Tips before I decide to buy?

i will not venture into should or shouldn't (but i would buy it), but all the true HM's i have listened to are louder than most boats.

on that note, slip a couple hundred in the budget for mufflers if it's too loud for the kids.

buy or make a removable swim platform so it's easy for the kids to get in and out.

just like a car, fresh paint would be my biggest worry. was it gel-coated or painted?

check the stringers for integrity. (motor mount bolts should tighten up if they are not rotten)

do a compression/leak down test. a vaccume test would be a good idea. an hm cam might be low on the scale, but look for a steady reading. the date code on 1969 would be C9blahblah. the block (under the starter), heads(under the valve cover) and intake should all have this code.

smell the tranny fluid. when you take a test drive, see if the drive shaft tries to spin in neutral or makes any odd sounds when she's cold or first started up. there is a test port to check the pressures if you want to.

any vibration?

after your run, check the bilge for excessive water and oil stains.

make sure the starter/alt/dist and carb are marine approved items.

the cooling system on an hm does not flow water thru the exhaust until the thermostat opens, so it might have gotten hot a time or two.

check the prop for nicks and see if the shaft is straight and the rudder is tight.


if it checks out, i would buy it.

Thanks for all the help. I’ll keep you posted as we move forward. I am meeting with the owner tomorrow and will see if he has any of the original documentation on the boat. Thanks again! K.

tryan wrote: ...when you take a test drive, see if the drive shaft tries to spin in neutral ...

What does that indicate? Mine does that, I didn't know it shouldn't. Should I be worried?

Thanks Tryan. Something else I need to look into...

That pic was taken last summer. I dug it out recently because we've had high temps in the single digits and teens here lately and I'm jonesin'. That pic was taken last summer when I was on vaca and couldn't sleep. I got up before the sun and took some pics. It was one of those on one of those perfect summer mornings when it's like 80 before the suns even up and you know the fog will burn off and you'll be in or behind your boat all day. :D Is it July yet? ;)