Any advice on this 1978 17 Montauk I’m looking at buying?

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Author Topic:   Any advice on this 1978 17 Montauk I’m looking at buying?

hmaz1 posted 03-14-2012 05:03 PM ET (US)
I'm new to this site, and looking to buy a classic 17, maybe 19, Montauk or similar center console BW soon. Have been getting a lot of good info here - thanks all.
My past experience was the family’s early ‘70s 13ft w/ 35 Johnson, back when I was a kid. My new purchase will be for SF Bay, some area lakes, mostly light fishing, some pleasure cruising. Something I can trailer short distances. Just 1 or 2 on board for the most part. Don’t need speed per se, mostly just good condition and reliability.
I am seeing this boat (link below) Friday. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Second owner’s family selling. Been used little in last few years, but kept well-covered. Mostly saltwater; seller says freshwater run through after each outing. Boat condition supposed to be good, but the wood needs reconditioning. I’ll inspect paint, gel coat etc. Lots of little extras in addition to what’s listed. Trailer supposed to be in good order.
It’s likely the original Johnson 70. Seller says it runs well. Not sure about kicker. As I won’t likely be able to have the engines tested by mechanic, I’ll at least see if it starts fine, etc. Is there any problem turning over an engine that’s not in water and running it for a few seconds – long enough to confirm it actually starts and not enough to allow it to heat up?
What else should I be thinking about the boat, and particularly the Johnson 70? If it’s a ’78 or thereabouts, does the white cowling indicate a sea water version? Any idea how many cylinders?
Fyi, if the engine runs well I’ll keep it maintained, but eventually will want to re-power. That’s a year or 2 or 3 away (mostly depends on the current engine doing the job).
Lastly, from what I’ve seen in the Bay area, $7,500 looks pretty reasonable. Thoughts?
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/boa/2899126057.html
Henry

martyn1075 posted 03-14-2012 06:36 PM ET (US)
I would not start it for a few seconds as that may be enough to damage internal parts. I would bring my own muffs and hook her up to a hose with of course permission from the seller and check it out that way. Lets face it the engine isn't worth much at this point even if it does work. I would consider it as a extra if you say you can get a season or two out if it that would be fantastic although it may drive you crazy if it is finicky. I would just make sure as everyone on here will say look out for cracks holes below the waterline. Check the bottom for any obvious patch work. Some patch work is just fine and normal maintenance such as little scratches and small chips in the gelcoat. If possible it might be nice to see it in the water see how it looks. If you can get a test ride that would be helpful as well.
Martyn
Teak Oil posted 03-14-2012 07:34 PM ET (US)
I am not sure what West Coast prices are like, but I just sold a lot nicer Montauk than that for $7500. The cowling on that motor is from the late 70's, so the motor is very old.
To me that is a Montauk worth about $5k max. The trailer looks pretty rough to me as well.
Never start an outboard without it in the water, that's a good way to ruin the water pump
You should be able to find a better deal than that
Jeff posted 03-14-2012 08:17 PM ET (US)
For $7500 I would likely pass on that Montauk.
The motor seems to be the same vintage as the hull and during that era they did not make Salt Water models like they do today. They were all the same (and basically are today as well). That is 3 cylinder OMC as well.
Since you are in the Bay area and if you are willing to look outside of the 17 Montauk model I would say you would look at this Newport for $6500.
[http://monterey.craigslist.org/boa/2836322307.html
It is a one owner boat looks very well cared for it's age and have what looks to be all the OEM equipment. The red rubrail still being a deep red clearly indicates it has been stored indoors when not in use. I have owned both a Montauk and currently own a Newport. I love the Newport far more for my uses which is a lot of Family use, Water Sports, cruising and some fishing. The big console is great for getting out of the wind and the lower helm has been great for letting my 4 year old learn the ropes.
