1988Fisherman 249 Possible purchase and Questions ?? PRICE?

[A320pilot]

I live in Grorgia and am looking at a 1988 fisherman 249

Here is the info:

1987 I am told that it was subject to a recall on the hull in 1997? Owner states that hull replaced and new tank installed by grady

Boat is Overpowered with 2 1999 200 Yamaha Saltwater Series II Motors that have just over 200 hours since new. There are no trim tabs and it appears that a custom aluminum ? doubler was installed on the transom to strengthen the transom.

Boat was not bottom painted and has been stored indoors since 2000 on the rack

Older Garmin unit and vhf

digital Yamaha gauges.

Boat appears clean motors have not been run in a year so i am assuming that a full and complete service will be required. Woodwork needs to be redone etc, Engines are exceptionally clean based on exterior appearance and when removing the cowls.

Boat has tandem axle trailer in good shape.

New to Grady's. I have always been interested in newer boats but in the current economy owning something free and clear is preferrable and more enjoyable in many ways.

What would you pay for this boat? I see very little info on these. Also for you experts out there what will it cost to completely go through the motors to make sure they run perfect?

Any past owners have one of these? Also what are the opinions on the overpower? I am assuming that the 200's are same or similiar in weight to the 150's?

PS Open transom model not on bracket.

Will use for fishing , diving and cruising

Thanks!!!

 

[Tommyboy]

Dude .. sounds like ALOT of problem's to me ... I would forget about this boat and RUN away ... all the others you see have t/150's or single 250's .... There are ALOT of really nice boats for sale out there for some really good prices!!!

Look around ....... If you do go for this one I would pay a (Grady experienced) surveyer to go over it top to bottom .. the reinforced transom would scare me ...


MHO Tom

 

[gradyfish22]

A doubeler to reinforce the transom?...that is your first sign of a bad boat with problems for years to come. To repair a transom issue you need to redo it from scratch, if this is done, on some newer boats an aluminum backing plate is installed, but honestly has little effect, it really needs to be tied into the stringers to benefit fully. It will help more with torque and the weight and stress of the mounting bolts then adding outright strength, it helps but does not fix a bad transom if issues are present. As for twin 200's on a 24...way over powered, overpowering is bad, this boat might expereience porposing with that much power and the excessive weight aft, not possitive since I have little knowledge of this particular model. Any boat with a new hull is ok, but not your best bet, it is hard to replace it well and have everything fit properly. I work in the boating industry and know how hard it is to get a hull to deck joint on a finished boat, near impossible to do well. It is not just slapping a new hull on, every bulkhead needs fiberglass work, the deck needs to be prepped to be put back on and hopefully not warped or damaged when removed. The stringers and new bulkheads need to line up perfectly to make the boat fit which is hardly the case on boats, each one has it's own mind and needs alittle tweaking to fit, but doing it backwards by placing a hull on a finished boat is a ton more work and much harder to do correctly, acces sis limited at best. Unless this boat was close to free I'd probably walk away. At the least, have it surveyed before even offering a cent, they may find many issues wrong with it, well beyond the cost of repairing the boat.

I'm surprised Grady even replaced the hull...any idea why, it was an older hull, I'm surprised they had the mold for that hull, or did they give it a newer boats hull and modify it to fit, even more of a nightmare. Find out more info as well to see if this boat has demons and is going to be a big money pit.

Also check this out... http://www.gradywhite.com/customer/cata ... s/1988.pdf

The 24 Fishermen is only rated for 300hp....100hp less then this particular boat has...a very good reason to stay away. If it was maybe 25hp over I'd look at it, but being 100hp over, this boat would need not only a new transom to support the weight and hp loads, but new main stringers and bulkheads to distribute the forces from more speed generator along the hull bottom. I do this for a living(design boats), this boat is a catastrophe waiting to happen if you ask me.

 

[catch22]

I had an 86 24' Offshore. Same hull, only a w/a. Rolled quite a bit when hit with a decent side wave. Probably because of it's 8' beam and 24' length... tall profile too. In head seas it was ok, not great, just ok. Definitely needs trim tabs, (I added them after my 1st sea trial).

I agree with Tommyboy. Just sounds like problems.

100 hp over the max rating is kind of scary. Your right about the static weight being about the same, (200 vs 150) but even if the transom was beefed up properly, if the boats not rated for that much, I'd be very leary. At the very least, your looking at insurance issues. Not sure if Coast Guard would give you heck, if you were inspected, either.

Maybe as a second, "goof-around" boat I'd consider it... but not as a primary boat. I'd keep looking.

If you haven't checked it out already, here's Grady's catalog page;
http://www.gradywhite.com/customer/catalogs/

 

[gradyfish22]

I know your hoping to move into a Grady, and they are great boats, but older Grady CC's were very wet boats, and because they were designed first as walkarounds, CC's were after thoughts and the boat was designed to fit the hull, not to be a CC, if your looking used for a CC personally I'd look into other brands, if it was a walkaround you would be looking at the right boats. For a CC of that vintage I'd look inot a 23 regulator or 23 Seacraft, both are proven hulls and had very few changes over the years because they rode well and lasted. There are plenty of other good CC's out there, Whaler makes a decent one as well. Except for the newer Canyon, Grady has alwasy been behind in CC design's, other brand's that specialize in just CC's would be a better choice. A regulator with twin 150's would be my choice over a 24 Grady anyday, mush better ride, more fuel capacity and a better boat.

I love my Grady's, but if I were to buy a CC I would be looking elsewhere unless I was shopping in the over 30ft range and at newer models.

 

[BobP]

Is your nickname "Sully"?

 

[A320pilot]

Some more info:

The doubler on the transon was not to repair damage it was done when the engines were added.

