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I'm Thinking Of Buying This Boat.....advice Please?


wonniefisho

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Hi all,

Although a tinny would suit my prefered style of fishing for the rivers, I have considered a larger boat more suited to 'bigger' fishing - and have come across this baby.

Its an old style aluminium 4.8 Brooker Cuddy cabin at a dealer, 50hp Johnson VRO which looks very clean, tilt and trim, all registered (and on a non-rusty trailer at that!). Ticket price - $4500. Steering, tilt and trim, etc all seems to be ok.

Few questions:

I know the VRO's get a bad wrap now and again and then theres always arguments for and against (I've read the article that pops up now and again), however I always like to think where theres smoke theres fire. Worse case scenario and I don't want to use the VRO, is it just a matter of blocking off the oil port, disabling the alarm and using premix? Or does it require a replacement to a normal fuel pump (and what sort of cost and I looking at?).

Anchoring: This is one of those stupid (in my opinion) designs without an anchor hatch - is it difficult to set up an (easy to use) anchoring system for it? Alternatively, is it practical to cut a hatch, hinge on a door with a rubber seal and do it that way?

It needs a paint job, ply floor thats in it has had its day, basically needs a good cleanup, paint, new lights etc.

Sound ok?

I'm hoping that I could clean it up, paint it and hopefully still not loose much (if any) if I decide that I do in fact want a tinny. What do you reckon? I think it would come up a dream.

Pics attached.

post-3774-1228526407_thumb.jpg

post-3774-1228526421_thumb.jpg

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As you said it needs a little work, and if you are happy to do the work and spend the time to get it right to suit yourself that is all that matters...personaly I would try to talk down the price. I think it is a bit much, considering the work etc... Good luck with it. :beersmile:

Edited by yarraone
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I would try to talk down the price. I think it is a bit much, considering the work etc... Good luck with it. :beersmile:

Really? Most of the 4m open old tinnys with matching old trailers, if they have a similar aged 99 model but smaller 25hp seem to be at the $3k mark.....I thought price wise it wasn't bad.

Heres another pic too:

post-3774-1228529425_thumb.jpg

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Hi wonniefisho

A 4.8 metre Brooker is a good size estuary boat that handles chop quite well and Brookers have always been known for good stability at rest. The 50hp suits it fine and a motor of that size is economical to run and cheap to maintain and at the price asked or I'd expect less for cash, it would be a good buy as it looks like a trade in priced to clear for space reasons.

A cuddy cab isn't much good for travelling in but if you want to fish at night or over a full weekend that Brooker and the whole set up looks pretty good to me.

Cheers

jewgaffer :1fishing1:

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Guest Aussie007

most outboard mechanics will block off the VRO for free if your getting some other type of work done on the engine if not shouldnt cost anymore than $30 also if u do block it off the fuel pump will fail shortly after so invest another $70 in a fuel pump and she'll be right if the boat is what u want go for it but after u do all the work to it you'll be looking at $5000-$5500 i personally wouldnt pay that for it

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most outboard mechanics will block off the VRO for free if your getting some other type of work done on the engine if not shouldnt cost anymore than $30 also if u do block it off the fuel pump will fail shortly after so invest another $70 in a fuel pump and she'll be right if the boat is what u want go for it but after u do all the work to it you'll be looking at $5000-$5500 i personally wouldnt pay that for it

Most outboard mechanics do not know what they are doing. The VRO system, if you understand it and how to bench test them are reliable and cheap to repair. Kits range from $20 to $50 to fix most issues that arise. The main problem relates to aerated fuel(due to leaking fuel lines) and if so, the oil pump over oils and causes smoking and plug fouling issues. If you chose to remove the VRO or more accurately the OMS unit from the fuel system, the fuel pump side will work fine and just unhook the warning horn and plug up the oil inlet.

I personally think though it is like going to the doctor with a sore arm and him saying "easy fix-you do not need that arm, we will just chop it off instead of fixing it". The OMS allows different fuel/oil ratios depending on RPM and at idle the engine does not need anything like 50:1. The article that was written years ago by Bill is the best article to show somebody who does not understand how the system works and many of the so called problems that the poor VRO has been blamed on. Classic one, and we had it the other day in here, a backyard mechanic was at the counter saying he had a engine pick up on one cylinder and he was blaming the VRO(somebody was paying this guy to look at his outboard). If the VRO is not pumping oil it will affect all cylinders, not just one, I am glad I was not that guy paying this backyard mechanic to repair my outboard.

