Re: Question for Joe Reeves
Ever been to Vegas? Some people win big, the others pay for the lights! <br /><br />Friend and I bought early 60's era 14' w/18hp which tried to start on first tentative pull through after presoak with lube. Ran perfectly after some effort and $9.95. The Seafoam did its magic, spark plugs smmothed the idle and I radically adjusted the mixture for this altitude. The boat was absolutely, perfectly, 100% dry, and after we redid the varnish -- jackpot! <br /><br />Bought a seemingly beautiful old baysponge I/O on eBay. Arrived moss covered on a green trailer, with a scuffed-through chine, roller broken keel, fool's-gold patches and rusted starter. <br /><br />At least the floor was firm, the transom strong and the motor and I/O were good inside. The intermittant complete electrical shutdown was entertaining. Fortunately it was not experienced on the maiden voyage at 39 degrees in the wind when I discovered the engine petcocks were not "tightly closed" but rather frozen-open. The bilge pump worked! <br /><br />Eventually found corrosion in a full-harness connector hidden inside shrinktube in the dankest corner of the boat. Of course!<br /><br />'Twas a "learning experience". I had a lot of fun going through all the systems and the next guy got quite a bargain (and loves the boat). I I lost my keister on the deal because I did the systems before the hull. And I was overmatched on the hull. Craps!<br /><br />But lately I've heard of an old 30 horse Merc halfway for sale at a negotiable price. Am watching for an old boat to match. Should be fun, but could be another disaster...<br /><br />After all them smatta pills I've eaten I'll be looking at: Keel (telltale is vertical crease in hull, could be faint - see reflection), transom, floor, dry rot, lower unit oil (as in not goo, not "too" sparkly), free spin in neutral, no spin in gear (both F&R - it might be normal to click/spin one way in F, the other in R as if attached to ratchet wrench). I'll listen for equal "thump" on pull-through, or better yet, see equal and reasonable gauged compression on all cylinders. I'll check prop condition, battery, and what the Coast Gaurd doesn't call "extras". <br /><br />Anything ahead of the prop on this list could double the moving-under-its-own-power cost. The beauty of it is -- if you love it enough, that's not too much!<br /><br />I might have dumpstered the baysponge and sold the motor, I/O, trailer and especially the tilt mechanism for twice what I got for the whole leaky kaboodle. Couldn't do it -- it looked great on the water and the new owner was more than glad to fix whatever I hadn't at the price I set. And I still get to see it on the lake!<br /><br />BTW: Our big 'ol outboard pontoon is ideal for casual use and leaves plenty of time for other adventures...