If you are looking to do only Fishing then, I would say stick with a Montauk but, it seems like you are not. That said if you are set on having a Montauk and are willing to drive a bit, I might poke around this one in Las Vegas. It is a one owner as well and may not have ever seen saltwater. It is a bummer they installed the Outrage / Revenge Captains chairs instead of the RPS. It has been listed for a bit and you could likely get it for $4500 - $5000ish. I would try and get more images of it to make an assessment before heading out on a road trip though.
http://bostonwhalersearchsite.blogspot.com/2012/02/desert-montauk.html
If you want something to use as a go-by while inspecting Whalers in person feel free to download and use this document I created for myself and use when I am looking at Whalers. Some say it is overzealous but, for me, I find it leave no rock unturned
http://sites.google.com/site/rohlfingswhalersite/Home/ Whalerinspectiondoc31709.pdf?attredirects=1
hmaz1 posted 03-15-2012 04:58 PM ET (US)
Appreciate all of the comments.
Jeff, I did see that Newport ad. A center console is preferred. That said that Newport’s a nice looking boat, and I’ll ping the seller about it, including engine year.
I’m in contact with the Vegas seller. The boat originated in SoCal – lots of runs to Catalina & Channel Isles he says.
Extra pics show pretty clean boat; decent trailer; the engine cowling has a lot of sun fading, but motor itself looks clean externally. Engine is from’92 I think, and he says approx 300 hours – which seems a bit low if he was doing a lot of those Pacific runs. And I’ve asked him if he has the RPS – I don’t like care for his customer set up at all. I figure a decent used RPS will be in the $300-$400 range.
And appreciate the inspection doc. I used a similarly comprehensive one when purchasing my ’86 VW Westfalia pop-top camper van. Too bad Westys aren’t a tow vehicle, or it would be nice using one ‘classic’ to pull another ‘classic’!
Henry
Fishcop posted 03-15-2012 10:17 PM ET (US)
Hey Henry, I've seen that Montauk you listed from the South Bay. It has been fished. Check out the tilt/trim and steering. If it starts, that would be a big bonus. I am in Berkeley most of the time, so I can assist if needed. Just give me a shout and I will do what I can.
Take Care

Andy
BretNewt posted 03-15-2012 10:56 PM ET (US)
There is an 87 on Sacramento craigslist for a little bit more money. It looked like very good condition to me. For what it's worth I paid 7500.00 for an 86 in October without the extras that you are looking at. Good luck
Bret
BretNewt posted 03-15-2012 10:57 PM ET (US)
I forgot to mention I got it from Bay area also.
Bret
andygere posted 03-16-2012 12:36 AM ET (US)
The motors appear to be '78 or '79. I owned a '79 with a '79 Johnson '85 and sold it for $7k in Santa Cruz about 8 years ago. Good boat, simple motors (no oil injection so you must pre-mix), but you are really buying the hull only. If it's solid, take a look and make an offer with cash in hand. I'd sea trial it if you can.
I agree with others, in this market the price seems high.
hmaz1 posted 03-16-2012 10:52 AM ET (US)
Andy, I'll take you up on your offer. Can you email me at (spaces intentional):
h maz ale ski[at]yahoo[dot]com
Fishcop posted 03-16-2012 02:20 PM ET (US)
Henry, I sent you my contact info.
Andy
Jeff posted 03-21-2012 09:44 PM ET (US)
If you were considering the other one for $7500, for $9000 this 17' Alert sure seems like a deal worth driving down to look at. Heck I am sure someone on board here in the area could look at it for you...
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/boa/2913413151.html
Landlocked posted 03-22-2012 08:27 AM ET (US)
When I bought my Montauk, it had a 78 Johnson 85 on it. motor only had tilt, no trim. Might want to check that.
C.
mhehn posted 03-22-2012 01:04 PM ET (US)
Hi I have look at this site for meny of years but have never posted. I have a 1980 17' Montauk I will be putting up for sale soon.If you are interested I will send you some pict's. It has a 1981 Johnson 90hp two stroke with tilt,Galv.Trailer,Garmin 300c fish finder, GPS map, Am/FM stero, Marine radio,new gas tank,new seats, bait tank and full storage cover. very clean boat, I am the second owner. Please e-mail me at mhehn@surfcity-hb.org if you would like to see pict's.
The boat is located in Mission Viejo,ca
$7,150.00
Thanks Mike
hmaz1 posted 03-23-2012 04:29 PM ET (US)
Thanks again all, including Mike/mhehn - sounds like a nice boat.
I ended up paying $5k for the San Jose boat, trailer and decent bit of gear. Motivated seller.
