Rob the weekend warrior
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- May 24, 2012
- Messages
- 32
okay, I had boats growing up, and I am pretty handy with a set of wrenches so when I decided to get back into boating, I figured that my starter boat could be a fixer-upper, and that was okay. 2 1/2 years ago I bought a 1983 Galaxy 205 for 600 bucks from boat angel on EBAY. Turned out that the boat was the widows after the husband passed and he, knowing that he was not handy had it winterized/summerized every year, changed EVERYTHING at the recommended intervals and there was all the documentation that came with it. (the couple had gone salmon fishing every weekend up to the year that he died, and they would be out on lake Michigan all night, in the dark-the boat not only came with everything that is required by the law, it also came with everything you need to be on a big pond-a post in and of itself. A boat that is well maintained, although being an old, brown well used boat with thousands of hours of use that is mechanically maintained meticulously is still a usable piece. My family named it "the polished turd" and we got a LOT of good, trouble-free use out of it. It came with a full tank of gas and started the day I bought it.
SO, armed with ignorance based upon the prior good experience, I sold the turd for 1200 and bought a 1989 bayliner capri 2150-WHAT A BOAT!!! So, i have learned a few lessons:
#1 if a boat has a scum ring on the INSIDE of the hull, that is BAD-it means that it was either sunk or that they didnt pull the plug out and it sat for an entire season filling with putrid water-after I called the prior owner on it, he confessed, letting me know that I did buy it as-is.
#2 if after getting the boat running , you notice that you are taking on more water than you should, and the boat you bought was owned by a non-maintainer, check to see that you still have the sides of the engine on it.
#3 see #2 if your boat was not winterized, the sides of the engine will crack and leak water-JB weld WILL hold the water in, for at least 8 outings of 4+ hours each and counting.
#4 when the boat fills with water and submerges the engine, and IF you are able to overcome the mechanical part of the issue, electrical issues are going to follow.
I have changed the starter, alternator, ignition (coil, distributor, wires, plugs, everything), lower shift cable (OMC) and am now trying to get the ESA to work.
#6 if you buy a boat and it has a scum line around the inside that has submerged the motor, it will somehow fill the gas tank with water completely and you will PLAY HELL getting it out.
Bottom line, even if you are handy, although good deals are out there you need to bring someone to inspect the boat with you that knows what it is to own a boat or you will learn what it is to buy a boat one piece at a time.
I sold the galaxy with all the things that a smart person will have b/c I did not know that you really need all that extra crap until you have a boat that makes you NEED it.
SO, armed with ignorance based upon the prior good experience, I sold the turd for 1200 and bought a 1989 bayliner capri 2150-WHAT A BOAT!!! So, i have learned a few lessons:
#1 if a boat has a scum ring on the INSIDE of the hull, that is BAD-it means that it was either sunk or that they didnt pull the plug out and it sat for an entire season filling with putrid water-after I called the prior owner on it, he confessed, letting me know that I did buy it as-is.
#2 if after getting the boat running , you notice that you are taking on more water than you should, and the boat you bought was owned by a non-maintainer, check to see that you still have the sides of the engine on it.
#3 see #2 if your boat was not winterized, the sides of the engine will crack and leak water-JB weld WILL hold the water in, for at least 8 outings of 4+ hours each and counting.
#4 when the boat fills with water and submerges the engine, and IF you are able to overcome the mechanical part of the issue, electrical issues are going to follow.
I have changed the starter, alternator, ignition (coil, distributor, wires, plugs, everything), lower shift cable (OMC) and am now trying to get the ESA to work.
#6 if you buy a boat and it has a scum line around the inside that has submerged the motor, it will somehow fill the gas tank with water completely and you will PLAY HELL getting it out.
Bottom line, even if you are handy, although good deals are out there you need to bring someone to inspect the boat with you that knows what it is to own a boat or you will learn what it is to buy a boat one piece at a time.
I sold the galaxy with all the things that a smart person will have b/c I did not know that you really need all that extra crap until you have a boat that makes you NEED it.
