Buying a Boat

[62cruiserinc]

Hello:

I am considering purchasing a boat for the first time (used).

There is a local boat for sale that I am interested in.

It's a 1982 Bayliner Capri for $600. It has a 4 cyl Volvo AQ125 with outdrive. The motor and outdrive are off the boat. The owner says that it needs a bearing and shaft between the motor and outdrive. What is involved in replacing these parts? I have rebuilt car engines and have facilities and tools but I am not familiar with boat engines and outdrives.

I need to know roughly how much I will be spending on parts to fix this so I can adjust my offer accordingly.

Also, if I should avoid this boat, motor, or outdrive please let me know!

I am trying to get an inexpensive boat for the family to see if we would enjoy boating before I spend a lot of money.

Thanks to everyone in advance

Steve

 

[captmello]

Re: Buying a Boat

If you want to try boating, you may want to try renting. The trouble with old boats, especially the one you are considering, is that they often require a lot of work and expensive parts. This can burn a guy out on boating for all the wrong reasons. If you take the family out in your old fixer upper, and it breaks down, Wives and children may get scared and be afraid to go out in the future. imo...

If you like a project, and enjoy learning new things, than this boat may be an option. If the owner is correct, and you need a new drive shaft and bearing for the flywheel cover, I would buy a complete cover containing the shaft and bearings along with the new cover. Something like this:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-Penta-AQ-4-cylinder-Bellhousing-fine-spline-AQ270-275-280-290-Series-/180851444670?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item2a1b960bbe&vxp=mtr

I'm not positive this is correct for the 125, but is an example.

Of course there are hundreds of unknowns about the rest of the drivetrain since it is out of the boat. The aq125 was a very common motor and is fairly easy to work on. Some parts are expensive, some aren't. The old VP outdrives are well engineered but require mainenence. The fact that the driveshaft has been damaged tells me this boat was not maintained as well as it should have been.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Buying a Boat

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... 'n to add to Captmello's info,...

A Bayliner of that vintage is no doubt, Rotten, through, 'n through....
Replacin' the stringers, 'n transom is a Major job...

 

[billbayliner]

Re: Buying a Boat

Steve, this is a motor and drive that I would not be afraid of. The little OHC 4's are great engines and the drive will be bullet proof if taken care of.

Very easy to replace the PDS bearing.
If you can grab onto the PDS, once the snap rings are removed, the shaft will come out the rear, baring no rust at the pilot nose or drive coupler.
The PDS bearing will be a standard 6206 bearing.

The engine is probably cantilever suspended, which means that it hangs on the transom shield and transom. No problem if the transom core is good.
The older Capri boats did have issues with soft transom cores. Check the transom core before you buy it.
If the boat is in exceptional condition, you might replace the transom core if you have the skills. It's basically just carpentry work.

 

[John2037]

Re: Buying a Boat

I would stray away.... A boat that old I would, as a mechanic, assume that EVERYTHING needs attention, and it's not like you can walk into a autozone and just grab what you need - consider that note with any boat purchace. Coming from owning a pontoon to a seadoo jetboat to a 1998 20' Regal w/ a Volvo 4 cyc 3.0 inboard/outboard, I can tell you the ib/ob has been the worse impact on the wallet. I was too looking for a family boat - as a mechanic and fabricator I was expecting small repairs, boy was I wrong, and I haven't had to touch the outdrive yet (knock on wood). First time out with the family, after rebuilding the whole top end, we had to be towed in and mine is 16 years newer.

For a new boater there is a LOT of stress just boating with a good running boat, I agree w/ captmello - RENT! one day will tell you everything, without the worry of tow insurance, will the motor die, will the boat sink, do we all have PFD's, fuel, are the electronics severly rotted, is there water in the oil (again), is there oil in the od, why is our fender floating in the channel?.... all problems I've had just this year!