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View Full Version : Buying a "Turn Key" used boat



mjw930
03-27-2008, 09:04 AM
I'm sure all of us at one time or another has bought a used boat. Many times, when looking at all the available boats, we consider how "turn key" each one is.

I went through the same thing last December and decided to buy what was the most turn key boat I could find available at the time and within my price range.

Since then I have made the following "upgrades" ;) So much for "Turn Key" :D

Short list of "upgrades":

Manifolds and Risers
Impeller + housing
Outdrive hinge pins, bellows, shift cable, bearing and general service ($1400 into Speedmasters pocket)
New engine compartment auto fire extinguisher
New batteries
Built in battery charger
Transom tie downs
New dash with Livorsi II gauges
Livorsi depth gauge (it didn't have one)
Stereo with 4 speakers (it didn't have one)
New Steering wheel
New Nav/Anchor light and mount
Refinish hatch underside
Oh, and lets not forget the new $5000 trailer!!!!

I got the sounder puck glued down last night so that completes all my upgrades to this "turn key" boat I bought :doh:

I should have enough money left for gas :boggled:

Lets hear other stories of other "Turn Key" purchases.

BigGrizzly
03-27-2008, 09:20 AM
Welcome to the world of turn key

mjw930
03-27-2008, 09:27 AM
Welcome to the world of turn key

I know. I'm using turn key tongue in cheek. I knew exactly what I was getting into. So far I've had very few surprises.

RedDog
03-27-2008, 10:05 AM
Lets see - 1990 18 Classic w/ BBC & OMC King Cobra

1998 22 Classic w/ 502 MAG & Bravo 1

I added gas and turned the key - worked every time :cool:

Actually on the 22 I did replace stereo, add second battery, second bilge pump, and pop-up cleats

mjw930
03-27-2008, 10:11 AM
Lets see - 1990 18 Classic w/ BBC & OMC King Cobra

1998 22 Classic w/ 502 MAG & Bravo 1

I added gas and turned the key - worked every time :cool:

Actually on the 22 I did replace stereo, add second battery, second bilge pump, and pop-up cleats

Good for you.

BTW, the only thing I had to do was the outdrive and batteries, everything else worked. The rest of the list was because I'm anal......

Still $40K cheaper than buying a new one :D

Ranman
03-27-2008, 12:11 PM
Both of my boats so far have turned out to be pretty much turn key.

The Donzi, a 1997 with Mag 350/Bravo came to me with 115 hours. It has 330 hours on it now and other than my own upgrades, it has required 0 repairs other than regular maintenance.

My Formula, a 2004 bank reposession with 2 X 350Mag / Bravo III's, came to me with 33 hours. The starboard outdrive's input shaft seal was trashed and the drive was spilling oil into the bilge through the bellows. FormulaGuard picked up 80% of the $700 repair. I also need to diagnose a malfunctioning front bilge pump. Other than that, we've put over 100hrs on it last season with nothing but gas and oil.

mjw930
03-27-2008, 01:11 PM
Sounds like you got 2 sweet deals. The only things I could find in a 21 year old boat that came close to being in that condition mechanically had other issues.

So far the biggest expense, the outdrive, was the result of the unit having Alpha hinge pins. The previous owner claims they were never replaced and the outdrive shop says he's never seen that in 20 years of working on Mercury outdrives UNLESS someone accidentally replaced them with the wrong part. This isn't a small, out of the way shop, they do work for people all over the world. I really think Mercury shipped it that way but there's no way to prove it.

Overall, on a 21 year old boat with 396 hours on it and 10 year old motor / drive package with 125 hours it was as close to turn key as I could expect for the price. Besides, I budgeted all this work into the purchase price because I wanted to update everything from the get go so I didn't have a surprise in the middle of the summer.

Of course 2 months after I bought mine a sweet '88 with a 502 MPI Bravo 1 upgrade shows up on the board but that's OK. I would have ended up just about in the same place financially and now I know my boat inside and out.

SilverBack
03-28-2008, 12:00 AM
My Turn Key boat that I bought right after you bought yours has had a few mods and upgrades too!

osur866
03-28-2008, 01:57 AM
If we all really wanted "turn-key" boats I don't think alot of the people that frequent this site would be here, I too bought a turn-key boat and by choice have been doing a little mods along with regular servive over the winter. Thats why they call this hobby an addiction:doh: but how fun it is. Steve

zimm17
03-28-2008, 06:20 AM
Bought a turn key boat. Had new engine, recent interior, dash/gauges, and stereo/speakers.

Well I had to do a trailer, batteries, depth finder, and anchor light pole. Other than that it was "turn-key", but stock. Ran great and did 70mph.

Then I went:

dual battery isolator with switch (allows a battery to stay in reserve)
Closed loop cooling
Dana exhaust
livorsi gauges
seat brackets with sliders
New windshield plastic
Dana throttle
New prop
stainless marine trim/tab indicators
full hydraulic steering
EFI whipple blower
Imco 2" shorty lower outdrive
bigger prop
boost/fuel press gauges
subwoofer (waste in this boat after install- don't recommend)

On the "to do" list:

New rub rail
Hopefully enjoy the boat before the engine blows up

It never stops!

Now if my boat was only a 30 footer....

The Hedgehog
03-28-2008, 07:46 AM
I bought a nice turn key 26ZX. I took the turn key motor out and sold the turn key package to CJMike.

I have seen some of CJMike's jeep/rock crawling videos. He is not well either. He is claiming to be keeping the Big Green ZX stock. I am thinking that he will keep it so for this summer at least. If it starts to morph into something like one of those 4x4 creations he made we will all need to look out.

I am building a turn key motor that goes about 40 mph faster. It also involves a bunch of "turn checkbook" and will involve "turn wrench" more ofter since time between overhaul will be a little more often.

ky-donzi
03-28-2008, 07:56 AM
I bought a turn-key 98 last summer. It needed nothing, I made sure it was what I wanted. 350 mag mpi, silent choise, Bravo 1, colored hull sides, low hours. It needed absolutly nothing. THEN WHAT........ I have to start monkeying with it!!!!!

osur866 had it right..... its an addiction. Maybe not "boating" but having some project to sink money into and to show your buddy when there over at your house while drinking a beer.

You know how every trip to the emergency rooms starts in Kentucky............ Hold my beer, and watch this!!

CJmike
03-28-2008, 08:04 AM
No I am hoping the Big Green ZX is turn key.:crossfing: So far so good. The only time I turned the key and nothing happened it turns out I had bumped the gear shift.:bonk:

Defiantly won't be touching anything other than maintance type stuff this year. Gotta keep the race buggy togther and with a lack of sponsorship this year it will be tough. Plus I have had a lot of years to develop the Jeep sickness. Give me a little time with the boat stuff.

mjw930
03-28-2008, 09:51 AM
Wrenching on the boat during the week is therapy. I enjoy it enough to have other "plans" in the works.

This thread wasn't meant as a complaint, more like trying to see if others share the same affliction to "tinkering" that I do.

Seems I've come to the right place :D

SilverBack
03-28-2008, 05:20 PM
The Hedgehog and me have the same problem. We have to pay other people to tinker on our boats!! Not as much fun!!:bonk: