Anyone know about boats?

[rhwimmers]

Looking to buy a boat for the first time. Found a couple pontoons for about 2k, which is right in my price range. Wondering what all to look for when purchasing to be sure its a good deal and nothing wrong with the boat etc...

Here are some details about one in particular


runs water ready very nice needs to go the price is firm,65 mercury new prop 21pitch,battery,interior very nice little wear on carpet comes with trailor

Pics can be seen here

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/boa/437450215.html

TIA!!!

Ross

[Minuteman]

I know I want this one:

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/5/4/84241854.htm

[rhwimmers]

That would be a great 1st boat! If only it wasn't in NJ, I would be on my way to buy it now!

[Minuteman]

Send me the cash, I'll be happy to sail it on over for you!

My not so subtle point was that the boat trader has some good options.

[wizardgus®]

First thing would be a different prop. That's really too much pitch for that motor on a runabout let alone a pontoon. Usable, but performance would bite.

Hard to say with a toon on how long it has been out of water. You'd just have to examine them closely to see if you can see any obvious leaks. Although most are easily welded anyway, but it may be a cost to be aware of.

[rhwimmers]

right - already checked it out - not too much in my area for that price range.

[rhwimmers]

What would an appropriate "pitch" be, and what kind of price is that? I just want to be able to pull a tube or two, and maybe a skier at some point - but not going to be a hot rod or anything like that!

[Blindmelonbob]

Will they let you go for a cruise?

[rhwimmers]

Haven't asked yet, but I would assume that is ok-standard practice? If so, anything in particular to look out for? Obviously if I have to swim to shore I wont buy it!
Can you run a boat engine out of water to test it out or is that a bad idea?

[crp]

Originally posted by Minuteman
I know I want this one:

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/5/4/84241854.htm

Minuteman, you have good taste! If you get that, I'll be your crew!

I think our next boat will be a hatteras but probably only 50 feet.

[wizardgus®]

Personally I'd pitch it around 10 to 12. Checking my prop guide though I wonder if that is a typo in the listing. I don't see any reference for a 21 pitch prop for that motor, although I do see he has removed the trim tab so that might explain it. We generally wouldn't use a 21 on anything smaller than a 115hp. And even that is a bit iffy. Can't comment on pricing.

It basically doesn't look like a bad deal. I'd want to do a compression check to see that all cylinders are within 15% of each other with a minimum of say 85lbs. in the lowest. Big plus if it has full CD ignition and not the distributor.

Most of these older Merc are pretty bullet proof. If the compression is good, it starts and has spark on all cylinders, spits water, shifts, and there isn't any water in the lower unit it's pretty much good to go. Matter of fact, as long as the pistons are inside the cylinders most everything is fairly easy to fix and parts are reasonable.

[wizardgus®]

Originally posted by rhwimmers
Haven't asked yet, but I would assume that is ok-standard practice? If so, anything in particular to look out for? Obviously if I have to swim to shore I wont buy it!
Can you run a boat engine out of water to test it out or is that a bad idea?

You don't want to run it dry, but they make a set of muffs that go on a garden hose that works fine. Just don't rev it past 2,000 rpm because without the exhaust back pressure you risk over-revving.

[rhwimmers]

Thanks Wizard... Now dumb that down a bit for a boat-moron like myself!!! So im guessing the pitch is really the size of the propeller, sounds like he meant 12, not 21 - but I will check.
How do I do a compression check?
How do I know if it has full CD ignition and not the distributor (whatever that means!)

[GSMguy]

Originally posted by crp
Minuteman, you have good taste! If you get that, I'll be your crew!

I think our next boat will be a hatteras but probably only 50 feet.

keep the boat you have, get an island.

[crp]

GSM, we're going to keep this one for a while and then buy a 40-50 footer, flybridge, to do the Great Loop in 10-15 years!

[Sk8r]

hard to check if you don't know how a boat should 'feel', but when you steer it, it should be 'light' in the water. If it's carrying water belowdecks, it will be logey and sludgy, carrying more mass than you expect when maneuvering and it will ride, obviously, lower in the water [less freeboard] than a boat that is watertight. If it has a bilge pump [desirable; but I don't know pontoon boats: I'd think there'd have to be one for each pontoon, and I wouldn't expect that on a lake boat; but who knows?] run it, and see if it pumps anything out [water] from its well. I take it it's like one of the party boats, that has a flat deck sitting above the water on its 2 pontoons.