I just dropped off the boat at my mechanic for full inspection of engine and operating systems, but overall he liked the entire package visually.
See you on the water soon.
Henry

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Author	Topic: Any advice on this 1978 17 Montauk I’m looking at buying?
hmaz1	posted 03-14-2012 05:03 PM ET (US) I'm new to this site, and looking to buy a classic 17, maybe 19, Montauk or similar center console BW soon. Have been getting a lot of good info here - thanks all. My past experience was the family’s early ‘70s 13ft w/ 35 Johnson, back when I was a kid. My new purchase will be for SF Bay, some area lakes, mostly light fishing, some pleasure cruising. Something I can trailer short distances. Just 1 or 2 on board for the most part. Don’t need speed per se, mostly just good condition and reliability. I am seeing this boat (link below) Friday. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Second owner’s family selling. Been used little in last few years, but kept well-covered. Mostly saltwater; seller says freshwater run through after each outing. Boat condition supposed to be good, but the wood needs reconditioning. I’ll inspect paint, gel coat etc. Lots of little extras in addition to what’s listed. Trailer supposed to be in good order. It’s likely the original Johnson 70. Seller says it runs well. Not sure about kicker. As I won’t likely be able to have the engines tested by mechanic, I’ll at least see if it starts fine, etc. Is there any problem turning over an engine that’s not in water and running it for a few seconds – long enough to confirm it actually starts and not enough to allow it to heat up? What else should I be thinking about the boat, and particularly the Johnson 70? If it’s a ’78 or thereabouts, does the white cowling indicate a sea water version? Any idea how many cylinders? Fyi, if the engine runs well I’ll keep it maintained, but eventually will want to re-power. That’s a year or 2 or 3 away (mostly depends on the current engine doing the job). Lastly, from what I’ve seen in the Bay area, $7,500 looks pretty reasonable. Thoughts? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/boa/2899126057.html Henry
martyn1075	posted 03-14-2012 06:36 PM ET (US) I would not start it for a few seconds as that may be enough to damage internal parts. I would bring my own muffs and hook her up to a hose with of course permission from the seller and check it out that way. Lets face it the engine isn't worth much at this point even if it does work. I would consider it as a extra if you say you can get a season or two out if it that would be fantastic although it may drive you crazy if it is finicky. I would just make sure as everyone on here will say look out for cracks holes below the waterline. Check the bottom for any obvious patch work. Some patch work is just fine and normal maintenance such as little scratches and small chips in the gelcoat. If possible it might be nice to see it in the water see how it looks. If you can get a test ride that would be helpful as well. Martyn
Teak Oil	posted 03-14-2012 07:34 PM ET (US) I am not sure what West Coast prices are like, but I just sold a lot nicer Montauk than that for $7500. The cowling on that motor is from the late 70's, so the motor is very old. To me that is a Montauk worth about $5k max. The trailer looks pretty rough to me as well. Never start an outboard without it in the water, that's a good way to ruin the water pump You should be able to find a better deal than that
Jeff	posted 03-14-2012 08:17 PM ET (US) For $7500 I would likely pass on that Montauk. The motor seems to be the same vintage as the hull and during that era they did not make Salt Water models like they do today. They were all the same (and basically are today as well). That is 3 cylinder OMC as well. Since you are in the Bay area and if you are willing to look outside of the 17 Montauk model I would say you would look at this Newport for $6500. [http://monterey.craigslist.org/boa/2836322307.html It is a one owner boat looks very well cared for it's age and have what looks to be all the OEM equipment. The red rubrail still being a deep red clearly indicates it has been stored indoors when not in use. I have owned both a Montauk and currently own a Newport. I love the Newport far more for my uses which is a lot of Family use, Water Sports, cruising and some fishing. The big console is great for getting out of the wind and the lower helm has been great for letting my 4 year old learn the ropes. If you are looking to do only Fishing then, I would say stick with a Montauk but, it seems like you are not. That said if