Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

[builderman]

I am new to the board, came on to do some research about purchasing a 30' 1988 Doral Prestancia c/w twin 4.3l OMC's. approx. 1100 hrs.<br />Before going through the process of offering sea trials surveys etc. I am looking for advise on whether this is a reasonable boat to be purchasing considering the power.<br />Have read a few articles on problems with this power. Do I stay away or take caution? any advise is appreciated

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

Welcome to iboats IMHO I would pass on anything OMC, because they don't make them anymore. While you can still get parts, it will become increasingly difficult in the future....Since you are in Vancouver, you should be able to have it serviced, but I would look into that as well....I'm sure you will get plenty of opinions to the contrary, but this is my opinion......JK

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

all depends on the price... I don't trust the Cobras myself due to bad experiences with the shift cables and their ultra sensitivity to proper adjustment.<br />But there are thousands of Cobras plying the waters.<br />If the engines are original they will be quite tired at 1100 hrs.<br />On the upside... the cobra cutout in the transom is the same as Mercruiser making repowers less costly than with OMC stringer boats...and the 4.3 is a popular engine.. easy to work on, lots of mechanics are familiar with them, and core engine parts are plentiful

 

[Trent]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

Id pass.....Too many other boats out there.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

With it being a Buyers Market this time of Year,.......<br /><br />There's Way Too Many boats for sale that Don't have OMC power,........<br /><br />I Can't even feature buying a Known Pain in the A$$,...... When there's SOO Many Other Options out there..............<br /><br />Why walk thru a Swamp Full of Gators when you can take the Bridge,..???...... <br /><br />Keep Looking..................

 

[frank coburn]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

Why walk thru a Swamp Full of Gators when you can take the Bridge,..???......<br />lol....thats my new motto...lol<br />...and it definately applies here...

 

[Phantom17]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

jesus Bondo, down boy! : )

 

[Lou C]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

Well this has been discussed a lot before, and there are the anti OMC faction, and the pro OMC(very much the minority) of which I am one. As I have said I have gotten good service on mine and it has been as good as any sterndrive in salt water. You have to look at it this way, no matter what I say about OMC, the boat is just plain worth a lot less than if it had Mercs or Volvos. So it better be way cheaper than if it had Merc or Volvo power. If there is no good OMC service where you are, forget it. The shift adjustment is critical and is not something a DIY can learn in a couple of hours. Having said that, mine properly adjusted, shifts better than Merc Alphas that I have been on. Parts could be a problem in the future, no one knows for sure how well Bombardier will support these drives. I am going to run this one as long as the parts are available. When that changes, I can convert to a Volvo SX and keep the OMC transom mount, the pivot housing and cables have to be changed, as well as adding an engine mounted seawater pump. Keeping in mind that if you buy it, it has to be cheap enough to make doing an eventual re-power (at least 10K worth of drives!) do-able. <br />Like the others said, there are a lot of other boats out there for sale......

 

[vicsponjr]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

I just bought an 88 Four Winns with a 5.7 and a OMC Cobra. Wasn't shifting right and got warm under load on first run. Replaced the impeller, which was a BREEZE!!, especially after just doing one on a Merc Alpha. Replaced the ESA module and it shifts better than my Alpa. Was still running a little warm so I removed the impeller and resealed everything (15 minute job)and now it runs fine and shifts smooth. <br />I would say to make sure you have an OMC mechanic around you. It is pretty scary not having been able to find an OMC mechanic around me. The mechanic at the local marine shop started telling me he "would have to check the manual" when I started talking to him about my shift problems. Heck, I could do that and save the $83 an hour I would pay him to learn more about OMC's.<br />If there is a good OMC mechanic in your area, and the price is right..............

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

Well this has been discussed a lot before, and there are the anti OMC faction, and the pro OMC(very much the minority) of which I am one.

Well,........ I Thought it was Funny when I typed it..........<br />Dead Honest,........... And Funny...........<br /><br />I Don't Mean to Offend Owners of OMCs,.... I'm Glad to Help, When I can,.....<br />I've got a Pile of some of those things,..... I keep pulling them Out,+ Installing Mercruisers......<br />What da ya Need,.?? <br /><br />This poster Hasn't made the fateful Error,........ Yet,.......<br />It's not a matter of being Anti-OMC,.......... It's more about just plain old Common Sense,............<br /><br />Before Any of Us buy a boat,.... We Do,.. Or Should Know that buying a boat is a Money Pit,.....<br />Do you jump into the pit of Gators,.......... Or into the Heated Pool............<br />I mean is it,.?. Where's the Parts,?.. How Much,.??<br />Or Parts on every Corner,........For the Price of course,... But they're There...........<br /><br />If you do any Wrenching,+ figure out What can be mixed with Which,......The Merc. Alpha 1 gimbel housing will support Cheap boating,......<br /><br />Hey,... I hear Volvos are Great,............<br /><br />AnyThing but an OMC,.......................

 

[Don S]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

Why buy a problem child!!!!! <br /><br />What Bondo said is my opinion also.<br /><br />If you have one, and can't afford to replace it, then you are stuck in a viscious cycle of repairs because they are cheaper than replacement. Then you have to try to justify to others how great they are.<br /><br />Have you been in the market for such cars as DeSoto's, Edsels, Corvairs, perhaps a Nash Rambler? No, then why an OMC??????

 

[vicsponjr]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

Unless your getting a great deal I would take the advise of the experts and keep looking. Boats have to be cheap this time of the season. I have an OMC, but honestly, I almost didn't buy the boat because of it. The one I bought was has a new top end and a rebuilt bottom end. If the gears should go, I would look into replacing the drive rather than dumping money into the cobra. <br /><br />Bondo, Can you put a Merc on a OMC boat? I thought they wouldn't match the cutout?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

quote:<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Bondo, Can you put a Merc on a OMC boat? I thought they wouldn't match the cutout? <br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Epoxy,.. Fiberglass,..n'Plywood........... <br /><br />When we do a Refit around here,........<br />About the Only thing that Stays the Same,....... Is Usually,.. The Lines of the Hull.......... <br /><br />I've got templates for Pre-alpha,..Alpha1,.. Alpha2,..+ The Bravos......... <br /><br />When you're Hull Hunting,... Rather than Boat Shopping,.......<br />OMC powered boats are a God-send,..... Cheap Refit Projects...........<br /><br />In the last few years,.. we've done/ are doing, 2 Chris-Crafts, 1 Lancer, 1 just like it but the lesser model,... <br />4 Hi-Liner 222s, 1 that was pre-alpha, 1 that was Volvo, 2 that were OMC Stringers........<br />And, An Old Town Atlantis, Formally OMC powered.........<br /><br />All Classics that are Worth a Total Refit................

 

[Lou C]

Re: Do I purchase a boat with omc outdrives?

I have heard that if the boat had the later Cobra drive, the cut out is the same as that for Merc. So if the boat had a Cobra, one could either convert it to a Volvo SX, by changing the pivot housing, adding the seawater pump and other required modifications, or go with the whole Merc package. I have seen 4.3/Merc Alpha packages (brand new) for around $7100 or so, if the value of the boat is high enough, and the rest of it is in good condition, may be a good deal overall.