geeviam Posted August 8, 2023 Report Share Posted August 8, 2023 Wow! All original and still nice and shiny. 335 ORIGINAL HRS Found this on Facebook. I know nothing about the boat or its owner. Just sharing for anyone interested. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/646544720753481/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted August 9, 2023 Report Share Posted August 9, 2023 Dadgum. That's a price from 5 years ago. Original power, but low hours. Someone should look at this thing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenrysCreek Posted August 10, 2023 Report Share Posted August 10, 2023 Dang, that won't last! Pretty boat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueskies27 Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 I went and drove 3hrs to look. Seller was trying to avoid a water test. We did a compression test that checked out and he felt like that was good enough. I explained I wouldn't buy without a short/successful water test. Long story short we went after some convincing and the motor seized up and went into limp mode after about 30 seconds on the water. I was surprised we made it back to the dock after overheat horn kept going off and motor kept shutting down. Wasn't able to throttle past idle. Needless to say I wasn't the happiest camper for him lying to me (we had talked a bunch before this and seller assured me ALL WAS GOOD!) and wasting my entire day and money on gas not to mention taking off of work to (hopefully) buy a new boat because he had to be Friday because he had so many people coming to "probably buy it on the weekend". After I told him that would be a deal breaker he pretended to act surprised and said it had "never happened before". When we got back to the ramp his buddy outed him right away and said "is it doing that thing again?" Beware of this boat if you go to look and make sure to water test. He will send you videos of it idling on the hose in the driveway. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lap it Up Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 Stinks you had to waste a day off and man do I dislike deceivers. How clean was the rest of the boat? It still could be a good candidate for a low ball offer! Older 2 stroke Yamahas are notorious for salt / scale build up in the water jackets which restricts water flow and cooling. That’s likely the issue and a pretty simple fix. If it actually seized, it wouldn’t have restarted again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 Took one for the team !! Thank you for the report.. What is the cosmetic appearance of the boat ? The overheat may be thermostats or impeller or both if the compression is (was) good. The repeat-overheats aren’t good tho.. MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Seither Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 Blueskies He fixes the engine issue or not may still be a candidate like Lap It Up say's, curious on what else you say while there, did the boat show the way the photos were posted? Engine could be a simple fix or a write off, add been removed or I just can't find it. Good report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 That boat was listed for 11 or 13k a few weeks ago, he's just flipping it. Nothing wrong with that but gotta make sure that motor is solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueskies27 Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 He texted me back shortly after I left and said he would come down in price. I offered 11k for hull only and then he started to send me screen shots of other 01 MA's in high 20's-30k and said this boat is priced already for basically no motor. I said well you need to explain that in the ad! Otherwise I'm assuming boat is turn key especially when I ask about the motor and he tells me it runs great. We could of worked something out as the hull was in decent shape (in reality if he had been upfront and honest I prob would of spent up to 15k on this hull and taken the hit on getting working done to the motor). Needed a little cosmetic work (some dings/scratches on gelcoat) but I expected that on a 20+ year boat. The trim tabs didn't work (which I didn't come to find out until water test and he knew about). Wiring needed to be redone soon. He wasn't going to let me drive during water test (or at least until I paid and title was signed over) because he had some wild story of how someone crashed his buddy during water test. The next day he sent me pictures/video's of the motor taken apart in his driveway with his buddy mechanic and just replied "fixed". He claims it was a shell in the pressure hole. I told him I wasn't convinced and to bring it to me for water test and upon completion I'd buy it if the motor ran. He told me that was too far of a drive and got upset that I wouldn't come back to make the drive again. I said buddy I've already wasted my time and money I'm not doing it again. He sent me some videos of the motor running on the water (looked about half throttle for a couple minutes) but at that point I was pretty much checked out of this boat. Sad the way some people do business and try to get one over on you. If this guy was honest we could've came to an agreement but after everything it was the principle for me. Who knows it may be fixed. I think he sold it anyway the ad is down and he was pressuring me to come buy it as he had "several people highly interested" and I "better jump quick". 