Anyone here own a boat, or know a lot about boats?

[lugbolt]

those engines had some issue with the counterbalancers failing. I can't say that it's "common" but it does happen, and from what I know, were all pre-2012 engines. Sometimes the entire engine is damaged;other times just the balancer assembly and engine flush is all that's needed. What is the prevention? That I cannot answer. Change the oil more often than the book says to. Outboards are hard on engine oil. Use Yamalube exclusively, and nothing else. Same for filters. Have the valve clearance checked and/or adjusted as the book says to. VST filter should be changed once in a while, often if it sits a lot like most boats around here do. On-board 10-micron filter should be changed a couple times a season as well.

the cash deal is suspicious. I'm sorry, I'm not driving any distance with $37,000 worth of bills. If it's a legit business, they can accept about any form of payment without issue. I've had this happen with a car I wanted and I walked away. 56 Ford Victoria 2 door; I really REALLY wanted it but the seller was dead set on cash payment only. I didn't feel right about it. Later on I saw a posting that said "I've been scammed do not buy from so-and-such"--and it listed the exact same vehicle I was interested in buying. So with that, be careful. If they can't accept any other payment, you are wise in questioning why. Maybe you can find references for buying from them? But I'm still NOT carrying that much cash. If you get stopped by the law on the way to the place with $37,000 worth of cash, that in itself is going to raise a bunch of questions, and may make your trip a little less fun. Even worse if you are a ccl holder and carrying.

By the way unless I'm mistaken, an F150 can be tuned to make a little over 175hp. Look around. VRtuning is one of many places.

 

[WDF]

We live in a neighborhood with a private 400 ac lake. Its boating season 9 mths a year. If we put 50 hrs on the motor a year its a lot.
Pack cash and Sig and sounds like it will be ok.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

the cash deal is suspicious. I'm sorry, I'm not driving any distance with $37,000 worth of bills. . . . But I'm still NOT carrying that much cash. If you get stopped by the law on the way to the place with $37,000 worth of cash, that in itself is going to raise a bunch of questions, and may make your trip a little less fun. Even worse if you are a ccl holder and carrying.

I've read of law enforcement agencies in some locales stopping foreigners (mostly) and confiscating large sums of money as suspected drug proceeds. It's up to the suspect to prove otherwise.

They can't treat this as an under the table deal to reward their employees tax-free, if that's their reasoning.

 

[mcmxi]

those engines had some issue with the counterbalancers failing. I can't say that it's "common" but it does happen, and from what I know, were all pre-2012 engines. Sometimes the entire engine is damaged;other times just the balancer assembly and engine flush is all that's needed. What is the prevention? That I cannot answer. Change the oil more often than the book says to. Outboards are hard on engine oil. Use Yamalube exclusively, and nothing else. Same for filters. Have the valve clearance checked and/or adjusted as the book says to. VST filter should be changed once in a while, often if it sits a lot like most boats around here do. On-board 10-micron filter should be changed a couple times a season as well.

the cash deal is suspicious. I'm sorry, I'm not driving any distance with $37,000 worth of bills. If it's a legit business, they can accept about any form of payment without issue. I've had this happen with a car I wanted and I walked away. 56 Ford Victoria 2 door; I really REALLY wanted it but the seller was dead set on cash payment only. I didn't feel right about it. Later on I saw a posting that said "I've been scammed do not buy from so-and-such"--and it listed the exact same vehicle I was interested in buying. So with that, be careful. If they can't accept any other payment, you are wise in questioning why. Maybe you can find references for buying from them? But I'm still NOT carrying that much cash. If you get stopped by the law on the way to the place with $37,000 worth of cash, that in itself is going to raise a bunch of questions, and may make your trip a little less fun. Even worse if you are a ccl holder and carrying.

By the way unless I'm mistaken, an F150 can be tuned to make a little over 175hp. Look around. VRtuning is one of many places.

I do have a CW permit but Montana no longer requires a permit for concealed carry. That said, I just renewed mine last week since other states do require a permit. I have an FFL/SOT so don't need to transfer firearms through an FFL but that's another benefit of a CW permit i.e. easier/faster transfers.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. I have to call the credit union this morning to request that amount of money be on hand to pick up. You can't walk in and request more than $10k I think. I ran into this before.