you are set on having a Montauk and are willing to drive a bit, I might poke around this one in Las Vegas. It is a one owner as well and may not have ever seen saltwater. It is a bummer they installed the Outrage / Revenge Captains chairs instead of the RPS. It has been listed for a bit and you could likely get it for $4500 - $5000ish. I would try and get more images of it to make an assessment before heading out on a road trip though. http://bostonwhalersearchsite.blogspot.com/2012/02/desert-montauk.html If you want something to use as a go-by while inspecting Whalers in person feel free to download and use this document I created for myself and use when I am looking at Whalers. Some say it is overzealous but, for me, I find it leave no rock unturned http://sites.google.com/site/rohlfingswhalersite/Home/ Whalerinspectiondoc31709.pdf?attredirects=1
hmaz1	posted 03-15-2012 04:58 PM ET (US) Appreciate all of the comments. Jeff, I did see that Newport ad. A center console is preferred. That said that Newport’s a nice looking boat, and I’ll ping the seller about it, including engine year. I’m in contact with the Vegas seller. The boat originated in SoCal – lots of runs to Catalina & Channel Isles he says. Extra pics show pretty clean boat; decent trailer; the engine cowling has a lot of sun fading, but motor itself looks clean externally. Engine is from’92 I think, and he says approx 300 hours – which seems a bit low if he was doing a lot of those Pacific runs. And I’ve asked him if he has the RPS – I don’t like care for his customer set up at all. I figure a decent used RPS will be in the $300-$400 range. And appreciate the inspection doc. I used a similarly comprehensive one when purchasing my ’86 VW Westfalia pop-top camper van. Too bad Westys aren’t a tow vehicle, or it would be nice using one ‘classic’ to pull another ‘classic’! Henry
Fishcop	posted 03-15-2012 10:17 PM ET (US) Hey Henry, I've seen that Montauk you listed from the South Bay. It has been fished. Check out the tilt/trim and steering. If it starts, that would be a big bonus. I am in Berkeley most of the time, so I can assist if needed. Just give me a shout and I will do what I can. Take Care Andy
BretNewt	posted 03-15-2012 10:56 PM ET (US) There is an 87 on Sacramento craigslist for a little bit more money. It looked like very good condition to me. For what it's worth I paid 7500.00 for an 86 in October without the extras that you are looking at. Good luck Bret
BretNewt	posted 03-15-2012 10:57 PM ET (US) I forgot to mention I got it from Bay area also. Bret
andygere	posted 03-16-2012 12:36 AM ET (US) The motors appear to be '78 or '79. I owned a '79 with a '79 Johnson '85 and sold it for $7k in Santa Cruz about 8 years ago. Good boat, simple motors (no oil injection so you must pre-mix), but you are really buying the hull only. If it's solid, take a look and make an offer with cash in hand. I'd sea trial it if you can. I agree with others, in this market the price seems high.
hmaz1	posted 03-16-2012 10:52 AM ET (US) Andy, I'll take you up on your offer. Can you email me at (spaces intentional): h maz ale ski[at]yahoo[dot]com
Fishcop	posted 03-16-2012 02:20 PM ET (US) Henry, I sent you my contact info. Andy
Jeff	posted 03-21-2012 09:44 PM ET (US) If you were considering the other one for $7500, for $9000 this 17' Alert sure seems like a deal worth driving down to look at. Heck I am sure someone on board here in the area could look at it for you... http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/boa/2913413151.html
Landlocked	posted 03-22-2012 08:27 AM ET (US) When I bought my Montauk, it had a 78 Johnson 85 on it. motor only had tilt, no trim. Might want to check that. C.
mhehn	posted 03-22-2012 01:04 PM ET (US) Hi I have look at this site for meny of years but have never posted. I have a 1980 17' Montauk I will be putting up for sale soon.If you are interested I will send you some pict's. It has a 1981 Johnson 90hp two stroke with tilt,Galv.Trailer,Garmin 300c fish finder, GPS map, Am/FM stero, Marine radio,new gas tank,new seats, bait tank and full storage cover. very clean boat, I am the second owner. Please e-mail me at mhehn@surfcity-hb.org if you would like to see pict's. The boat is located in Mission Viejo,ca $7,150.00 Thanks Mike
hmaz1	posted 03-23-2012 04:29 PM ET (US) Thanks again all, including Mike/mhehn - sounds like a nice boat. I ended up paying $5k for the San Jose boat, trailer and decent bit of gear. Motivated seller. I just dropped off the boat at my mechanic for full inspection of engine and operating systems, but overall he liked the entire package visually. See you on the water soon. Henry