Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

[nhmaina]

I just purchased a fixer upper Larson Citation DC 150. It has a new floor and hull and trailer (galvinized) are in good condition. Just wondering if this is a good model boat and is it a step up or down from the Bayliner brand. I ask that because most of the others I have been looking at have been bayliners (with rotten floors). The motor is a Mercury (I didn't know if I wanted to trust the Force brand from bayliner) 50hp 3 cylinder which doesn't turn over. Actually the starter doesn't appear to do anything. It was registered this year and he claims it was running until the started went. I was able to turn the flywheel, so I don't think it's ceized. Total cost was $600. Hopefully I didn't get conned. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.:redface:

 

[spudshaft]

Re: Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

My 2 cents -- you did great. I think Larson's ae popular, but I've never seen one here, and Merc's are fine. Replace the starter and see where you are.

Consider this: You can soend $600 easy on fixing your car, or a couch, or whatever, but you have a boat.

 

[Challenger84]

Re: Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

Why don't you try and pull start the thing?
You don't need a starter to start it.
Wrap the rope around the flywheel and give her a pull and see what happens.
You might need more then 1 try tho..
Make sure you have the MUFFs on!
I won't say it is a step up or down from a Bayliner.
If your boat has a solid hull, stringers, transom and deck then it's a step up from a soft floor on ANY boat!!
Hope that helps and good luck!

 

[joe009]

Re: Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

i had a 1989 larson 17 ft.d c ,they are a good old boat with a good solid hull.

 

[nhmaina]

Re: Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

Why don't you try and pull start the thing?
You don't need a starter to start it.
Wrap the rope around the flywheel and give her a pull and see what happens.
You might need more then 1 try tho..
Make sure you have the MUFFs on!
I won't say it is a step up or down from a Bayliner.
If your boat has a solid hull, stringers, transom and deck then it's a step up from a soft floor on ANY boat!!
Hope that helps and good luck!

OK, maybe I am a little slow but I guess I didn't think of that. There is even a rope taped to the inside of the motor. Will try tonight. Have to get the muffs though, first. I HOPE I have solid stringers. The guy who I bought it from put down the new floor. He said that he replaced any stringers that were bad. hopefully he did it correctly. I did walk around everywhere on the floor and I couldn't feel any soft areas. We pulled up the carpet to look at what he did. He put down plywood and then fiberglassed over it. It looks rather messy but it doesn't look like it has been damaged by water since he did it, so perhaps he did it right.

 

[nhmaina]

Re: Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

i had a 1989 larson 17 ft.d c ,they are a good old boat with a good solid hull.

Since you have the 17 foot version, how many people can comfortably fit in the boat and still plane nicely? One thing that sold me on this boat was that at 15 feet the Coast Guard plate still said it could hold 6 people. Never seen a 15 boat with a 6 person capacity. Usually 5 or sometimes 4. I would like to know what Larson did to their design to get the additional person in.

 

[Challenger84]

Re: Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

Have you tried to pull start the motor?
Updates and please add some PICtures!

 

[nhmaina]

Re: Just purchased an 1986 Larson DC 150, need general info

Have you tried to pull start the motor?
Updates and please add some PICtures!

Well, I didn't try to pull start it, but I did bring it to a local marine mechanic. Cost $70 to get an estimate. He said the top cylinder is scorred (50psi on this cylinder), probably from lack of oil, and the 3rd cylinder has no spark going to it AND the starter needs replacing. So it's on to plan B. Luckily I did have a plan B. I am going to try to put my father's old Mercury Mariner 50HP onto the boat. I still like the boat and it ended up costing me $600 so my up front investment is very low. The mechanic said the boat is sound, some spider cracks but none on the transom, and if I don't leave it in the water it shouldn't be an issue. I hope the mariner motor will fit. I have to bring the boat 5 hours to a guy who has the motor and will put it on the boat for me. Wish me luck! I am giving him the bad motor, the old boat (an owens 16' fiberglass 1970 roughly) and the trailer, in exchange for him putting a new water pump impeller on, tuning up the motor, and moving the motor over and making sure everything still works. I do have an issue though. My boat has a power tilt built into it and I am hoping he can put the Mercury Mariner on my boat and leave the power tilt feature intact. don't know much about power tilt so I don't know how hard that is to do.