Buying a boat. Need advice

[79MERC1150]

Hi I have been a member of iboats for a while, but have not posted much.

We are in need of some advice. We are not new to boating. We have owned the same boat for 30 years. The good part is, I am familiar with our boat, the bad part is, that I don't know much about other types of boats. Our current boat is a bass rig with a 79 Merc 115 HP outboard, so that is about how far my boating knowledge goes.

I am very seriously considering the purchase of a 1989 Mach I Condor 2350, with the Mercruiser 454, Bravo I engine package. The boat is a 22 foot performance cuddy cabin.

The boat appears to be is in very good condition and it is original and unmodified. It shows 500 hours of running time, which is presented as accurate for the boat.

Everything functions as designed, and other then a couple of very minor cosmetic flaws, it appears that the boat is well kept, and it good condition.

There is no evidence that the boat has been stored in the water, or that it has been exposed to salt water. It has been kept on a trailer in a covered shelter when not in use.

What things should I look for that will indicate possible problems, or future problems? My mechanic, who is a Mercury dealer told me to have a compression check, and a vacuum check performed on the engine. He also said to check for knocking sounds in the engine, however he said that since the boat has a through-hull exhaust, it will be difficult to hear anything knocking inside of the engine. He also told me that when we do the trial run on the lake, to push the boat as hard as it will run, run it hard for about an hour, to see if anything is waiting to come apart.

I am trying to own a performance boat on a budget, and my primary fear is that this thing will be a money pit, unlike the old bass rig that goes years at a time between visits to the shop. If I had lot of money for this hobby, I would by a new boat instead of a 22 year-old boat.

I know that the fuel usage on the 454 sterndrives with a carburator is pretty severe, like 10GPH give or take load, speed, water, and wind conditions.

Thanks in advance
CharlesS.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Buying a boat. Need advice

Okay, the boat's 21 years old. The motor is one thing, and IMO you should hire a mechanic to go over it. As suggested, a long trial is also a good idea- high speed, low speed, cold start, hot start. For the rest, a marine surveyor. Fact is there are many potential problems (structural, mechanical, electrical) that are well hidden. The surveyor will have a long checklist of things you didn't even think of.

If you want to be sure you aren't buying a money pit, professional inspections are the only way to go.

Also, I think your 10 gph figure might be a tad optimisitc.

Best of luck!

 

[cr2k]

Re: Buying a boat. Need advice

After the freezing we have had across the country I would not buy a boat for the next 2 or 3 years with out running it for long enough to get fully up to temperature. Survey for the structure and shop report for the drive/engine, steering, electrical & mechanicals. If it's a$200 boat that's one thing but boat like you are looking at, spend a little save a lot. And you may gain some bargaining power a long the way.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Buying a boat. Need advice

Get a $300 survey by a pro.
Better yet, ask the seller to have it surveyed and split the cost if you buy it.

 

[79MERC1150]

Re: Buying a boat. Need advice

Thanks for the replies. The asking price of the boat is $6500.00. It is a consignment piece at a dealership on Lake Lanier north of Atlanta. The dealer said that the owner was ready to sell it as he had purchased a salt water rig last year, and it the old boat has been with them all winter. I figure that with the age of the boat, the gas hog that it is, and the slow economy, I have some barganning power already, however a survey will not hurt. The survey may reveal problems that the owner may not be aware of, or problems that they hope I don't find, and if it checks out good, then I will feel more comfortable buying it.

I had thought about a survey, but figured that it was something someone would do if buying an expensive boat, not a bargan basement oldie like this one. It's probably well worth the $300.00 costs.

The thing that I am concerned with is the potential for problems with the 454 engine. My mechanic says that 500 hrs is a lot of wear, and that although he has seen 454's run to 1500 hours without problems he has seen a lot of them that have failed with low hours. He cautioned me that most performance boats have been driven hard, and have the potential for expensive breakdowns.

What I would like to do is take the boat to my mechanic to have them check it out. The problem with that is that the shop I trade with is near Sylva NC, and the boat is in Buford GA, about 110 miles away. I will check into a survey in the Atlanta area.