JimH wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in message
. ..
HK wrote:
JimH wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in message
. ..
JimH wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in
message . ..
JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
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JimH wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message
...
I was wondering if there are any stats on how long people
actually
keep their boat. Like if they buy a new runabout or cuddie etc.
how
long do they actually keep it, before selling it or trading it in
for
a new model.

some people keep cars a year then trade for new, others buy new
and
run the wheels off it.

I've never bought a brand new boat in my life and really don't
plan on
it. My two boats are 1983 and 1977. Both in very good shape and
will
be keeping them for quite a while.

Does anyone know what is the average trade off or average length
of
ownership is for boats?
I would guess I change boats every 5-7 years. I have only
purchased 1 new boat and that was only because the dealership was
going out of business and I got a great deal on it.

My 20 foot runabout is being gifted to my son when he is actually
able to take ownership and advantage of using it. I received a
call from the marina today that the outdrive maintenance has been
completed and the boat is ready to be picked up. They found some
additional problems with the OD.....which they repaired. We are
picking it up over the weekend to be shrink wrapped and winter
stored at another site (cheaper).
Having never owned a boat with an I/O, my info is obtained
vicariously. From what I have read here and elsewhere over the
years, it seems to be that these drives are nothing but continuing
maintenance and trouble. Yet the technology in them, really, is
many decades old. Do you think they'd be less problematical if
their manufacturers concentrated on improving the quality of the
parts they contain and worried less about new and sometimes dubious
features?

Regarding mechanical problems, I have not had any significant
problems with the outdrives on my boats.

Having said that...........I will never purchase another boat with
an outdrive as the upkeep is more demanding than an outboard.



Except for the boot on the OD, what additional upkeep do you have?

I thought you may know this but here goes anyway: The I/O stays
submerged during the entire season. An outboard is in the water only
when it is being used as it can be raised out of the water when
docked. As a result the anodes need replacing more often and most
significantly the lower unit on the I/O takes a beating. It also
takes on a significant amount of marine growth with can result in
reduced performance.

Personally I clean the I/O whenever the water is warm enough to jump
in. It is amazing the amount of marine growth that reoccurs within
only a few weeks if not attended to.
I have never had a problem with algea growth because I use Outdrive
Anti-Fouling paint. It really makes a hell of a difference and is
cheap and easy to do yourself. I look at the zincs every month or so,
but I am lucky because my marina does not seem to have a stray current
leak, because they barely look used when I replace them every 3 years.
The first year, I thought this meant my zincs were not working, but I
was assured they are working correctly. I was told if they weren't i
would see pitting on the drive itself, which I don't. Since they are
so cheap, I replace the zincs when i have the marina pulls the outdrive
to do a complete service on the outdrive.


You seem to have the perfect boat that never has any sort of problems
Reg. ;-)

Even with an anti-fouling paint you will get algae growth.

BTW: One additional maintenance item with I/O's........alignments.

Inboards or outboards are the only way to go.

When all you have is an imaginary boat, like Reggie has, you never have
mechanical problems.

Serious question. I have no ownership experience with these modern, car
or truck gas engines in boats. What RPMS do you typically run them at? My
SUV V8 loafs along at 2000 rpm or so at highway speeds, but you have to
be running at what, twice that, in an I/O planing boat. What steps are
taken to build up these engines to take that sort of constant high rpm
stress?
It depends upon the boat, but 3200-3500 has always kept my boats on plane.
You are correct, I really have been lucky, and have never had a major
problem, but I do keep up with the mfg'er recommended schedule.

Who was talking abut *major* problems Reg? Even if you keep up with PM you
can still encounter problems.

It is great to know that you never have any.



I didn't say I never had problems, I said I never had a major problem
that would make me want to pay the additional initial cost of an OB. If
I kept my boat in salt water, that would be a completely different
story, but in fresh water it would take one hell of lot of MAJOR
problems to change to an OB based upon additional maintenance or
additional upkeep. I have never had a problem with algea or problems
with my zinc being depleted, so that has never been a concern.