Just my 2 cents worth and feel free to disconnect and use pre-mix if that makes you feel better and at $4500 for that rig I think the price is pretty good and with a tidy up it will be solid boat and the 40/50HP Evinrudes/Johnsons are legendary little engines and go for years. We still get many 1970's engines come in here and basically the current engine is that block, just with better carburation and igniton.

Cheers,

Huey.

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Ok, well, I've made an offer of $3850 based on being happy with a test run tomorrow which has been accepted. :)

Hope I've done the right thing..... :mad3:

Mate looks like it would be a good rig for that money as long as you are comfortable doing the work. Anchor hatch is easily fitted and the floors are not a hard job if you are handy.

I would get the motor serviced and make sure all the control cables and steering are a OK. Dont remove the VRO, premixing is a pain, Oil injection is much better, fuel dosnt go off as quick etc. And as other have said the twin clyinder OMC were pretty good, not the smoothest running in my opinion but robust.

looks like you could drop two to three grand tidying it up but if the basic hull and motor and trailer are all good i cant see you getting a alloy 4.8 cuddy for under $6-$7K and you know whats in it because you have done it your self.

Good luck

Edited by achjimmy
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Don't think about cutting hatches just use the rope they already have there and a rope covered ring and tie your anchor off to the ring and it will slide forward. For recovery just pull the rope from the cabin and the ring will come back to you and then rope into a chicken crate. Hatches when there is no well are a pain as you need a huge hatch and the weight up front means it will be a wet job in any weather. The ring is easy to adjust so you can fish acrioss the tide and get a decent spread for a couple of anglers rather than fishing over the transom.

Check with Huey what max revs it should be getting and check it will reach those revs. A final condition should be a compression check and check gearbox oil at the minimum , lift the floor and just check out all is OK and not full of holes and repairs, corrosion. Try and have areally good look at the trailer when the boat is off it.

VRO is good if maintained properly so add that into purchase cost as it will be cheaper than the plugs you foul by going down the premix path.

If it doesn't all add up walk away or renegotiate the deal, make sure you get all the safety gear included and a couple of buffers for the wharf or a skitube if you have kids etc. I know it feels like you are possibly committed but if it isn't what you expected on the water rethink. Electrics absorb time on getting fixed so check all lights and radios work as if they don't it probably says somethiong about the previous owner care for teh boat.

Times are getting tough and look like they are going to get worse so more boats will come up if this isn't right but with the motor and trailer making up a fair bit of the vale check them out fully.

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Thanks for the advice guys.

The damn floor is screwed down with a hundred screws so I'll have to talk him into taking them out. I think its been sitting out in the rain hence needing a good clean up. I had a good look at the hull underneath and it looks surprisingly good for its age - paint under the water line looks good even though it doesn't look recent which can only be a good thing. The tilt motor all looks pretty good too and goes up and down with no hesitation, which was my concern with my old 89 model 40 I had on my tinny a few years back, it was showing its age somewhat and struggled at times. No signs of corrosion on the leg etc, and under the cowling is pretty spotless and it looks like theres grease in all the right places (I think!). Steering cable looks well greased and steering and controls all seem very smooth and 'definate' if you know what I mean.

Trailer also has those blue roller things at the back that keep it centred going on the trailer (for the life of me their name has gone completely out of my mind).

Here are more pics (mods delete if links to boatsales aren't allowed).

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale....aspx?R=6532169

He is calling it a Brooker V14, not sure how accurate that is as all Brooker V14's I've found are open tinnys. Who knows if its even a Brooker, I can't find any plate.

Edited by wonniefisho
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Guest Aussie007

hull year 1975 wow shes an old boat doesnt look her age must be like the women these days with botox :P it says V14 i alwas thought with the older boats this ment it was a V hull 14 footer boat? measure her up mate ;)

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hull year 1975 wow shes an old boat doesnt look her age must be like the women these days with botox :P it says V14 i alwas thought with the older boats this ment it was a V hull 14 footer boat? measure her up mate ;)

To tell the truth the actual size doesn't bother me. Its not overly big which is ideal for what I want. It was shorter than the 525 near it, so I'd say 4.8 which the sign on in mentioned. Its not much bigger.

