legecy

[buellfire]

I've been looking at the Legecy ski boat for the last couple year drooling, Boat seems to be the right size for my family. Here's the problem in 2001 I looked at a 1998 green and white Legecy with 150hrs on it for $17000, but being Sept I though I would find one even less expensive in the winter time. Here we are four years later and boats with 900 hrs people are asking more than that for. How many hrs will these boats handle with no major problems? I really do not want to invest a lot of money in a boat but I do not want problems on my family vacation time either. Thanks Shawn

[DKJBama92Mariah]

Welcome to the board!

After the depreciation hit in the first couple years, they do hold their value well. That is almost a general rule for any inboard ski boat. Its kinda two sided; they're hard to find, but they're also hard to sell. Many folks dont want to pay what they're worth, just like owners dont want to part with them for a low price. Like everyone's dad has always said, you get what you pay for.

900 hrs is quite a bit, but not outlandish. The thing that matters more so than hours is if the boat has been well cared for and maintained properly. I'll run down a list of what i'd look for. Hopefully others will chime in with their own suggestions.

- Exterior hull - look on the bottom of the boat for cracks in the gelcoat. Little hairline cracks are one thing, but larger one can spell trouble for the fiberglass underneath.

- Bilge - is it reasonably dry and clean. Sludge down there can mean leaks from the engine or transmission. Water down there (if the boat on the trailer) could mean that it hasnt been kept dry in storage, which can cause all sorts of problems ranging from structural rot of the stringers and floor in older models (before '93) to corrosion of metal on the engine. Corrosion on the engine isnt a really big deal, but its tells yo about how the owner has cared for the boat.

- Engine - Take a look at the oil on the dipstick and smell it too. White frothy foam in the oil means water is in with it which usually means its got head gasket problems, which will also probably require machining of the head upon replacement. Also, a blown head gasket can mean that the engine has been overheated and could have a variety of other issues. If you smell gas from the oil, that can mean the rings are bad. At the very least, run a compression check. You can buy a compression test tool at any auto parts store. The comression of the cylinders should not change more than 15% between the highest and lowest reading cylinders. Poor compression in one cylinder can mean a couple things: worn piston rings or poor valve seal. Poor compression in two adjacent cylinders usually means a blown head gasket. When you do the compression check, take a look at the spark plugs. They should a a greyish color. If they are a little towards black, its usually OK, just means its been running a little rich. If they are sludgy black, oil could be leaking, likely from worn valve guides. If the plugs are tan or light brown, that means a lean condition, it could have burnt valves. If you REALLY want to be thorough, you can have a mechanic run a cylinder leakdown test. This test can indicate any problems with rings or valve seats. If you do this, your mechanic can get more in depth in explaining it. If the boat has a carburetor, take a look down the throat and see if there is severe varnishing. This isnt a big deal, a carb rebuild is relatively cheap and can make a boat run like new. Lastly take a wrench and try and tighten the bolts holding the motor mounts into the stringers. If they dont ever get tight, the boat has stringer problems and you could be looking at an expensive repair down the road. Look at the ends of the exhaust hoses. If the look like they have melted at some point, that means the engine has been overheated pretty bad at some point, and also that it wasnt professionally repaired because a professional repair would probably have replaced these.Thats about all i can think of for the engine for right now.

Transmission - check the fluid level and see what the fluid looks like. If the fluid smells burnt, that is bad.

Controls - operate the throttle and steering. There should be very little binding at all in the steering. Some resistance in the throttle lever isnt fatal. So long as it operates relatively smoothly. Try out the blower, bilge pump, and horn to see if they function.

Underwater gear - Take a look at the prop and check for any major bends. Little dings are normal with an inboard.You can always get the prop straightened at a prop shop. Look at the bushing in the driveshaft strut. It should be touching the driveshaft. Look at the shaft where it passes through the stuffing box into the boat. If its more than a little off center, that could mean a bent stut, bent shaft, or that the engine is out of alighnment. Also, pay particular attention to the gelcoat immediately next the the mounting spots of the strut and rudder box. Chipped off gelcoat around these areas usually means that the undercarriage has been smacked pretty good on something underwater. This isnt necessarily a really horrible thing. Mine has a chip next to the rudder box. This just lets you know to be on the lookout for damage to these parts.