The motors have less than 2 hr over 5000 rpm and the rest are all under 4000rpm with over 100 hrs less than 3000 rpm.

The hull was a factory recall so they went back to grady and were completely replaced/redone in 1997

Compressions are all excellent but needs complete service and hp fuel pumps due to inactivity.

I know this may not be the perfect boat by any means but at what price do you think that this boat is a steal?

I have been quoted $3000 to replace both hp pumps and do complete service with filters, oil, impellers, zincs, plugs, etc etc

 

[gradyfish22]

The doubler on the transom does very little to strengthen it, the transom was designed for 100hp less, that transom will be taking a lot of strain over what it can handle, and with age it is likely it has deteriorated as well, making that even more damgerous. Also, the hull itself would need to be beefed up along with stringers to accomodate the added force of hitting the same waves at a higher speed, NO PRICE is a good one for this boat, it is a nightmare, it would have to be close to free because you need a new transom at the least and likely need the transom to stringer connection beefed up. With everything you have told us, there is almost no good in this boat deal, I know you want the Grady, and they are great boats, but this particular one has red flags all over it, it seems like your forcing getting a grady to much to see what you'd really be getting into. woudl rather see you in a boat in better shape with less issues to deal with. If that boat was mint, it might be worth more. Engines are worth maybe $4000 each, so your at $8000, the boat is mint might be worth around $500, but with all its issues honestly the hull has a value of maybe $2000-3000, your looking at maybe $10,000, but to have this boat be safe your talking another $3000 in repairs to the transom and stringers to get it even close, and you said she needs other work, are you willing to spend $15-20k for this boat and have it be overpowered and IMHO and according to the manufacturer unsafe due to the hp it has on it. You can get insurance, but many insurance companies will either make you pay a premium since it is overpowered, or sign papers to waive certain liabilities, some insurance brands may not accept it at all. For your money, I think there are a ton of boats out there in better shape. You would have to get this boat for maybe $5000 and make the repairs yourself to even consider it, this boat is not turn key by any means with all you have told us about it, the engines are the only thing going for it and they are too much hp for this boat by a lot.

 

[A320pilot]

There are two other gradys i am looking at an offshore and a real nice gulfstream with 150's on it. I am not sold on this boat trust me as a matter of fact until the market crapped and I lost over 2 million of my networth I would never even consider owning something less than 5 years old and especially like this.

I am as realistic as the next guy but I have to honestly ask:

If the data downloaded from the motors indicates that they were run less than 2 hours over 5000rpm that means that nearly every hour of operation has been at or below the max rated number of 300hp. This was an inside boat and the motors were hung on the boat with 35 hrs and now have 185 so they have been on the boat for 150 hrs.

Now unless I am mistaken these motors are the same as the 150's essentially in weight and dimensions?

I guess what i am asking is that if the size and weight are the same as 150's and the data shows the engines have not been run hard where would the addditional wear and tear come from?

In my opinion placing the doubler on the transon was overkill but I am assuming that the owner figured he was be conservative by doing this.

Also I have not ruled out pulling one motor and selling it and just running one 200 on it.

I appreciate all the expertise on this board. and your honest opinions..

PS the 265 with light blue hull is gorgeous

 

[gw204]

If the data downloaded from the motors

OX66s do not have that capability, only HPDIs and 4-strokes. The best you can get is an overall no. of hours from a meter (possibly from the ECU), compression test, leakdown test and visual inspection.

 

[gradyfish22]

Even at 5000rpm, those engines are producing a bit over 300hp roughly, that is more then the boat was designed for. At 4500 your right around 300hp. That means that hull has been run at or near its full potential instead of below it, hulls are designed with 2 factors in mind, top speed and cruise. The hull will be designed around the top speed number to absord and give the boat a safe margin to handle wave action under the max rated load. As the hp increases, the factor of safety plumets. So if the boat was 4500 and under, it would not show any stress, but from 4500 on up your putting that hull over what it was designed to do and handle. The amount of G's applied to the hull from slamming wil increase but the strength does not go up and you get closer and closer to that actual strength putting the hull and structure in jeaopardy. Once one part of the stringer or bulkhead system is compromised, it all is now supporting more load and will be damaged even worse and more widespread throughout the hull.

You have to also consider this is a 1988, even with a new hull, it is unsure how well the hull to deck joint was, and if there has been any damage to the hull since. Even newer boats can expereince wet transoms and such. , any damage would lower the factor of safety even further.

I totally understand the economic times and where your at, they are effecting me as well, that is why I'd hate to see you get in over your head into a boat that would become a project and money pit, I'd rather see you enjoy your time on the water. Having the prettiest boat is not a priority, but one that is sea worthy and safe for you and your family is, as well as one that will not cost you an arm and leg down the road. Going to a single is not a bad idea, but honestly you'd either need an amazing fiberglass yard who can fill those engine mount holes with no air voids which will be tough to do, or will need a new transom if you do that. Any air voids will allow the transom to delaminate over time and might allow the gelcoat and glass to break down and allow water in down the road.

The 24 offshore is basically the same hull as the 249, as mentioned, it was slightly rocky, but not a bad hull. I've fished them, they are not much different then my 22 seafarer I have for sale, just with an extended length and a bit more cockpit space. They are a decent riding boat, slightly wet but not bad over all. Trim tabs help them out a bit. The gulfstream is your best bet out of the 3, the gulfstream is a great boat in a chop and has a lot of fishing room for a boat its size. A gulfstream with twin 150's is an awesome power match as well, singles were sluggish but ok, twin 150's push it nicely. A gulfstream rides like a bigger boat and will ride like a bigger boat then both of the 24's. We always planned to go to a 23 from our 22, but the 265 was too nice to pass up and suited our needs too well. Thanks for the compliments, we've had her 2 seasons now and could not be happier.