New to me Southwind 18
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41546
Printed Date: November-16-2024 at 3:24am
Topic: New to me Southwind 18
Posted By: WinterTurtle
Subject: New to me Southwind 18
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 12:54pm
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Good morning all! I've been wanting a direct drive V8 ski boat since Dad sold our old Moomba but never really had the resources up until now. Came upon a great opportunity to lay hands on a 70s Southwind 18. The transom has a sticker that says 79 so I'd assume that it is in fact a 79. They didn't remember the motor type and had said it was either a 305 of a 351 -- I was hoping for a 454 though =) The current owner has had it for many years and around 2008 it began having carb problems and was let to sit until last weekend when I checked it out. I brought a battery and some basic tools on the 1.5 hour ride -- once we fought through the spider webs it looks pretty good! It's been dry-docked the whole while with a shed roof and a cover so the interior is pretty good. The driver seat has been pulled and plywood is under it so I imagine the floor and maybe stringers have issues. Turns out it's a 351W which I consider a score... I wanted to fire the motor so I pulled the dipstick to check the oil first -- really clean but really high. So I smelled it and sure enough the crankcase is full of old bad gas... So I bumped the motor to make sure it wasn't stuck and called it a day. Electronics work, can't hear bilge run but not a huge draw. The blower must be stuck because it doesn't run but large amp draw. Anywho once I get a trailer and bring her home I'm confident I can get the 351 to run (I know small blocks pretty well & it's only got ~700 hours) but figured I'd post here and see if anyone sees any risk factors. They don't remember if it was winterized but there are no visible cracks in the block or water jackets -- and I see fresh teflon tape on some plugs so I'd imagine it was. How easy is fuel tank removal? I'd like to clean it out properly but the gauge works already so maybe better to just purge. How does this boat intake water for the cooling system? Is there a filter? There are a lot of spider cracks in the hull -- transom looks pretty good. I'll try and figure out how this forum handles image posting this afternoon. The fiberglass and stringer stuff is most foreign to me -- I've done a lot of automotive work over the years but that stuff is voodoo! |
Replies:
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 4:35pm
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Take a small hammer & tap along the stringers. If they are good it will sound solid. A dull sound means the glass has separated, could be bad stringers - hope not I would definitely put a new water pump impeller in & tune up the distributor. Sound like you got a great barn find! ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 4:43pm
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When tapping along the stringers do you mean from outside the hull -- or from inside? I haven't had a ton of time with her but I could only see them from the engine compartment. I saw some other people discuss tapping from outside but I don't quite know how to tell where they'd be! Maybe the cooler and rear seat openings give some degree of access too? Also forgot to check but I assume I have points as I didn't see an ignition box. When you say tune up dizzy do you mean points & condenser -- or is there more I should do? I've changed a few sets of points and troubleshot no spark on those systems but never owned one long term or PM'd... |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 5:17pm
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Greyson, The tapping Chris mentions is on the glass over the wood so, you tap inside the bilge anywhere you can. Yes, a 70's engine will have a conventional distributor but it may have an EI module inside instead of a point set. No filter for cooling water but may have a strainer. Follow the suction hose back from the RWP (raw water pump) back. You'll see the trans tube in shell cooler and then if there's a strainer it will be aft just before the trough hull. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 5:17pm
I forgot to get an overall picture but here's what I have showing the topside condition. With some serious cleaning I think it'll be great! There are very few rips in the upholstery -- and the wood looks good with the exception of a cup holder repair.   
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Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 5:21pm
Here's my big concern -- there's a lot of light cracking in the hull. Nothing that has begun to separate just light cracking that's hard to catch with a finger nail. There's a spot or two with flaking maybe from hitting a dock or something I know I'll need to address but not too bad in that regard.    
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Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 5:23pm
Ok; cool. And thanks also for the input! I'm still getting used to all the boat words lol. I'm an hour from the boat until probably next week at least -- but sounds like the intake from the lake is in the bottom of the hull -- then goes through a transmission cooler / heat exchanger -- then goes into the pump -- yeah? |
8122pbrainard wrote:Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: July-18-2017 at 11:48pm
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Yeah! For dizzy tune up consider a new cap & rotor. Or at least clean them well with contact cleaner. The timing advance weights could probably use a couple drops of oil too. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-19-2017 at 1:05pm
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Think I should be worried about the condition of the hull? The spider cracks worry me but I'm not sure if it's really a functional issue or just aesthetic. I'm assuming where some flakes have come off already I'll need to take immediate action? |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: July-19-2017 at 3:43pm
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The flakes coming off are cosmetic only. I would get the boat running, enjoy the rest of the summer using it The hull can wait until off season. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: 74Wind
Date Posted: July-20-2017 at 11:17pm
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Southwinds are great boats, am sure you will enjoy. We've got a 72 and a 74 in the family, never seen one so new. Viewing from a phone so not very clear..odd...is that a floor storage compartment i see? ------------- 1974 Southwind 18 1975 Century Mark II |
Posted By: 74Wind
Date Posted: July-20-2017 at 11:24pm
ps: if it's got the teak bow walk, the step is there for a reason. Use ours all the time. So rather than repair the crappy folding drinkholders as you say, you might wanna just remove them. Easy to trip on, and kinda tacky, IMHO.  ------------- 1974 Southwind 18 1975 Century Mark II |
Posted By: DrCC
Date Posted: July-21-2017 at 12:31am
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Leave the stress cracks alone. Wash the bottom w/ a hull cleaning acid. Wear a respirator. Once clean, you won't even see the cracks unless you're looking for them. It's Patina. ------------- Keep it....from sinkin' |
Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-21-2017 at 9:24am
Yeah it appears to be a cooler -- pretty gross inside but should clean up nicely! Do you mean that 79 is the latest model you've seen? I can't find much info so not even sure what years they were produced. Your's is gorgeous! Did you have to install the ski pole? I didn't see a floor port or anything on mine -- just the black plastic cover behind the engine's doghouse. Haven't figured out what that is yet haha... ------------- 1979 Southwind 18 351w Not Running - All Potential! |
Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-21-2017 at 9:26am
Agreed! Those plastic things are kinda goofy... Unfortunately the nice teak 4 cup holder doohickey on the back of the doghouse is the one that's broken =( ------------- 1979 Southwind 18 351w Not Running - All Potential! |
Posted By: WinterTurtle
Date Posted: July-21-2017 at 9:27am
That's really reassuring to hear -- I was thinking I was facing major hull issues... Now fingers crossed the stringers are in good shape! The floor went soft under the captain's chair I'm told. I can't wait to get it to my shop and start digging in! ------------- 1979 Southwind 18 351w Not Running - All Potential! |
Posted By: 74Wind
Date Posted: July-21-2017 at 10:47am
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Never seen any others in person other than ours. Not sure when they stopped making them, later years they made a bowrider version, quite ugly IMHO. You can look up in brochures tab year by year. Pylon original. My brothers SW20 didn't come with one, found one on this site after a long search, good luck. I haven't got the black port behind your doghouse, it gives access to the stuffing box. ------------- 1974 Southwind 18 1975 Century Mark II |