 

[mcmxi]

There's no question that this seller runs a legitimate business and has been for many years. The cash requirement is inconvenient but not a deal breaker.

Out of interest, there's about 35 gallons of fuel in the 70 gallon tank. I'll probably syphon it out in the spring and use it in my Jeep after adding Stabil. The boat will sit in storage once I've paid for it but I am going to measure the O.D. of the T-top frame so that I can order a Scosche tube mounted magnetic mount for my phone.

I currently hold an AARL Technician License (HAM) and have a Yaesu FT3D handheld unit so will need to brush up on that. A friend handed me a Montana Boating Laws booklet the other day so I have lots to read.

Added in Edit: I spoke with the boat company today and they told me that Stabil was added to the fuel for winter storage and that that engine was serviced prior to the boat being stored. They do that every year as the boats come in to be stored. They don't want to be in a mad rush at the start of the season when everyone wants their boats. I'm really feeling good about this boat.

 

[D2Cat]

Sounds like it's well taken care of a put to rest in proper order. Enjoy life!!

 

[mcmxi]

One final update until photos next summer once I have the boat on the water. I drove down to the boat dealer/rental place this afternoon and handed over the cash. I got signed titles for the boat and the trailer and a signed/notarized bill of sale. I also got to look over the boat one more time, get photos of the engine serial number, the HIN, the trailer serial number etc. Everything is in such great condition. The aluminum Coyote trailer with Robalo branding has disc brakes on each wheel and it might need a new roller where it contacts the hull, but it's in excellent shape otherwise.

Here's the boat in storage (taken today) where it'll stay for at least another three months. I asked how much the storage fee would be and the very helpful lady told me $4.75/ft/month. This R200 is 20ft-7in so that would be $97.77/month unless the footage is based on the trailer length which would make it even more expensive. I'm able to have them store the boat for the rest of the winter and next winter at no charge so that's around 10 months in all or close to $1,000.

The lettering on the port side is damaged and new letters will be applied once they come in. Also, the boat will be detailed at no charge prior to my picking it up. It's already been serviced prior to storing.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I feel like I've found an amazing boat at a really good price and look forward to years of happy ownership.

 

[bird dogger]

That boat looks darn sharp, Captain!!!

 

[William1]

Simple solution to carrying cash. Arrange for your bank to do a wire transfer. You can have it all in place before you go and if you are happy with the deal, call the bank and tell them to go ahead. The money wll be in the sellers account in minutes.

 

[mcmxi]

Simple solution to carrying cash. Arrange for your bank to do a wire transfer. You can have it all in place before you go and if you are happy with the deal, call the bank and tell them to go ahead. The money wll be in the sellers account in minutes.

That's not what the seller wanted. A deposit over $10k is flagged by the treasury/IRS so maybe the seller didn't want that. Regardless, the deal is done so it's a moot point.

 

[mcmxi]

That boat looks darn sharp, Captain!!!

That is does, and thanks! Photos don't really do it justice. Oh, we looked for any manuals that came with the boat and found them in the office along with spare engine keys and some mystery keys. I have the original owner's phone number so will be talking with him I'm sure. Lucky for me he's really, really particular so took great care of the boat.

The boat comes with a pair of Cannon EASI-TROLL ST (1901020) manual down riggers, a pair of Cannon Low-Profile Swivel Bases (2207003) and weights for both. This is all Greek to me but perhaps I'll take up Trolling for fish if that's a thing.

 

[William1]

That's not what the seller wanted. A deposit over $10k is flagged by the treasury/IRS so maybe the seller didn't want that. Regardless, the deal is done so it's a moot point.

Ah, so it was not that he wanted cash because he did not want to deal with bounced check but because he did not want to report the transaction to the IRS. Big money, no way am I carrying cash. Another choice would of made arrangements at a local bank to cash your check and give him the cash in the bank, a secure location. Just conversation for those in the same pickle in the future.
I understood it was moot based on your previous posts. Nice boat, BTW.
FLITZ is very popular for buffing the fiberglass and bright work, stuff is awesome.