Pretty sure its not 14ft as thats 4.2m which would be pretty small with the cuddy on it etc. Perfect for 2 people which is all it will probably ever have in it.

Edited by wonniefisho
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That trailer looks like it has been painted not re-galled so give it a really good look over as the paint covers the rust - but not for long?? With your test see how it sits at rest in wind with so much odd shaped windage up front. That screen is going to be hard to see through / over as well if there is any spray but better than being wet!!

Edited by pelican
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That trailer looks like it has been painted not re-galled so give it a really good look over as the paint covers the rust - but not for long?? With your test see how it sitd at rest in wind with so much odd shaped windage up front. That screen is going to be hard to see through / over as well if there is any spray.

Yes, I noticed that the trailer was painted - and there are some minor signs of rust (no flaking etc though), and I am wondering if its rusting from the inside out and will be a problem at some stage.

I am having some minor second thoughts actually. I first jumped at it since it seems to be very hard to find older (read: affordable) aluminium cuddys in this price range, that have relatively modern motors and trailers that are at least currently usable and registered but wondering if its going to be more trouble than its worth. There are advantages to just deciding and doing the deal - it stops doubt creeping in!

He was going to ring me to organise the test run and he hasn't, so if he doesn't, that may just make up my mind for me. It was going to be my birthday present for today (happy birthday to me!), but I've been on a diet for 4 months and my misses just gave me a box of those yummy Rafaello for my birthday - tonnes better than any boat could be!!! Ha Ha :)

I guess I'll sleep on it.

Thanks all.

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wonniefisho, :1happybday:

With some doubt in my mind I head down again (lucky its close) to check out the trailer, and he had already taken the boat off it ready for my test run (in about an hour), so it was a great time to check it out. Not sure what you call it but it was like 3 sided beams but with a lip so you could see and access 'inside' the beam - and on close inspection it is pretty darn good indeed and all looks very very solid. Haven't seen too many this good with older boats for a long time. Bit of that rusty discolouration here and there, but absolutely no flaking or even peeling paint etc - first thing I will do is a bit of a clean up and Lanox the whole lot and probably do the bearings. The gal guards look like they are quite new. The rollers look a bit old, but they seem to roll ok. Overall I would say its all very old, but well taken care of which I guess is the main thing.

Not having a huge disposable income I'm always doubting purchasing anything more expensive than a cup of coffee, but lets face it, for $3850, worse case scenario the most I could ever loose on it is $3850!!!

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how did the boat handle on the water mate?

Ok, deals done.

Went well on the water, not quite as stable as I would like at rest, but its not like we'll be dancing in the damn thing. :1prop:

The misses will freak - she'll just see the flaking paint and old ply floor etc, but hoping she can see what it could be, not what it is now.

Its turned into a big disaster though - we live in a battle axe block and theres only one place for it - under the carport, and the (@&* thing won't fit underneath - the windscreen stops it by about 2cm. I thought we would be right. :(

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Wind or tilt the Jockey wheel up and rest ot on the hitch on the floor- should get it in. Congrats on the new boat. Service motor , battery , fuel system and steering and use it and you'llknow if it is really right fr you and if there is any money to spend. Fix all the cosmetic stuff down the track when you know if you want it the same as it is now and for long term.

Low profile tyres are your other options as you aren't carrying much weight anyway.

Lat one is check out if your axel is over or under the springs as if it is under you may ( if your wheels still clear the guards) cahnge it to over the springs or buy a differnt lower profile spring. Lots of ways to make it fit and easiest would be if it is sitting high on roller brackets just to lower them.

Good luck with it

Pel

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Nope, done that, and nowhere to go with the rollers, they are all the way down. Its darn close, but 2cm is 2cm.

I need to replace the tow hitch - only because its the old style turn knob type which has stuck hard to the bolt that turns and moves the tongue out away from the towball so its near impossible to get it off the car, and the little safety 'thing' that folds onto the knob to stop it undoing is broken. To unhitch it I had to take the friggen towball off the car. I'd rather just change it to a modern type but the nuts are turning when I try and undo the bolts so I'm going to have to use all my muscles and have a stab at it tomorrow.

I'm already frustrated with it and I've only had it a few hours. What a great birthday present (sarcastic).

Anyone want a cheap runabout. :)

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