[GSMguy]

Originally posted by crp
GSM, we're going to keep this one for a while and then buy a 40-50 footer, flybridge, to do the Great Loop in 10-15 years!

when your ready i got the hookup.

i just think of boats in terms of utility, and how much gas it will use to get me to town. My girlfirends family has a game they play where they try and guess how many gallons per mile everybody in big boats are using. Plus with an island your investment Grows.

if i was getting a 50 footer for the great lakes it would have sails.

[PJSEA]

Here's some guidance on props:
http://www.marine-outboards.com/choosing-propeller.htm
http://www.reynoldsracingmarine.com/proptech.htm

[GSMguy]

Originally posted by rhwimmers
Looking to buy a boat for the first time. Found a couple pontoons for about 2k, which is right in my price range. Wondering what all to look for when purchasing to be sure its a good deal and nothing wrong with the boat etc...

Here are some details about one in particular


runs water ready very nice needs to go the price is firm,65 mercury new prop 21pitch,battery,interior very nice little wear on carpet comes with trailor

Pics can be seen here

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/boa/437450215.html

TIA!!!

Ross

I would Never buy a boat withoug driving it first (unless it was a Boston Whaler). I would also have that engine looked at by a trusted mechanic a new outboard for that boat will cost 4 times what you are paying for the whole boat.

[crp]

Originally posted by GSMguy
when your ready i got the hookup.

i just think of boats in terms of utility, and how much gas it will use to get me to town. My girlfirends family has a game they play where they try and guess how many gallons per mile everybody in big boats are using. Plus with an island your investment Grows.

if i was getting a 50 footer for the great lakes it would have sails.

I want to chase the sun! We'll start on the St. Lawrence in June and head down the coast to florida and back up the Mississippi through the Great Lakes and be back about June. That's way off, once we retire.

Our boat is 254 twin engines. We have a gauge that tells us how much gas we're burning. At 10mph, we burn about 8 gallons an hour. Coming across the lake at 30 mph, we burn about 20 gallons an hour. I want to unhook that gauge!

[wizardgus®]

Originally posted by rhwimmers
Thanks Wizard... Now dumb that down a bit for a boat-moron like myself!!! So im guessing the pitch is really the size of the propeller, sounds like he meant 12, not 21 - but I will check.
How do I do a compression check?
How do I know if it has full CD ignition and not the distributor (whatever that means!)

Sure, maybe you can help me with Excel macros?

OK, easy way to think about pitch is the angle of the blades on the prop. The other measurement on a prop is the diameter (center of hub to outer edge of a blade X2)

Compression tester, you'll need one for 14mm plugs. thread it into each plug hole one at a time and crank the engine, it will record the psi of compression.
Got that pic of Amazon, $21.99 probably worth owning long term.

From the hood I can't tell the year, but it is in the era when they were going from the early ignition system that still employed a distributo to the one where each cylinder has its own coil. Without getting overly technical just follow each plug wire back from the plug and see if it ends at its own coil, or a common distribution point.

HTH

[GSMguy]

Originally posted by crp
I want to chase the sun! We'll start on the St. Lawrence in June and head down the coast to florida and back up the Mississippi through the Great Lakes and be back about June. That's way off, once we retire.

Our boat is 254 twin engines. We have a gauge that tells us how much gas we're burning. At 10mph, we burn about 8 gallons an hour. Coming across the lake at 30 mph, we burn about 20 gallons an hour. I want to unhook that gauge!

My new boat has "smart Guages" and they tell me all that junk id rather not think about.

My Grandparents lived on the Venture every summer when they retired, until they found Grindstone.
Venture III

[joeychitwood]

Check the pontoon on an inclined road (on the trailer, of course.) Pull the plugs from the back end of each pontoon tube. There should be bo water leakage.

Check underneath the pontoon for rotting decking plywood. Check the vinyl for brittleness.

[dinoman]

Originally posted by crp
I think our next boat will be a hatteras but probably only 50 feet.

Only , you couldn't find enough water to even float a 50ft boat around here.

[Kevomac]

I'm feeling generous today...another assist to...