2003 Tournament 192 purchase

[mildor]

Hi folks,

New boater here, and have been searching for a manageable boat to get started with. Just test drove this boat and loved everything about it. What are something to watch out for. The engine is a Yamaha HDPI with 450 hours, starts right up and has no issue with power and make no smoke or noise at cruising 3300 RPM. Everything in the boat looks clean, 2nd owner and he clearly has taken care of it. I am pulling it out of water this weekend to have a look at the bottom and the transom. It is bottom painted and storage kept during the winter months.

Not sure what else to check. any advice is appreciated.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I'd make sure you pop the cowling off the outboard and inspect all the fluids that you can underneath such as the oil, etc. You could even do a compression check as well as a leak down test if you have the knowledge and tools to do so. I'd also pop all the hatches, look at all the hoses, batteries, connections and so forth to see how well it's been treated under the deck. I personally would also consider going with a surveyor and have them inspect the boat for you, if possible. They're usually $500-$1,000 and can do most of the above mentioned things for you, as well as check for water intrusion or moisture levels on the boat and so forth. You could always do those things yourself, if you have the tools and knowledge, but I always recommend having a second set of eyes look over the boat to make sure there isn't anything that you're missing. Other things like tapping the hull with a rubber/plastic mallet can point out some soft spots, and look over the trailer with a fine tooth comb. The wiring, lights and most importantly the brakes should all be in proper working order.

 

[DennisG01]

9 times out of 10 you can figure things out just by running it, especially if you have experience with boats/engines. If you feel a little on the fence in this area, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a mechanical survey done and also check the transom/bang cap (the trim that sits under the engine on the lip of the transom) for water intrusion. YOU would pay for this - you want the surveyor working for you. This is best done after you've done your own due diligence and are happy with the deal. The last thing would be "contingent upon a survey". Depending on your area, this will likely be in the $400-$700 range.

Before you do the survey, though... take it out for another spin and go WOT for 5 minutes straight. With a relatively light load in the boat you should be able to get at/near the spec'd Max RPM for whatever engine you have. Going WOT tells a bunch of things in regards to the health of the engine.

Is there a trailer (and brakes?) that needs to get a lookin' at?

It's a nice hull - it "feels" like a bigger boat through the chop. My mother has a '00 192 - it runs REALLY well with a 150HP and even with a 2-stroke, it's good on fuel.

 

[seasick]

If you can't heat that motor at 3300 revs, you need to get your hearing checked
Seriously though, I get the impression that you don't have a lot of boating experience just by the fact that you have to ask what to look for.
A survey and motor inspection are strongly recommended.
When someone who doesn't have a lot of knowledge about boats, looks at a boat and falls in love, they are at a disadvantage and probably somewhat blind to the inspection. Every 20 year old boat and motor have issues. Some are cheap to rectify and some can break the bank.

 

[mildor]

If you can't heat that motor at 3300 revs, you need to get your hearing checked
Seriously though, I get the impression that you don't have a lot of boating experience just by the fact that you have to ask what to look for.
A survey and motor inspection are strongly recommended.
When someone who doesn't have a lot of knowledge about boats, looks at a boat and falls in love, they are at a disadvantage and probably somewhat blind to the inspection. Every 20 year old boat and motor have issues. Some are cheap to rectify and some can break the bank.

I'm getting old, but not quite there yet with the hearing. I should have said nothing out of ordinary, based on the other boats with similar engine I have been on


Very new to salt water boats, been on a bunch but never had to take care of them myself. Looks like I need a second pair of eyes with more experience. Appreciate all the advice, very helpful.