Postby Viper » July 28th, 2019, 10:20 am
All the above advise is good. A noteworthy concern would be the condition of everything related to the sterndrive. That is the sterndrive and transom assembly components. Repair costs on these can add up substantially. I'd have a marine tech go over everything including removing the drive to assess the input shaft, u-joints, gimbal bearing, etc. Check the amount of corrosion visible, condition of gear lube and whether there's water in it, condition of bellows, etc. Having said that, after sitting for 8 years, I'd recommend a bellows job. You may also want to have the prop pulled and shaft dialed in case there was an impact. Check that the trim works, and that it's reading on the gauge. You can't tell how she shifts until she is running but you should be able to tell how much effort it takes to shift at the helm. You should replace the lower shift cable when replacing the bellows. Inspect the gimbal ring for horizontal and vertical play ($$). Ensure the transom is structurally sound, particularly around the transom assembly, that would be part of a survey. And I wouldn't even attempt a sea trial without splitting the drive and replacing the impeller.
Regular maintenance on sterndrive applications is much more costly than inboards. While engine maintenance will be the same on both designs, the similarity in expenses ends there. Consider that after the engine, inboard application maintenance typically consists of a transmission fluid change every few years depending on use, and anodes. While strut bearings are considered a wear item, they can last for years depending on your boating habits and their environment. On the other hand, sterndrive maintenance requires annual bellows inspection and replacement every few years ($$), annual gear lube inspection and change, bigger corrosion concerns, lower shift cables fail easily, environmental concerns, and the list goes on.
One must also consider that seldom does sterndrive work ever end up matching an estimate. You can't estimate something you can't see. Only after you get into the work do things pop up that weren't apparent prior to dismantling. A simple example is a bellows job leading to a yoke and u-joint replacement or worse because of a bellows leak. A simple trim sender replacement leading to drilling and tapping new holes because the bolts broke off trying to get them out. Corrosion is terrible on drives and the results are costly.
Not trying to talk anyone out of a sterndrive application, there are a couple of benefits to them but one needs to know they are heavy maintenance items that must be considered in your overall annual boating budget.
Hope things work out in your favour. Keep us posted.
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