Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

[mciaio]

I have the oportunity to buy a boat and trailer that has sat for 5 years. The boat was winterized and had a brand new engine installed prior to storage. Aside from the usual clean up items and repairing the items I can see that need to b e repaired, what should I be taking into account when making an offer on this boat?

I am thinkning the carburator will have to be rebuilt, the engine needs a service and tune-up. The outdrive will need a service. New raw water pump. I would think the gas needs to be drained and replaced. The engine and house batteries will need to b e replaced.

The tires needs to be replaced on the trailer. The brake system is going to have to be inspected and possibly fixed.

What else am I missing here? Please inform me from your past experiences of what you found with sitting boats. Thanks.

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Was it covered or in a garage? If not, you need to inspect the floor and transom THOROUGHLY.

Also, what boat is it? How much are you getting it for?

 

[Tolyn]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Greetings!

Given my current "issue" (see project link below if you like), I would have to say check carefully for soft spots in the deck.

If you aren't sure what you are looking for, hiring a professional who does for a few hundred dollars is probably money well spent (it certainly would have been in my case).

Respectfully,
-T

 

[rickryder]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Greetings!

Given my current "issue" (see project link below if you like), I would have to say check carefully for soft spots in the deck.

If you aren't sure what you are looking for, hiring a professional who does for a few hundred dollars is probably money well spent (it certainly would have been in my case).

Respectfully,
-T

X2
Be sure to check it out thoroughly....soft deck,transom etc. Like T I'm in the same boat

 

[mciaio]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Thanks guys keep em coming. Boat stored outside under a cover, winter/summer. Been at least 5 years since it has been used. I will check for soft spots. It's a 1992 Crownline CR250. We have not even spoke about a price yet, he just told me to make him an offer.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Cool offer $5

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Thanks guys keep em coming. Boat stored outside under a cover, winter/summer. Been at least 5 years since it has been used. I will check for soft spots. It's a 1992 Crownline CR250. We have not even spoke about a price yet, he just told me to make him an offer.

Well at least it was covered. Still check the floor and transom THOROUGHLY, canvas covers still let some water through unless maintained with a water repellent. Also, it should've been fogged during winterization.... but make sure the engine ins't locked up even so.

 

[dorelse]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

The question I always ask myself is...why would someone pay for a new engine and then not use the boat? When this supposedly new engine 'ran great' right? Follow me?

I'm just crazy skeptical like that I guess.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

I'm just crazy skeptical like that I guess.

I hear ya brother...

 

[rickryder]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

First thing I did when I looked at the boat was to take a wrench to the crank and turn the motor by hand even tho it only had 120 hours on it.... The boat I picked up had been sitting since 2002

 

[jonesg]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

My brother had a 26 footer, it sat 2 yrs after being winterized and the engine froze up.
He didn't cover the boat.

You know this guys boat was actually covered for 5 yrs.?
$4-5K if it runs.
$2K if its frozen up.
Thats assuming it has a trailer worth $2K.

 

[mciaio]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

The engine is new but he told me a story about how it is a warranty replacement for the engine he put in in the previous year. It is covered. I have seen the boat everyday for the last 4 years.

 

[wbc1957]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

A non running boat is to be valued as if it needs a new engine, period. If you don't make an offer with that mindset, you will be kicking yourself with add-on expenses as the surprises keep coming. Sure the boat was covered, but do the proper thorough check of everything. Adjust the price on those items you find need attention, then discount for a possible/probable engine and outdrive replacement. Otherwise, either you wait until the seller gets it running, or walk away for good. Remember, it's a buyer's market, not a seller's.

 

[mciaio]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Who said it's not running? Probably has old gas, gummed up Carb and no batteries.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

if you can't walk up and turn the key to start it it is not running.... If you can't test drive it... it is not running...... Point is that you buy it AS IF the engine were junk and hope for the best.

 

[mciaio]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Good point smoke. I'm going to offer 50% of nada value. By my numbers it needs $5K to get it in the water.

 

[oldfordcrap]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

anything sitting outside under a tarp for five years is a huge risk i have never seen a tarp last more than a year or 2 at best. motor will have no lubrication from sitting will have condensation in block rust crank,cam,valves cylinders ect. be carefull get survey

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

Condensation is a big factor. Be careful.???

 

[heyyou325]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

I'm in the same (should I say boat) position as mciaio just bout a boat basically been sitting for 7 years, 2 since licensed. 60 hrs on a new 350 Motor. It started right up on a hose. Boat belonged to the guys father. His son used it a little, in Air Force now. Hasn't been licensed since 2008. I saw the receipt from when the motor went in, and only 60 hrs on the hour meter. No warranty after that many years tho. It's a jet, and I haven't been able to check that out yet. Front of Deck about 7 ft is solid. The next 4 ft piece has a couple of small soft spots in, and I'm not sure on the others yet. Transom feels solid, wasn't epoxied tho, and neither was the deck. Deck and motor were both put in at the same time. Your boat could be good too. You can check the motor with a flusher, at an idle. Look at the gas, If he used stabilizer it should be ok. Transom should feel solid and you should not be able to stick a screw driver into it by hand, don't spin as that will put a hole in. If the price is right and it feels good, the people here can give you advise on fixing it up.

 

[Maddoxsdaddy]

Re: Recommisioning a boat after 5 years of sitting

The engine is definately a huge concern since it hasn't been run for some time.
As Tolyn mentioned previously, pay ALOT of attention to the floor. I have a '95 Crownline that i thought the floor was solid on but come to find out, only felt solid because there was sooooo mush pour in foam under the floor for floatation. After 3 mos of use last year, my captains chair separated from the floor on our last outting... Did i say floor? I meant rot. The only thing holding the chair in place was the steel plate under what was left of the deck.
After a little over 2 months of work, i'm finally starting to put new stringers back in the boat from where i had to take out the entire floor and everything under it that was rotten.

Pre-97' Crownlines didn't use marine grade plywood for the floor and stringers thus the rot. Oh, and they use these tiny wonderful staples to put the floor and stringers together that are not stainless steel which rust out, creating a vois which allows for water to get into those tiny staple holes.... you get the rest.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Crownline. Just wish i ad done a better job checking first.