first time look at a mobo ....

simonfraser

simonfraser

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so, long term plan, i am checking out a trailerable (park and ride) 26ft hard top diesel mobo this weekend.

at some stage the raggie is going to go and i am going to make my life simpler .......

what Q should i ask so as not to appear a total ignorant ?

to me the space / look is most important, if i dont like that bit its not going to happen.

pointers very welcome.
 
In a mobo the engine is very important - not such a big deal in a raggie! You will need to know fuel consumption at cruising speed, what is the range, cruising speed and WOT (wide open throttle), noise factor, ease of access to the engine for maintenance; is it outboard, outdrive, shaft? Maintenance cost on an outdrive is high but they are more economical; engine age - newer engines are more complex to fix if they go wrong but are more economical. Otherwise very similar to a sailing boat, the accommodation has to match they way you want to use it. Hope that helps.
 
As said, engine, engine , engine - its where all the value and expense is in a smaller powerboat.

But also be aware that at 26ft you will be pushing the boundaries of the trailering laws both in physical length of the trailer/boat combination and in the towing weight. Whilst there are 26ft boats that do get within the law it would need checking. Its of a size where even if its within the law you would not want to tow regularly, more of a tow to coast at start of season and tow back at the end.

Martin
 
Do indeed be careful of exceeding the legal limits for towing. A 26 foot boat is quite a beast to tow, even behind a Discovery size vehicle. If you do commit to buy, then it's essential that the trailer is set up properly; brakes working correctly and efficiently, wheel bearings serviced regularly etc.
Also, for that size of boat you would almost certainly be looking at a twin axle trailer, make sure you have a spare wheel and the kit available to change a wheel by the roadside.
 
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On a 26ft boat not only is the length a potential issue but the beam as well.. Legal width limit for towing is 2.55m (although I know many get away with wider)..

If you must tow you might want to look at slightly smaller boats at around the 21ft mark..
 
Tnx all, trailer is only for 50m ride in and out, I shan't be going down te road with it.

Engine, has stern drive, which is more expensive to maintain as I have read on here :)

Interesting to see small mobos tend not to have too many hours on, be better if they were used more, less trouble with the bugs. Have looked at some polishing options, seems essential to me.
 
simonfraser said:
Tnx all, trailer is only for 50m ride in and out, I shan't be going down te road with it.

Engine, has stern drive, which is more expensive to maintain as I have read on here :)

Interesting to see small mobos tend not to have too many hours on, be better if they were used more, less trouble with the bugs. Have looked at some polishing options, seems essential to me.
Click to expand...

I have had diesel for about 20 years and never had the bug because I always buy from a reputable marine fuel supply and keep it topped up. If it has the bug then it will be obvious in the survey and needs cleaning. If it hasn't got it then don't worry too much, keep the tank topped up and don't buy fuel from dodgy places. You only really need a polishing option if you are going long distance and may buy fuel from less than ideal sources. You are right, small mobos may only have 100 hour a year or less on them but I wouldn't worry too much about that. Fifteen minutes at full throttle will clean them out. When you do a sea trial, do what my engineer advised (DIY engine assessment as good as any pro would do):
Warm the engine up with a short cruise first.
Note engine oil pressure at idle on a warm engine
Go flat out for 10-15 minutes
If nothing falls off or blows up it's looking promising
Drop back gently to idle and look at the pressure again. The oil is now as hot as it will ever normally get and should still provide enough pressure. If the pressure warning light goes on then you have some worn bearings letting the now-runny oil leak out into the sump and not stay going around the system.
That's what he advised, I did it, bought the boat and am happy with it!
On the leg, ask about service and when the bellows were last replaced. Look at the anodes and any evidence of pitting on the leg casing. Look at the oil reservoir for the leg (inside the transom somewhere), it should be brown or black and not milky. If milky it means the seals have gone and possibly gearbox knackered.
Hope that helps
N
 
wipe_out said:
On a 26ft boat not only is the length a potential issue but the beam as well.. Legal width limit for towing is 2.55m (although I know many get away with wider)..

If you must tow you might want to look at slightly smaller boats at around the 21ft mark..
Click to expand...

That's the beam of the trailer - not the boat. Also boat length can be up to around 30ft as towing length doesn't include the draw bars on a trailer. Gross weight will nearly always be your limitation unless it's a RIB.
 
Your load must not project more than 305mm either side of your trailer and not give an overall width of over 2.9m

If you need to exceed any of these overhangs you can but it is classed as an abnormal load and you need to inform the police
Click to expand...
 
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