 

[Hkb82]

Looks real nice to me enjoy the time out with the family and be safe

 

[mcmxi]

Ah, so it was not that he wanted cash because he did not want to deal with bounced check but because he did not want to report the transaction to the IRS. Big money, no way am I carrying cash. Another choice would of made arrangements at a local bank to cash your check and give him the cash in the bank, a secure location. Just conversation for those in the same pickle in the future.
I understood it was moot based on your previous posts. Nice boat, BTW.
FLITZ is very popular for buffing the fiberglass and bright work, stuff is awesome.

I don't know the reason for the seller wanting cash and it's certainly not my preferred way to complete such a transaction for a number of reasons. I never met the owner, but the woman who runs the show does a great job. These folks are a reputable boat rental and dealer outfit on the south end of Flathead Lake. This is their website.

Home

Best boat and watersport rentals in Montana,Flathead Lake's premier boat rental location! Available - Pontoons - Boats - Jet Skis - Paddle Boards - Kayaks

www.boatflathead.com

Thanks for the recommendation re Flitz. I've downloaded some manuals for the Yamaha engine, the Yamaha multifunction gauges, the Garmin GPS/Fish Finder etc. I have a lot to read and learn for sure.

It just so happens that I have a spare 4 channel amplifier so one of the things I'll be doing is upgrading the audio a bit. I'm not the sort to tear around a lake with music blasting, but a cleaner signal requires less volume. Being a pack rat has its upside at times.

I have an Amateur Radio Technician License and have a Yeasu FT3D handheld so have been looking into the benefits of that as it pertains to boating. With cell towers all over the place maybe it's not of much use, but always better to have alternative means of communication.

 

[mcmxi]

Just got back from transferring the titles for the boat and trailer and registering both. Now my wallet is $570 lighter! On the bright side, the registration for both is permanent so it's not a yearly fee.

 

[dirtydeed]

3 recommendations for you:

1) inquire about the condition of the impeller (has it ever been changed?)

2) I'd highly recommend these two products for your hull. Prism polish and Mirage sealant. I've used them all and these two are my favorites. https://prismpolish.com/

3) Seadek for anywhere that you don't want to slip. There is another brand that I've used, but the name escapes me for now.

Edit...found it. It was "hydroturf" that I installed in my boat....

 

[mcmxi]

3 recommendations for you:

1) inquire about the condition of the impeller (has it ever been changed?)

2) I'd highly recommend these two products for your hull. Prism polish and Mirage sealant. I've used them all and these two are my favorites. https://prismpolish.com/

3) Seadek for anywhere that you don't want to slip. There is another brand that I've used, but the name escapes me for now.

Is the impeller to draw water into the engine for cooling? Are you referring to that part?

Thanks for the recommendation for the hull polish and sealant. This is definitely something that I'd be interested in. I'll look into Seadek but overall I'm impressed with the surface texture on the areas designed or intended for standing.

 

[dirtydeed]

Is the impeller to draw water into the engine for cooling? Are you referring to that part?

Yes. Exactly.

regarding your comment on the 200hp...you can really manipulate the performance by simply swapping props. My favorite was the Hi-Five on my boat. It popped that sucker up on plane in no time pulling skiers without the top end loss...

 

[mcmxi]

Yes. Exactly.

OK. I managed to download the Yamaha F150 owner's manual and it mentions replacing the impeller/water pump housing at 300 hours or 3 years! Thanks for pointing this out.

I spoke to the previous owner yesterday who bought the boat in Iowa in 2019 with 69 hours on the engine. He's a friendly guy and really didn't want to sell the boat. He bought a new pontoon because he's an older guy with older friends and they had a hard time getting in and out of the Robalo. Turns out he's owned more than one Robalo and it's his favorite make of boat. He looked all over for an R200 before he found one in Iowa.

 

[mcmxi]

I found the water pump repair kit (20) on Yamaha's website under 'Scheduled Service Parts'. It's $70 which is very reasonable. I'll be sure to order the kit and do the work myself before the start of boating season. Looks the kit contains an impeller, gaskets, o-rings etc. I will check with the boat company though to ask if they've ever done this as part of a service. The last owner might know too, but for $70 the peace of mind that comes from doing it myself seems like a good idea.