This is 14' or 16'

- 1981 - make unknown

 1981 - 70 hp evinrude

 36 or 40 lb thrust johnson TM

 

- Eagle Super ID fish finder, seller didn't know off hand what model and I can't tell from the pictures

 Live well and bilge pump

 Two new batteries

Seller claims:

Both engines run well

All electronics work

No leaks

Someone removed the prop, I don't know if it was stolen or moved to another engine, but he claims it wasn't due to damage.

Last used last year.

He is asking $ 2000 for everything

This would be my first "real" boat.  Thank you for the input.

That looks like a lot of boat and motor for the price!

Looks like a 16 footer and with that 70hp on it, it should run good around 35-40mph

yes it looks a bit ruff, but its 25 years old, and its metal boat. it will last. just make sure the motor runs, and comp is good

needs a carpet up date, but you can do that in the off season.

I would offer $1500, since it needs a prop. if you go alum your talking $150 for the pro + for washers and prop nut, SS prop will run you $300-$400. $2000 still seems good, see it he will throw a prop in with it for $2000

if the motor runs good i would say buy it

I am with hpbb I would offer him 1500 see what he says. But it looks to be a good boat if its sight unseen I would ask to see it run in a water drum or something now days theres are alot of crewl people that dont care who they put the screws to. Dont mean to be negetive but thats the way it is now days.

Thanks for the good advice everyone.  

I didn't know what would be a good offer without being rude.  If everything runs like he says, this is the one for me.

HPBB: what is comp?  

I will have to start reading up on my aluminum and SS props.

I spoke with the seller on the phone today and he wasn't overly friendly or mean and he seemed pretty straight forward.  I'm going to bring a friend who has a lot more boating experience with me to check it out.

Thanks again and I'll say if I buy or not.

Oh, and does anyone know how reliable/unreliable the older evinrudes are?

You should be able to find out the mfg by looking at the title. Then look up the boat/motor/trailer in nadaguides and you can see if the price is good.

It seems high to me for a rig that old. I think a $1500 offer would be quite high.

By comp he is referring to the motor's individual cylinders compression.

I agree with jig man,look at the front deck are those batteries just sitting there in no tray and why are they up front,to distribute weight from a stern heavy 70 horse engine on it?With out a prop a lake run is out so you don't know if it leaks,etc.I think 1500 would be more than enough for that boat.

I'm w/ Thomas and jig man on this one.  Good luck!

I didn't know what would be a good offer without being rude.

There is NOTHING rude about making a low offer. This is strictly business. Now if you make a low offer and tell him his wife is ugly, that would be rude.

;D

take it for a test run, if she doesnt break within -15mins  then she'll do.

Wow you guys are great!

I was suspicious of the battery placement and sloppy wiring too, as well as weight distribution.  Fingers crossed, I hope everything checks out and I have a new boat with some fun projects.  

Is taking the engine to a shop my best bet on finding out about the compression and engine quality?  At those places I always worry about them selling my own shirt back to me.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Cory

You might as well pick your repair center because if you buy a boat that old you will get to know everyone in the shop.

I would be quiet subspect of a boat without a prop for sale.   Gives the seller a reason to not give a test drive.  With the seller not knowing much about the boat he is bad too.  He might be just tring to make a quick buck on a resale piece of _____ you know what.  

No test ride no cash...  No sence buying something that going to spend most of its time at the repair shop

I would be quiet subspect of a boat without a prop for sale.   Gives the seller a reason to not give a test drive.  With the seller not knowing much about the boat he is bad too.  He might be just tring to make a quick buck on a resale piece of _____ you know what.  

No test ride no cash...  No sence buying something that going to spend most of its time at the repair shop

These are exactly my thoughts.

The plot thickens...

I heard about this boat from my friend, who said that someone he worked with was trying to sell it.  This is true, the seller of the boat is someone he works in the office with.  However, the owner is their boss.  I also just learned that the seller used to work in a marina, not a bad thing.

 I spoke with him again on the phone and he had no problem with going out for a float and to run the engine.  Although this is seems a little strange my hopes are still up.  If all goes well I'll have my own money pit in a few weeks.

Cory

I kinda skimmed through those later posts.  Where on earth did all of yall old boat haters come from?  Aluminum boats will last many many years.  That 3 cylinder Evinrude is a great motor, and well worth more than half the purchase price, assuming it is as listed.  You need to change the impeller, LU oil, and probably clean the carbs, since it has been sitting a year.  But, if you do it yourself, that shan't be more than 50 bucks, assuming the carbs need a rebuild (new gaskets) If they are in good condition, you are down to about 20 bucks for the impeller, and LU oil.  Impellers dry rot if not used for a couple years, and repetitive running without a good impeller will not allow the engine enough cooling water, and could blow it up.  

I don't know about the value up in your neck of the woods, but 'round here, 2000 would be reasonable for that boat.  Sure, the carpet needs work, and cosmetics could use updating, but that part isn't expensive.  Mostly elbow grease, and that adds good Karma to it.  Offer him 1500, as there is no reason to pay more than you have to for anything, but I wouldn't be too worried it it went up to 1800 or so.  

That is a lapstrake style aluminum hull.  It could be a starcraft, or crestliner.  Seeing as it is an '81, there will be a rating plate, and it will have manufacture stamped on it.  

