Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

marekli

marekli

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 11, 2012
Messages
110
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

are you saying my boat is worth more than I think?
 
RotaryRacer

RotaryRacer

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1,361
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

2 boats....great solution in my opinion.

No one boat can do everything. Many have tried. None have really succeeded.

A cruiser for cruising, a ski/watersports boat for playing.

An older, used direct drive ski boat could be bought for pretty cheap for the boys to use.

Then YOU can buy a nice cruiser for Mom and Dad to use. Once the boys are out of school and on their own sell them or one of them the ski boat or just give it to them.

Say the total budget is $20k. Spend $5k on a ski boat and $15k on the cruiser.

It is fun to spend someone else's money:

Ski Boat:

1989 American Skier

Cruiser:

26 FT. TIARA SLEEPS 4
 
theBrownskull

theBrownskull

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 23, 2012
Messages
625
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

2 boats is a good idea. That is what I would do.
 
marekli

marekli

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
110
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

well, the wife pulled the plug on the "two boats" idea...so it's "sink more dough in the old baby" for now. Seems like, we'll ride this one out until the boys no longer use it and then step it up to a bigger boat

agallant80 said:
Ok, well coming from someone who actually owns one and is not speculating they are not bad boats.
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M

Maclin

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Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

Sorry I am weighing in so late, but glad to see you made it to a decision, and I think it is a good one. If your boat is all good except the engine then repowering is a very good plan. You would take a very big hit on it anyway when selling unless you got it fixed first. With a different boat you will have a whole new set of variables and would need to go thru all the items and behaviors that are ok on your "old" boat again with the new one. And who knows, the engine in the new boat may decide to cause problems. :encouragement:
 
marekli

marekli

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Messages
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Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

yes, besides the engine everything including the Alpha One outdrive is in very good condition. The previous owner had it garaged and we keep it under a canvas. I will do some buffing on the gel coat end of the week when it comes out of the shop and we plan to go to Catalina the weekend again. The downside with this boat is that it's not ideal for longer trips, where it would be nice to be able to have a shower/head/cooking facilities but the upside is less gas and easier towing up and down the coast and then the water sports works very nicely. I'll keep shopping for other boats though...

Maclin said:
Sorry I am weighing in so late, but glad to see you made it to a decision, and I think it is a good one. If your boat is all good except the engine then repowering is a very good plan. You would take a very big hit on it anyway when selling unless you got it fixed first. With a different boat you will have a whole new set of variables and would need to go thru all the items and behaviors that are ok on your "old" boat again with the new one. And who knows, the engine in the new boat may decide to cause problems. :encouragement:
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M

Maclin

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Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

I am always looking for my next boat :)
 
marekli

marekli

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Messages
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Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

yeah, it seems I look for boats all the time too...must be a bug....

Maclin said:
I am always looking for my next boat :)
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Scott Danforth

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

Here is what I would do in your situation.

pull the motor yourself. its an hour worth of work, including pulling the drive. you can rent an engine hoist if needed.

take the motor to a quality local machine shop. I guarantee that there is a good machine shop near by that will warranty their work.

Add vortec heads, a quality marine cam and a new set of risers and manifolds.

you are then in the 300hp range for about $3k. install the motor and align, or have it aligned for a few extra $.

While the motor is out, clean out the bilge, repair any bilge lines or vent hoses.

This would allow you to keep the boat your comfortable with, you have a local contact for the motor, and you have the satisfaction of helping turn a few wrenches. However this is all predicated on the thought that you have a moderate assortment of tools available at your disposal and are comfortable turning wrenches.
 
marekli

marekli

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
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Messages
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Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

I have all the tools and am mechanically inclined just not familiar with engine systems so I toyed around with this idea but discarded it in the end since I did not feel too confident about doing all this myself. Anyway, I just ordered a book so I can start working up my knowledge base over the next few years:

Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems: Nigel Calder: 9780071432382: Amazon.com: Books

If someone has a recommendation for another book please let me know.

I am a USPS member and they run an engine class so that's something I will do too so I don't run into this worst case scenario again.

Anyway, thanks for your input, it it will sure help me next time, even though I hope the need for it does not come up too soon.



Scott Danforth said:
Here is what I would do in your situation.

pull the motor yourself. its an hour worth of work, including pulling the drive. you can rent an engine hoist if needed.

take the motor to a quality local machine shop. I guarantee that there is a good machine shop near by that will warranty their work.

Add vortec heads, a quality marine cam and a new set of risers and manifolds.

you are then in the 300hp range for about $3k. install the motor and align, or have it aligned for a few extra $.

While the motor is out, clean out the bilge, repair any bilge lines or vent hoses.

This would allow you to keep the boat your comfortable with, you have a local contact for the motor, and you have the satisfaction of helping turn a few wrenches. However this is all predicated on the thought that you have a moderate assortment of tools available at your disposal and are comfortable turning wrenches.
Click to expand...
 
Scott Danforth

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Messages
50,307
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

I taught my sister the basics of auto mechanics, and it started with "righty tighty, lefty loosy" and do not be afraid to get dirty or ask questions.

you do not need a book - all the instructions are in this site. go to the top of the forum in the stickies, in the adult section, and read the instructions on pulling the manual.

then search for the instructions on pulling the engine (many threads on it) There are even threads on installing the engine, replacing the gimble bearing, and alignment.

When you get stuck, ask a question, most of us will be along shortly.
 
marekli

marekli

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Jun 11, 2012
Messages
110
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

thanks for the info...one other question, what engines would work with the Alpha One (Gen II) outdrive?
 
A

agallant80

Commander
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Oct 25, 2010
Messages
2,328
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

marekli said:
thanks for the info...one other question, what engines would work with the Alpha One (Gen II) outdrive?
Click to expand...

Anything Mercruiser up to 300HP. 4.3 5.0 5.7
 
marekli

marekli

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
110
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

ok, sounds like the 357 MAG, 5.7, 275HP is about close to the maximum power I can get...
agallant80 said:
Anything Mercruiser up to 300HP. 4.3 5.0 5.7
Click to expand...
 
A

agallant80

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Oct 25, 2010
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2,328
Re: Salvage or Upgrade 23foot Maxum to 24-26 foot family cruiser/water sport boat

Unless you plan on keeping the boat for a real long time I would just replace it with whatever is in it now. I saw you had a 5.7 quoted. Is that what is currently in it?

You can get the 5.7 block for about $2,799 + about $1,000 for manifolds and risers
5.7L (350ci) Base Marine Engine (1987-1995 Replacement)
 
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