New "powerboater" joining (Montego 25)

[Viper]

There are several reasons why an engine might take a while to start. Not being familiar with the boat, or them not having been started for a while are contributing factors.

Curious why you feel the market here doesn't allow for a survey prior to purchase. If the seller is discouraging it or sighting excuses why you should close the deal as quickly as possible, I'd walk away and continue looking. Major deficiencies might exist that could get caught by a survey and save you a season and expensive repairs. I've seen this all too often, and the result is usually an owner getting upset with the repair facility over major repair costs as if it's the facility's fault the owner purchased the vessel without a survey. While a survey may not catch everything, it should give you enough to make an informed decision based on what it might cost for needed repairs, and whether you should adjust your offer.

[dodgingwrenches]

There is still too much demand even now end of season - there were a few of us interested in the boat, so I made the offer without survey.

Anyway I was able to get a picture from earlier in the season which shows some corrosion... Thoughts?

https://www.amazon.ca/clouddrive/share/ ... wgAaRrrZ05

[Viper]

There shouldn't be any bare metal exposed, it should be cleaned, prepped, and coated to help fend off further corrosion. You'll never get to all of the bare areas without a major dismantle, and nothing will be as good as factory but it'll help, you'll just have to keep on top of it every year.

I suspect there has always been a lack of anodes on this application. The one anode that I do see in the pic looks new but it's just a small tear drop anode. Even if there is one on the other side not shown in the pic, it's not enough. That anode also looks like it might be zinc which is useless in Ontario and will do nothing to protect your drive and transom assembly. You need more protection and they should be magnesium.

Check all the hardware in the transom assembly. There are latches, springs, bushings, etc. Look for cracks in the casted components, and play between components where there shouldn't be.

The props are damaged and should be repaired as their current condition is hard on bearings. I'd remove them, send them in for repair, dial the shafts, and check the gear lube.

Don't know the type of bottom paint used on her but it's not a good idea to paint right up to the transom assembly. It's recommended that there be no coating within an inch surrounding the transom assembly for corrosion reasons.

There are a couple of things here that are indicative of neglect and someone that doesn't know what they're doing. Keep this in mind when going through the rest of the vessel and ensure other systems have been properly/safely maintained and repaired. The good thing is we're here to help!

[buster53]

I hope you are not making a mistake by not getting a survey. The boat I have now, I bought and it was in pretty good shape. My surveyor found enough that paid his fee 2 x over.
When a seller won't allow a survey, he is hiding something. Beware!

[tomschauer]

Even if you already brought it, I would consider having a surveyor looking at it before you start fixing it up so you know what your dealing with.
At a minimum, as Viper mentioned the outdrive and props need attention asap.
If its a raw water cooled engine, you want to check the condition of the manifolds and risers if you have no record of recent replacement.
If it was slow starting, its more than likely ready past due for a tune up.

Hope it works well and gives you many years of enjoyment!

[buster53]

I'm surprised your insurance company hasn't insisted on a survey. Most do, especially on older boats

[dodgingwrenches]

My insurance no longer requires it, no. For my previous 1978 keelboat they did, but for this one they didn't.

Anyway brought a friend who is as good as any surveyor and he found a few things minor, but big thing was the air conditioning and heater don't work. Compressor could be expensive. Marine mechanic tried to get it working as well and when I was leaving he told me he never saw a setup like that (compressor getting water from being hooked up to shore water, not via a throughhull) so he said it was odd to begin with, but would be a big repair and should probably be reconfigured). So the purchase is on hold - will see if the owner can fix it. There are a few other things I would have had to fix already plus a slight knocking from the engine (from the stern side - water pumps area) so the compressor on top was too much for me right now.

[dodgingwrenches]

Forgot to add found the reason for the corrosion - boat is from Quebec so was in saltier water most of its life

[buster53]

AC hooked up to shore water...that would probably get you kicked out of our marina...or at the least, one warning to fix it immediately. Yes, it will be expensive...haul the boat to install a thru hull, purchase a thru hull and water pump and hook up all the plumbing connections and run wiring to run the pump. Easily will run you $1000.

[dodgingwrenches]

Source of the post AC hooked up to shore water...that would probably get you kicked out of our marina...or at the least, one warning to fix it immediately. Yes, it will be expensive...haul the boat to install a thru hull, purchase a thru hull and water pump and hook up all the plumbing connections and run wiring to run the pump. Easily will run you $1000.

$1000 to fix the plumbing, new compressor probably at least $2000 plus labour? The more I think about it, the more I think the system was jerry rigged. To turn on the AC you had to switch the water heater off - can't have both on at the same time. Maybe the water pump failed at some point and it was bypassed....

Will see what happens. Owner might not want to sell to me at this point if he can fix it, will probably move onto the next person. I am disappointed as it was otherwise in great shape - repainted hull, newer canvas, re-upholstered - looked almost like a new boat!

Forgot to add, another oddity is we couldn't find a blower switch anywhere? Saw the hoses for a blower and think all gas engines need one, but didn't find a switch and didn't hear one come on either. And the aft bilge had some water in it, but the aft bilge pump switch was repurposed for something else, so not even sure there was a switch to manually control it or check if it worked