Would you buy it?

[inthedirtagain]

Looking at picking up a 1983 Invader 17.5 with the OMC 3.0 inboard. Boat is in pretty good shape internally and externally and has the usual wear and tear, but here's my dilemma: it slid off the trailer when unloading and the outdrive hit the cement launch pad pretty hard. There is a small crack in the outdrive, but it looks like it could be sanded and prep'd for some JB Weld. I've heard that this kind of repair works decent. The part that I'm mostly concerned with is that it broke the front motor mounts. I don't have picks, but its the part of the mount that is molded into the fiberglass of the hull/stringers.

This is the engine/drive combo that tilts as a unit, in addition to the stern-drive that tilts up. Everything is still functional and I've seen the engine run. They have another boat, so they just want to get rid of the whole thing. Including the double-axle trailer w/rollers, fish finder, bimini, and stereo, I can get the whole package for $300. I'm not afraid of a project, but I have no idea what repairs would run me. Any thoughts are appreciated. Would you do it if you had the cash?

 

[JimS123]

Re: Would you buy it?

Invader is a second rate boat in the first place (and old to boot), and the OMC has no support. Now its even broken!

Buy it if you want to take the time to part it out to make a few bucks. Otherwise don't plan on using it because for what you would have to put into it you could buy a usable boat.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Would you buy it?

Buy it, strip it, sell the parts, but keep the trailer till you find the boat you will buy and keep.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Would you buy it?

I would have to say keep looking, the omc i/o is something to avoid. Most here will say "eww there's a white turd coming out of that boat."

 

[calvinator]

Re: Would you buy it?

Keep shopping. Now is the time of year people start unloading their boats and there are better deals to be had.

 

[inthedirtagain]

Re: Would you buy it?

Not the responses I was hoping for, but appreciated nonetheless. Still, for the price, I'm tempted. It has the ignition conversion done already and I was looking for something to work on over the winter. Boats command a premium price over here, and if this boat didn't have these issues, it would easily sell for $3000. I can't swing that right now, so I was looking for something that I could put a little money into over time. If the mechanicals are functioning, the rest I can handle. I know that OMC is the black sheep of the family, but I do have a good parts source over here that swears he can get anything (except Force). I'm heading out to look it over again tomorrow and will take a closer look. If I remember to get some pics, I'll show you the damaged areas.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Would you buy it?

For the money you will spend to have an undependable old boat you can take a vacation south and pick up a newer boat in good condition. Don't walk-- run.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Would you buy it?

NO NO NO get "fixing it" out of your head.... this boat is DONE..... you can part it out and PAY to get rid of the hull and make a few hundred dollars but it IS NOT something to fix up.

To put it in perspective this is an 89 ford taurus with a bad transmission, a beat up body, a fair interior and structural unibody damage.... to make it worse... 'ford' (figuratively speaking) went out of business 15 years ago and there is VERY VERY LITTLE aftermarket support and absolutely no factory support.... An 89 taurus isn't the worst thing in the world but is absolutely not worth putting that much into fixing

 

[inthedirtagain]

Re: Would you buy it?

point taken....

 

[pckeen]

Re: Would you buy it?

If you buy this boat for $300, you will be purchasing a shell of a boat, and a major project. Think of the $300 as just a downpayment. Only do this if you have an interest in putting in a lot of hours and money... The hull and interior would have to be in great shape to make this worth while.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Would you buy it?

...I can get the whole package for $300. I'm not afraid of a project, but I have no idea what repairs would run me. Any thoughts are appreciated. Would you do it if you had the cash?

As a primary boat - or one you want to use anytime soon - I'd drop it like a hot rock and move on (or part it out like the guys are sayin'). BUT ... for $300 if you've got the room, time and patience - what the heck, eh?

Go in eyes wide open: It's an OMC Stringer stern-drive. As you can tell by the "white turd" comment, it's not going to shoot you to the top of the maritime social charts :facepalm: But the drive is actually kind of a nice system. You'll have to hunt parts for some things, and you'd probably want to replace that lower with a donor (which you can find if you're patient). And if ya' get tired of it ... part it out and you'll get your $300 back pretty easily.

Now if the hull is trashed, and you have a ton of work to do on the interior - it probably ain't worth doing. But if the interior isn't bad and the hull is solid ... eh, maybe I'd roll the dice. I got mine with a bad drive (didn't know what I was gettin' at the time) and haven't spent very much keeping it running. But, I knew going in it was a gamble - and I could stand to loose.

I personally probably won't buy another old OMC ... but, I'm in no big hurry to get rid of mine.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Would you buy it?

The trailer is worth at least double the 300 if it's not bent up or corroded out. I just went to Sandpoint last week and picked up a 87 Chris Craft 19' cuddy with a 4.3 MC on the cheap, it turned out to be a rot bucket but I was only interested in the drive train and trailer not the tub. Piece mealing your dream boat together is probably the cheapest way to go to have what you want in a boat. I just wouldn't do it on an OMC I/O platform is all.

 

[inthedirtagain]

Re: Would you buy it?

Well, against all recommendations, its now sitting in my backyard. Sorry fellas, but I couldn't resist. Besides, I got it for $100 just to please the tax man. I put up the bimini, turned on the blower, and ran it for a good 20min to flush some Sta-Bil through it. Tell-tale was strong, idles real smooth down to 500rpm, and no banging of gears from forward to reverse. I ran it briefly up to 2000rpm and it was much smoother and quieter than my previous Merc 90 TOP and Evinrude 100-S. My neighbor and I were looking things over this morning and its actually going to be a fairly straight-forward fix.

I look at it this way: I'm only into it for $100 and I've got another 7mos to fix the motor mounts. We lost our last boat to a roll-over accident and fire last summer, and that was $5k up in smoke. I've got nothing to lose on this and the fam is really excited to get out on the water again next year. With a full tank of fuel, the trailer (single axle, not double), 3 new tires, a fish finder, and a bimini..........I'd say its worth the gamble. I appreciate the words of wisdom and I promise that if this repair doesn't hold or it becomes a money pit, I will definitely part it out. So far, anyone who has seen it and heard it run is surprised at the small purchase price.