Pre-Purchase Checklist

1992 And Earlier Correct Craft Boats

Most information for this article was taken from the PlanetNautique forums.

Forum member M3Fan’s information in THIS THREAD is widely used here.

If you’re considering the purchase of a Ski Nautique 2001 (Produced from 1982 – 1989), or another older Correct Craft, this article will give you some general information about things that you should check for before making your purchase. This article is not meant to include all items that should be checked during a used boat pre-purchase inspection. It is meant to point out possible trouble areas in older Correct Crafts. These checks should be performed along with any other necessary inspections when looking over a used boat.

All 2001 series Correct Crafts used wood in their construction, which can deteriorate over time if not kept in check. Well-maintained boats can still be found showing no signs of problems related to the wood used in their construction, but it is always a good idea to check the items listed below if you’re considering a 2001, or another Correct Craft built before 1993. Correct Craft stopped using wood in their construction in 1993.

The following steps should be completed

when inspecting a Pre-1993 Correct Craft for purchase:

* Open the engine cover, and you'll notice hex-head bolts, probably about 4 on each side, running parallel to the engine on the edge of the floor, on the edge of the engine compartment. These are lag bolts screwed right into the wooden stringers. Bring a socket wrench with you and try to tighten each one. They should still bite into the wood well. If they spin freely, the boat probably has some deterioration of the wood in the stringers.

These bolts also continue to the back of the boat under a removable floor piece that covers the prop shaft. Spin those also. Engine mount bolts are also a good indicator, as these attach to wooden mounts as well.

* Walk around on the floor and feel for soft spots. This isn't as big a deal as the stringers, but is still a big job to fix.

* Often when you see a boat with a replaced engine, it's due to improper winterization. When I was shopping around, almost every early 90's SN I came upon in the north had a new engine or short block.

* Drive the boat! The engine should idle smoothly and run hard up to 4400 rpm on the water.

* Make sure the oil pan isn't too rusty- replacing this involves removing the engine from the boat.

* Look in the bilge for fresh oil spots, as this could be a sign of leakage.

* The transmission should shift smoothly, and transmission oil should be clean. The transmissions on these boats are fairly expensive to replace.

* TALK to the seller. Have them describe parts of the boat and feel out their personality. This can tell you how well the boat was taken care of while they owned it.

* The prop should spin smoothly with minor resistance when turned by hand. Position yourself directly behind the propeller, and spin it by hand. Check to be sure the shaft spins smoothly. Any deviation could indicate a bent shaft.

* Electronic ignition is a good thing, although not offered from the factory on these boats. You may want to look for one that has been converted.

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