Buying a 1998 Air Nautique... Any Concerns?

[zteg]

So the guy says it's a 351hp/5.8L engine. I'm assuming he has something confused, because what I found was that the 351 is the cu in of the GT40.

I've talked to a guy a part of SAMS (Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors) that will do an entire check including water run (sans a compression test) for ~$350.

Am I missing anything major by not having a compression test? The guy told me I can just take the boat out, open her up, and I will notice any problems that a compression test would tell.

Or should I even have the test to begin with (I know nothing other than what I've learned in this thread about boats/engines)?

[ponycar]

zteg - The info you are getting back from everyone here is great. After recently purchasing my first boat this past summer here is some advice that I can offer.

1) Ask for a test drive. Listen to the motor, does anything sound abnormal? How does the boat feel when engaging the prop in both foward and reverse, does it vibrate or shift hard? Be sure to open the engine hatch/cover and listen to it while it is running as the sound dampeners can mask small problems. Lift the engine hatch and see if there have been any fluid leaks (check bilge of boat and the engine itself to see if any residue is there, if found inquire as to why it is there). Also, I'd ask how often the boat was used. A engine that is run 1-3 weeks each summer vs. 1-3 times IMO is going to have some issues due to the fact the engine is just sitting there and seals/hoses will degrade faster if not used.

Personally I'd skip the compression test, but that is a judgement call you'll have to make. I'd call Buxton or another boat dealer if they offer pre-purchase inspections if you feel like you or a friend will not be able to make the judgement call on the engine/trans. Be sure to ask them what they will be doing during the inspection to make sure you get your $ worth.

If your knowledge of engines is limited I'd ask a friend to go with me who does for a second opinion.

2) Ask for records. My opinion is that if they kept records they most likely took care of their boat. Check the maintenance intervals (50 hours on engine oil, 100 on transmission, impeller last replaced?, belts replaced?, plugs replaced?, ect) and who did the work. In Dallas it would most likely be Buxton Marine, if they did the work I'd give them a call and inquire about the boat (I work with Riley @ Buxton and consider him very helpful 972-436-7412).

3) Overall appearance of the boat. Was the boat stored indoors or out? Given the age of the boat I wouldn't be aiming for perfection, but if you look at several boats around the same age you will begin to develop a knowledge of what is "normal wear and tear" and what is excessive. From there I'd apply my own discount/premium on what I'd be willing to pay for given the shape of the boat.

4) Talk to the owner, is he an enthusiast or just some guy trying to get rid of a boat. In my opinion you can learn a lot by simply asking the owner questions that will ultimately help you in your decision making process. I'd take down some questions from responses received from this site as a good starting point (also do a search on the engine/boat you are looking at to find more discussion about issues/questions raised previously).


Best of luck with the purchase.

[Chexi]

The gt40 will say gt40 in big letters on the top of the engine. The fact that this guy does not know whether or not his boat has a gt40 and that he is mixing up cc with hp tells me he is not an enthusiast. That does not mean he didi not pay someone to maintain the boat properly, but it indicates that he is not an uber fan.

[Chexi]

What is he inspecting for $350 without doing a compression test? Is he going to tell you the big hole in the side below the waterline is bad? I think for that price he should performa compression test, and I would want one, because just about everything else on that boat is pretty obvious and easy to do yourself with a thorough visual inspection and test drive.

[zteg]

What is he inspecting for $350 without doing a compression test? Is he going to tell you the big hole in the side below the waterline is bad?

Rofl. I agree; it seems a bit expensive for someone to check things it seems that I personally could test. But to be honest, I really don't know anything about boats, and it would give me that extra confidence to buy one.

And yes, the fact that the owner really doesn't seem to know the boat raises a flag. I spent about 3 days on forums, and learned more about the Air Nautique than I ever wanted to. I'll be checking out the boat, including a test drive, tomorrow.

I'm hoping I'll be able to talk this guy down from price, because it doesn't sound like he took the best care of it. I don't mind putting a little work into this boat.

[Chexi]

If it's in Dallas and you want me come with, let me know. I'm no mechanic, but I've owned and worked quite a bit on my 99 air for over two years now.

[zteg]

Ah, it's not in Dallas sadly, or I'd take you up on that offer Chexi.

Going to have to talk it over with some friends if we feel comfortable doing the checks ourselves.

[mhaaland]

i had a problem with the inline fuse up by the battery. they get wet and get corrosion on them so i took out the fuse and put a resetable breaker in there.

[Chexi]

Interesting idea. I have not had this problem, so I never thought about trying something like that. Just be sure you have something that will trip (breaker) or burn out (fuse) a lot sooner than the wire, since it is the wire that the fuse/breaker is protecting.

[zteg]

Update after test drive:

Turns out it's the Ford 351 engine, not the GT40. What's the reliability/performance difference between the two?

The boat runs great. Hit's the 5200 rpm mark when full throttle. He did have the carburetor rebuilt 1.5 years ago.



Opinions welcome. Thanks again for everyones help/thoughts.

[jimmyj]

351 is the base for the gt40. i believe the only difference in the 'pro boss' 351 and the 'gt40' is the heads. others can tell if im right or wrong.

horsepower btween the two varies. as mentioned, the pro boss is ~265 or so, the gt40 is 310.

[xlair]

The engine in this boat is probably the 5.8 HO 290 HP carb. This is a good engine, nothing wrong with it really. Just not as nice as a GT-40. I'm thinking like $12-13k is a better price for this boat in the condition you describe and since it is lacking a GT-40.

[Chexi]

Did you get a pull behind the boat on your test drive?

[zteg]

Did you get a pull behind the boat on your test drive?

I didn't end up getting in. We checked the wake both before and after the ballasts were full, and it didn't seem like there was a big difference. Although the wake in general looked good.

We do both skiing/wakeboarding, so I'm assuming I can do some "adjustments" while driving to get a bigger/smaller wake.

Also, without the GT-40, it seems like pulling that much weight obviously has a pretty big effect (as far as planing out).

[zteg]

I guess now my concern is the difference in HP. It seems the Ford 351 engine is a well built piece of machinery and very reliable. That is my #1 concern.

Second would be performance. I'm assuming for going 20-30 mph when pulling someone (wakeboarding/skiing) there can't be much of a difference between 265 hp and 310 hp.