Buying small motor boat - Seller has not access to water to run engine.!

[stelican]

Not unusual for those oil-tanks to be removed.
Some of them had an unreliable drive system.

 

[QBhoy]

Quick update.
Went to see the boat, the boat itself is in good nic, very clean & the trailer is also in very good condition.

However, the engine wouldn't start as the trim motor on the boat was broken. There is a small device at the back of the boat
that was connected to the battery, that then connected to the trim motor, they couldnt get this work. The trim motor itself, they said worked, and they did get it to trim down a little while I was there.
I dont know what the device was, just looked like a small balck box with 4 connectors coming out of it. They had bought a new one, but it was the wrong type.The steering wheel also didnt turn but
the guy said that the motor needed to be trimed down for the stearing to work and for the engine to start, is this correct?

The guy was really apologeit and said they'd get it working for me, they also found water on the land and said if I brought a barrel they'd run it in water for me.
They do seem genuine but really not set up to be selling this correcfly. It's stored on a borrowed plot of land and they don't spen any time out there to prep' it for viewing.

Link to it trying to start

Hi there.
Guilty of a pessimistic view occasionally, haha, but couple of things of truth in response;
The trim system or any of its components, absolutely won’t have an effect on the ability of an engine to fire up, unless the main earthing system is entirely compromised.
The black box he may be referring to sounds like it may be one of the trim relays. This being the case, if one of the two she will have is at fault, then the trim wouldn’t work in one of the two directions. But could be proved as faulty by swapping them over, meaning that one way would work and the other wouldn’t, opposed to previously found.
Worthwhile to be aware that should there be a complete failure of the trim pump or motor (as I perhaps warned of previously, along with the cost to replace), it is possible to lower or raise the engine manually, by cracking open the vent/pressure relief screw fitting on the side of the pump. This will vent any pressure in the system, meaning that you can manually and physically raise or lower the engine without fighting any hydraulics. Designed to function in an emergency or required situation, but perhaps also could be used to manipulate or misconstrue the unaware, should the health of a trim system be in question!
As for the steering, this is another thing I may have suggested as another thing to be aware of, in terms of additional cost or money that may be required to put such a boat into reliable operation. Although technically speaking, on occasion, it may be that the fluid motion of a cable to tube steering system could perhaps be considered marginally more resistant when the e engine is at an unnatural state of position, (and I’m lending severe benefit of the doubt here), it shouldn’t be anything close to seized or similar. Claims that the steering won’t work when the engine is tilted up, should be questioned thoroughly and more likely, just plain doubted.
Anyway. A new steering system and a used trim pump and motor will see you considerably thinner on the wallet for sure. Budget at least £300 for a used trim motor and pump and £1000 ish for a new unit if you can get one. Steering will be another few hundred if you can fit it yourself.
I won’t go on too much (depressing myself here even), but I’d also say that any orange rusty deposits or staining around the spark plug fittings to the head…usually isn’t a great thing either. Wasn’t going to even mention that the picture showing the head and plugs, may even indicate two completely different spark plug types too. That will do for now perhaps. Sorry for the above

 

[onemanorthree]

Thanks for this, and all other help. I've decided to give that one a miss, just too many unknowns.

Bought thisn today, Fletcher speedboat for sale in Kildare for €3,000 on DoneDeal

Engine is in good shape, needs a service but very happy with it and price.

Interier needs to be patched but apart from that, all seems sound.

 

[ChromeDome]

Congratulations!

Nice boat - and has a cassette player too !

 

[QBhoy]

Thanks for this, and all other help. I've decided to give that one a miss, just too many unknowns.

Bought thisn today, Fletcher speedboat for sale in Kildare for €3,000 on DoneDeal

Engine is in good shape, needs a service but very happy with it and price.

Interier needs to be patched but apart from that, all seems sound.

Can’t see the boat now. Likely because it’s been removed. Congratulations. What model of fletcher is she ? Sure she will be great for you

 

[ChromeDome]

Can’t see the boat now. Likely because it’s been removed. Congratulations. What model of fletcher is she ? Sure she will be great for you

Me thinks a Fletcher GTO 150 Arrowflash on a Fletcher trailer with a 75 hp Mariner 2-stroke. There was a photo of some handbook, receipts and documents also.

 

[onemanorthree]

Me thinks a Fletcher GTO 150 Arrowflash on a Fletcher trailer with a 75 hp Mariner 2-stroke. There was a photo of some handbook, receipts and documents also.

Yes, that's it, second owner, engine very clean, wear and tear on the seats but that's to be expected.

 

[ChromeDome]

If memory serves it's rated for 90 hp max, so 75 is within the rule-of-thumb to not fit less than 80% of max, if you want the boat to perform as designed to.

Let's know how it goes, handling, hole shot, rpm reached at WOT, propeller and all that

 

[gordmac]

Enjoy!

 

[QBhoy]

Is it this one ? If it is, one of the nicest small fletchers, I think. Almost sure she’s a fletcher arrow flash 147 or 147 gto they might just be called. Predecessor to the arrow flash 15 I think. Great wee hulls. 75-90hp is ideal for them I think. Was recently in an arrow flash 15 with a 75 merc. She went really well, I thought. Round about the 40mph mark or just over I think.
Only slight thing worth watching out for, is with the one piece windscreen (meaning no opening centre section), when it’s required to get up the bow/fore deck, I’d suggest great care taken, to try not to be tempted to put any sort of strain or weight onto the windshield, when climbing over. Not easily avoided really. But worth being mindful of. Years ago, a friend managed to damage my similar one piece on a 150 fletcher. Ruined my day for sure, haha.
She looks lovely.

