I went to see the boat!! Need your help gurus!

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 10:07 AM

Hey everyone!

well, i finally had a chance to take a look at the boat ive been asking about, the boat is a 1991 American Skier Advance, 19ft, 351 5.8l, direct drive, 600 hours.

now, the body and cosmetics were pretty nice, just needs some TLC and elbow grease, a few rips at some seams not a big deal, worst part i thought was it has a nice black tower on it, but the guy couldnt fit the board rack clamp around the tower so he needed to shave off the powder coating which really looks cruddy, but also the rack has broken straps so its only good for one board.

but besides that, here is my tech questions, now mind you besides my dads 24ft fourwinns, the only boat i can compare to is the mastercraft x-7 that my buddy owns that i drive all summer long so its a tough comparison as to whats normal for an old boat or whats bad in general.

1. the throttle cable was really tight, the hole shot was great and i pulled the guy up (220lbs) no prob at all, but the thorottle is really tight.

2. it goes into neutreul but it doesnt click in, i dont know how neccesary that is.

3.it doesnt plane! well kinda when i hit 45, but when i pulled the guy he has two buddys in the back probably 200 each and it would not plane at all, mind you the water was rough but would i need a buttload of weight in the bow to make it plane?

4. i did notice that it was really sensitive to weight.

5.it actually had an amazing surfwake, very suprised.

couple of other things, the trailer is kinda beaten up, lights on it dont work, the braided metal rope you use to attach at the bow is rusted so much it looks like it will snap, the boat has no cleats on it so id need to install those as id need bummpers,

what else? um.. no stereo

oh yah, and one of the two speedos dont work.

but on all of a good note it was turnkey, atleast while i was there.

the guy is asking a price that im not willing to pay, i know he would bargain but im just curious as to if even if i bargain are those things worth it enough to DIY or find a boat without these problems.

is an older ski boat like that no planeing normal?

all help is very welcome!

thanks again everyone, hopefully soon ill have a boat and stop bugging all you guys

(showtime) · (showtime) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 10-09-2007, 10:18 AM

don't know what he's asking but -- leave it alone, buy his one http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/8/498299.html?1191873312 , add a monster tower, and have a great wake and an open bow....

(882001) · (882001) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 10-09-2007, 10:20 AM

it wasnt on a plane at 45?

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 10:23 AM

it kinda was at 45, almost but not fully.

we were on a big lake and there was alot of chop, but when boarding it would not plane at all

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 10:24 AM

thanks for that Tickle, wish it was closer to me :-(

(wakereviews) · (wakereviews) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 10-09-2007, 10:39 AM

how can you get to 45 if it's not on plane? of all the boats i've had, it had to be buttery smooth for me to get to 45mph.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 10-09-2007, 10:43 AM

Braided metal rope? A fancy description for cable?

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 12:05 PM

onlyinboards - one speedo did not work, the other said 45, when i did hit 45 it wasnt butter but it wasnt whitecaps either. but yes it never really felt on plane.

Billy - yes. :-)

, cable didnt pop into my head.

(denverd1)

1. wd 40
4. narrow older ski boats are

#5 and your planing issues are kinda weird. I have a friend with a 19' (advance, i think) at about 18 mph you can feel the nose of the boat go down. drastically. those lightweight 19' boats with a 351 powerplant will yank your arms off with hole shot and should have no problem staying on plane. planing and this surfwake it throws are kinda weird. you can surf these boats but not without weight.

Nothing you mentioned is a deal killer. Guages, throttle cables, cosmetics. BUT you may want to investigate this planing thing a little more. Something doesn't add up.

Was the hull in good shape? prop in good shape?

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 12:45 PM

he had launched it before i got there, i was gonna have a surveyor look at the hull and everything else.

as for the surf wake it made, it was goofy wake. me driving 150lbs, 3 guys in that corner 200lbs each.

you think the prop would have to do with not planeing?

(whitie) · (whitie) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 10-09-2007, 12:55 PM

Did it feel like 45mph or did it seem slow? At 45 you could put a 40ft cruiser on plane.

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 1:18 PM

well im thinking that speedo was off then, but it still felt fast atleast 35+

but again planning on full thorottle wasnt the biggest concert because there was chop,

im more concerned with it now planeing while towing someone

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 1:20 PM

but then again, will a old ski boat like that plane as well as a new ski boat? like i said im only really able to compare to the x-7 that i often drive

(cbass) · (cbass) **Join Date: Mar 2007** 10-09-2007, 1:45 PM

I would have to say that there might be something messed up on the under side. I dont think I have seen any boat that is going over 30 not get up on plane, unless maybe its 100' long. I would make sure and look at the bottom before you buy.

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 10-09-2007, 1:53 PM

again, i dont want you guys to think its nose in the sky, but it defintly wasnt fully on plane.

(882001) · (882001) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 10-09-2007, 7:06 PM

im sure its fine! if you were going 45 it was as on a plane as it gets. how was the wake at 22? your probably just not used to a semi-planing hull

atloutbackv 10-09-2007, 7:24 PM

how much is he asking for it... you mentioned a surveyor....

walt 10-09-2007, 7:38 PM

If you were going over 15 mph (give or take) you were on plane.

It sounds like your going to need a new throttle cable and yes it's important to lock into neutral. You'll figure that out the first time it goes in to gear by accident.

It probably just needs a new spring to fix that.

The Speedo pick up is most likely plugged up. (no big deal)

It kind of sounds like a pus bucket from what your saying though. Cheap boats can be very expensive.

(sulmaxwell) · (sulmaxwell) **Join Date: Dec 2003** 10-09-2007, 7:46 PM

check that the hour meter has not been replaced...hours r low for that age...
my legend could plain with 3 fatty's and people...although It wouldn't go 45..even if i tried...burn too much gas!maybe 43 that was prop related. Solid boats..easy to work on...if price is right...some times ya gotta say WTF??? Go for it!

(sinkoumn) · (sinkoumn) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 10-09-2007, 10:15 PM

What's the price you 'think' you can get him down to?

On a D-Drive boat, 400lbs of dudes in the back shouldn't have any effect on planing - how much do you think a 351 engine weighs (in addition to the driver sitting in front of that)? Sticky/old steering and/or throttle cables are a simple fix but are a pain in the arse to replace.

Sounds like way too much work for a boat that is suspect - don't buy anything from ANYONE that can't tell you all the ins-and-outs of the boat.

Plus, it sounds like it will be a lot of time and money that will be added into fixing the boat up.

I'd keep looking based on what you described above. Find an older Nautique 2001 or a Mastercraft Prostar; or just save up over next year and get a boat that is in a lot better shape and will cost less in the long run.