new here and looking at a grady

[bladenbullet]

hey gang...new to the forum and am presently looking at a 1990 overnighter 20 204c...looking for whatever information i can find...

judging by the number of them i have seen posted here its a nice ride with few unusual problems...

the boat i am looking at is set up nice with canvas covered t-top with integral outriggers and a johnson 150 engine...not the cleanest boat by any means but appears to have been well maintained and no serious damage considering its age...i stood on the cavitation plate and jumped up and down without any transom flex...tap tested the hul and it sounds solid and dry...shift cable is broken...the engine is much cleaner than any ive seen of any age and does not appear to have been repairnted..i did not confirm the year of the engine yet...it looks too new to be original...its not an original owner selling...its a used dealer i pass on my way to work and this one just caught my eye...i grew up fishing the great lakes and gradys were always a favorite...i am looking forward to trying some gulf fishing here in florida and this is the size boat i am looking for...

my biggest concerns are mostly cosmetic corrosion on some of the stainless and t-top with the usual broken fittings here and there that will require replacement...there is no fuel smell in the fuel tank compartment but i dont know if the tank is original...i would expect problems if it is...

anything i should be looking for in particular on this model at this age?..and how do they run with a 150 as opposed what i would expect a more suitable setup would be 175-200 hp?..

it sits on a mismathced trailer (big-which i dont have abig problem with) and the asking price is 7700...i think its quite high for the condition and age but the seller has already ststed he is looking for offers...

great forum here...looking forward to collecting more information...as i stated i grew up fishing trout and salmon on the great lakes in rochester ny...i captained penn yans there up to my last boat aa 285 prowler hardtop...i'm thinking smaller now and a little more manageable...

does anyone know a reasonable surveyor in the punta gorda/port charlotte are of southwest florida?...

thanks...

 

[sfc2113]

Welcome...


You will love the overnighter as a fist time grady owner if you buy it. 150 is plently of HP.

Not from your area but dont buy it without a survey, especially on the transom if original, It most likely has water or is wet or rotting. The only way to tell how bad is to use a moisture meeter or drill a hole.
Look for stress cracks on top of the transom cap, and near the corners of the motor well and seat backs. Anything more than a hairline crack, stay away. Unless your willing to do some serious $$ or work into it.
Do some searching in here and you will find lots of info.

Good Luck.

 

[bladenbullet]

thanks...i got another look at it in the bright light today...the engine has ahd its share of touch up...a technician by trade that doesnt scare me...but i did notice it looks like some small holes have been drilled in the transom just below the engine mountings and then patched...i would assume to look for water intrusion or confirm it...there are no large cracks anywhere...mostly crazing and light stress cracks in the gelcoat...for its age and what looks like a good amount of use by a die hard fisherman it really isnt in bad shape...

if i decide to go near it it wouldnt be without a survey....

its a tough one to pass on because of the t-top and outrigger set-up...its a high coin set-up and worth putting some money and work into the boat for...i'm just not sure how low this guy is willing to go with it...

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Welcome aboard. As far as the boat, if the floor is solid, 99 % the stringers are, so no problems there. Transom is a different story. It could cost around 4000 to have it done by a professional, or much, much cheaper if you can do it your self, just time consuming. As far as the price, if the engine is original, look at the boat as you had to re power, cause most likely you will, so make an offer accordingly. I would start at 4500 and go up to 5 maybe 5500 if the trailer is usable. Good luck and let us know. Getting a survey IS the smart thing to do, unfortunately i don't know any body down there.

 

[bladenbullet]

i sent a few emails out to local surveyors to get an idea of what i could expect and the expenses incurred in a survey....i'll see what comes back to me and work forward from there...

the floor and all decks are solid as a rock..i even jumped on hatch covers and swung from the t-top to check for creaks, squeaks and cracks...i'm not bashful when it comes to testing the integrity of something...one of my former boats was a cosmetic nightmare when i purchased it...when it made it to the docks all of the captains that passed on it were jealous and wondered if it was the same boat...if there are no structural problems i'm game for whatever the vessel throws at me...

i do appreciate the advice....thanks