New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outboard

[JCStorey]

New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outboard

Hello all, I'm new to the forum AND to boat ownership, and I had some questions for wiser souls, with pics included below.
We picked up this boat used on Craigslist for some sunny weekends here in FL with my wife and two(soon to be three) young boys. I took it to a local marine place right after we got the boat for a tune-up. $1000 later(is $90 an hour going rate for marine mechanic work?) we got it back and have used it about 10 times. There are some questions I have that I don't want to pay the boat guys to answer, since they seem pretty straightforward, and I figure I should learn as much about the boat as I can.

There is a gash in the bottom of the boat- may have happened when we took the boat out the other day and took off with the anchor in the water. The photo is below. Any tips on the best way to repair this? Do-able by myself? Necessary?



The trim is manual- set it and forget it. But the bar that the motor set on to set the trim has this doo-hickey on it- I think designed to easily hook up to the motor. However, as you can see, there is a long piece of firm wire with a nut at each end just hanging loosely. Anyone with a similar engine know how this is supposed to look?


Also down near the engine mount is this tube- blind ended, but looks like it attaches somewhere- I'm scoured the region without figuring it out. Tips?



The prop attachment looks like this:

Any issues with this? Normal wear and tear, or should I think about getting a replacement part?

That's a start. I just want this boat to run well and last us for a while. I welcome any suggestions for the issues above. Oh, and I run the boat is saltwater, and store it on a trailer in my driveway. Any general upkeep recommendations are welcome as well.

 

[NYBo]

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

Welcome to iboats!

That's some pretty serious damage to the gelcoat, and it needs to be repaired to prevent water from soaking through the fiberglass underneath. You will need to make sure the fiberglass itself isn't cracked.

That piece of wire appears to be a jury-rigged handle for the reverse lock release mechanism. This mechanism allows you to tilt the motor for trailering but prevents it from popping up when you move in reverse.

That tube is supposed to connect to your speedometer.

The carrier assembly ("propeller attachment") is in rough shape. It may or may not be damaged enough to have ruined the prop shaft seal, which would allow water to enter the lower unit. That would be bad.

 

[JCStorey]

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

NYBo:
Thanks for the response! I have a few follow-up questions, if you have a chance:
1. Besides visual inspection, is there a way to verify that the fiberglass is not cracked? It looks ok to me.
2. If I can verify that the patch is just gelcoat damage, can I repair that myself without a lift? I've got a young back...
3. How can I tell if I need to replace the carrier assembly? The marine mechanics just took the lower unit apart and replaced the seals- I'm surprised they didn't mention the assembly.

Thanks!
Josh

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

The prop part (carrier) is a bearing cage and it needs to be replaced! The crack is bleeding exhaust gas over the prop and causing less efficiency--maybe not a lot, but some. I'm surprised that the mechanic did not mention it! It will not be a cheap part. be prepared to tap your 401K.

The bottom does not look cracked but probe it with an awl or sharp screwdriver to make sure it is sound. That area is the thickest part of the hull. If it is sound, buy a small can of gel coat. MIX ONLY ENOUGH, in a separate container (not foam) to cover the repair. It is catalysed and if you return any to the can the whole thing will solidify. Paint a heavy coat over the raw fiberglass and COVER with saran. Gel coat will not harden with exposure to air. You may need to sand and put on several coats to cover the roughness and get the correct thickness--gel coat usually is about 10 times as thick as paint.

The "wire" hanging down is part of the reverse lock and is stock. It has bent at the threaded end. It usually goes straight up to a bar with a plastic lever on the front of the engine. It attaches to another plastic lever inside the yoke. These break frequently. Anyway, turning the lever on the front will either raise or lower the bent plate . The bent plate is spring loaded and with the wire disconnected it has dropped all the way down into a useless position. You can manually lift the plate as you lower the engine then let it drop over the tilt bar. This will lock the engine down for reverse operation.

 

[79Merc80]

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

Re: New owner with LOTS of ?'s->1994 Bayliner Capri 16' with 70hp Mercury Force Outbo

I understand that you are new to boating and may not know this, but your engine has more in common with the old Chrysler than it does with Mercury. The engine portion should be posted in the Force/Chrysler section.