My new “old” Larson bowrider

[The nut]

Hey folks so I am new to this forum so bear with me if I ask stupid questions

So I just got a 1994 Larson boat rider
It’s got the 4.3 Merc cruiser
It’s the first decent size boat I own so I’m kind of new to everything
Just wondering on overall opinion on this boat
Is there any common problems on boat or motor that I should keep an eye on?

Thanks!

 

[Scott Danforth]

First, welcome aboard.

second, Larson was a low end boat builder, and your boat is 31 years old.

 

[tphoyt]

They cost a lot of time and money

 

[The nut]

Uh oh that dosnt sound amazing.. lol

What are the bad points

 

[tphoyt]

I was just talking about boats in general.
I never had a Larson so no real word experience with them.

 

[briangcc]

Uh oh that dosnt sound amazing.. lol

What are the bad points

Being 31 years old and in an era where wood was common place for things like transoms and stringers.....unless your new found floating money pit was pampered it's entire life by being stored in a garage when not in use, you may, and I stress may, have issues lurking below.

Floor have a soft spot in it? Been decked over (ie...2nd floor overtop a rotten factory original)? Got other bandaid/shade tree mechanic "fixes" such as silicone around the outdrive?

**FTR..all boats are floating money pits...hence the...

Break
Out
Another
Thousand

Not saying it's a bad boat...just might, and I stress might, be a project. Further investigation on your part will determine what needs to be done as unfortunately my crystal ball is in for repair so I can't see your boat....hint...pics...

 

[aspeck]

When you get boats that are 20 years old and older, what make they are sort of doesn't matter. It is all about how they were maintained. A "cheap boat" that was garage kept and meticulously maintained and 30 years old is going to be better than a 20 year old "Top of the Line" boat that was used hard and put away wet and dirty. So, with your Larson it comes down to how previous owner(s) took care of it.

Check the floor and transom for rot. If their is no rot, you are in great shape. If there is a small spot of rot, then there is a lot of rot underneath and you have a major project on your hands.

 

[JASinIL2006]

My Larson is a 1997 model, and that is right about when Larson started using fiberglass stringers and motor mounts in bowriders. (While mine has fiberglass stringers, it still has a wood core transom.) So it is almost certain that your boat has fiberglass coated wood for those structural pieces.

I’m not sure about ‘94s, but mine was pretty well constructed and rides better than similar low end bowriders (e.g., Bayliner).

You want to pay close attention to any through-hull fittings, such as the garboard plug flange and the screws that hold the ladder to the transom. I didn’t find any marine sealant on those, or if it was sealed the sealant had failed. My transom rotted from water getting around the screws that attached the ladder to the transom.

Your boat is a good starter boat, provided it has been well cared for. You’ll really need to check it thoroughly to make sure it is structurally sound.

 

[racerone]

Where did you find this boat ?---Was it always properly winterized ?-----Any water in the oil ?-----Found it in a field ?---At a dealer ?----End of a driveway ?---Did you test run it on a lake ?-----Roughly paid $1000 or $5000 for it ?----Post 6 pictures of this boat.

 

[TripleJGraffis]

PICS man.....PICS!!!!!

 

[KD4UPL]

I had a '97 Larson. I liked it and it treated me well. The floor was carpet over plywood. I was very careful to let it dry after use and keep it covered otherwise. My floor started to have soft spots in 2014. I sold it in 2015. It seems very likely your floor would also have soft spots unless it's been replaced.
The only real problem I ever had with the boat was an intermient ignition module.

 

[The nut]

Hey guys back again
Thanks for all ur info!
Sorry didn’t get back sooner..
Kinda busy and boats not always first thing on my mind..
So the info I have is the guy was a marine boater he said so sat in water thru summer and then he always took it to marine mechanic for winterizing and also in spring for summarizing
He said he redid floor in 20 or 21 and also rebuilt engine over the same time
I traded a small aluminum StarCraft for it
He had bot a bigger boat but wanted a small one for fishing
So for checking transom pretty much just get down inside and take a look?
Or is it out side that u see it?

 

[racerone]

The 4th picture shows repair work .----But seems the bulkhead was not replaced and the same as original.-----In the GTA area ???

 

[The nut]

Uh sorry what u mean by bulk head?

Yes came from Toronto
Think he had it at a marine on Lake Ontario

 

[JASinIL2006]

Stringers are the wooden structural members that run the length of the boat, from the bow to the stern. Bulkheads are the shorter structural members that run perpendicular to the the stringers.

Some places to look for rot: in the ski locker, you should be able to see the stringers that form the sides of the locker. You can drill into the stringers about 1/2" to 3/4", near the hull, to see if the wood is good (light, dry shavings are good; dark/black, wet shavings = rot). On the transom, you may have carpeted panels that cover the transom core. If you do, they should be attached with screws to the wood transom core. Remove the screws, pull the carpeted panels, and you should be able to check the transom. Do the drill test (again, about 3/4" deep with a 1/4" drill bit) and check the shavings. Be sure to check in the vicinity of the where the swim ladder is attached, near the bottom of the transom close to the hull, and around the keyhole where the outdrive sticks out the back of the boat.

The fourth picture you posted (showing the work on the new floor) is a bit concerning because it looks like the stringers were painted, not fiberglassed, which would make me concerned about their ability to hold up when exposed to water/moisture. Check them well!

 

[aspeck]

I will second the concern of the stringers and bulkheads being painted instead of fiberglassed ... very concerning.

 

[racerone]

???----To me it looks the bulkhead was cut out.-----Left over fiberglass tabbing is clearly visible.-----It was not repaired the be the same ( or better ) than when it left the factory.