New Guy with a question, need advice please!!

[silverlakexj]

Hello, I am new to boats. My inlaws live on a private lake, and I want to get a speed boat. I have mechanical experience, but I have some boat specific questions. What is a transom? I was told to check it out. Here is a link to the boat I am looking at. Thanks for all the input.

Dallas


http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/boa/2347222718.html

 

[lncoop]

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

Welcome aboard silverlake. The transom is the back of the boat where the outboard or outdrive lives, so as you can imagine, it's purty important.

 

[1980Coronado]

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

Transom is what the outdrive hangs on.....it's the back of the boat.

 

[silverlakexj]

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

Thank you guys. Any thoughts on the ad that I"m looking at?

 

[1980Coronado]

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

I wouldn't recommend a project boat to someone who hasn't ever owned or been around a boat......

 

[Greg Mrozinski]

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

Thank you guys. Any thoughts on the ad that I"m looking at?

Welcome to iBoats! From what I see on the ad there is promise. You need to find out how the transom and stringers are. If they need replacing then I would pass and keep looking. If not then go for it. The four banger will not set any speed records but it will be kinder to your bank account regarding fuel.

 

[silverlakexj]

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

What you guys are saying is what I keep hearing. I was told to check the transom and stringers. I don't know how to check the stringers though. I have done some rebuilding on my old Dodge Charger, so I'm not scared of work, I just dont want to have to do a complete hull rebuild.

 

[silverlakexj]

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

And thank you guys for the warm welcome, if I end up with a boat, I will be spending a lot more time here.

 

[wbc1957]

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

Considering a boat project for one's first boat, is like considering representing yourself in court without legal experience. It can be very costly! I would strongly suggest you find someone who you trust that can represent you in your search, and even still, have it surveyed BEFORE buying.

 

[steveclv]

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

Ask the question of the seller if he replaced the transom and stringers.

If he says yes and can show some evidence then this might be a good starter project for you. If not then run, fast! - the boat has a new floor/deck - that means that the old one was rotted away - that means that water has penetrated below the floor and has soaked the foam, rotted the stringers and the transom - I'd lay good money on it.

The boat is worth $800 even with rotted floor/transom (it could be parted out for more) but it's not an ideal project for someone to learn all about boat repair on. If you read some of the restoration threads that show the boat being stripped down to the bare hull, being split into two to replace the transom and the fact that many of those threads take place over 2-4 years then you will get the idea.

It's possible sure, just probably not advisable.

 

[silverlakexj]

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

I have several rules I am going to follow for this first look

1. Does it pass my wife's sniff test?
2. Has it sat outside this winter and recently? (we have got a lot of rain the last few weeks)
3. Is the transom good?
4. Will the guy let me pull it to a dealer to have it looked at?

How does that sound?

 

[steveclv]

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

At the very least get your head underneath the floor with a really powerful flashlight - take a camera and get as far under as possible and take photos that you can look at later - anything that is or appears to be wood under the floor, poke with a long thin screwdriver. Look for any dampness under there too.

Look under and around the engine - look for any cracks in the gelcoat and any dampness or signs of water stains on the inside of the transom

If you can get it checked out by someone then even better - for $800 the guy probably just want's it towed out of his yard. It's cheap enough for someone who understand old boats to take a chance on - it's not the asking price causing us concern - it's the size of the restoration project that lies ahead for you.

 

[ezmobee]

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

Find an aluminum hull with and outboard. Least chance of financial disaster or getting in over your head. No wooded stringers to deal with and the transom and/or deck can be replaced in a weekend if they're bad.

Just catching up on all the required maintenance on a neglected I/O can run you a grand.

 

[steveclv]

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

Find an aluminum hull with and outboard.

Yeuch! Can't stand the things..

 

[dt342]

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

http://www.boatus.com/insurance/survey.asp

Find a surveyor in your area to look at the vessel before you buy it. Well worth the investment. A dealer will generally not conduct as thorough inspection. A survey will take care of all of your rules except #1.

 

[rrhodes]

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

I would say it is worth $800. The question that you need to ask yourself is how much you are willing to invest. I have heard the carbs need to be cleaned before. With the outdrive off you can't even crank it on muffs so you won't even know if it runs. Are there any parts missing from the removal of the outdrive? There is a reason he hasn't put the outdrive back on and cleaned the carbs... Considering he could get more for a running boat if in fact it did run when he took it apart...

If you like to tinker and work on things it could be a nice project but it could easily cost you more than a running boat in the end.

 

[infideltarget]

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

Find an aluminum hull with and outboard. Least chance of financial disaster or getting in over your head. No wooded stringers to deal with and the transom and/or deck can be replaced in a weekend if they're bad.

Just catching up on all the required maintenance on a neglected I/O can run you a grand.

He said he wanted a "speedboat" not a geriatric float machine, or a jon boat.

 

[ezmobee]

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

What's up with the haters?

 

[Home Cookin']

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

first, i would not describe that as a "speed boat." I think you mean to say "motor boat." Now that we've seen one youlike, we'd assume you want a small family-friendly boat for general recreation, not one for special purposes or conditions.

A boat is like a car just as a horse is like a motorcycle. Your experience with cars will help in the engine block, and you may be handy with tools to learn as you go.

Note that the $800 is just a down payment. You will spend not less than $2000 more to be riding in it. And $1,000 a year to own, store and operate. Still game?

If you want to be boating this summer, get one that works now. At least you'll get one good ride out of it. The shops are busy now. Find a basic hull with an outboard for starters.

 

[steveclv]

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

C'mon - that looks butt ugly

ROFL