Home  |  Forums  |  914 Info  |  Blogs
 
914World.com - The fastest growing online 914 community!
 
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way.
Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
 

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

> WOT - Boats
SteveL
post May 3 2005, 01:49 PM
Post #1


Senior Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 663
Joined: 7-August 03
From: Andover, MN
Member No.: 991
Region Association: None



Need some advice on a boat. I am looking for a 17 foot Open Bow fun/ski boat. I found a nice Donzi with an OMC motor and Cobra outdrive. I know Merc Cruiser I/Os are good, but don't know about the OMC/Cobra. Does anybody know anything about them?
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
 
Reply to this topicStart new topic
Replies(1 - 10)
Type 4
post May 3 2005, 02:09 PM
Post #2


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 412
Joined: 30-September 04
From: Costa Mesa Calif.
Member No.: 2,866



Boats I was out this weekend with Pete Melvin on his 22ft power Cat twin 55hp hondas nice boat.
I was bugging him to get me hooked up on the really cool boat he and Gino designed.
http://www.morrellimelvin.com/page52.html
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Joe Bob
post May 3 2005, 02:27 PM
Post #3


Retired admin, banned a few times
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 17,427
Joined: 24-December 02
From: Boulder CO
Member No.: 5
Region Association: None



On any boat,,,I would consider how close and friendly the dealer or the parts person is....nothing worse than needing a part that the local guy has to order. Typically boats get looked at the day or two before the trip and a screwed up part stops you in your tracks.

OMC has been around for awhile....but I have no stories or BTDT on Cobra.

I like Merc outboards and stern drives....will never buy another Mariner...even though Merc makes them.

You never have too much power. Always get a boat big enuff for friends and when they go with you tell them up front...the ride comes with clean up chores at the end....no helpee washee, no next tripeee tickeee....
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
GWN7
post May 3 2005, 02:41 PM
Post #4


King of Road Trips
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 6,280
Joined: 31-December 02
From: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Member No.: 56
Region Association: Northstar Region



OMC had some financial problems awhile back. I don't know the outcome, but I read that OMC was buying some of their engines from Suzuki Motor Corp.

OMC , Volvo/Penta and Merc were all good drives.

Treat it like you would any used car buy. Get the best deal and if from a dealer get him to warrenty the engine and drive for 2 seasons.

How many hrs on the power plant?

How long has it been sitting?

Check the gel coat for spider cracks. These can weep water into the hull.

Service records?

If it has been sitting on a trailer, check under where the rollers contact the hull. You can check this when you take it out for a test drive and if goes on/off the trailer. Check for cracks. If the boat is too heavy for the rollers there will be marks (cracks) in the gel coat.

Private sale? Go to the dealer who serviced it to see what was done and if there is/was any problems with it.

Engine....have your mechanic to a compression test on it. See if it is within specs.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
tnorthern
post May 3 2005, 02:52 PM
Post #5


Your Mom's []
**

Group: Members
Posts: 128
Joined: 1-April 05
From: Sacramento, CA
Member No.: 3,859



I have an 1987 Century Mercruiser I/O and have not been stranded once in it. The OMC/Cobra combo is forgein to me as I have never worked on one but I would suggest the forums at iBoats.com before you buy anything. They tend to have info about the little common problems that a seller or dealer will never tell you about. What year is the boat you are looking at? Nothing depreciates faster than a boat so I would recommend against buying a new on the lot one, unless you are one of those "gotta have it new" types. If you are looking for a fish/ski I would look at Sea Ray and Four Winns first, Chapparal second, everything else third, and Bayliner last. They have had some "thin glass" issues that are epic on some of the forums. If you are going for a ski/family fun boat you can't beat a Malibu for value to build quality.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
jwalters
post May 3 2005, 04:49 PM
Post #6


Sooo Close.......
***

Group: Members
Posts: 1,677
Joined: 14-May 04
From: Huntsville, AL
Member No.: 2,068
Region Association: Europe



(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif) OMC - ( Johnson, evinrude, mariner, OMC, who knows what else ) went tits up---havent heard anything about a restructure---
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
SLITS
post May 3 2005, 05:43 PM
Post #7


"This Utah shit is HARSH!"
**********

Group: Benefactors
Posts: 13,602
Joined: 22-February 04
From: SoCal Mountains ...
Member No.: 1,696
Region Association: None



Buy a water squirter.....jet boat....nothing to really go wrong 'cept when you loose power you have no steering, but what the heck

('79 Bahner Squirter w/650 HP Big Block...varoooom)
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Kargeek
post May 3 2005, 06:21 PM
Post #8


Senior Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 555
Joined: 14-March 03
From: Orange, CA
Member No.: 430



I own and maintain a 95 20' Sea ray bowrider with a TB injected small block chevy and mercruser Brovo I/O. We dock it up at lake Arrowhead and run it over 100 hours a year. If you are going to use the thing, do your homework and get something you can have fun and worth maintaining. A low profile or "deadrise" V hull is not much fun in lake chop. ( maybe if it's got a hemi)

Mercruser Alpha's are good -BrovoI and II have external water pickup pumps - easy change out of the rubber pump impeller every 100 hours.

An engine in a boat is constently under a load- like always driving you car uphill.

My Buddy Rob Jonson owns a 17 foot Donzi - I will ask him. I would not own an OMC as I heard parts are NLA or expensive. Call your local marine service and ask. Remember, no salt water, and look for total hours. Outdrives are expensive like 5,000.00 bucks. Look at the gear oil in the outdrive- drain some and see if it's milky then run! The Cobra engines in OMC I believe are based on a Ford small block.

Boats are a pain in the ass to work on and can be a money pit- you think we have isues with teeners...DH
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
d7n7master
post May 4 2005, 01:34 PM
Post #9


Gary#
***

Group: Members
Posts: 663
Joined: 13-March 03
From: The O.C, Ca.
Member No.: 421



We have a 19Ft VIP Victory Deck boat similar to what you have described.
Open bow/walk thru design. It's powered by a OMC-4.3 - V6 coupled to a OMC Cobra outdrive. Bought it used & we've had it for years. No problems whatsoever.
The OMC 4.3 V-6 is essentially a Chevy engine with a different p/n crank & cam than you would find in your chevy blazer. That's because the marine version makes it's torque from way down at 1500 rpm's up to about 4k to deal with water resistance.
We've heard all of the sayings. Second happiest day is when you buy your first boat. 1st happiest day is when you sell your boat...
Don't believe a word of it. I say the second happiest day is when you buy your first boat and the 1st of many happy, fun, relaxing, skiing, tubing, fishing, exploring days you'll have on your boat. And if you have kids - it's even better. Great family fun.
Go 4 it!!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
charlesmac
post May 4 2005, 02:16 PM
Post #10


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 210
Joined: 27-June 04
From: Richland, MS
Member No.: 2,264



I agree that Malibu boats are a great fun/ski/pleasure boat. My '98 sportster has been a great boat, (once i finally got the carb rebuilt correctly, it only took 3 tries cause the p.o. never put a fuel filter on it.) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif)
GM 350, weber(carter, edelbrock,quadrajet,all basically the same) carberator, parts are plentiful.
Before i got mine, i would go out with a friend in his glasstron '17. Great boat, till the out drive tore up. My opinion is the fewer moving parts, the better, that's why i like the inboard.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
carambola
post May 4 2005, 04:37 PM
Post #11


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 84
Joined: 25-October 04
From: south jersey
Member No.: 3,007



donzi's are cool, but i remember hearing something from an owner about swamping while reversing. transom cuts into the water. check it out
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 



- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 11th July 2025 - 06:40 AM