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Seither Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 After reading this I'd walked as well. Another case of Buyer Beware Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 Blueskies - thanks for the heads up - I put a note on microskiff as well pointing them back to this thread. Thanks for warning others. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 Just move on, plenty of options 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Posted August 16, 2023 Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 The MA 18 with the 130hp Yam was the sweetest combo ever.. Too bad he is less than honest. MM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeviam Posted August 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2023 I'm sorry if my post here led you down a crooked rabbit hole. I totally understand. Fool that I am - I drove 1,100 miles on Sunday and Monday (day off work too) to buy a used 1993 flats boat (Unicorn to me) that I have been searching for, for many years. If the hull would've been in halfway decent shape, the plan was to totally restore it. The seller turned out to be the same type you ran into - a total liar, trying to make a home run. It took me 5 minutes to decline the sale of his trashed, piece of c**p boat, and 17 hours of time and fuel-burn to get there and back. No more fuzzy, off center, out of focus, pictures ANY MORE for me! Who doesn't have a high-res camera in their phone these days?? I won't even get out of my chair without 50 clear pictures of my choosing from now on! That's my story and I'm s-s-stickin' to it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Posted August 17, 2023 Report Share Posted August 17, 2023 Sometimes you gotta kiss some toads to find that Princess !! He did make a long drive and effort, but that package was priced right and worth the shot. Thanks for sharing the opportunity.. We have seen some incredible bargains pop up here. Boat + bargain have not appeared in the same sentences since before Covid, I think.. Good luck with your hunt, Blue ! MM 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueskies27 Posted August 17, 2023 Report Share Posted August 17, 2023 Thank you guys for the feedback, makes me feel better about sticking with my gut and declining the boat. Also why I appreciate forums like these to give other honest people a heads up when buying or making sales. Still on the hunt for my MA or pathy! Been a couple months now since I sold my 16' lappy and I'm itching to get back in something a little bigger for the family. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted August 17, 2023 Report Share Posted August 17, 2023 @HenrysCreek are you still thinking about putting that pretty MA of yours on the market? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livinloud11 Posted August 18, 2023 Report Share Posted August 18, 2023 I saw this one too but I just cant pull the trigger on a MA because all I think about are the stringer issues. Plus although I think these motors are good, I just don't want another two stroke. But seeing as this one had issues, im glad I never even messaged the guy. Thanks for your input on it for the rest of us!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted August 18, 2023 Report Share Posted August 18, 2023 1 hour ago, livinloud11 said: I saw this one too but I just cant pull the trigger on a MA because all I think about are the stringer issues. Plus although I think these motors are good, I just don't want another two stroke. But seeing as this one had issues, im glad I never even messaged the guy. Thanks for your input on it for the rest of us!! Livinloud - Not all models or years have the risk of stringer issues. The 21's before 2003 had a design issue that was associated with stringer issues. As a general rule, the 17s and 18s do NOT have stringer issues. The models that first came out with the recessed trim tabs (2000-about 2001/2002) had stringers that didn't tie into the transom. Most people don't have the stringer issue UNLESS their trailer set up didn't support the keel (and the bunks stopped short of the transom. Outside of those 2 years, I've never seen or heard of an 18 with issues. If it has external tabs OR has recessed tabs but the stringers connect to the transom, you don't have to worry about stringer issues more than any other boat. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Posted August 18, 2023 Report Share Posted August 18, 2023 Great summary ! Thank you !! MM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenrysCreek Posted August 19, 2023 Report Share Posted August 19, 2023 On 8/17/2023 at 12:15 PM, whichwaysup said: @HenrysCreek are you still thinking about putting that pretty MA of yours on the market? Not until I find a replacement! 😀 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livinloud11 Posted October 7, 2023 Report Share Posted October 7, 2023 So this guy repowered this same boat with an older vmax 250hp 2 stroke and it's for sale again lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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