Trailer - Look at the bearing buddys on the hubs. The center part of the buddy should not be really sunk into the buddy itself. If it is the hubs need to be greased. The only issue here is if they were severely low and the trailer was put into the water. This can let water into the hubs and bearings. Check the fluid in the brake resevoir. Do this by pulling the black cap off the top of the trailer just behind the tongue. You can then pull the cap off the master cylinder. If the cylinder is dry, then you will have NO brakes. It could be nothing, or it could be a leaking master cylinder, slave wheel cylinder, or brake line.

TEST DRIVE THE BOAT - If it is EFI, does it start quickly and idle smoothly very soon after startup? If it has a carb, it should idle smoothly once the water temp gauge gets above 140 or so. Does the boat accelerate smoothly? Does it bog or hesitate at any point when advancing the throttle. If it does, this can be carb, ignition, or something mechanical inside the engine. When putting the boat into gear, it should do so with little fanfare. Any clunks, shakes, rattles, squeals, or moans, can mean bad news for the transmission. It IS normal for some transmissions to whine a little in reverse; mine has done it since bought new in '92. Also, try and feel with your butt if the transmission might be slipping. Its hard to explain, not like a slipping transmission in a car, but you should know it if its happening.

OK. That should be enough to get you started. I'm tired of typing and about out of ideas. I'm sure other folks will chime in with their own $0.02. This is a really friendly community, and usually to get help, all you have to do is ask. Feel free to shout back with any questions.

Good luck in our search.

Cheers,
DKJ

[Ed Obermeier]

I have a 2000 Legacy that I ordered new and it's been an absolutely great boat. If you're looking for a decently priced used general purpose family boat that also makes an outstanding slalom course boat it's hard to beat (no, mine's not for sale at this time). FYI there is quite a bit of improvement cosmetically and interior wise from the '98 to the 2000.

I saw an article in Trailer Boats Magazine several years ago talking about how many hours of service life to expect from a marinized automotive engine such as an inboard or an I/O would have, the article stated that 3000 hours assuming proper maintainance etc without major repair was a reasonable expectation. About half that for a 2-stroke engine and again about half that for an outdrive (not a problem). It's not uncommon to see ski school or ski camp boats with more than that on them with never a problem. 900 hours sounds like a lot for a 98 but if it's been well cared for and the price was right I personally wouldn't be afraid of it.

To get some idea of what such a boat is worth start at www.nadaguides.com and surf through. That will give you a place to start anyway.

[buellfire]

Thanks guy's
There's a few diffrent Legacys I am looking at, the shame is none are local. I love Kneeboarding and my kids like to tube. Is the Legacy the boat I should be looking for? What kind of fuel mileage do these boats get pulling tube a skiers? Shawn

[buellfire]

Here is the boat with 900 hrs http://www.boattraderonline.com/caddetail.html?/ad-cache/6/7/6/81613676.htm......Looks very clean....and I'm hoping that I can save some money buying a nice one with some hours on it.....Shawn

[Legace]

Have you checked this one out? http://www.dallasboats4sale.com/index.asp?boat_type=73

[Legace]

Or this one? http://www.powerandsailboatsforsale.com/show.aspx?adnum=31319 There is alot of changes to the Legacy in the later years. Looking at the pictures of the boat you posted it seems the later models gain room in the trunk. Also look for a hydrolic wake plate and Perfect Pass.

[Legace]

Here is a Santera for you.. http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1442499/0
Edit: After looking at this thing, this seems to be a better boat for the money in terms of wake and capacity...not to mention it's pretty clean and a Vdrive. The Legacy in 1999 appears to be an open bow Comp. Made more for the slalom skier (less wake)

[cc-rider]

I have a 98 Legacay with only 170 hours on it now.
The boat is extremely reliable for me.
I tried selling mine last fall for $17,500. Gaging on the other legacy's out there for sale, I thought that it was a good deal given the hours. However, like someone mentioned earlier, these boats have a limited audience so selling can sometimes take a while.

Good luck with your search!

[buellfire]

CC Rider
Where are you located? Do you have pictures? Let me know Shawn

[cc-rider]

Sorry, haven't checked this lately.

I am located in MN.
You can contact me at [email protected]