NEWBIE! first post and just wanted to say hi!

[16ft phil]

oh like wow! thank you so much for the amazing warm welcome!
here are some pictures for you.

as for the seller! well we saw it on ebay (i know bad idea!) he posted 2 pictures on the listing one from the rear showing a COMPLETE late 90's johnson 70hp on the back and a picture of the interior (there probably is a proper term i just dont know it yet) this showed lovely red and white leather seats!
so we phoned him up had a few words he seamed like a decent guy at this. point! so we said ok yup we will come and have a look with the intention of buying it. (it was in southampton and we're in ashford kent about 4 hours away so a long drive just for a view) we went down found the little yard where he opened the gates and locked them behind us (thought this a bit strange but carried on none the less). when we saw the boat well doesnt cut it! the engine was an early/mid 70's in more parts that when it was put together many bolts and studs snapped off and heavy salt water corrosion! the boat itself! well the tiny 2 inch crack in the front that he told us about over the phone turned out like....WELL LIKE IN THE PICS BELOW!!!! we politely said sorry this is far further gone than you said and we are sorry for wasting your time, the bloke started to get angry and started effing' this and effing' that we said ok we will give you £50 for wasting your time and to relist it! this wasnt good enough for him so he got his hoodie friend out of his hiding place in the back of his van. now very very intimidated by what was about to be potentially a very big mess. we gave him £300 cash and he opened the gates. on the way home still recovering from the whole affair one of the wheels almost dropped off of the trailer as it was held on by just 2 loose nuts! gutted and depressed we parked it in my workshop and left it. a couple of weeks later i went to look at it again and realised that it could be a good, fun and interesting project so i made a start! and this is where im up to so far.

SO SORRY ABOUT THE ESSAY!! - here are some pictures anyway.
many thanks again for the warm welcome
regards phil.

REMEMBER THE 2 INCH CRACK!!!!!!! HERE IT IS!!!

right across the bow (my dads hand to scale)

We had the crack repaierd by a local boat maker/restorer at the cost of £400!

rubbing down the current hamerite type paint! awful job.

i want to strip it right back to fresh and start from scratch including the hull.

hope you like. phil

 

[Kawasaki]

Bleedin eck Mate what a to do!
I don't do e bay stuff but is there not a way you can report this Geezer?
Then again if he has 'hoody' mates I don't suppose he gives ****e!

Anyway fair play to where you have go to already
That looks like quite a job.

If you get stuck putting the engine back together let us lot know.
There is a wealth of knowledge hereabouts
Also there is a Chap near me who breaks engines for spares of that era
So don't be stuck for a spare part.
The pistons look a little scoured (hard to tell from pictures) but might be ok cleaned up.
I suggest new rings anyway
What are the cylinder bores like?

Engine spares can run away with money so be carefull.
At least if you rebuild it you will know what you've got thats fer sure.

You will need new gaskets and seals too

Oh! sorry, I just remembered you are a mechanic anyway!
But just a tip from an old Greaser
Treat the outboard like you would a motorcycle engine on the rebuild.
You will know what I mean
Thanks for the photos too
Good luck with the Task
And don't forget to Ask!!!

 

[MapisM]

hope you like.

You bet!
My friend, if the determination in your work is only half as much as your wish to go boating, you would have just earned a new customer, if it weren't that I'm a bit far away.
All the very best, and keep us posted!

 

[BrendanS]

you are just about to find out what boating enthusiast piccy liking lovers are like. You now have the job of posting pics on a daily, or at least weekly basis, or they will be baying for your blood. Heaven help you! and welcome

 

[Lakesailor]

Johnson 70hp. I had one on a 15ft boat. Best advice I got was to ditch the oil injection gear and pre-mix at 50:1. It saves a load of low-speed running glitches and the risk of the pump packing up at full chat.
The commercial versions were pre-mix anyway, which tells you a lot.

