rookie2

please help when purchasing used boat 1988 to 1994 how and importannt are hours how do you consider hours as to value and longivity and what is average pleasure hour per year to age ? and how do you shop outdrives i here good and bad about trs and bravos who or what do you consider the weight of your purchase on the outdrives thank you

SeaRay Jim

I would say hours don't mean squat, almost. Service and care mean everything. A well maintained boat may have 1000 hours on it and be more reliable than one with 100 hours that wasn't taken care of for that long.

HeavyChevSS

On Saltwater boats I think extra low hours on a boat of that age is probably worse than average to above average. If that engine isn't run frequently it is just rusting/rotting from the inside out. One example I know of is the local sheriffs dept has a 30 scarab with twin BB Mercs that runs everyday of the week. They get 7500-10,000 hours on a set of motors and repower it every other year. I've had the same motors in a boat that was rarely used and got 175 hours out of them before needing rebuild. So I would say condition, maintenance and how it was used is more important than hours on that age boat. Just my two cents.
Rick

articfriends

iTrader: (1)

There are a lot of earl 90's,late 80's that are advertised as repowered in 2001-2002. I'd keep my eye out for one of them or one thats been professionally rebuilt,Smitty

Dave M

I would check everything carefully on a boat of that vintage that has the original power in it.

Audiofn

As has been said the care of the boat is more important then the age, hours, fresh salt.

Fresh water boats are always more desirable then a salt water one as the fresh water is not corrosive. However there are salt water boats that have been used and not flushed and there are ones like mine that get flushed for 15 min on eash motor after I put my boat in salt.

If both boats were mint then I would go with the one that you like the best. You are as I understand it saving a good amount for the boat with TRS drives so you could always put that money aside in case you ever nuke one and swap over to the Konrad set up.

Jon

SKRAMER

Hour meters are hard to trust. It is easy to disconnect and re connect an hour meter. As far as engines go They can be brand new and will be nothing but problems., or can have 800hrs and strong as an ox. I think bravo's over trs. trs are great drives but are not in the same class as bravos. Learn as much as you can about the structual componants of a boat. Then when you have it surveyed you know what he is talking about, and what he is looking for. Good luck. just my .02

HyperBaja

Look at the overall shape the boat is in. How worn is the carpet? The stitching on the driver seat toward center (the part you slide across every time getting into seat), the throttle, does it look well worn?

mcollinstn

Hour meters are cheap.
I can make my 380 hour boat into a 0 hour boat (oranywhere inbetween) for $35 and five minutes.

Of course hours matter. More so on some motors than others. Two stroke outboards in the 30 to 80 hp range, I believe, will last for 72 million hours. A 330hp Merc 454 will go probably 1500 hours in a houseboat. In a sportboat, where it is more likely to be run HARD for long periods of time, half of that is more likely.

I've personally trashed a 260hp Merc 350 in less than 200 hours. Ridges in cylinders, piston slap, piston pin ticking...

Don't be under the impression that a high hour boat that appears beautiful is mechanically intact. A leakdown on the motor is necessary. An oilchange to a KNOWN oil viscosity followed by a sea trial at WOT with the valve cover breathers disconnected to watch blowby is necessary (some guys are not beyond using "cheater" oil for a demo run). Check the drive for signs of high hour wear (this is a bigger deal than the motor sometimes). Gimbal, Ujoints, etc. Dump a sample of drive oil into a bowl and look for sparkles...

Boat parts go to h#ll three ways:
1) Wear from usage (accelerated by improper care - suntan lotion on vinyl, Frito crumbs ground into the carpet - extended WOT operation - improper maintenance schedule)
2) Deterioration from internal exposure (corrosion, accelerated VIOLENTLY by salt, but still present in milder form in fresh)
3) Deterioration from external exposure (sun damage, edges of boat worn from trailering with flapping cover - mildew, wood rot)

rookie2

thank you all very much this is vey helpful