1994 skeeter bay 150 merc/mariner

[mbecke2]

Recently bought 1994 skeeter bay with 150 mariner. The motor runs great, but the hull is another story. It is the WORST boat I have ever ridden in my life. The floors are soft and it never rides level. Always crooked to the left like I have 1000lbs of weight on the left side of the boat. It does not ride good at all in a chop and the steering pulls hard to the right. Anyway, I have a feeling the hull is rotten and the stringers are bad. Last time I took it out I noticed a 20 inch crack in the hull on the left side at the edge of the hull where the side meets the bottom toward the back of the boat. I was wondering if this is a sign the the hull is done?? I refiberglassed the crack but I am scared to even go back out. Feels unsafe. Terrible hull. Any suggestions?

 

[Don S]

Re: 1994 skeeter bay 150 merc/mariner

It's probably not the problem of the hull design, more a problem with water logged rotten support throughout the boat.

A person may have strong mussles, and in perfect health, but break all the bones in the frame and the rest is worthless.

Your boat is water logged (HEAVY), and rotten. Why would you expect it to work like it was new.

 

[oops!]

Re: 1994 skeeter bay 150 merc/mariner

sorry bout your boat......

I really doubt that it has to do with the boat manufacturer......it sounds to me like the boat has water logged foam.

The crack in the boat might not have been a thru hull penetration.....we would need to see pics of the crack before the repair.

However the soft spots of the deck are a indication of rot....

A quick easy way to tell if the boat is waterlogged.....is to take the boat to a weigh scale....have everything out....and either full fuel or empty fuel......then weigh the boat and subtract any fuel...the motor and trailer.
you should be with in 10-30 lbs of the manufacturers specs......if not......there is unaccounted for weight in the boat.

You can try and move some weight around in the boat and see if that helps with the list......the pulling to the left or right could be a bad trim tab....or an improperly aligned motor......
All of the above are easy fixes.

The next question is,......What do you want to do with the boat?
you know the deck is soft....do you want to fix it ....or find another hull?

 

[mbecke2]

Re: 1994 skeeter bay 150 merc/mariner

sorry bout your boat......

I really doubt that it has to do with the boat manufacturer......it sounds to me like the boat has water logged foam.

The crack in the boat might not have been a thru hull penetration.....we would need to see pics of the crack before the repair.

However the soft spots of the deck are a indication of rot....

A quick easy way to tell if the boat is waterlogged.....is to take the boat to a weigh scale....have everything out....and either full fuel or empty fuel......then weigh the boat and subtract any fuel...the motor and trailer.
you should be with in 10-30 lbs of the manufacturers specs......if not......there is unaccounted for weight in the boat.

You can try and move some weight around in the boat and see if that helps with the list......the pulling to the left or right could be a bad trim tab....or an improperly aligned motor......
All of the above are easy fixes.

The next question is,......What do you want to do with the boat?
you know the deck is soft....do you want to fix it ....or find another hull?

Im pretty sure IT IS water logged and rotten. But I want to know if I can just have the floors redone or is the stringers bad and all that. I dont think I want to spend more than 1000$ on a boat I don't like in the first place. I heard if the stringers are bad then it wont be worth redoing because it will cost more than the hull is worth. Guess I need to have it inspected by the experts. As far as the pulling to the right I've tried everything. Moved the trim tab, trimmed up, down, all around. Seems to steer ok until over 35mph then pulls very hard to the right. Could be bent skeg, but I think something is goin on with the hull. It even looks like it has a bow in the hull where the boards end toward the front of the boat. Between the end of the boards and the bow stop the hull looks bowed. I honestly think the hull needs to go to the junkyard!!! BUt I hate to have wasted my money.

 

[NYBo]

Re: 1994 skeeter bay 150 merc/mariner

Pull the motor and find another boat with no motor (or a bad one). Junk the current boat.

 

[juneeci]

Re: 1994 skeeter bay 150 merc/mariner

In fact, this is unsafe.