 

[paultallett]

Hi Phil and welcome.............. Wow!! Something tells me your gonna be just fine!! Most people, including me would have backed it in to a skip, but your doing an amazing job!! Keep the pictures coming please!!

Paul.

 

[DannyB]

Welcome Phil, a word of caution, since nobody else has warned you.
STAY OUT OF THE LOUNGE !
The people in there make your seller and his hoodie friend look like sunday school teachers.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Phil
Just musing here, and no wish to cause alarm. Was the boat his to sell, as it were?

As long as you can sort that crack you will be fine. There will be some polishing to come though!

Keep the photos coming and best of luck. Where do you plan to use her, and of course, she needs a name!

 

[nyx2k]

looks like you have made a fantastic start.
what ive found out about owning smaller older boats is spend more money on a better newer engine and at a later date spend money on the hull.
as long as the hiull is rigid and floats and has steering and throttles and a seat then thats ok for now.
looks like a nice project though.
good luck

 

[Wiggo]

Phil,

That looks like the start of a long project, but one that will produce a great fun boat at the end of it. As stated, as long as the hull floats, the key will be to get a reliable engine up and running. Once you've cracked that, tidying up the hull can be relatively cheap and quick and as you can see from some of the project photos on here already, can produce some absolutely stunning results. Keep up the good work!

 

[Renegade_Master]

Hmm as I have always said you meet the nicest people through ebay.........welcome to the forum Phil

 

[Firefly625]

Phil

really impressed with how you have just got stuck in.

Just a thought, outboard parts can be expensive and some hard to get, before you spend too much on your outboard you may want to consider packaging what you have up, putting it on ebay as parts, you may be surprised what someone will pay for it. Then go and buy something that is actully running. I am certain it WILL cost you less in the long run..

Something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/80HP-mercury-outboard-tilt-and-trim-/260672621193?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_Boat_Engines_EngineParts_SM&hash=item3cb14c8a89

(This Merc 80hp is a good basic engine, simple and strong, plenty of parts around. Get it nicely painted and it would look great and add real value to your boat)

or this;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/mariner-outboard-60hp-/320598448690?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_Boat_Engines_EngineParts_SM&hash=item4aa5281a32

or even something like this that may require a little tinkering...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/yamaha-60-outboard-/110594942310?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_Boat_Engines_EngineParts_SM&hash=item19bff8e566

 

[16ft phil]

quite a few questions. firstly i live in Ashford Kent and i work in Rye. Rye has quite a good looking wide slipway and i think its my nearest one. so i intend to use it a little way up the river Rother but mainly in the sea as this is the only place i really know of where i can use my boat i would also love to boat up the thames and poole/ portsmouth area.

as for the engine i honestly do think this one is too far gone!, yes the pistons are scratched and scored to poop, it needs new big ends and piston rings. i knew this was my starting point on the whole re-assembly so while the hull was having its crack repaired i set to work on finding some rings and big-ends. i went to a large marine shop in Chatham and they told me that they no longer make parts for this engine anymore and so there rocking horse poo now thinking im going to have to get rings and ends made specialy and this is just to start! im really thinking its not worth it. and im keeping my eyes peeled all over ebay and the likes for engines. although i have NO money at the moment as the head gasket has just gone on my car and cost me £600 even though im in the trade and did the work myself!!!

as for a name - well as we're both doing the whole task on a very low buget and yet still spending every spare penny we earn we were thinking along the lines of 'COSTALOT' or 'MAJOR MONIES' something that will make us and other people smile

also a quick question about the hull. i want to strip it right back and the effort involved is massive i have bought a D/A sander for my compressor but its not really brutal enough the i bought a sand blaster but this only does a small area at a time and uses a LOT of sand. i have seen a company called 'soda blasters' looks really good! has anyone used or heard of reports good or bad or got any other ideas?

thanks for listing to me whittle on again! p.

 

[nyx2k]

soda blasting can be very damaging and in my opinion just sand the hull and paint. save the money for getting a newer engine. they seem to be a good bit cheaper on ebay this time of year and you should get a better at a dealers too.

