One thing I noted bildge is full of water. And it looked old. Second thing I noted was most the floor was solid. But found a hole on passenger side, checked ski storage. Full of water. Checked stringers lower half flexable. Rejected boat. Pretty pissed I drove 200 miles for nothing. Other things I noted, lots of trash on property. How's lacked maintenance. Property told same story as boat.

Can't say you weren't told so. Good luck shopping, you now have some experience under your belt going forward. Stay away from old Bayliners and shysters. As they say you get what you pay for. A few grand won't get you much of a boat, head ache yep but not a nice boat you can keep floating unless a 14' tinny, maybe.

 

[MTboatguy]

We are a special group of people here on this forum as well as a few others, boats are a passion for the majority of us. Unfortunately it is not a passion for many others, but they all have boats that are water ready when they are selling them. Many times what happenes is they buy a boat when the kids are younger and then find out as they grow, they are no longer interested in the weekend on the lake camping, fishing and no phone or TV, I have seen it happen far to many times.

Most of us have been through it and have looked at a lot of junk boats over the year in the exact same manner you did with your 200 mile trip. So get used to it, it happens quite often and you will find that boat that is "Just Right" for you.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Bang on MTboatguy. I said I looked for 55 years, I was 55 when I boat my own real boat. I saw boats from Florida to Thunderbay ONT. I couldn't pass a dealer without going inside. It drove my ex bonkers. Thank goodness cooler heads prevailed because I looked at more than a few dogs that I thought I could afford and a bit of paint and elbow grease would be just fine, it scares me thinking how I would have blown the budget on a scow. I almost bought a brand new 89' Bayliner Cuddy 190 with a 90 HP Force L drive from a Grand Island NY dealer. I hemmed and hawed and bought a Benz 560 SEC out of Fla. instead, thank goodness.

 

[MTboatguy]

Bang on MTboatguy. I said I looked for 55 years, I was 55 when I boat my own real boat. I saw boats from Florida to Thunderbay ONT. I couldn't pass a dealer without going inside. It drove my ex bonkers. Thank goodness cooler heads prevailed because I looked at more than a few dogs that I thought I could afford and a bit of paint and elbow grease would be just fine, it scares me thinking how I would have blown the budget on a scow. I almost bought a brand new 89' Bayliner Cuddy 190 with a 90 HP Force L drive from a Grand Island NY dealer. I hemmed and hawed and bought a Benz 560 SEC out of Fla. instead, thank goodness.

Like you Old Ironmaker I have been doing this a very long time, I have owned and rebuilt a lot of boats over the years and now after all of this time, I found a boat that I think my wife and I will enjoy for the rest of our lives and I will be happy the day I leave this earth to pass it on to another so it may spark that passion in them.

Like I said, it is a passion and some catch it, some don't, but with those of us that do, it stays with us every single day of our life.

Although, I spent 27 years in the Army, I have spent more of my life on the water(I should have went in the Navy) and know for a fact it takes time and it is easy to get in a hurry to get on the water, but I know for a fact, the right boat comes along for all of us.

 

[tpenfield]

So I looked at boat. I drove 100 miles. I get there they cant start boat. Said they think coil bad. I was like if that's case go to napa and grab one. One thing I noted bilge is full of water. And it looked old. Second thing I noted was most the floor was solid. But found a hole on passenger side, checked ski storage. Full of water. Checked stringers lower half flexible. Rejected boat. Pretty pissed I drove 200 miles for nothing. Other things I noted, lots of trash on property. How's lacked maintenance. Property told same story as boat.

That experience is the cold slap of reality, sorry to say. I hope it was a learning experience. Boating is expensive, and in the lower price range they are mostly project boats needing additional investment.