1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

[25thmustang]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Congrats, and your initial launch sounds about right for a boat that spent a little time on shore!

I would hope a good surveyor would find a bad or wet transom. I'm not familiar enough with OMCs and where the water can be coming from to initially think the worst.

Good luck with her and keep us all posted on how everything goes.

 

[JoLin]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

JoLin,

He spent hours tapping everywhere with a hammer and using moisture indicator device. Also, the mismatched prop I believe is just a result of the dealer taking a short cut to save $$. QUOTE]

Good. Then it probably hasn't been leaking for long. You might be right about the mismatched prop, but the reason for it isn't that important. You have a leak that needs to be repaired. It didn't occur due to shrinkage and it won't fix itself through expansion. It will cause structural damage over time if you don't address it.

My .02

 

[Globetrottin1]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Snafu's 6 & 7:

#6: Went to put up the bimini frame and canvas. All but one of the bolts for the frame are incorrect in size/thread/head. When we went to zip up the zippers, the stitching just tore away from the canvas. Dried out I guess. Looking for a good canvas guy in the Cincinnati area now!

#7: Went down to check on the boat after a night or two on the water with the shore power connected and batteries charging. Just before leaving for the evening did a last check on the engine room, leakage etc. and heard a sizzling/boiling/venting kind of sound. One of the batteries making noise and venting through the cap while on the charger. I popped the covers and it's full in all holes. I think maybe it's got a bad cell. I pulled it off the charger for the time being, until I can get a new battery to put in there. The other battery seems fine.

Next??:joyous:

 

[Globetrottin1]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Congrats, and your initial launch sounds about right for a boat that spent a little time on shore!

Thanks and will do!

 

[newtoon]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Your luck sounds about like mine... I got a punch list that just keeps growing. I guess that's the price you pay for owning a "classic"...

 

[JoLin]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

#7: Went down to check on the boat after a night or two on the water with the shore power connected and batteries charging. Just before leaving for the evening did a last check on the engine room, leakage etc. and heard a sizzling/boiling/venting kind of sound. One of the batteries making noise and venting through the cap while on the charger. I popped the covers and it's full in all holes. I think maybe it's got a bad cell. I pulled it off the charger for the time being, until I can get a new battery to put in there. The other battery seems fine.

Next??:joyous:

Globe, you haven't determined if the battery has a dead cell. Why are you replacing it? How old are they, and how do you kn ow that the other one is 'good'? If something there is suspect, you should be testing both batteries and confirming that the charger isn't overcharging. You could easily spend $100. on a new battery and not 'fix' anything.

You have several issues to address. You need to approach them logically, one at a time, by order of criticality. If you don't, you're going to toss a lot of money down the drain fixing things that aren't broken and not fixing the things that are. Take it from somebody who learned through bitter experience over many years.

My .02

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Long ago I lived in O-COLD-O and chartered on Lake Erie. I docked part of a season on the Sandusky River. The 1st boat down current gets most of the junk and all get some. A rain causes the level of water and dirt/scum to rise. I could not wait to get out of there and into the 1st available slip in Geneva Oh. Here we have a lot of docks on the ICW and less trash floating. Less scum accumulating too. Still, most homeowners with docks put in a lift. In many places you have to hope your dock mate has his boat secure and it will not float into your boat. Twice I found a neighboring boat against mine. So,, YES-- dock in the cove! I gave up on all that and bought an indoor dry dock. After the purchase price the HOA fee is $160 monthly. No weather on the boat and no bird poop either.

 

[Globetrottin1]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Globe, you haven't determined if the battery has a dead cell. Why are you replacing it? How old are they, and how do you kn ow that the other one is 'good'? If something there is suspect, you should be testing both batteries and confirming that the charger isn't overcharging. You could easily spend $100. on a new battery and not 'fix' anything.

You have several issues to address. You need to approach them logically, one at a time, by order of criticality. If you don't, you're going to toss a lot of money down the drain fixing things that aren't broken and not fixing the things that are. Take it from somebody who learned through bitter experience over many years.

My .02

John,

You are absolutely correct. I do need to slow down on this. I had to drive to WVa this weekend to pick up my Mom and its given me some time to think. I've been in reactionary mode since the boat arrived and I've been busy at work etc. I think that what I need to do is make a list, prioritize that list and go through each item, thoroughly and in order. This is not what I have been doing. For example, I made a really stupid choice before leaving for WVa yesterday morning:
I swung in to check on the boat and found that the bilge pump was just making a whining noise but not pumping. I grabbed my large electric pump and pumped out the little bit of water that had accumulated and then ran out and bought a new battery and installed it. Why the heck didn't I get a new pump instead? I was leaving town for crying out loud! There is another bilge pump mid ships but water has to get pretty far along for that one to kick in. I guess that battery had me nervous because I've seen the horror stories about battery explosions but who cares about that if your boat is under water, right?

 

[JoLin]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

I'm familiar with the whole 'reactionary mode' mindset. It happens, but you've already stopped and screwed your head back on straight. You'll get there.

Take a close look at that bilge pump. Some of them come apart. You might have some junk in it blocking the impeller. As you move from area to area, take the opportunity to clean up wiring and remake suspect electrical connections. Take connections apart, hit 'em with contact cleaner, a little grease, and put them back together.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Did you get time to look into that leak at the transom yet?

LK

 

[Globetrottin1]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Did you get time to look into that leak at the transom yet?

LK

Not yet. Just been too busy. I plan to get back to her this week at some point but don't know when as my Mom is visiting. Have to spend time with Mom!

 

[Globetrottin1]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Do you have a thread going? I'd be interested in keeping up with your project as well to see the similarities.

 

[Globetrottin1]

Re: 1988 Chris Craft Amerosport - Just purchased..questions!!!

Do you have a thread going? I'd be interested in keeping up with your project as well to see the similarities.

It this one. I'm not to technologically hip. This is as god as it gets: