New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

[CaptOchs]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

I'd be a bit suspicious. $800 seems like a really nice deal for that. Don't forget to check for signs of no or bad winterization.

1) Pull oil dipstick. Look for signs of water in the oil.
2) Ask where he winterizes the engine. Get proof if possible.
3) Look for vertical rust streaks from the head down to the bilge.

You can't hook it up to the muffs and look for water leaks with the outdrive off. If it looks decent it's hard to go wrong with the price.

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

Okay boat but not for a guy with your boating experience......don't let the $800 price tag fool ya.

Do yourself and your family a favor, save up a bunch of money and buy a "turn key" boat and go enjoy yourselves. The last thing a guy like you needs is a project boat from the start.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

The Starcraft cult...oops...I meant to say "club"...is always trying to absorb new members! Right EZ?

Hehe...

 

[steelespike]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

I wouldn't call a 4 cylinder 17 footer a speed boat about 40 mph but not a speed boat.
If the floor has been replaced the stringeres may have needed work if the job was done right.
Look at the bottom (outside) the shape should be uniform no unusual hollows or bulges.
especially back near the transom.The motor is basically a GM 4 cylinder give it a close exam
compression etc. An I/O has 2 water pumps that could both need repacing. There are universals
,control cables, outdrive bellows cable bellows,exhaust bellows that need to be checked, examine the block for cracks.It will freeze and crack if not properly winterized.
Personally I think an outboard is a better choice for a first boat Lighter easier to maintain
with a motor designed from scratch for marine use.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

The Starcraft cult...oops...I meant to say "club"...is always trying to absorb new members! Right EZ?

Hehe...

Hey...now....I have a 68 Starcraft and the manufacturer of my outdrive is still in business!

 

[infideltarget]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

Hey...now....I have a 68 Starcraft and the manufacturer of my outdrive is still in business!

Touche! The manufacturer of my outdrive is still in business too...just under a different name, and using different parts. And you are biased anyway...being part of the cult...er..."club". You also own a cool ski boat, so you get a pass on the aluminum 'grandpa boat' ownership thing!

 

[silverlakexj]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

So I just got off the phone with the owner, he did the work himself and it has been sitting outside all winter. I will be looking at it still, but because it's on the way home.

Thanks for all the advice and I'm still going to be looking for something, but maybe not this year.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

Not to sound like a snob, but the reason you shouldn't touch it, even bother to look, is the illiterate advertisement. One sign of a good or bad deal is how squared away your seller is. The more you need to rely on his information, ability to repair and knowledge of boats, the more important it is.

For example, it doesn't matter who you buy a jon boat from. An experienced boater can get one sight unseen. But since you don't know about boats, it is crucial for you, since if you are buying a boat that isn't running and you plan to rely on his evaluation of how it will run after YOU fix it up.

 

[silverlakexj]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

I hear what your saying. I make good money buying atv's from people that are really bad about posting them for sale. Maybe the pics suck, or they are dirty, or the tires aren't aired up. I buy them, clean them up, change the oil, take good pics, post good info with the ad, and can make $300 on a resale with only time and a $15 oil change. But I know about atv's, not boats.

I will look at it, and if it is way better than I think it will be, my father in law (he knows about boats) will come back and look at it with me again. Maybe it can be a learning thing. I don't have a problem tearing out the floor and redoing it again. As long as the transom is in good shape. The local boat place quoted me $200 for the parts if I did the labor my self. My garage has room for it while it gets torn apart.

BUT that is if a miracle happens and it is not as big of POS as I think it might be.
Dallas

 

[silverlakexj]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

Soooooo........ it was worse than I thought. No go, all the clear coat was cracked and pealing, and it got worse from there. His new floor was a plywood job, and was already soft in spots.

I don't know how much time I will be on here now, but I'm glad to have found a place that had some really good sticky's and people with helpful advice.

 

[Greg Mrozinski]

Re: New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

Good choice. Now you know more about what to look for in future marine aquisitions.