Too many hours?

[ChatterBug]

I am considering buying a 1986 Wellcraft 210. It has an original Mercruiser V8 Alpha One, 260 HP. The hours on it reads 570. I'm wondering if this is too high?

The boat itself looks to have been well taken care of and the owner has records going back over 10 years.

I'm new to boating and I know hours is one of those key things to look for. I just don't have a frame of reference for what 500 hours means. Is that a lot? A little? Average? How long will these engines last before needing to be replaced?

Attached is a pic I took of the engine if anyone can comment on how it looks.

This is my first boat and so I'm green. Which is why for the first one I'm not going to go overboard spending and start out with something old that I can ease my way into.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Too many hours?

The hours are great. shows some use. I would have it checked by a marine service. Sounds like it could be a good one.

 

[wifisher]

Re: Too many hours?

570/25 years=22 hours per year. That is very few hours. But how do you know that is the true number of hours that are on the hull (or the motor)? You said that it is the original engine. How do you know that? On any boat that is this old, you should be buying based on condition instead of the hours, or what you are told about it, or the records of the PO. How do you know that the records that the PO is giving you is a complete list? Or that it is for the boat you are looking at.

I'm not saying that it is a bad boat, or that the owner is a liar. I'm just saying that it is easy to change the hour meter, lie about the maintenance, and whatever else it takes to sell something that he no longer wants.

Any private party sale should be based 100% on condition. Hours/mileage means almost nothing on something that age.

 

[the vision]

Re: Too many hours?

The motor looks clean, but how does it run? How does the rest of the boat look as far as been cared for? I have put 60 hours on my boat in about four months just riding on the weekends, so it doesn't take much to add up.My boat is a 1996 with 100 hours less than the one you are considering.Good luck to you.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Too many hours?

Hours, smours. Hours don't really give you any more information then the year of the boat. I have seen engines that are totally destroyed at less then 100 and boats with 2500 that run like a top. It ALL comes down to how well and often was it maintained.

Low hours scares me more then high hours, most people who use their boat seldom like 3-time a summer do not maintain them thinking (VERY WRONGLY) that like a car they wernt used enough to worry about. You know just go to the lake and hammer the throttle to pull skiiers and put away wet.

Versus someone who may take more often and longer trips warming up the boat and doing the necessary maintenance.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Too many hours?

hours seem great i heard something about 750-1000 hours is the usual for needing some sort of engine rebuilt, but it all comes down to how often the oil was changed and how was the person driving the boat? if they were beating the hell out of it at 4k rpm for hours at end and almost never changed the oil then it will take its toll but if your cruiseing at 3k rpm and keep on top of the maintaince it will last a long time as well as the impeller changed every few years to make sure it doesn't overheat helps a lot. however dont look at engine alone, floorboards if at all possible transome and hull make sure that it isn't all cracked up from wave abuse if you take a closer look at any power boat they will crack after a few years because people find it fun to beat the hull up on 2-5 foot waves at wot. back the floor and transome look for rott being that its 1986 its about 25 years old if there is any rott on the wood i was stay away if the floor has 1 soft spot i would stay away... after 25 years if there is any rott or softness then you probabaly have a bigger issue then if the motor is in top notch condition. ask the seller where he/she stores if during summer/winter if it sits outside with a tarp over it it probably has rott if it sits in a barn/garage then it may not consider the whole boat as a factor in buying not just the engine and outdrive. if you dont knwo waht to look for have is survayed by a marine tech.