 

[blueglass]

I take my hat off to you Phil, for taking a philosophical view of this appalling rip off. If it was me I would be totally consumed with rage and would be pouring my energy into means of exacting revenge on the b'stard in some form. How about slaughtering his family and burning his village to the ground? Just for starters of course.... then.....
Great that you have risen above it and good luck with the project.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Hello Phil - and welcome

Hi all im a big time newbie!
im 20 years old, im an apprentice car mechanic and ive never had a boat before! however i have now teamed up with a friend and bought a 16ft speed boat, the seller lied through his teeth when selling it and locked us in his yard untill we handed over the cash! NOT A GOOD START. anyway our boat and its 70hp johnson is in need of complete refurbishment which im making a start on now but with obvioulsy very limited funds due to job^ i will post a picture if anyones intrested?

i signed up to the forum not really knowing what to expect, however looking at some of the drop-dead gorgeous multi million pound yachts you guys have on here i dont know if im really welcome with my £300 project?
if not thats fine ill get my coat and close the door behind me.

many thanks all the best Phil.

I had to laugh at the bit when you said your £300 boat might not be welcome. Of course its welcome, and so are you. My first boat was a £100 Fletcher 129 with a 55HP Penta.

There is a "rule" in boating that says something like "the amount of pleasure derived from a boat is inversely proportional to its size".

Now, I am sure jfm will be along any minute to tell me I'm wrong

BTW - yes would very much like to see the piccies of your progress.

 

[nyx2k]

plenty of piccies is the way to go.
im currently running a small 12ft dinghy with a single small outboard so all are welcome here.

i gather immense pleasure from pottering around the harbour in my boat with the children.

 

[STEVEDUNSTABLE]

hi phil n welcome to the nuthouse !!!!!!..... you might only have a "small one" but it looks like you,ve got the "bug" well n truly to want to rebuild from the ground up !!!!!!..more pics plz n ANY questions this is the best place to start....(ps. i have rellis in fairlight nr rye) AGAIN WELCOME TO THE FORUM.

 

[16ft phil]

thanks yea ive got the bug and i love restoring stuff and i think its always good to have a project on the go rather than playing playbox or Xstation!

NYX2k - the picures are on page 3. (ive just read that back to myself and no its not the SUN newspaper but on this thread )

another question i know i should probably start a new thread by now but:
i have been given a 20HP twin cyl. merc (i think its whats classed as a 'blueband'?) aparently its got no spark also the pull start wont rewind. just wondered if this was worth any money either in its current state or running? i dont think that 20hp is gonna be any good on the back of our boat?

cheers P.

 

[Firefly625]

thanks yea ive got the bug and i love restoring stuff and i think its always good to have a project on the go rather than playing playbox or Xstation!

NYX2k - the picures are on page 3. (ive just read that back to myself and no its not the SUN newspaper but on this thread )

another question i know i should probably start a new thread by now but:
i have been given a 20HP twin cyl. merc (i think its whats classed as a 'blueband'?) aparently its got no spark also the pull start wont rewind. just wondered if this was worth any money either in its current state or running? i dont think that 20hp is gonna be any good on the back of our boat?

cheers P.

Phil

The mercury 20hp Blue band is indeed worth something, as you are mechanically minded certainly worth spending a few hours to see if you can get the recoil working and a spark. Always good to get a friend to come and help as your arm will feel like its falling off after about 20 pulls. If you can get it running, get a mate in a body shop to paint it black (masking up all the decals) and then you have a classic engine. You are right, its not going to push your boat along, but a working and shiny Blue Band Merc 20hp would make around £300-400 on ebay in the spring, even though a 20hp with tiller is a bit of a funny size really, would suit someone with a classic boat on the Thames, no good to power anything that big....Great for an old original Avon Searider...now there a project!

But also don't spend too much on it, as it would probably make around £100 as it is.

(remember old 2 stroke outboards like this will need 50:1 mix)