How bad is it for a boat to sit and not be used?

Ilivetoski

If you find a boat that is 6 years old, with 100 or less hours, what is your first thought? I have always heard that the worst thing that you can do for a boat and the engine is to let it sit and not be used.

Razorskier1

My mechanic always says the biggest issue is you just don't know what does or doesn't work or need maintenance.

Jody_Seal

@‌Ilivetoski
6 year old boat will more than likely be a EFI engine. Fuel system will need to be gone through: Filter's, pump's hopefully the injectors are not gummed up. oil will need to be changed as will the transmission fluid. battery cable ends will most likely be corroded as well as battery lead connections at the engine block, Electrical connections will need to be checked and possibility cleaned. depending on ambient conditions where it was stored hose and rubber parts may need to be replaced especially if Ethanol mix fuel was left in the tank and fuel lines.
During initial start up all water block plugs, exhaust manifold water jacket plugs should be removed so engine can flush out any grawdew, sand ect. get a little heat in the engine, run a compression and leak down check, fuel pressure check, run an engine scan. install new shaft packing. After all that with the interior removed take boat to the lake run it around a bit and see if anything else needs addressed. if all is good put the boat back together and run it!

TustinTom

Pretty wide open topic:

I would want to see how many oil changes/services were done (via receipts/repair orders). Motors themselves are typically not your problem. What connects to them Oil/Spark/ANYTHING RUBBER may be your issue. Most 6 yr old boats have/offered ballast, I'd validate their operation. If the engine had any winterizing, say Year 3, with 2 to 3 oil changes, parked inside, I'd say you have a definite winner (especially if you can wrench it yourself). You can get the maintenance back on track with the dollars saved from not buying new.

Personally: 89 MC ProStar. Carb was rebuilt for the first time in 2013. Total hours under 500. At the end of the day, I have a Ford Engine with overbuilt Marinization. It's the Trailer tires about every 3 years. I wear out the sides from sitting.

If this boat is a wakeboard boat, then I would be more skeptical, definitely check the ballast and all the other functions. The tend to pile on hours, albeit very low stress hours compared to a comp/slalom boat. That's a whole other topic.

The_MS

If you find an 08 196 with under 100 hrs, call me.

MISkier

In 2004, I bought a 2000 MasterCraft 205 with 33 hours on it and nearly showroom new. That is about 8 hours a year or 1 day per summer. It's not like it was sitting in a barn those four years, but it wasn't used much. I had it for six years and never had a problem. Traded it in on my Malibu.

BRY

@MS How about a 2008 196 6L with 453 hrs? Private tourney lake use only, mostly light use, -15, and some tricking. Buddy down the lake selling it cause "they don't use it enough".

The_MS

@BRY Sounds nice but we are in a 2009 196 with 200 hrs right now. We are turning a boat about every 2 years while trying to keep them under 500 hrs. Not sure what we are going to do after this one.

BRY

@MS Just thought would put it out there since you expressed a need. I would jump on it but already have a 200.
2009 with 200hrs? Keep under 500hrs? Only way I could do that is go Horton's plan (ski everyone else's boat). Dude, get out n ski! Roll that meter up!

The_MS

@BRY We bought it in Sep of 2012 from @T8 and put about 100 hrs on it last summer. I am on the water just about every day. Someone will jump on that 08 in a hurry, 500 hrs is nothing. @Horton made sure to sell Baller coins before his Carbon Pro shows up for fear of pay back.

BRY

@MS Used to just ski weekends but moved to FL last May. Put 150hrs on ours since. Something about winter here being as warm as summer there...
Yea, 500 is nothing. Gonna be a great boat for someone. Only 3 boats on the lake now including me.

The_MS

@BRY I thought you were still in the NW, nice move. We have 3 feet of ice under 4 feet of snow and no warm weather in sight.

BRY

@MS Palm Beach now, about 80 today, water 74. Went to CO for a snow fix a week ago, wife couldn't wait to get back to warm.

brody

Livetoski, my thought is does it get used every year and for how many hours, just cause you don't pile on a ton of hours every year is much different than sitting and not used. Where I'm from, the average boater will only get 25 hours in a summer because if the short season

Horton

Well now I have a start on a list of Ballers not invited to my new lake house. I guess @MS was always on that list.

ToddF

So now buying an 08 boat with less than 100hrs is a bad thing? C'MON MAN.

I am buying the boat so I don't have to do all the aforementioned work to it.

The_MS

@Horton I have been trying to get you to Minnesota for years.

Horton

@ms to go ice fishing? Snow shoeing?

The_MS

Just show up when @JD is not here and it will be warm.

Jdubs

So the question was... What is your first thought on a boat with almost no hours? - Someone needs to get their priorities straight.

The_MS

Depends on what boat, fluid change intervals, condition of the boat, engine and who owned it.

6balls

Yah can work out fine. I bought 10 yr old 196 with 84 hours. Had to do steering cable and rudder packing, otherwise no issues and was(still is) in beautiful shape. Great price, too.
@MS, lemme know when your done with your SN 196. If I'm a little more financially free at the time may have to jump and sell the 2000...would be my ZO upgrade.

The_MS

@6balls Probably late fall, depending on what the club figures out.

mwski

@BRY sent PM

thager

@MS Please do not invite @Horton to S. Canada. anymore! Property values are just starting to go up.

XR6Hurricane

I don't see 100 hours in 6 years being all that abnormal. It would be 16 hours per year. Some people just don't use their boats much. I put about 30-40 on mine per year and use my boat more than most people I know. If it was put away properly every fall then I wouldn't see much of a problem. If it truly sat neglected, then that is the worst thing for anything mechanical. Buying something used with fuel injection would of course be more of a challenge than a carburetor if the fuel system was neglected.

Sethro

I bought a 1989 Supra Comp in in 1997 that had 110 hours. I put 200+ hours on the boat the next two years relatively trouble free. Had the baffles of an exhaust hose collapse inside but that was it.