Need Help checking out a Boat

[Pnwrider]

Hmmm... I was fooled too.

What happened to Doc?

He was reincarnated in the form of ibip and afun.

[Afun]

He was reincarnated in the form of ibip and afun.

What is ibip....sorry I'm lost so is doc

That yellow would look great clean!

Edited August 26, 2015 by Afun

[Pnwrider]

What is ibip....sorry I'm lost so is doc

That yellow would look great clean!

That other fellow with the boots avatar whose name is too long to type.

[Slayer]

Interested to hear what happens with this. I love a yellow boat.

[asnowman]

I'll keep you guys updated....

[Falko]

Couple days notice and I probably could have given you a hand with it and come back up to NE with you.

[ibelonginprison]

I kidnapped him.

We're on our way to Mexico for some hookers and blow.

As for the boat - I'll let him fill you guys in. His adventure, his story to tell.

[jgates237]

I learned the hard way about checking out the trailer..

Half way back from FL with my new to me boat in tow I lost an axle bearing on 1-95, as I was trying to limp off the interstate 2 tires blew out... stuck in the middle of nowhere South Carolina at 11 pm on a sunday. Lots of $$ and a semi truck later I was able to get someone to tow me to a shop.

Best advice on this thread...read and heed

[asnowman]

OK, so first off big thanks to Ibelonginprison for meeting up this morning and providing some sound mechanical advise and a second set of hands and eyes.

As for the boat, I'm back in the Atlanta airport headed for Maine, without a new to me response.

We arrived this morning, the boat was already in the water, so start with a look at the trailer. It needed new carpet on the bunks, actually had new tires, and the bearing were supposedly serviced when the tires were done. Lots of rust showing at many points on the trailer....already questioning if the trailer can make 1800 miles to maine .

so we go see the boat, from the pictures, it looked dirty, owner had vaccuumed a bit, but its still dirty. Find out the original cover has rotted away, and not been replaced,,annoying. Still trying to optimistic, start checking out the mildew covered interior. Someone has gone to town with bleach, and some serious sun fading on the dash and yellow in the interior. So far, not so good, but its super cheap.... so we keep looking.

On to mechanicals, oil, clean, at the right level, trans fluid too. No burnt smells. Shaft seal leaks a little more than i would want, easy fix. Moving on....

we've all had battery issues at the dock, and when we turn the key..... wait for it..... still waiting....yup, not starting. The nevative ground is loose. OK, one person hold it, one start the boat. ok, now we have a problem, very obvious knocking sound, listen, yup its got a tick, nice and obvious.

OK, still TRYING to be optimistic. Lets drive it, see if an issue pops up. Owner thankfully stays on the dock. Back away from the dock, its good, no problem, shift to forward.... yeah sshouldn't feel that shake, feels like maybe a prop ding.... give it some gas, throttles up, steering is OK, turn it hard.....hmmm seemed like a wide turn, now I'm not going for a real power turn here, just an average turn back to the slalom course, but it felt less than great, try again, this time through the wakes we just made, gice it more throttle, yeah, not right. Trade drivers, looking in bilge hatches, lots more water than I expect, check drive shaft, spins nicely, no vibration at all.... hmmm. Check engine block, no water dripping, but definitely more water in the bilge than the shaft seal account for from 10 minutes running.

already pretty sure I'm not taking this boat anywhere. But we press on. Let's put the boat on the trailer and check under it. Remember that not starting problem, yeah now it also has a failing starter.... 10 more minutes, it comes back to life, get it loaded on the trailer.

check the prop, yup couple small dings, and a good size crack in the base of one blade. That's bad. Ibelonginprison mentions how different his two tracking fins look than these two..... wait two? There should be three ... WTF? yup, two, lets check that out. Three tracking fins were there once upon a time, and the remaining are not quite straight. I'm all set.

so I'm curious. What happened to the missing tracking fin? Well the owner's son hit a log and bent it, so he cut it off...... yup that's what I figured.

noI have to know, will he come down off 13k and make it worth my time to take this thing and work on it. The hull isn't in bad shape, one spider crack at a cleat, and a few small scratches in the yellow gel.

so it needs the following:

new trailer

engine work

tracking fins replaced

new prop

new starter

some wiring work - the radio didnt work

oh and the hour meter doesnt read the right hours, shows 153, guy says closer to 400 hours, claims the dealer had to replace the gauge under warranty.

