Looking at a new boat looking for advice

[80boboli]

My name is Nick and i am brand new to this forum. I have used forums for cars in the past and have always found great infomration on them so now im looking at stepping into my first boat and this seemed like a good place to start. I have grown up around boats my entire life and it is now time for me to get my own. Im looking at a 1998 Larson 186 SEi with a 4.3L GL volvo penta with a sx cobra out drive. The second owner who is selling this boat said he had some problems with the water pump but replaced the pump and it now works fine. Is there anything imparticular that i should be looking for in this boat? Are they knows to run strong? The engine times says it has 460 hours on it, is this a lot for a 14 yr old boat? The interior is on its way out with some ripped seats but that is an easy fix. I am going on a sea trial next weekend and would like to go in educated. Any information that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

My name is Nick and i am brand new to this forum. I have used forums for cars in the past and have always found great infomration on them so now im looking at stepping into my first boat and this seemed like a good place to start. I have grown up around boats my entire life and it is now time for me to get my own. Im looking at a 1998 Larson 186 SEi with a 4.3L GL volvo penta with a sx cobra out drive. The second owner who is selling this boat said he had some problems with the water pump but replaced the pump and it now works fine. Is there anything imparticular that i should be looking for in this boat? Are they knows to run strong? The engine times says it has 460 hours on it, is this a lot for a 14 yr old boat? The interior is on its way out with some ripped seats but that is an easy fix. I am going on a sea trial next weekend and would like to go in educated. Any information that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to iBoats - You're off to a good start by asking questions before buying. My first advice is to find something newer. I've been down the road your headed and you either need to be very lucky or have the patience of a saint.

Boats are not cars, the one you're buying is a recreational use only vehicle and as such is not designed with longevity in mind. The logic behind that is people don't keep recreational vehicles for long periods of time and they don't depend on them for their lively hood or in emegency situations.

That's about the best I can explain the reason that they just don't last as long as you would expect without constant and often expensive upkeep. Your statement about the interior problems being an easy fix is probably true for the most part but wait until you have to buy that Marine grade upholstery and carpet and the rest of the things that will end up being part of your project boat.

A motor with over 400 hours and 14 years of use is probably just about shot and there's several components surrounding the outdrive that are expensive and prone to failure just due to time.

I'm really hoping to discourage you in an effort to keep you from becoming discouraged and dissapointed with boating. It's a lot more fun when it's a carefree experience and everyone has safe fun on the water.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

Welcome to iBoats . . . I tend to favor older boats and 12-15 years is sort of a sweet spot that I focus on. My first powerboat was 13 years old when I bought it. It had 305 hours, which was very light. The boat that you are considering is more in the normal range of hours, but still on the lighter side (50 hours per year would be typical).

So, test driving the boat out on the water will tell you many things. Be sure to run it at WOT for a minute or so and make note of the RPM and speed. You will want to run a compression test on the engine . . . and if you could do a cylinder leak, that would be awesome.

The other big thing to be concerned about is structural rot . . . fiberglass boats are made of wood in their structural components and the wood can rot leaving you with a deficient structure that is not safe. Rot can sometimes be hard to find, but a good look below with a flashlight and maybe poking around at the structure with a screw driver and/or light hammer can show signs of problems. (hollow sounds, etc)

The interior and cosmetic stuff can be easily renovated/replaced as you noted.

My other advice is to make sure that you look at a reasonable number of boats before you buy. I looked at 100's of boats online, and then went to see 7 boats before deciding on one. In retrospect, after I looked at the first 1 or 2 I didn't know much compared to when I looked at #7.

Best of luck with your search, let us know how it goes.

 

[80boboli]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

I appreciate the advice. As far as the age i would something newer but at this point its really not in the budget. I found this boat for 4K and if it turns out to be a total waste i would not be discouraged at all i know exactly what im getting into with older boats and a lot of times you just need luck. After we do the sea trial and it works good i am going to have a mechanic to a compression test and leak down test and hopefully test the seals on the outdrive. From there i feel that that is the most precaution that i can take. I have not made my final decision yet but this is in the right price range and if it runs well i may just have to take the chance cause of the price. The fourm experience is staying true to the experience with tons of helpful info and this one seems to be falling in line

 

[80boboli]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

Does any one happen to know any one in the farmington, CT area that is a good marine mechanic btw???

