Got a New Boat '87 Reinell 185f, What Next?

[Imadodgeguy]

I just bought a boat that I'm probably sorry I got, but anyway, this has a 5.7 OMC Cobra. The interior needs alot of work and there's a suspicious dent in the hull, but that's another subject. I'm actually a boating noob. My first priority is to see if it runs. PO said it ran great last time it was run and it was winterized. Hasn't been run in 10 years. I think I can handle the motor stuff like changing the oil, getting the gas tank cleaned out, but I don't know much about the out drive. I'm able to do the mechanical work no problem.

1. How do I un-winterize this?

2. How do I get a manual on this thing?

3. Do I need marine grade oil and filter?

4. What should I be doing with the out drive?

Thank you very much.

 

[TunaFish389]

1. You have to undecade it, not unwinterize it. First getting the gas out and new gas. Then oil change/filter, get some lube in the cylinders, pull plugs add some lube. Get a battery and crank over without coil plug wire connected to disruptor (no spark or leave plugs out). This is to get oil in places.

2. Internet/not sure

3. No

4. It has gear oil that wouldnt hurt to change. Check your hoses from drive to transom (back of boat) for cracks splits.

Get her running with some muffs and go from there.

 

[kpg7121]

It hasent been run in 10 years? You'll need to pul the plugs & squirt some oil into the cylinders before you even think about trying to start it off a battery. See if you can turn it by hand to free everything up. May take a couple days. Change oil & filter. Change gear oil, & spark plugs, water pump impeller. You do know that many parts for that Cobra are NLA?

You may be able to download a manuel for that setup here on iboats. If not, check ebay. Goid luck.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you bought a 33 year old boat with an obsolete motor/drive with a compromised hull. (fiberglass does not dent)

The brand name is still alive, however Reinell has been bought and sold a few times in the past 33 years.

first, prior to even thinking of spending much money on it, go thru this list from the sticky at the top of the forum https://forums.iboats.com/forum/gen...eeding-help-buying-a-boat-a-buyer-s-checklist

Most likely you will find rotten stringers and transom. that will be about $2000-$3000 to repair

regarding the interior - by lot of work, describe what you are talking about? a well maintained boat would still be in fairly good condition. however if the boat was left outside, the interior would have long rotted. an estimate on the interior is about $1500-$3000 depending on your skill set

regarding your questions
1 - if it was properly winterized, with all the drains pulled. you have nothing to "do". however because it sat for a decade, you have the following list of maintenance:

• pull the drive and inspect the alignment and gimbal bearing. you will need an alignment tool
• replace the raw water pump
• inspect the u-joints
• replace all the bellows
• R&R the gear lube.
• replace the water supply hose to the transom shield
• inspect the exhaust rubber parts
• pressure test the motor to make sure it was winterized properly. good boats dont sit for a decade. most likely something catastrophic happened and that is why it sat.
• squirt some oil down the bores, and do a compression test.
• replace the plug wires, plugs, cap and rotor
• pull the carb and go thru it, install a new carb kit
• change the fuel filters
• clean the tank and lines
• inspect the anti-siphon valve
• change all the hoses
• change the thermostat
• change engine oil and filter
• re-prime the engine oil system

2 - factory manuals for OMC can be obtained from https://www.outboardbooks.com/ there is no manuals for your boat.

3 - a good quality filter such as Wixx or Napa (rebranded Wixx) and a good quality oil with zinc in it for your flat tappet motor. suggest Rotella T4 15W40

4 - full maintenance

 

[TunaFish389]

First get a running engine.. Then we can talk about the drive.. Without the engine drive is a boat anchor. Not saying its worthless but in a boat it is if you don't have the power..

You might have to replace the shift cable also .. Easy way to tell is put in forward (not forward neutral) see if prop grabs. Put in neutral and see if prop is free. Put in reverse and see if prop is locked. This should happen on no engine running.
You can do this out of water.. The fine adjustment in my opionion is in water.

 

[Imadodgeguy]

Thanks for the wet blanket Scott. Grumpy old guy is...is you man! Really, I appreciate ALL the responses. SAGE wisdom is not my strong suit, and I noticed that "dent" in the hull after I bought it. It reeks of broken stringer. I plan on taking the floor up and investigating that first thing. Then get the motor running if possible. I paid 300 for it. I'll keep you posted. Yes it's old and so am I.

 

[kpg7121]

Thanks for the wet blanket Scott. Grumpy old guy is...is you man! Really, I appreciate ALL the responses. SAGE wisdom is not my strong suit, and I noticed that "dent" in the hull after I bought it. It reeks of broken stringer. I plan on taking the floor up and investigating that first thing. Then get the motor running if possible. I paid 300 for it. I'll keep you posted. Yes it's old and so am I.

What's with the curled bunkboard? Or am I sering things?

