Driving 650 miles to inspect a possible 2004 Nautique 216 purchase.

[bionaraq]

What are the things to inspect and check?
Interior looks like a boat with 10 hours, exterior needs wetsanding.
No tower.
It has around 500 hours,seller says the Goodyear Marathon Radials are only five years old but date code shows 4703. so 2003. [I'm pushing them to fix this before i get there on Sunday but then I dont know how i feel about it since i still want to be able to walk from the boat if it's not up to snuff]
Bearings were repacked about 5 years ago apparently. (I will have an infared temp gun in order to check the bearing temperatures as i do not believe this based on tire age)
It is a commission sale so the agent can only hook a fake lake up to it.
The selling dealer is apparently the dealer who has done all the services for this one owner boat.

Should I strap the rear of the boat to the trailer for the drive home if things go well?
I am assuming mooring cover off during travel.
windshield open or closed?.

[MN Ryan]

I'm sure some more seasoned owners will chime in, but I would be extremely hesitant to tow a boat 650 miles on tires that old and a 5-year old bearing job. IMHO, traditional grease bearings on a boat trailer should be cleaned, inspected, and repacked yearly.

I'd be hard-pressed to drive that far for a boat that they won't allow you to test drive. At the very least, it had better be a screaming deal.

If you buy it, yes, I would strap the transom to the trailer (this may be required by law, depending upon where). Cover--depends on the cover. If I had any doubts in my mind as to the integrity/trailerability of the cover, I would tow without it. Window closed.

[srock]

It may have a new interior but if it's in good shape who cares. Yes, strap the boat to the trailer for that long a drive. If it is not designed as a trailerable cover it will either fall apart or rub on the gelcoat so your call on this. Windshield closed. Do not trust what anyone tells you on condition or maintenance...receipts will help otherwise you need to be the judge and look it over closely.

You are not going far on 10-year-old tires. Even 5 year old would be a concern if they have sat as it is better that they are heated up a spun often. If the owner won't do it, find a nearby shop that can swap them out before you set sail. Also, do not expect your car or truck jack to fit under the axle. It will be too tall but also too short to reach the frame. Check under the bearing covers for condition, hopefully you have bearing buddies and can add a little grease. Lift the trailer and spin the wheels and listen to make sure the bearings are smooth with no grinding and make sure there is no play in the bearings (check the internet for advice on checking bearings), also when you spin the wheels see if the tires are perfectly round with no bumps or wobbles. If they are footballed in any way you won't go far.

[bionaraq]

update.
I asked the sales guy for pictures of the wheels/tires. Wheels are perfect. Tires are ancient. Oddly, it's the exact same wheel with a 205/75r14 as my 2015 Yamaha. Which has brand new Goodyear Endurance Radials in 215/75r14 for this year. (and the wheels do not look perfect because we've trailered a LOT).

Tire size is slightly off (0.6" height, 0.5" wide). And I'm sure the backspacing MAY be different, but these wheels may just help me get off the side of the highway, thought i do plan on trying them on before leaving for ultimate peace of mind.

So I guess I'm hauling my boat to dad's barn to put it on jack stands and taking the new tires (and crabby wheels) this weekend.

I am concerned about the bearings and will bring a grease gun and grease with me.

The trailer does have bearing buddies on it, but if they've sat in a barn for 20 years, the grease may have dried up. I'll keep checking the temps for the first few miles and see where we end up. Part of going for Sunday mid day is so we have time on Monday for any of these issues (dad has to be back at work on Tuesday).

Very glad to hear people echoing my concerns.

Nautique



2015 Yamaha AR240

[MN Ryan]

When I bought my current boat, I lost a wheel on my way home somewhere in the middle of WI. Thankfully, I have a dual-axle trailer and found an open tire shop that got me on the road again!

Good luck!

[MN Ryan]

If they fit, I would just swap them and not risk it. I'd hate to have a blowout on the highway.

[srock]

Finally, a tire that I can read the PSI stamping!


2015 Yamaha AR240
[/QUOTE]

[jjackkrash]

Take the boat and trailer to a Les Schwab [or insert tire and axle service store name here] and replace the rubber and have them repack the bearings then hit the road. Its about an hour pitstop. As far as cover, if you are going to wet sand or buff it anyway, cover on if its a decent cover. Cover travel marks are generally superficial scuffs and very easy to buff out unless something out of the ordinary is going on or the cover just does not fit properly. But a flappy cover will scuff some.

[NautiqueJeff]

I pick up boats like this all the time. My last two were in Ohio and I pulled them back to North Carolina.

First stop, ASAP, change the tires. That's always my number one. No matter what.

I have never had a bearing issue. I have changed some, but I have never had a failure, even on VERY old trailers.

I always bring a full trailer wiring harness with me that can be sacrificed to repair the existing one on the trailer. I have bought probably ten of these on Amazon over the years, just so I can hack them up and repair existing harnesses on trailers I buy. Trailer lights are important!

Other than that, cover off and windshield closed and latched.

Make sure to secure any cushions not bolted down. Keep them in your truck or in the boat's compartments, or they will end up gone.

[MN Ryan]

bionaraq Well???

[Scooter G]

Les Schwab tire store, yep that's a Pacific Northwest call out, I like it, lol.
I had those exact rim's, I had to think for a second, on my old custom jet ski trailer. Would of been around 2004. Nice blast from the past.
bionaraq, you've gotten some good feed back from some of the most knowegeble here. Good luck, and good journey...

[MN Ryan]

I've got those rims on my '07. They're very common!

[jtryon]

i don't think bearings need a yearly repack, that's way overkill IMO. i'd just bring a grease gun and load them up, then check them after 10 miles or so and if all is well after about the same amount of highway miles. i echo the tire replacement that others are saying here before pulling it back though.

[bionaraq]

bionaraq Well???

i got home at 3 am last night.

post coming!


TEASER:


notes: Jeff was right, we lost 2 hours to monkeying in a Tractor Supply parking lot trying to fix the wiring enough to have lights Dad had eye surgery and kept insisting on buying everything and kept grabbing the TRUCK side not the TRAILER side stuff then none of the trailer side stuff had long enough wires. Bearings were fine (never got over 95 degrees). I"m SUPER glad I swapped tires.

We also got it on the water here at home today and I'll be making a post about the Eagle trailer. It's easily 6' longer than the trailer on my AR240 which outweights it by 1,000 lbs. Despite the swing neck trailer. The bow stop is terrible, carpet is falling off on fenders, bunks look to be worn out. Winch strap/winch is original, wiring is original (you need a candle to see if it's on). I'm used to a crash pad for my fil's 1996 SN. Loading back on we hit the bow roller with the rubber side. She's everything i dreamed of in the water, other than low speed/loading the steering is so **** loose and lubed that there is zero feel of feedback.

[MN Ryan]

In regards to bearings, I suppose it depends on how you use a trailer. I tow mine about 200 miles most summer weekends. I prefer to inspect and repack them prior to winter storage because any moisture that seeps past the seals will rust the crap out of the bearings in the 7-8 months it sits over then winter. I've seen it first hand.

If you're not regularily towing and launching, I think it's less of a liability. (or if you have oil-bath hubs)

As much as I dislike the job, it's a lot more appealing to me that sitting on the side of the road with a roasted hub.