In article , Shawn Willden
wrote:


Right. Only problem is, it makes buying one over the web kinda hard for
someone like me who doesn't really understand which end goes up.

Guess I'd better look into return policies :-)

Shawn.

A few things, Shawn.

Get in touch with the owner you bought the boat from. DO NOT be
confrontational. Do not tell him the problems you are having. Simply
and politely ask him what he did in changing the carburetor setup, and if
he has the old parts available. If they're just sitting in his garage
he'll probably let them go cheap, if not free. While your at it,
enthusiastically ask what other "great modifications" he made to the boat.
If, despite your best efforts to be non-confrontational, the guy acts like
a prick, send him roadkill on a daily/weekly/monthly basis until catharsis
is acheived.

Call a marine place and explain the situation to them. Ask if the intake
manifold needed to be changed to accomodate the bad moddification, of if
there was just an adapter plate used. Ask if the Holley that is on there
can be directly replaced with a holly marine or rochester marine
counterpart. Call an aftermarket supplier like Champion (can you tell I
was pleased with them) and ask if you purchase multiple carbs, if you can
return the one(s) you don't use.

Don't feel bad. Even people who have years of experience with boats wind
up with problems they don't anticipate when buying used. Odds are if
your experienced helper wasn't a marine mechanic or surveyor they too
would have overlooked the non-marine carb problem (except for the spark
arrestor, that's pretty obvious to most powerboaters).

Buying a boat is a very emotional experience. In fact it's alot like
taking on a wife. You see her, fall in love, and will do anything to have
her. Your eyes are closed to many realities such as, can you afford to
have her? Can you afford to keep her? Can you faithfully rely upon her?
Your actual purchase is your marriage. Your first trip is your honeymoon,
and your first problem is the reality of marriage. For some couples the
reality of marriage hits before or during the honyemoon. Too many harsh
realities, and you fall out of love, with your broker acting as the
attorney.

So Shawn, you wanted her, you married her, and now the honeymoon is over.
Now open your eyes to what you have to do (money and/or time) to make this
marriage work for you, or cut your losses and get away from the bitch
ASAP, and find another.

Even if you find another, realize that monies will be spent. Even the
best boat, like any woman, is NEVER indefinitely satisfied with the status
quo. Additional monies will have to be spent somewhere down the road to
keep her. It may be less money than you current boat, which may be
acceptable to you.

No matter what boat you purchase, having to spend additional monies is all
but a truism in the pursuit of boating. If you cannot accept this fact,
you may need to consider joining the "tree hugger" monestary, and take a
vow of nautical celibacy :^)

Bob Dimond