282 Sailfish Sea Trial Advice

[Off doody]

I will be doing a pre-purchase sea trial on a 2005 282 Sailfish with twin Yamaha 225 4 strokes. Read a lot about the corrosion issue in the dry exhaust. I recently read Yamaha has a repair kit for $600 which makes the repair a lot cheaper than what some folks there have shelled out. The engines have a little over 200 hrs on them. Is there anything I can look for during the sea trial that would be indicative of a corrosion problem either visually or with the engine running? Any other recommendations or problem areas to look for. I'm hoping to have a Yamaha tech aboard but haven't nailed down that option yet.

Also anyone have good luck and long hours with these engines if stored in a slip in cold saltwater?

 

[seasick]

I will be doing a pre-purchase sea trial on a 2005 282 Sailfish with twin Yamaha 225 4 strokes. Read a lot about the corrosion issue in the dry exhaust. I recently read Yamaha has a repair kit for $600 which makes the repair a lot cheaper than what some folks there have shelled out. The engines have a little over 200 hrs on them. Is there anything I can look for during the sea trial that would be indicative of a corrosion problem either visually or with the engine running? Any other recommendations or problem areas to look for. I'm hoping to have a Yamaha tech aboard but haven't nailed down that option yet.

Also anyone have good luck and long hours with these engines if stored in a slip in cold saltwater?

Based on what I have read from 225 owners, you can't really tell if you have the issue without either pulling the power-head or removing the lower unit AND the mid section.
Corrosion does not seem to related to flushing or not flushing and probably is not related to electrolysis.(when on shore power). There are many discussions on this topic. Search 'The Hull Truth' forums and you will find many posts and some good photos.

Good luck

 

[Oceanbean]

Hi Seasick,

I went through a similar purchase last April. I purchased a 2004 282 with 225 F225, 240hrs. I researched the corrosion issue in depth. Even visited with a certified Yamaha tech to see and learn about the problem first hand. I learned that the issue is real for 2005 and earlier F225's. Not all motors present the problem. It does not appear to be related to flushing as the corrosion starts on the dry side of the exhaust. The best way to diagnosis is to drop the lower units and boroscope each motor. This is what I did. The same certified (master) Yamaha tech scoped by motors. Port was clean, starboard not as clean with some early signs. He said expect to do the fix within the next couple of years. I negotiated the cost of the repair as a reduction in the purchase price. The dealer I purchased my Grady from respected my concerns and was top shelf. I am due for water pumps in 2013. This is when I will scope again - and if we seen signs - do the exhaust rebuild. The recently offered Yamaha kit for $600 for each motor is a substaintal savings over previous costs. It was good to see that Yamaha stepped up. I put over a 100 hours on the motors in all types of sea conditions, inshore and offshore since the purchase. I can not say enough of how impressed I have been with both the F225's and the GW 282. It was piece of mind to have had these motors scoped. Money well spent.

Hope it works out for you.

Oceanbean
2004 Sailfish 282 F225

 

[Off doody]

Thanks for the info. Did you have them scoped before you bought the boat? If so, what did cost to have the scope done and how much did you have taken off the purch price?

 

[Oceanbean]

Yes - dealer hauled the boat, put it inside, dropped both lower units and my tech scoped them with their service manager observing. It cost me $300 plus lunch

I suggest you write this into your contract. Offer is good based on survey and engine inspection. Everything is negotiable. The dealer I bought my Grady from met me half way on the prospective repair cost. Neither one of us wanted to walk away, so we came to reasonable point. It worked out for both.

If you had the motors running in the water and you do not see any bubbling or steam in the exhaust, that's telling you the exhaust chamber is not compromised (at least not yet). If everything else checks out on the motors (you can get full computer history on both and of course compression, service records, etc and you like the boat - then haul it, and drop the lower units and get them scoped. If there is corrosion - no problem - you caught it before it effected the powerhead. Negotiate the repair cost and you are set for a long time. If no corrosion - you at least know and know to check it next time you do the water pumps. Good luck.

Oceanbean
2004 GW 282 F225

 

[Kai Lover]

Run it in the seas you intend to use it in....run it means at cruise into swell, following, side. Try tabs and trim. Get a Yam mechnic to check motors with computer and don't forget to have a professional look at the hull. Doubt there is any issue with that low of hours, but would look for glasss repairs/stress on transom....don't forget the systems...pump for toilet, bilge pumps, wiring, etc. good luck.

 

[alfa1023]

See if they know how old the gas is in each of the 2 gas tanks. I would insist on removing the sending units (easy and quick, like 6 or 8 screws) and smell the gas and shine a flashlight down in each tank. I did not do this when I bought my boat and found out the hard (and expensive) way that the gas in the aux tank was old and had 5 gallons of water in it. If the fuel tank selector switch has both engines running off of the same tank, switch one engine to the other tank during sea trial. Right after doing this, take the cover off the motor while its running and watch to see if the little red ring in the fuel bowl on the front of the engine stays at the bottom of the bowl. If it rises at all, you have water in the gas and the fuel water separator is full of water.