tillius wrote:
I got a boat at auction on Saturday. It's my first boat, other than
the pirogue and bolger brick I built a couple of summers ago.

It's a 16' Fiberglass boat - make is "Larson" vintage 1968, came with
a dual axel galvanized trailer and 60HP Johnson Outboard. My total
cost = $120.00

She towed home pretty easily, but I'm trying to figure out more about
the engine. It was supposedly last run 2 years ago before the former
owner got sick and passed away. Any idea where to start checking it
out?

The engine is a Johnson 60 HP "Hydro-Electric" but I can't find a
model number.

It is a 60ES70, 60ESL70, 60ES71, or 60ESL71, 1970 or 1971 engine - look
on the tilt bracket for a plate with this model number and the serial
number, it should also be on a small round aluminum "plug" pressed into
the engine block.


It turns by hand fine now that I figured out I had to
put it in neutral.

Hydro-Electric engines are in forward when there is no battery hooked up
- current is required for neutral or reverse. Use type C gear oil, fill
to the top plug from the bottom before running...



Any idea what the oil/gas mixture should be,

50:1 gas to TCW-2 or TCW-3 2 cycle oil... this is one pint to a six
gallon fuel tank.


or
where I might be able to find a model number so I can get a water-hose
connection thing and test the engine?

Any flush muffs will work.


Also, the hull surface in a few exposed areas shows some "cracking" of
the surface paint. It doesn't go more than 1/32" - 1/16" deep (just
the paint, the surface below looks and feels solid)

Sounds like crazing in the gel coat - not much you can do here...

What's the best method to prep and refinish that surface so it looks
nicer?

WOW it's a lot of work for an old boat... get it to run right & then
decide what to do...


Rob