new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

[Roger Wilco]

just bought it last week, trying to find out any information I can get.

This one has twin merc 5.7 with v drives.

does anybody know any specs for this boat?

 

[Roger Wilco]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

pics!

 

[Roger Wilco]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

It would also be nice to know what kind of v-drives this boat has (I havent crawled around the engine bay yet) and if the engines are both regular or regular and counter rotation engine.

holding/water/gas tank size would also be nice to know. anybody?

 

[25thmustang]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

I can't help with specifics, but I believe you should have a standard and a counter rotating motor. That is how my old Vdrive equipped 1987 boat was set up.

My guess would be Borg Warner Velvet Drives, but you should be able to find a plate on them to give you exacts.

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

Are you from mid- Michigan Roger ? Seems like I remember seeing that one listed out by owosso. Twin 260 mercs ?

 

[Roger Wilco]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

Are you from mid- Michigan Roger ? Seems like I remember seeing that one listed out by owosso. Twin 260 mercs ?

no, Im located in Florida, clearwater area. This boat does have twin 260 mercs though, it seems that all the 300 Cortez Grandes that I have found have twin 260 mercs, the differences being slight changes in the interior/exterior.

 

[Ray Fliger]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

no, Im located in Florida, clearwater area. This boat does have twin 260 mercs though, it seems that all the 300 Cortez Grandes that I have found have twin 260 mercs, the differences being slight changes in the interior/exterior.

My 1985 300 grande has 2 350 chev 260 hp engines....The water tank and heater are behind a cabinet in the rear berth...One engine is ccw, and the other is cw...You can find specs on line about the engines...I installed an electric head (Which is GREAT)...Just watch to make sure the waste tank doesn't overflow...Quite a mess....The center floor has a hatch by the rear berth that comes off...Check for water under it if the carpet is wet...Suck out with vacuum...Check your auto bilge pumps, and make SURE they all work....This is a great boat....Should cruise around 25-27mph @ 3100 RMP....We have had 14 people on this boat and still made plane...(Took a while)...Check out Veada for new seats etc...Bulbs for c-lights are available...The teak comes clean and looks great if cleaned and sealed...Watch out walking down the carpeted stairs....I slipped and fell with sandals on....Your engines should have a label on them saying CID, rot, timing hp, and CCW or CW...Canvas sealer is avail at Bass pro...Works good...I use the high grade gas...It will take mid grade...use the best and don't worry...About 1 1/2 MPG at cruise...Not too bad...Best of luck...Lester....

 

[Roger Wilco]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

My 1985 300 grande has 2 350 chev 260 hp engines....The water tank and heater are behind a cabinet in the rear berth...One engine is ccw, and the other is cw...You can find specs on line about the engines...I installed an electric head (Which is GREAT)...Just watch to make sure the waste tank doesn't overflow...Quite a mess....The center floor has a hatch by the rear berth that comes off...Check for water under it if the carpet is wet...Suck out with vacuum...Check your auto bilge pumps, and make SURE they all work....This is a great boat....Should cruise around 25-27mph @ 3100 RMP....We have had 14 people on this boat and still made plane...(Took a while)...Check out Veada for new seats etc...Bulbs for c-lights are available...The teak comes clean and looks great if cleaned and sealed...Watch out walking down the carpeted stairs....I slipped and fell with sandals on....Your engines should have a label on them saying CID, rot, timing hp, and CCW or CW...Canvas sealer is avail at Bass pro...Works good...I use the high grade gas...It will take mid grade...use the best and don't worry...About 1 1/2 MPG at cruise...Not too bad...Best of luck...Lester....

Lester! Thank you,

The water tank and heater are behind one of those fancy cabinets? Do the cabinets come out so these things can be inspected? I still have a manual head, it?s got an easy to pump handle and it?s in good shape so I?m not going to change it just yet but I do love the electric heads. Where is the waste tank? Is that the tank that is in the middle of the rear berth? What size are the gas tanks? And what model are the transmissions? Since yours is the same year as mine, could you take some pictures and post them for me? My boat is missing the electrical switch panel, I would like to know what exactly was there, and my bathroom door came with my boat, but it looks like its missing the trim around where it shuts, could you also take pictures of that as well? Oh yea, where are the battery chargers, I couldn?t see to find them anywhere.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

anybody else know anything about this boat?

the rudders are bent slighly, about a 20-30 degree bend at the worst. can rudders be straightened out?

 

[salty87]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

don't know anything about your boat 'cept looks great.

the rudders can be straightened, probably. check the struts n shafts while you're at it.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

Thank you Salty!

here are more pics

 

[rayfliger]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

Wow, you sure have your work cut out for you....My boat kinda looked like that too when I first got it.....Seems like the original stuff didn't last....The good news is that if the engines run and the transmissions are good, then you can invest money into the boat and end up with something worth keeping....Boats that are low time and in good shape for that year bring at least 12k...Rudders and shafts can be straightened, and will be costly because of the expertise involved....Your local boat shop or online searches can help....New seats and sides can be purchased.....The electrical panel can be fabricated and new switches and main breakers installed...New side glass and opening plastic are online, and Trim for the door made from oak or pine, and stained to look like teak....My advice is to make a punch list, prioritize it, and then proceed to begin repairs....Start with the most costly first, and that would be the engines and transmissions....DO NOT RUN THE BOAT DRY...Check the boat decks for water logging and rot...Best of luck...Seeya on the water....

 

[Roger Wilco]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

Thank you Ray, I paid $500 for the boat in its current condition, vdrives are in unknown condition and the engines were full of rain water from the carbs taken off and the engines not re-sealed correctly. I already have 2 replacement mercruiser 350s, one with a fresh rebuild done by myself and only 10 hours on it, the other bought used with about 30 hours on it.

engines and vddrives are first on the list, then rudders/steering, electrical and once everything is ready to go and the boat is ready for the water, a trailer will be last on the list. I don't have the money to do all this all at once so this will be a 2 year project. I am also beefing up my tow vehicle to handle this load so once everything is said and done I will have a running boat a good trailer and truck to tow it down to the water about 5 miles or so.

 

[rayfliger]

Re: new Century owner - 1985 Century 300 Cortez Grande

Thank you Ray, I paid $500 for the boat in its current condition, vdrives are in unknown condition and the engines were full of rain water from the carbs taken off and the engines not re-sealed correctly. I already have 2 replacement mercruiser 350s, one with a fresh rebuild done by myself and only 10 hours on it, the other bought used with about 30 hours on it.

engines and vddrives are first on the list, then rudders/steering, electrical and once everything is ready to go and the boat is ready for the water, a trailer will be last on the list. I don't have the money to do all this all at once so this will be a 2 year project. I am also beefing up my tow vehicle to handle this load so once everything is said and done I will have a running boat a good trailer and truck to tow it down to the water about 5 miles or so.

I fabricated a water inlet pot from a pan that is about 12" in diameter and has a lip on the pan about 3/4"....I put a rubber gasket on the lip....I went to Menards and bought a female hose bib that I could put into the bottom of the pan by drilling a hole in it....This is used to supply water to the engine and run it our of the water....By drilling a hole in a 2x4 for the end of the female hose to stick thru and supporting the 2x4 on one side with a concrete block and the other by a small floor jack, I was able to seal off the pan to the bottom of the boat and force water into the engine....This will allow you to run the engine without putting the boat in the water....It worked for me, and I was able to get the engines working until I could tweek them in the boat....Just a tip....Seeya....