Joined the Ranks!!! Have some ??'s

[Flux]

After a year or two of searching and deciding, my friend and I split in on a 02' SANTE, upgrading from his 92' Sport. I have not been able to sleep since initiating the deal and finally got the boat to my house on Saturday. It's an amazing boat, I am very lucky and the guy who sold it to us was really great, many people had been inquiring, but I got the deal done first. I am very grateful.



After spending some hours cleaning it and letting it dry out after the SOCAL rain storms, I noticed a couple things and have some questions. The Picture Below shows the V-Drive (I think) through the back seat, notice the corrosion on the mounts and some rust on the brackets and tranny. I was told the boat was only used in fresh water, but it was a promo boat for 20hrs before the previous owner got it. He put 90 more on it in Lake Elsinore. Seems to me that Saltwater is the only way this could have happened. Is there anywhere else I can check to see corrosion, like in the exhaust manifolds?? Any thoughts or advice is appreciated, the boat was kept in a beach town, so the salt air may have played into it.




Also, where is the drain plug on the oil cooler and the motor itself?? I need to make sure everything is out of there before the temp drops. Are the Manifold Plugs just the big brass ones on the bow side ??

The boat should have a shower, but I am not seeing it. What should I look for??

I know these are Newbie type questions, but this is my first experience with a new boat and especially a V-Drive where things are kind of hidden. Just wanna do the right things here. Thanks in advance, it was all of you on this site that positively influenced me and now I am CC for life!!

[skinautique]

RE: Joined the Ranks!!! Have some ??

The engine mounts could get rusty from the salty air or the owner could have let water collect in the bilge. There are 5 plugs for the engine itself and two for the vdrive. You also have a water strainer bowl that needs to be emptied and a transcooler that needs to be drained. If you have a shower, you would find one of the hoses coming off the side of the block and the other tapped into your water intake line. The line off the block will be red and the other will be blue. The keypad is wired for it for all of the boats so you may see it on the keypad but not have it installed.

[Flux]

RE: Joined the Ranks!!! Have some ??

Thanks Ski, much appreciated.

[skinautique]

RE: Joined the Ranks!!! Have some ??

no problem. I hope I wasn't too "general" for you. If you need more help, let me know

[Flux]

Not at all. I was mostly concerned with the corrosion thing. My only experience is with the 92' sport in the background, the engine compartment in that thing is spotless, but it spent it's entire life in AZ and up here in the desert, so no wonder!!!

I simply need to spend some time looking around the engine and checking everything out. One thing I don't wanna do is accidentally open up a tranny oil or engine oil drain plug and flood the hull. It would be just my luck to do something like that trying to make sure the engine was drained for the winter. The previous owner had it down near the beach and had it serviced regularly, so I am 90% sure that it's winterized, but it's that other 10% that worries me.

If I am unsure, I will just snap a digital pic and see what folks have to say about it.

[skinautique]

You can pull one of the block plugs and see if there is antifreeze in there. There is only one spot to drain the oil out of and it is a hose just like your 92 sport. The plug to drain the trans fluid is on the bottom and is a pain to get at so you probably won't end up pulling that one ever unless you go looking for it.

[Kenv]

Hey Flux,

That looks like Catherine Bell's(Jag TV show) old boat that was for sale online. Same CA numbers. Nice looking boat. You're gonna have alot of fun this summer.

[Flux]

You nailed it Kenv. Were you the guy from TX who called about it?? The seller told me there was someone out your way who was interested. He was a very nice guy, luckily I was ready to roll and drove 3 hrs in a massive rainstorm to do the deal, there was alot of interest in the boat. I am definately grateful for the opportunity to have bought it.

The seller had alot of regret about letting it go, but I think he had some other prioirities. It went to a good home though, our extended crew are gonna have a nice big wake to launch off and a big sundeck to chill on.


PS-> Skinautique, I was looking over the boat and found a watermark line on the gas tank down by the V-drive. Looks like it might have been moored and the hull got filled up to the V-drive mounts. The Engine mounts and everything higher show no corrossion. Everything is pretty clean though and I am gonna give it a really good once over this weekend. The shower unit is missing, but there is a blue hose that T's into the raw water intake before the strainer and disappears under the engine. Shower may have been taken out, but I have to trace that hose to see, but it's a bit tough with the tanks in there to look underneath. Might have to get a mirror on a stick or something.

[darrel409]

Flux, am i correct in understanding that you are going to winterize this boat for the Palmdale Ca. winter? I dont "winterize" and i am also in So. Calif. Do other warm weatherowners winterize? 81 degrees today.

[skinautique]

Did you find a red hose coming off from the block at all? Also, look in the engine compartment and see if you can find a pump for the shower.
I would have to guess that the corrosion came from water sitting in the bilge. You want to keep that as dry as possible.

Have fun!

[Flux]

Darrel, Palmdale is 3000 ft above sea level and drops into the 20's at night for stretches during the winter. It's been warm lately, but we keep the block clear while the boat is sitting for 3 months. I will do the antifreeze thing next year to keep the seals from drying out.

Definately gonna keep hunting down that shower unit. I have a feeling it may have been removed. I will look to see if the temp control was mounted anywhere, there would be evidence of it some place.

[SGY]

Catherine Bell? Did she buy a new boat from CC? I didn't notice her link on the CC web site anymore.

[Kenv]

Flux,

No, I wasn't the one from Texas that called on it. I just remember seeing the link on the Correct Craft site awhile back with her picture and then seeing it for sale on the Boat Trader. I've got a 2000 Super Air that is working just fine for the family and friends. With a new baby on the way, I'll have this one for a few more summers. Also, like someone mentioned above, it sounds like sitting water might by the culpret in this case - as far as the corrision goes. Good luck with the boat. This is a great site to get your questions answered.

Ken