Helpful Tips???

[z51spdr]

Supposed to take it out this Saturday around 2. The weather is supposed to be beautiful. As far as I know it is the trailer that the boat came with but then again it's over 20 years old so who really knows.

[mapleleaf]

I agree with Salty, it looks clean and the trailer is definitley odd, but looks to be in good shape..
The engine compartment looked pretty unkept and the carpet clean?? There was also what looked like a piece of bracing behind the engine?? any reason?
Is this boat clean on the outside and who knows on the inside????
I might be wrong those pic's do make it look good, interior anyway...
How big is the Mariah, my conbrio is starting to feel real small!

87mikey, I gotta clean that bilge it's long overdue!!!

[Salty87]

looks like that bracing might be the plywood used for a new engine box frame?

i'd rather not see all of the rust. if you were in a saltwater area that would be normal. it could be leftover from before the floor job but it looks like there's been a bunch of moisture under the engine cover for some time. that's not a top-dollar picture, hopefully you can use that as a bargaining tool if you get to that point.

[z51spdr]

That bracing like Salty said is just part of the new engine frame box from where the floor was replaced. The carpet and vinyl are all new and the inside looks awesome. The outside has a couple small scratches on the bow where it rubs on the trailer but that is because the wood and carpet need to be replaced on the trailer. There is also one small gash towards the bottom of the bow where it has been beached but it is something that can easily be fixed with fiberglass or epoxy. It is 21' long and holds about 8 adults I think so plenty big enough for a few friends.

Is it just me or does the pic of the wake plate kinda look like it is bent? I hadn't really noticed it before but while looking over the pictures again I have. Maybe it is just the way it looks in the picture.

[mapleleaf]

if it's an '88 my guess would be that the plate has seen 20 years of use and you're looking at deflection or fatigue, I think a lot of 'em probably look like that.
Looks like whoever did the interior knew what they were doing and possibly whoever did the floor as well. Extra bracing never hurt anything!
I hope it drives/runs as well as it looks.....and I'd still wanna take a good look, as Salty says, as far foward and backward in the bilge as humanly possible!
Good Luck!

[Salty87]

that's not too uncommon. the plate might not be adjusted quite evenly too.

i agree, that interior looks sweet. my vinyl is still original, starting to show it too.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Hey z51 looking at your pics from before some people remove the prop guard. It scrapes when you go over a bump or small mound/hill. I wouldn't recommend removing it though. Brass is soft and expensive!

Looking at that rear ski locker, dang that thing is huge! I bet you could put a big sac in there, check it out to see if it can hold weight or if you would have to remove or add support.

Only thing with these Saltaires is that they are wide-bodied which generally means you need more water weight to sink it and get that killer wake. You may need 2k lbs but that's not a prob for that boat.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

I also have some small scuffs/scratches on the bow hull. I'm pretty sure it's from loading the trailer. It's okay to drive it all the way onto trailer with prop engaged. Just don't come in too hot!

Sometimes it needs a little juice to get ALL the way on, I think this is when the trailer needs to be adjusted on the ramp (further in or out).

[z51spdr]

Ok, so I took the boat out for a test drive today. It ran great best I could tell. Didn't hesitate or stall or spit and sputter or anything of the sort. It definitely has a lot of power. The only thing I had a problem with as far as actual running was that the oil pressure and water temperature sensors did not work. The guy said this was more than likely due to him having to work on the wiring to get his radio working. He probably unhooked a couple of wires and just needs to be fixed. That's not a big deal for me.

I did take a few pics of the bilge to get a look at the stringers and also of the gash in the bow and the siliconed swim platform. Let me know what you think. And there was also a small amount of water in the bilge which can be seen in one of the pics in the background of the motor mount. Not sure if this is normal or not. Let me know what you think about any of this stuff. I definitely like the boat but dont think it is worth 10K. Thanks.

[z51spdr]

So here is the pictures of the outside of the boat. The gash in the hull I think is where the water is coming in at that was in the bilge which might make sense. It is about six inches long or so.

Also the pics of the swim platform are of the right and center supports. The left support looks fine and appears to have only the silicone on it from the factory. From what I have read, I would assume someone probably hit the dock and broke that one side loose or something to that affect possibly.