Looking at a 1992 SN... need your opinions

Hello all, brand new here. As a little kid, I grew up with a 1978 Tique and that boat went bye bye before I was really old enough to enjoy it with my family. Now after years and years of having only a pontoon and with having the means to get a SN, I want one really bad.

I was browsing craigslist ads from my home town and came across one that caught my eye. It's a 92 SN, very clean looking, 712 hours, 2 owner boat, and the asking price is $9,200. I'm currently about 1,000 miles away in Portland, Maine for work so I had my parents go look at the boat for me this evening. They confirmed that it is indeed a super nice boat. The floor seemed solid, the interior was immaculate. There was only one small blem on the side of the hull where it looked like it rubbed a dock at one point. Probably could be buffed out or fixed.

Then some red flags started coming up. My dad started out by asking him to confirm how much he was asking for the boat. My dad said "9,200?" and he said, "well, yes, but I'd be willing to drop it down to $8,000."

Red flag! Who would drop their price in an instant without so much as even discussing the boat or the interested party offering less than what was being asked?

Then they noticed the boat hasn't been registered since 2007. The kid said that I may have to "spend around $200 to replace some bearings or something in the engine because after they sit that long the bearings go bad..." Well, I have built a few circle track racing small blocks before so I have some knowledge and know how to turn a wrench on an engine. So, this didn't seem right to me. They noticed all the spark plugs were removed and a hose was disconnected in the rear part of the engine (I have no idea what it would be). He said that obviously it would need to be taken to a marina to have the engine and trans oil changed and it would probably need a tune up, but that he never had any problems with the boat before.

I called him back after talking with my parents and tried to feel him out some more and asked why he hasn't used the boat in 3 years when there are so many lakes in the Indiana area. He told me that he's had some legal and financial problems and couldn't afford the registration, maintenance, and fuel costs anymore. Totally understandable. I told him I was not comfortable buying a boat I couldn't at least hear run. I proposed taking it to my parent's lake an hour away to test drive it first and he said the only thing that bothered him about that idea was that the trailer isn't registered up to date. I brought up that we could attach a "fake-a-lake" and at least fire it in his driveway. He told me he had never heard of such a thing. Is this normal that a lot of inboard boat owners haven't heard of a fake-a-lake or at least some method of running water through the engine out of the lake? I can remember seeing the Tique on the trailer in the pole barn in the 1980's with the garden hose going up to it and water shooting out the exhaust and I was only maybe 5 years old. So, that was another red flag for me.

So, I'm flying back home Thursday morning and I would REALLY like to have a SN for the 4th of July holiday. I'm really interested in this boat because of how nice it is and the price he's willing to dip to.

How much work and maintenance would need to be done to a boat that has been sitting for 3 years before it can yield good service barring nothing is seriously wrong mechanically?

I do have another boat that I'm interested in, but it's a year older (91), just as nice looking, stock looking, 700 hours, being sold on consignment at a marina and the consignee is wanting 14,495!!! WAY too much in my opinion for a 91, but maybe I just don't know. I was thinking more along the lines of 10,000 - 12,000. Not 15K.

So, please help steer me in the right direction. I really appreciate everyone's time and advice!

Thanks!
Bill

Thanks for the reply. Here's the links to the postings. He made two.

http://fortwayne.craigslist.org/boa/1769450503.html

http://fortwayne.craigslist.org/boa/1783103158.html

Can you tell me if the boat sitting for 3 years without use alone will cause problems with the engine besides having the spark plugs out? I realize carb gaskets and things may be dry and leak once fuel hits them again. Just curious on other parts of the boat that may be issues after sitting so long.

emccallum wrote: I dont think I would mess with that boat, unless it was a steal and you feel comfy with rebuilding an engine and a driveline. Buyers tend to think "best case" scenario, when buying. Especially when they really want something. You need to think worst case. Total engine and possible tranny rebuild. Why would you store a boat with plugs out?? Engine is probably shot. Make sure stringers are solid! Personally, i would keep searching for another boat.

I agree with the above. If you don't mind investing in the engine, I'd lo-ball him. Plugs out to me, means he doesn't want to fire it up.

Steve

i think you'd be better off with a '93 that you have confidence in.

Thanks to everyone for the responses!!!

