Considering Buying ’93 Sport Nautique

I am new here, my first post, been lurkng for a few days...

I have been looking for the right boat for my family (wife, daughter 9, twin boys 6).

A good friend of mine recently offered to sell me his '93 Sport Nautique for $5,000. We used to have a lot of good times on this boat. The last couple years my friend has neglected the boat a little but I still think this is a good deal given it is a CC.
He was an idiot and left it in the water last year (let his x-Girl friend and whoever use it)didn't get it out of the water until November put it in his garage, didn't winterize it. I havn't been on the boat or heard it run for a few years, and he told me he once overheated the engine a couple years back because the strainer was cloged blocking water flow.
I want to hear it run beore I buy it. He said the starter is bad so we pulled it off and he got a new one yesterday, put it on and said it was clicking when it tuned over. We put a new battery in the other day. as of today he thinks either the battery is dead or the paint on the new starter is preventing it from getting good contact with the engine block.

A couple of concerns:

-The hose around the shaft stuffing is twisted and twists when I turn the shaft. from reading here seems like I need to tighten the stuffing connection?

-the pa$$enger seat bottom needs re-upholstered.

- the trailer needs a new break line, hub covers, and the toung/break (what is this called?) is slightly bent after he lost a wheel on the highway

- needs cleaned, new speakers, has a couple dings and scratches from being docked last year.

- boat has 775 hours

Seems to be a lot of knowlegable people here, I want to get an idea of what I may be getting into.

I really hope we can get the engine started by this weekend, run it around the lake a few times.

In good shape, with that many hours, I believe that boat would fetch between $13K to $15K. Not sure which engine is in the Sport. However, if you get this thing for $5K (or less!), and can avoid any real major engine work, I think you'll end up ahead of the game.
Sounds like the seller and the buyer would both make out. Seller doesnt want it, buyer gets it for low dollars, and puts some sweat equity into it. Lets see some pix....

Correct crafts 20 years older than that are selling for $5000, grap that thing and go have some fun. Even if you have to repower I think you coming out ahead.

Sounds like a deal if you are the type of person that can handle doing some of your own stuff. Not sure of your climate and the garage situation, but if it was not winterized you could have a cracked block/manifold etc to deal with. As for starting it...I would check all connections for corrosion... battery, solenoid, starter, etc. That may be the problem. Leaving a boat in the water all summer isnt the best way to take care of it, but that is not as bad as not winterizing it properly in freezing climates. If you get it running and it seems fine make sure you replace belts, hoses, water pump impeller, plugs, thermostat, oil (tranny and engine)etc.

If it was local, I would be on it. Dont tell too many folks about it or they may go and offer 6k!

ernest

Your doing the right thing, buy it quick. If the engines shot you can sell it to one of us for at least what you paid for it, I know I am still looking for a project CC from the 90s and one from the 70s myself

I talked to my friend today, we are going to work on getting this started tomorrow afternoon. As I mentioned, he bought a new starter earlier this week and put it on and it clicks (sounds like a dead battery). We put a new battery in Sunday and tried to crank over the old starter and it made a loud sound but would not turn it over. When I looked at it the gear is able to be pulled out with a screwdriver and it turns in one direction but would not start the engine. He said he was having problems with it before putting the boat away. I am hoping it is just the fact that it is a new battery and has not had a chance to run and charge.

This boat has been sitting in his garage since last November. Before that it was in the water all summer. When I looked at the oil it was black but did not have any metal, water or anything else questionable (we have new HD30 oil to put in it once we get it going). The tranny oil looked ok but probably will need changed.

Can anyone think of any reason why this engine wouldn't start? Any precautions we should take in starting an engine that has been sitting this long?

If it doesn't start should I still buy it?

Any ideas about the twisted rubber hose on the drive shaft I mentioned earlier?

Thanks again for the help and encouragement. I should have this CC in my garage this weekend.

Stay tuned for pics...

Jeff: What part of Cleveland? I lived there for 55 years. Just relocated to Central Florida after retiring a couple years ago. Grew up in Strongsville, lived in Parma annd Avon. Skiied on Sandusky Bay.

john

You are way East while we were way West. Musta been a cool trip all the way to Fort Myers. I love the drive between the 2 states. 'Course I love to be on the road.


john

Jeff – I am from the Akron/Canton area. I’ve been though Madison a few times. Not too far away. Thanks for the advice, I wouldn’t want to blow myself up! I am going to Google Discount Marine find out where it’s at. Shenango sounds nice, going to check that out too.
He said he picked up the starter at a marina, so I’m going to a$$ume it is a marine starter. He said the surface that makes contact with the block was painted with thick paint and may not be allowing good electrical contact with the block. May need to sand it down. We replaced the cable ends Sunday along with the battery.

I took a wrench to the crank pully and was able to turn it. It was a little tough, but the spark plugs were in and I figured the compression made it kind of hard. How easy should it be to turn?
I am pretty good with mechanical stuff but I haven’t worked on engines in a while. I helped my dad rebuild a couple engines way back. But he is died five years ago, and I drive newer cars these days and, although I change my oil in my Tacoma myself, and do small repairs I prefer not to work on my cars anymore. I will learn quick, just going to have to ask some questions along the way.

Great78- pulling the spark plugs and spraying a little oil in sounds like a good idea , I think I read that here and was thinking about doing that.

I will follow up tomorrow and let everyone now how it goes, keep your fingers crossed...

I got it!

Sitting next to my garage

The kids Are sooooo excited!

And, it fired up!. Didn't run it for more than a couple seconds didnt have water running but it started!
I think it is flooded, my friend was pouring gas in the carb and it started spraying out the top of the carb then the battery died.
Going to start working on it tomorrow, I would like to get it running take it out once this year and run all the old gas out.

Now the work begins... Going to the local marina in the morning...

I will try to get some pics up soon...

Randy, how about you what town you from? were pretty close to, know a few guys at the cc dealers around town if you run into a snag
eric

Eric- I'm from the North Canton area. I'm not sure where I can get parts. I was in Boat Masters at Portage Lakes this morning, they said they could get me engine parts but that would be about it, I am going to need some misc. parts. Not too much really. Accy. buttons for the dash (got a couple broken ones) spedometer parts etc...

Please let me know. Thanks

what lakes can we find you on in the summer?

I guess now vandaveer in akron, montrose area Dan is the service manager or mid-ohio in Streetsboro 330-626-9115 Chris, i just found out today at a boat auction that things are kinda up in the air with Correct Craft in this area.
Randy, what trans is in your boat? if it's a borg use dexron mercon, PCM 40 they switched all of them to dexron. the older ones took 20w, after rebuild we tag them to use dexron
on the engine oil ask these other guys, i like rotella 15w40 myself, oh yeah,to get the trans oil out.... i add a qaurt or 2 to dilute the oil and get trans to operating temp remove the oil line at the trans and start the engine and it will pump it for you...dont forget to turn off when done, try to get the oil out of the cooler also.it make take more than once to get the hang of this shortcut

Did you mean an 1988 or 1989 "2001" because I'm slightly confused if otherwise? I'm guessing the blue hair meant he has one of those houses on an angle, where the back half has a walk out basement, probably half of that was garaged off.

As promised... Pics


like I said... it needs cleaned up.


you can see where the air filter cover got melted. need a new one of these.]


trailer needs work also...


this is the worse looking part, need to get this re upholstered...


I will post some after pics once I get her all cleaned up