SI tell the guy, it a project boat at this point, tell him I'm not sold on it at his asking price, offer significantly less, he says he understands, but can't do that little. So back to the airport for me.

The search continues

[jtrovato]

Wow, bummer. Sounds like an expensive trip to find that out, I'd be pissed!

[asnowman]

I look at the trip this way, it was an adventure. I took a chance on a boat that would have been an outrageous bargain.

Couple hundred in plane tickets, 34 bucks for gas in the rental, 100 for a hotel, and another hundred for the rental.

Worst part is i missed a glass morning on our lake.

[saxton15]

Hits log, cuts off tracking fin. I hope he didn't use a hack saw!

[asnowman]

Hits log, cuts off tracking fin. I hope he didn't use a hack saw!

if iI had known that part, iI would have stayed home.

[saxton15]

LOL Man I'm sure you gave the guy a massive stink eye once he told you that.

[ibelonginprison]

The boat wasn't quiiiiiite as bad as it reads in his details. lol But yeah, definite project boat. It was going to take a lot of reconditioning and a mechanic to go through it top to bottom. Nice, loud ticking lifter, slight vibration from the prop, and maybe shaft alignment, there was a lot more water than should have been in there, but it wasn't "sinking," - but it just wasn't a solid water sled. No one item said "don't buy me" (well, until the tracking fin debacle came out - that was a solid "no-go.") But overall, walking away was a good choice. We noted all the things wrong with it, tallied up a couple thousand to really get her back running like a top. Still would have been a deal. But then everything keeps piling up and it hits us that it's going to be a forever project. There will always be a little something needed with this boat. It'll run and drive and do all the things it should, well enough for a non-TMC member to enjoy it.

I'm sad it wasn't in the condition it SHOULD have been in. it seems like it spent most of it's life cared for, and the last couple of years just let to go to waste. Such a shame.

It was good to meet another TMC member though... even if I did have to get up at 5:30. *shudder* (still not sure how you "glass chasers" do that!)

Edited August 26, 2015 by ibelonginprison

[ibelonginprison]

Also, I wish I had brought some bourbon with me. Nothing like a little high octane southern sweet tea to make a long trip better.
Next time, my friend. Next time!

[Bill_AirJunky]

Bummer.

So I'm curious.... For the next potential boat, will you do things any differently?

Edited August 26, 2015 by Bill_AirJunky

[ibelonginprison]

Bummer.

So I'm curious.... For the next potential boat, will you do things any differently?

Not meet up with some guy named "ibelonginprison" from the internet? lol

[chris4x4gill2]

Wish I'd seen this earlier. I "might" have been down for the test drive. I love ragging on a potential purchase to see what its made of. Especially if someone else is lookign to buy it.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Yea, reassuring, isn't it....

[asnowman]

definately would not do anything different.

had to take a look, and the crew came through.

talked to my local dealer earlier, we had a good laugh, he told me i was nuts (which i know), and he would have done the same.

[ibelonginprison]

definately would not do anything different.

had to take a look, and the crew came through.

talked to my local dealer earlier, we had a good laugh, he told me i was nuts (which i know), and he would have done the same.

Ha, you know I wasn't going to let you come to my city and be on your own. Just sad I didn't get to show you some more of Birmingham. You left too quick! You were only about 15-20 minutes from one of the worlds top Motorcycle museums. http://www.barbermuseum.org/

Anyway, I'll mention this story to the owner of the dealership he got the boat from and I imagine he'll have his own version of this boats life. lol

[Bill_AirJunky]

definately would not do anything different.

had to take a look, and the crew came through.

talked to my local dealer earlier, we had a good laugh, he told me i was nuts (which i know), and he would have done the same.

Interesting. Seems like the crew could easily have come thru a few hundred bucks earlier with a little planning.

Oh well. It's not how I have done it. Good luck.

[ibelonginprison]

Interesting. Seems like the crew could easily have come thru a few hundred bucks earlier with a little planning.

Oh well. It's not how I have done it. Good luck.

He just had an epic 24 hour adventure.

Packed a bag, flew to Alabama to meet up with some dude from the internet he's never met with the sketchiest screen name ever, drove a boat, avoided buying a floating headache, and caught a flight back.

A man after my own heart. If you do anything in life, make sure the story tells better drunk than sober.

[IXFE]

Best part of the story is how you two hooked up and helped eachother out. That seller had no idea what he was in for. LOL!

This story is a good reminder... It's the USERS that make this sight great.