posted 07-18-2003 10:38 PM ET (US)        

It's an 87 outrage, with an 87 Mercury 175, reported to have 800+ hours. The hull and teak were in pretty good shape, the gelcoat shines and the teak would clean up ok. I saw no stress cracks or oxidation or cracks inside the hull. I think that it's been covered or stored inside since new. No bottom paint. I looked at the tank through the inspection plates, but don't know if I could tell anything about it. The ground wires were there, anyhow. The owner added an aluminum bracket, and the boat has been stored on a bunk trailer without rollers since his purchase in 99.

The trailer is a 1999 galvanized Performance brand, with double axles and looks good, but I don't know how easy it would be to set it up properly, or if one could expect hull damage due to improper storage. The boat's been pulled for fairly long distances, including down to the keys more than once, and there's no support under the transom other than the bunks.

The motor started right up while cold, and seemed to run ok on the muffs, but it's old for an offshore boat with a single, and I don't have much confidence at all in it. The boat has a t-top that folds down, a real plus for me, but the top looks like an amateur project: sloppy welds, round pipe for rod holders, unpolished and probably not even anondized.
There's also an ugly rod holder (made from pipe also) that runs across the motor well from side to side. It has cable steering, not hydraulic, two batteries and a switch, electronics box, a spreader light and running lights. All lights work. It comes with a VHF, probably worthless, and a cheap fishfinder (Lowrance x49), and a nice (original?)compass. Two coolers, a home-made baitwell, and leaning post type bench seat. No trim tabs. It has a small bow dodger.

The gel-coat is worn away on the forefoot of the bow, where the boat may have been beached, or possibly runs over the crossmember of the trailer; the glass is exposed for a distance of about 24 to 30 inches. I opened the locker that is centrally located just forward of the console, and found that it was full of water; we've had a LOT of rain here lately (even for FL). I don't know if that means anything or not.

The owner started out about a month ago at 14000, he quoted 10,000, or 8500 without the motor. I didn't make a counter offer. Even if if I were leaning toward buying, I don't think that I can swing the cost of a new motor, plus prop and rigging, hydraulic steering, decent fishfinder, setting up the trailer, and whatever else pops up. In addition, I would probably prefer to run twin 90s, and don't want to pull the bracket, right now there's no place to even hang a kicker. After assessing my finances, I'll probably need to find an 18 anyhow, but would prefer a 20.

posted 07-18-2003 11:05 PM ET (US)            

PLEASE stop the hype about keel rollers not being sufficient. All boat lifts have the same support and if they can hold a 250,000 boat with 2 bunks, it is plenty support for our stinkin surfboards. I have owned many whalers and none ever had a keel roller, most were bunks, some were all roller(EEEK GADS!)without any having dimples or hull delamination, etc.....sorry for the rant.