 

[ChromeDome]

It looks identical and has the Arrowflash decor below the A-pillar (car-term), so unless it's a retrofit, it's genuine.



The photo of the transom confirmed a nice hull. The paperwork will tell.

 

[QBhoy]

It looks identical and has the Arrowflash decor below the A-pillar (car-term), so unless it's a retrofit, it's genuine.

View attachment 154801

The photo of the transom confirmed a nice hull. The paperwork will tell.

Yeah. I’d say she is an arrow flash, but an arrow flash 147 model. Think I may have mentioned in a post earlier. The 15 has a round windscreen I’m sure. This was the earlier arrowflash I’m sure. Arrow flash are usually easily set apart from just about all of the rest around that size, by the wee prominent raised or featured shape they have at each side right towards the rear and just above the water line. As far as I know, every arrow flash had that feature. Very very few other models did. With maybe one or possibly two other models rarely featuring it. The much larger 199 and the 161 had it I think. Not sure any others ever did. Anyway. Geekery session over, haha.

 

[Scubadoo]

Is it this one ? If it is, one of the nicest small fletchers, I think. Almost sure she’s a fletcher arrow flash 147 or 147 gto they might just be called. Predecessor to the arrow flash 15 I think. Great wee hulls. 75-90hp is ideal for them I think. Was recently in an arrow flash 15 with a 75 merc. She went really well, I thought. Round about the 40mph mark or just over I think.
Only slight thing worth watching out for, is with the one piece windscreen (meaning no opening centre section), when it’s required to get up the bow/fore deck, I’d suggest great care taken, to try not to be tempted to put any sort of strain or weight onto the windshield, when climbing over. Not easily avoided really. But worth being mindful of. Years ago, a friend managed to damage my similar one piece on a 150 fletcher. Ruined my day for sure, haha.
She looks lovely.

Nice boat, I remember my Arrowstreak 161 achieved 50mph with a Mercury 80hp, so I would think the Arrowflash could achieved a similar speed on a good day. Interesting your point about the windshield, in all the years I had mine, I never had any reason to access the bow by climbing over the screen. The one thing to watch is the aluminium windshield frame and salt water corrosion, make sure it is hosed down with fresh water, otherwise pitting or worse may occur.

 

[QBhoy]

Nice boat, I remember my Arrowstreak 161 achieved 50mph with a Mercury 80hp, so I would think the Arrowflash could achieved a similar speed on a good day. Interesting your point about the windshield, in all the years I had mine, I never had any reason to access the bow by climbing over the screen. The one thing to watch is the aluminium windshield frame and salt water corrosion, make sure it is hosed down with fresh water, otherwise pitting or worse may occur.

I’d say that’s some sound advice about not finding a reason to go up the bow. The fella that found a reason on mine, was trying to be useful to be fair. Wish I’d not kept quiet and stopped his effort. Live and learn. Anchoring might be a reason for it perhaps. Either way..:best avoided like you’ve said. No doubt.

 

[Scubadoo]

I’d say that’s some sound advice about not finding a reason to go up the bow. The fella that found a reason on mine, was trying to be useful to be fair. Wish I’d not kept quiet and stopped his effort. Live and learn. Anchoring might be a reason for it perhaps. Either way..:best avoided like you’ve said. No doubt.

I had several methods for anchoring depending what I planned to do on the day, the main one was a line from the bow to the cockpit where I could attach the anchor. As most of the time I used to wear a wet suit, if close to the beach it was a case of jumping in and setting the anchor. The other method was to anchor from the stern.

 

[QBhoy]

I had several methods for anchoring depending what I planned to do on the day, the main one was a line from the bow to the cockpit where I could attach the anchor. As most of the time I used to wear a wet suit, if close to the beach it was a case of jumping in and setting the anchor. The other method was to anchor from the stern.

Good thinking

 

[onemanorthree]

ok, so I got the boat today. She's is in need of some TLC, seats very worn but engine sound good.
The origional gas tanks seem to be in it, old metal ones, but still good. Trim works well, trainer is in good condition.

We put in a new starter in the engine as the current one was faulty. New plugs and away she went.
This is the engine running after first start in 2 years!

I didnt know water was supposed to come out of here? Is this right?

 

[ChromeDome]

How is the idle? Important because it needs to idle in neutral before you engage gear,- idle should be even and low-ish
At 01:45

It is not very easy to see in your short clip, but if water comes up around the gear-shift shaft (connecting to the gearbox in the bottom of the leg), something is wrong.

The drive shaft goes down inside the leg, through the sea water pump and into the gearbox. I'd suggest the water pump is leaking heavily, but since the impeller inside the pump is a service part anyway (manufacturers recommend annual replacement), you should replace it and at the same time fix the other issue(s). And change gear oil.

It is a quite similiar procedure on most outboards - here's a vid for you (one word of caution: Do NOT move the remote control while working on the leg as it will move the gear-shift connector out of the position you left it in and will have to match later):

-and an American take on same matter:

 

[onemanorthree]

I've changed out the gear lube at same time as sparks, used the proper quicksliver lube.

The water was coming from holes just above and below the the part where the leg connects, not from the actual connection.

Would it need to be a whole water pump replacement or just the housing? I thought the pump looked good because water was pumping well.
I'll be changing the impeller tomorrow as you recommend. WATER PUMP SERVICE KIT DO we think this kit will sort it?

 

[onemanorthree]

Here are the stills of where the water is coming from. There are actualy holes that the water comes out of.


This si the engine trying to turn over for the first time.

This is it when it catches for the first time.

This is the engine running after firs start, choke is still in I think.