Need advise on I/O purchase

[outlawfox13]

Ok, well the wife and I are looking to upgrade our lil crabbing boat(12' runabout with open floor plan and tiller steer) to a Cuddy Cabin. I have found a nice looking 1989 Citation Caprice 195 CC with a 2007 Mercruiser 3.0l. He is saying the floor and interior need replaced/cleaned, so I know I will have to pull the floor and replace it, but he is only asking $700 for it, and that is not too shabby. He said that the boat idles at 2000 rpms because the carbs need cleaned. Is this right ?? Or does the module on the TKS carbs need replaced? Well here is some info on it:

1989 citation caprice, needs new floor and interior work, the two captains chairs and jump seats are in great condition, the side panels, aft deck lid, and engine box were built with epoxy and edges were fiberglassed with epoxy, the engine box has a small spot that is rotting, other then that the interior panels need sanding and painting or covered, i replaced the engine with a complete 135 hp mercruiser, 4 cylinder 3.0l in 2007, ( not rebuilt ) the transom assembly is 1989 and the drive is 1989, the boat comes with a 1983 highlander galvanized trailer, i have put a lot of time and money into boat and trailer, i'm looking for best offer or willing to trade for a wood chipper or a nice newer laptop, the engine alone was $3000.00, i just want tho get rid of boat cause i have purchased another boat. this boat is a one owner boat that i purchsaed in 1991 as a leftover.
1989 citation caprice 195 cuddy cabin.
new seats in 2003
new stereo-2003
side panels, aft deck lid, engine box built-2002
2007 engine in-2007
outdrive 1989
new impeller-2009
new upper bearing and housing cap-2009
new seals and pressure tested-2009
new drive bellow, exhaust, shift bellow-20011
new gimble bearing and grease-2011
new shift cable from shifter to engine-2009
new u-joints-2011
new upper drive seal-2011
new newer stye shift shaft seal and bushing-2011
new plugs, distributer cap and rotor-2010
new porta pottie 2004 ( never been used )
trailer,
1983 highlander galvaized bunk single axel
new tires and galvanized rims with very low miles-2003
new new bearings, races, grease, bearing buddy's and caps, and one new tail light, and new rollers-2010
this boat and trailer needs work and will be sold in as is condition
i was stiil using the boat until i purchased i another boat, the boat is in the water and can go on a seatrial if interested?
repeat, boat and trailer sold as is, needs work.
cash talks.
i have clear titles for both boat and trailer

Is it worth the price and aside from checking for rot is there anything else I should look for?

Thanks in advance Mike

 

[ricovw]

Re: Need advise on I/O purchase

Offer him 500. I bet the motor (listen to it before), and trailer are worth that or a bit more. As far as the boat, i wouldnt waste my time. A lot of work, when a couple more thousand(which is what you'll have into it at least when you are done) will get you a decent boat you can use now.
Just my 2 cents

 

[Bondo]

Re: Need advise on I/O purchase

He said that the boat idles at 2000 rpms because the carbs need cleaned. Is this right ?? Or does the module on the TKS carbs need replaced?

Ayuh,... I'd sooner think the carb needs to be rebuilt, or replaced....

as for the rest of it,...
Most of his rebuildin' was 10 years ago...
It could be all rotten by now...
And,...
Most of the work done to the motor/ drive is just routine Maintenance...
Some of which is 'bout due to be done again...

 

[outlawfox13]

Re: Need advise on I/O purchase

I appriciate the help, I am new to I/O's, and they seem to be a ton of maintenance. I may have to sleep on this to see whether or not she is worth it. Cause right now my lil 1964 glasspar does fine(just a lil slow with a 25 tiller) Maybe I should just save up for a larger motor or keep wathcing C-list.

 

[stackz]

Re: Need advise on I/O purchase

are you just going to be using this boat for crabbing and thats it? dont care about how it looks too much?

if so, I'd grab it and rip up the floor. pull out all the old soaked up foam from it and check all the stringers. if you have rotted ones just sister on some treated wood. toss in some of the panel type house foam or pool noodles that wont soak up and hold water and then slap down a treated wood floor and toss some cheap indoor/outdoor carpet on top and put the seats back.

fix the motor and get back to crabbing on the cheap. I mean it is what it is, a crabbing boat, not a party at the regatta boat or anything. you just need it functional without falling through the floor.

even if you have to pull up the floor every other year its maybe $10/sheet of treated wood.

you wouldnt believe how some of the commercial crabbers maintain their boats in my area when I'm inspecting them to make sure they arent hauling in females with eggsacks or undersizers.

hell, one guy has a glass boat that the original stringers rotted away in. He just got some 16 gauge aluminum and bent it at the angles he needed and riveted it to the floor around the stringers, slopped a thick coat of epoxy on the outside to cover the rivets, and tossed a metal grate floor system on top so he's not standing in water all day. looks like crap but it floats and is easy and cheap for him to replace lol.

 

[outlawfox13]

Re: Need advise on I/O purchase

it would be for crabbing an fishing I would not put carpet down because crabs can make a mess as well as with fishing. I would probobly us an epoxy paint to seal the top of the wood. I do like the idea on having an enclosed area my wife can go to get out of the weather/elements. Here is a link to it http://baltimore.craigslist.org/boa/2736000403.html

 

[aerobat]

Re: Need advise on I/O purchase

He said that the boat idles at 2000 rpms because the carbs need cleaned. Is this right ?? Or does the module on the TKS carbs need replaced?

well, when the engine idles really at 2000 and he is switching this way the gear in expect not the carbs but the drive needs to be replaced...

beyond that - when the family budget is limited and you are able to make a lot of things by yourself it might be for that price worth a try. like said- try to offer 500 .

but i must say i do not know the us boat market and so do not know what offers you can expect for this price in winter time.

happy boating !

 

[outlawfox13]

Re: Need advise on I/O purchase

About the rpms' he actually wont drive it because of that, so he wont mess up the gears. I am still sorta interested in it, but i am looking at other vessels, since i would prefer an outboard vs an i/o. Again i appriciate all the help and tips.