 

[JoLin]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

A motor with over 400 hours and 14 years of use is probably just about shot and there's several components surrounding the outdrive that are expensive and prone to failure just due to time.

Sorry, Jlaswsen, but that simply isn't true unless the mechanicals have been neglected or abused. 14 years and 400 hours is not meaningful. What the OP needs is a mechanic to verify mechanical condition, and a surveyor or knowledgable 'other' to confirm condition of hull, transom, stringers. Yes, upkeep is constant and maintenance expensive. That's boating.

That said, I'd also caution the OP to purchase the 'best condition' boat he can afford, and post here.

What is your budget, and what kind of boat are you shopping for? Like it or not, there's a correlation. A boat the size of mine on a $5K budget, for instance, isn't gonna happen.

My .02

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

I have to agree on the fact that the engine should not be shot after 400 hours. An often used boat gets 100 hous per year and that less than 50 per. That being said, the engine and outdrive is no better than the maintenance schedule that has been utilized. Since this is your first boat, do yourself a huge favor and hire a marine surveyor to check it out with you watching. This way, they can show you what to look for in case this boat doesn't pass inspection. A couple of hundred dollars spent now can --literally-- save you thousands spent over the summer.

 

[sasada]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

I have to agree on the fact that the engine should not be shot after 400 hours. An often used boat gets 100 hous per year and that less than 50 per. That being said, the engine and outdrive is no better than the maintenance schedule that has been utilized. Since this is your first boat, do yourself a huge favor and hire a marine surveyor to check it out with you watching. This way, they can show you what to look for in case this boat doesn't pass inspection. A couple of hundred dollars spent now can --literally-- save you thousands spent over the summer.

AGREED! A 14yo motor with 400hrs is NOT NOT NOT about shot! That is a total farse and don't take heed to advise like that! I understand someone is trying to look out for you but you are taking the right steps. A good mechanic and a leak down test is key. There are many rigs out there with 1000hrs on the original motors. I have over 500hrs on an 11yo motor and it runs great and does not consume a drop of oil. Obviously maintenance is key! I don't get it but there is either tons of rich people or tons of super negitive people that give advise on here. Do your due diligence, buy the best you can afford, know what your are getting into and you will be just fine.

 

[Levinz11]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

Everything I own is old. 98 S-10 175k. 95 4Runner 180k. 2003 V8 4Runner (tow rig) 135k. My boat is an '88 with god knows how any hours. I guess I'm just not afraid of old stuff because for the most part with my box of tools and this forum I can fix anything that breaks.

The 4.3 is pretty much bullet proof. Take a peak at the oil/out drive gear oil when you run the boat. Look at the flame arrestor. Little clues like that tell you a lot about the owners care or lack of.

My boat is similar sized and at WOT runs 4200-4300 RPM and 43 MPH. 3 blade, 21 pitch prop.

Post pics when you buy one.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

Yeah 400 hours is nothing if the motor was properly maintained nor abused, I wouldn't say that it isn't shot though because again we don't know how it was cared for nor how it was driven I think a compression and leak down test is a very good idea and would certainly answer some questions but on the other hand I would get it out on the water and get it running at normal operating temperature for awhile and then if your happy with the performance of this boat go further and check the oil for water/metal. I also agree with the 4.3 being a great motor.

The reason I wouldn't do the compression test is because I would put a higher priority on having the deck and stringers thoroughly checked by a professional, most people simply don't know how to do this correctly nor do they have the ability, everything else is relatively simple to fix but the backbone of the boat is not so I would focus on that. Of course I should say that the motor is a serious issue but to me in my opinion(I am a home mechanic) the stringers are more important in this case.

 

[Doug Roy]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

It's all about maintenance and care. The best boat I ever bought was 14 years old at the time and had over 400 hours on it. If the boat shows a high level of wear and tear (upholstery), personally I'd back off. Take your time and look around. Try and find a boat that is stored inside. Definitely do the dry rot check. Find out as much as you can about the history of the boat. Keep some money in the checking account for general maintenance after you buy it.

I don't know much about Larson boats, but I think they are generally known for making entry level lower priced boats. I'd try and find used boat from a higher end manufacturer. With maintenance and care a well made boat can last a long time. Good luck!

 

[NYBo]

Re: Looking at a new boat looking for advice

Welcome to iboats!

The interior being "on the way out" concerns me. It may indicate that the boat was left uncovered for who-knows-how-long, making the wooden structure suspect. Be very, very careful.