Alright, just to follow up with this post, I have some additional questions for you all. All the other boats (about 4) that I have been checking on have all been busts or they are out of my price range for what I feel they are worth.

I have been in conversation with the seller and have made arrangements to meet up on Thursday to hear the boat run. He has told me that the boat was properly winterized before being stored in his garage and he just hasn't had the funds to put it on the lake the last 2 1/2 summers. I want to make sure that I get the most of this meeting. What are some of the things I should be looking for? I'm going to try to bring my mentor from my engine building days in racing. Some of the things I have thought about checking while there:

1. Run the engine - the safest way possible to listen for funky noises and check for leaks. (Can we just disconnect the RW intake hose from the hull and put a garden hose in to run it at idle?)

2. To check the trans, is it safe to put it in fwd and reverse for just a second each to check for proper trans function? I realize you don't want to do this because of the shaft bearing, but just to check for prop movement so I know the trans isn't a complete turd, is this okay?

3. I was going to pull the dipstick to check for any milkshake oil signs on the stick. I know my engine builder mentor would probably like to cut the oil filter and check for bearing or other debris in the filter element. Do you think this is a reasonable request if we bring a new oil filter with us to swap for him? Speaking of which, can someone give me the oil filter part numbers for this engine? (PCM 351)

4. If everything checks out and no funny noises are coming from the engine, fluids are not leaking everywhere, and there isn't a bunch of junk in the oil filter, wouldn't it be safe to assume that this is at least a runner and not a dud? If the trans engages in both fwd and reverse with no funny noises coming from it, is it at least safe to say it's worth a go if the boat is a steal for its condition?


I'm always a firm believer in first impressions. The first impressions I have gotten from this boat is that it has been VERY meticulously taken care of on the outside from all the high res pics I got from my parents. The hull still shines like new, the interior is flawless, the carpet looks new. Everything looks like it just rolled out of Midwest CC back in 1992. I understand the risks of a pre-93 boat with the wood stringers, but if I can get this for a LOT less money than all the others I have looked at, wouldn't it be worth it if I get 5 to 10 summers on it?

Any help from you guys would be tremendously helpful. Our meeting is on Thursday so I am going to put together a list.

Thank you!
Bill

Thanks for the response! Can you tell me size socket or wrench is typically needed for those bolts?

Thanks!

That would be a first- I have yet to see a metric sized fastener used on a CC!

Checked Wiki:

"According to the US CIA World Factbook in 2006, the International System of (metric) Units is the official system of measurement for all nations except for Burma, Liberia, and the United States. In the United States, metric units are widely used in science, military, and industry, but customary units predominate in household use."

So you're in good company. And CC's are only to use around the house.;-)

From the website of Colorado State University:

Which countries, besides the U.S., are still using primarily the inch-pound system?

According to a survey taken many years ago, the only countries, besides the U.S., that have not officially adopted the metric system are Liberia and Burma.

Most other countries have either used the metric system for many years, or have adopted the metric system within the last 30 or 40 years.Although nearly every country has taken steps to replace traditional measurements, the fact remains that among countries with non-metric usage the U.S. is the only significant holdout.


We have a perfectly good measuring system, so why does the U.S. have to change to using the metric system?

We are living in a metric world where just about every country, except the USA, uses the metric system, and other countries are now telling us that they don't want to buy some of the products manufactured by U.S. companies if they aren't made to metric sizes (and if they aren't labeled in metric units).

Many European Union (EU) countries, which have been good customers of U.S. companies, don't allow products into their countries unless they are made to metric system standards. We must operate in the world marketplace, and we can't stay competitive if we don't provide metric goods.

With 99% of the rest of the world using metric, there is no chance we can persuade them to use our inches and pounds.

michiel200,

I decided to go with another boat on my short list. I bought a yellow and black '91 SN out of the Detroit area. I already put over 6 hours on it over two days skiing and tubing with family.

SO happy I bought a SN... awesome boat!

Congrats on the boat purchase. post pics.

An adjustable fits everything!

Hello all,

As requested, here are some pics of my new baby. :) I'm sorry, I didn't get any pics when I took my two brothers skiing. They are all of my friends and I going tubing. haha, I know how tubing is looked upon in this forum, but at least you get to see my new-to-me beautiful boat. :)