Re: 1973 century mark2
Go real slow here. That boat was made when the moon program was still in full swing, (If memory serves me it was before Apollo 13), the Vietnam War was still being fought, and Disco had not even come out yet!<br />Parts will be N.L.A and you will in all likely hood have a lot of repair work ahead of you.<br />If you have the dream of jumping in the boat and cruising for a minimal investment then try renting a boat by the hour. At $200/hr you can have 20 hours of fun boating.<br />If you want a reliable boat then look at new or maybe 2 years old.<br />If you like building and restoring things then go look at the boat. Don't forget the trailer.<br /><br />Boat:<br />Look at the gelcoat for signs of painting and for signs of prior repairs. Then start looking at the gelcoat blisters and cracks. Go through the boat very slowly. Look for color changes in the carpet, these will indicate that there is water damage. Look inside every hatch and opening and under every place that you can get your eyes (don't forget the flashlight). See if you can smell any mold. Any unusual odor means something. Check the gas tank, if it is steel then it could be rusted and will need to be replaced. Check the engine oil. Run the engine. Do a compression check. Inspect every transom penetration for signs of water/improper seal. Look at all the wiring for signs of fraying and loose connections, bad switches, poor aftermarket installation, etc... If you can get your hands on a moisture meter then chck the entire boat. You should get very low readings on the fiberglass (4%???) and about 12% on the plywood.<br /><br />Trailer:<br />Check the tires. Check if the wheel bearings are loose by trying to shake the wheels. Look for signs of grease on the frame and under the fender. Look for signs of rust. Look for signs of recent paint. Check the winch and hold downs. Look at the trailer jack. While you are under the trailer check the suspension parts to make sure all the bolts are visually tight and that they are there. Look at all the welds to see if any are cracked. Check the trailer lights.<br /><br />If you find anything wrong then figure each item is worth $800 (not scientific but it seems close).<br />$4 grand will get you a lot of boat and that is a lot to ask for a 30 year old.
