Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire So I was given a boat (Pics added, I think)

When rebuilding the carb, go ahead and replace all of the old rubber gas lines and gaskets with new ones that are good to go with ethanol.

Two stroke carbs are pretty simple. If it won't idle, there are probably some tiny holes that are plugged up. Take them apart and clean everything up. Spray gumout through all the little passages. Put it back together and try it. If it still won't idle, you missed some.

Regarding the transom; tilt the motor up, grab the lower unit and pull it up and down. If the transom is solid and doesn't flex, you are good to go. If it does, then you have problems. You didn't say whether the boat is fiberglass or aluminum. If it is fiberglass, haul it to the dump. Aluminum; you will have to take the motor off, remove the transom cap, pull the old board and put in a new one.

Good luck,

Jerry

The boat is a 16 foot all weld Aluminum.

Gas tank and lines may have to be cleaned because of ethanol will gel over time. Ethanol is not good for carburetors either.

IF this FREE boat came with a FREE trailer, hook it to a truck and go to the nearest landfill, upon arrival find someone in a loader and ask if the would like to crush the boat[they usually like doing this, don't ask me how I know]. Go where directed and push boat off of trailer. Take trailer home and modify for personal use.
Otherwise as above just keep cleaning and cleaning the carb.
Good luck with the rebuild.
I had a ski boat with I/O given to me years ago that had sat 3/4 submerged for a winter.
Lot's of replaced wood and engine work, but it's doable.

i bought the duck rocket from my brother for 1500, 3 motors later and having it professionally rewired a jack plate, pontoons added to the transom to support the weight of a 115 4stroke on a boat rated for a 50 hp, i got 50+mph 17.6 flat bottom rocket. Its now a 7000 dollar boat that couldn't sell for anywhere near that.

My first thought....however, another thing I would do, is, at least the first few tanks of fuel, give it a good dose of Marvel Mystery Oil as a fuel additive. I've always used that stuff in my small engines and they just keep running and running.

My brothers, for years, had a certain standard for buying boats: It had to be sitting in someone's yard with a For Sale sign and it had to be less than $1000. (Made no sense, because they're both doing very well, but...) A few years ago they both bought the bullet, went to my brother-in-law's business and bought new boats, with new motors, on new trailers. Truthfully, I think those will end up being the cheapest boats they've ever owned.

Check the fuel/oil ratio,some were 100 too 1 .

Are you sure this guy is a bud and not an evil genius.?

We have a winner!

i loved all my boats. the last one i had was a 2004 jetboat,fished out of it until 2010 .had 12,500.00 in it and sold for 11,500.00. people will pay more for a custom built boat because its a six month wait for a new one.spend a little on your new boat and go have some fun.

There's an low-speed needle(screw) on the carburetor that you should try adjusting(at least there is on my 25hp). A carb rebuild wouldn't hurt either.

Well i can not afford a new boat. If I'm going to spend a couple of grand on a boat then I figured might as well start with a free boat and trailer. I had no idea boat motors were so costly, Originally I thought I would find a older boat and buy a new four stroke and call it good, but those are out of my price range for at least the next decade.

New spark plugs wouldn't hurt either.

I disagree with most of the opinions so far, an old used fiberglass boat isnt worth a thing but a welded aluminum boat is a different beast.

Looks like a fine boat to me.

I would pull the old wood as use it as a pattern for the new wood, use marine plywood, coat the new wood with West epoxy.

Those old two stroke carbeurated motors are gas and oil hogs, ditch it on Craig's list and find a late model fuel injected 4 stroke.

Doing this you will have a great boat that will last a long time and retain it's value.

Between 1975 and 1995 it seemed I spent much of my time in my boats.

I am 66 years old and have been repairing boat trailers and boats for 55 years:
Tail lights
Wheel bearings
Wheel hubs
flat tires
Water pumps
Fuel tanks.
converting short shaft transom to long shaft

I think I am done, now.

Some younger guy might really love that project.

Check the lines under the cowling ,dry rot,letting air in /the reason why only likes wide open ,u can get her running an spray the carbs/lines with a can of !!!!either.... U will know rite off,

BTW. I know people who make a living every year...with a lot less boat then u got for free.....enjoy!

Do NOT use treated lumber anywhere - including
trailer bunks. It will eat the snot out of the aluminum. If it won't idle, you probably have to clean the carbs, because of crap in the idle circuit. As long as you have them off, might as well rebuild them. Fuel lines should be replaced, and possibly a fuel pump rebuild. All that stuff is relatively inexpensive, easy, and will save a lot of headaches in the future. The good thing is, aluminum boats have a very long service life. Mine is a 1961.

I see the pics now. I like it.
I think anything on that Johnson will be able to be serviced.
Nice size.
You'll have some projects to do on it for sure but looks like it will be great.