I just noticed you asked a question as to how reliable those Evinrudes are.  They are the same as Johnson, and were owned by OMC (outboard marine company)  Evinrude made the first outboard in 1909, and has been making some of the most reliable up until the late 90s, when OMC started to go under, and was sold to Bombardier in 2000.  Those outboards from the 80s have probably the best simplicity/reliability to sophisticated technology ratio ever made.  I mean, they are very reliable, due to there design, but also are very modern.  Those Johnnyrudes well back in to the 50s and up into the mid 90s were bulletproof reliable designs.  '62 - '72 had some shifter issues, but if you know what you are doing, they ain't a prob - we have 2 of those.  

Hope that helps.

Oh, and for some of yall losers, that must have very materialistic minds, and think only the newest and most expensive is worth owning, I would be willing to make a bet that the older technology, especially that from the late 70s, and 80s, is more reliable than modern motors, and I would say that there is a good chance that the aforementioned motor will still be running strong, when this years motors have become too old, and expensive to practically keep in operation.  Until you have some experience with it, don't start mouthing off.

Thanks for the vote of confidence bassboy  

Bbassboy1. A little touchie are we... But you cool with me

Well Just so you know I for one was never knocking the E-Rude.

I Beleive the older motors are better too.

In my Collection I have

1956 7.5 HP Evinrude Fleetwin.

1979 25 HP Evinrude

1974 50 HP Evinrude

1970 25 HP Johnson Sea horse

1954 3 HP Evinrude Folding Lightwin

1964 BigTwin 40 HP Outboard

1961 25 HP Gale Buccaneer

These are not Show Motors, these are all working fishing Motors

Just to name a few...

Bbassboy1.  A little touchie are we... But you cool with me

Well Just so you know I for one was never knocking the E-Rude.  

I Beleive the older motors are better too.  

In my Collection I have

1956 7.5 HP Evinrude Fleetwin.

1979 25 HP Evinrude

1974 50 HP Evinrude

1970 25 HP Johnson Sea horse

1954 3 HP Evinrude Folding Lightwin

1964 BigTwin 40 HP Outboard

1961 25 HP Gale Buccaneer

These are not Show Motors, these are all working fishing Motors

Just to name a few...

Just a little touchy.... Not much though ;D

I wasn't bashing you directly.  (Well, I wasn't trying to bash anyone, but it came out wrong apparently)  I am a member of a couple forums just for boating, and boat restoration, and although I am 14, I would be willing to say I am experienced.  This is my hobby, well moreso passion, as much as, if not more than bass fishing, and hunting.  So, all my free time is spent tinkering with boats, and old outboards, or spending countless days just reading about them.  But, I try not to answer anything that I am not experienced with.  If I do, I will try to include something that tells them that I don't know first hand, but it is an educated guess.  But, what I hate, is people, obviously lacking experience, who come on, and answer a call for help, with pessimistic responses saying it can't be done.  In truth, it can be done, and many times, we are the people to guide you through it.  

If you can say from experience, that something won't work, or that is a bad deal, go ahead.  But, if you have no experience, and are just looking at the age written down, and the cosmetic condition, don't say anything.  

Rant over. :(

My collection is a little smaller, due to our budget constraints.

1988 Evinrude 4 deluxe

1979 Johnson 55

1971 Johnson 50

1969 Evinrude 55, that we just got for a killer deal.  

We need a V4, somewhere between 85 and 115 to put on the alumacraft we are restoring, and are just waiting for that magical deal to pop up (all but one of the 4 motors was a magical deal, and all but 1 of the 7 boats was a steal and a half too - so they are out there.  Just have to know where to look, and how to deal...)

Also, I would absolutely love to have an early 60s Evinrude 5.5 fisherman to put on our 12 footer from time to time, and I have always loved the lines on the Johnson Javelin 35s, in the candy apple red color.  Not to mention one of the 1909 outboards.  Got a feller on another board who has one.  1 of the very first few (ie - estimated to be less than #20) that actually was sold in America (many of the first ones Ole made were shipped to finland, for reasons unknown to me)

Sadly, Oles original 1909 outboard, the very first outboard ever made, was thrown away by one of his workers many moons ago. :'(

To be fair to the doubters Bassboy, the no-prop on the motor business is ridiculous.  There's nothing stopping the owner from sticking an el-cheapo $50 - 70 comp prop on that thing so someone can take the boat for a test drive if they wish,  that's really the only way you'll know how that engine performs.  A static test in a tank at a dealership and a dynamic test on the water are two completely different things.  

I thought we had beat the dead horse enough here.

Now, I may have misinterpreted it, but in one of the later posts, I think he mentions that the owner is just fine with taking it out for a test run.  And, if he is trying to bargain, and get a prop thrown in, they would test it with that.

I may not have put my point across well.  I was not saying that just any ole' Evinrude is a good one.  There are plenty of bad apples in that bunch.  But, with all the naysayers, it was time to give it some benefit of the doubt.  I agree, you need a prop in the deal, and a lake test, but I thought that it was kinda mentioned in some previous post, that he needs to bargain for a prop, and in another one, that he needs a lake test, and I feel he is probably able to put two and two together, and see if the owner will include a prop, and use it for a water test.