 

[Tnstratofam]

you bought a 33 year old boat with an obsolete motor/drive with a compromised hull. (fiberglass does not dent)

The brand name is still alive, however Reinell has been bought and sold a few times in the past 33 years.

first, prior to even thinking of spending much money on it, go thru this list from the sticky at the top of the forum https://forums.iboats.com/forum/gen...eeding-help-buying-a-boat-a-buyer-s-checklist

Most likely you will find rotten stringers and transom. that will be about $2000-$3000 to repair

regarding the interior - by lot of work, describe what you are talking about? a well maintained boat would still be in fairly good condition. however if the boat was left outside, the interior would have long rotted. an estimate on the interior is about $1500-$3000 depending on your skill set

regarding your questions
1 - if it was properly winterized, with all the drains pulled. you have nothing to "do". however because it sat for a decade, you have the following list of maintenance:

• pull the drive and inspect the alignment and gimbal bearing. you will need an alignment tool
• replace the raw water pump
• inspect the u-joints
• replace all the bellows
• R&R the gear lube.
• replace the water supply hose to the transom shield
• inspect the exhaust rubber parts
• pressure test the motor to make sure it was winterized properly. good boats dont sit for a decade. most likely something catastrophic happened and that is why it sat.
• squirt some oil down the bores, and do a compression test.
• replace the plug wires, plugs, cap and rotor
• pull the carb and go thru it, install a new carb kit
• change the fuel filters
• clean the tank and lines
• inspect the anti-siphon valve
• change all the hoses
• change the thermostat
• change engine oil and filter
• re-prime the engine oil system

2 - factory manuals for OMC can be obtained from https://www.outboardbooks.com/ there is no manuals for your boat.

3 - a good quality filter such as Wixx or Napa (rebranded Wixx) and a good quality oil with zinc in it for your flat tappet motor. suggest Rotella T4 15W40

4 - full maintenance

This is the most complete answer to your question.

Scott's not grumpy he is wise.

Well maybe he is a little grumpy, but most of us old folks are.:lol:

 

[southkogs]

... and I noticed that "dent" in the hull after I bought it. It reeks of broken stringer. I plan on taking the floor up and investigating that first thing. Then get the motor running if possible. I paid 300 for it. I'll keep you posted. Yes it's old and so am I.

What's with the curled bunkboard? Or am I seeing things?

Nope. That's a big ole' hull deform. That's more than a whacked out stringer. Dunno' what you're into there, but that hull is in trouble. I'll toss an additional wet blanket next to Scott's and recommend not boating on that hull until you've fix that issue.

That deform has weakened the fiberglass (regardless of the stringers), and will cause a pretty significant effect on the way the hull goes through the water. On plane it could be very dangerous. What it will take to fix it is likely as much as it would cost to buy a lake ready boat used.

Sorry Imadodgeguy, you've got a real stinker there.

 

[briangcc]

To me, and I might be seeing things, it appears that the outer bunk has been removed for whatever reason on the trailer. By doing so all the weight was transferred to the inner bunk and the hull is in the process of collapsing on that point of contact.

Might look at getting some additional support under that boat ASAP.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thanks for the wet blanket Scott. Grumpy old guy is...is you man! Really, I appreciate ALL the responses. SAGE wisdom is not my strong suit, and I noticed that "dent" in the hull after I bought it. It reeks of broken stringer. I plan on taking the floor up and investigating that first thing. Then get the motor running if possible. I paid 300 for it. I'll keep you posted. Yes it's old and so am I.

if you want sugar coated answers, go on facebook

if you want honest advice from people that care more about safe boating than most people do and have all been there, you come to this forum.

your boat as you have it is not safe. it will kill you, or worse, those that you bring on board with you. I have seen too many boats instantaneously sink from a hull breach. wet foam and rotten stringers/transom is nothing to scoff at.

any boat over 15 years old is a project. any boat under $10k this time of year is a project.

here is some light reading https://forums.iboats.com/forum/boa...52-perspective-of-fiberglass-boat-design-life

 

[Imadodgeguy]

Well, I got the engine running after 10 years sitting. Incredibly, I stuck the fuel line in good gas, hooked up a battery, and it fired up! Runs real good for now. But the bad news, yes more bad news, the block is cracked. Right now, after chewing on all the advice, it seems the boat is pretty much worthless, there is nothing of value here except maybe the outdrive if anybody wants an OMC. The design life writing was good stuff. But what really got me was the fact that my compromised hull could harm myself and worse others. Thanks all.

 

[matt167]

someone will want a spare OMC, and the manifolds, carb, starter, alternator are likely worth saving

 

[roffey]

Ive never seen a hull with that kind of damage, does anyone have an idea how that would happen?

It looks to me like the boat was sitting on the trailer wrong or someone removed the bunk possibly and still put the boat back on the trailer..and left it there... for ten years?

 

[southkogs]

If you want to mess with parting out the drive (or selling the whole thing) and the trailer (properly disposing of the rest of the boat), you can likely make your money plus some back.

But I believe you're probably making the right call on this one.