Early Wellcraft 250 XL reviews? Comments?
 

For some reason I really like the look of these boats I've looked at three
of them now in the 1979 area they are all 25' boats with twin 260 hp
engines, condition is different between all of the boats I've seen. I'm
currently looking at one located in Florida that is in MINT condition but
needs a few of the new parts installed to completed. I'm looking for reviews
or information on these boats does anyone have comments or reviews that I
can look at?

1) Both engines have been rebuilt
2) Interior is 100% new
3) Hull is in great shape.

"HotRod" wrote in message
...
For some reason I really like the look of these boats I've looked at three
of them now in the 1979 area they are all 25' boats with twin 260 hp
engines, condition is different between all of the boats I've seen. I'm
currently looking at one located in Florida that is in MINT condition but
needs a few of the new parts installed to completed. I'm looking for
reviews or information on these boats does anyone have comments or reviews
that I can look at?

1) Both engines have been rebuilt
2) Interior is 100% new
3) Hull is in great shape.


Stay away from Wellcraft. They are POS boats. I bought a beginners 17 footer
maybe 5 years ago - it was brand new. The engine would not start after it
was sitting off for 30 minutes, dealer could never fix it, two engine
mounting bolts snapped off, the alternator bolt snapped off, all the buttons
were falling off, seams in the seats came undone. The only thing that didnt
break was the hull.

A friend just bought a 50 foot wellcraft, here in Chicago. The engine
compartment started on fire twice. The second time his son ended up in a
hospital for smoke related sickness.

Wellcraft in my opinion is the biggest POS ever made.

Maybe 1979 versions are better. I know that the recent models are very bad.

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"HotRod" wrote in message
...
For some reason I really like the look of these boats I've looked at
three
of them now in the 1979 area they are all 25' boats with twin 260 hp
engines, condition is different between all of the boats I've seen. I'm
currently looking at one located in Florida that is in MINT condition
but
needs a few of the new parts installed to completed. I'm looking for
reviews or information on these boats does anyone have comments or
reviews
that I can look at?

1) Both engines have been rebuilt
2) Interior is 100% new
3) Hull is in great shape.


Stay away from Wellcraft. They are POS boats. I bought a beginners 17
footer
maybe 5 years ago - it was brand new. The engine would not start after it
was sitting off for 30 minutes, dealer could never fix it, two engine
mounting bolts snapped off, the alternator bolt snapped off, all the
buttons
were falling off, seams in the seats came undone. The only thing that
didnt
break was the hull.

A friend just bought a 50 foot wellcraft, here in Chicago. The engine
compartment started on fire twice. The second time his son ended up in a
hospital for smoke related sickness.

Wellcraft in my opinion is the biggest POS ever made.

Maybe 1979 versions are better. I know that the recent models are very
bad.



I've had a '89 wellcraft monte carlo for 7 years now and have had no
problems with it at all............
like all manufacturers, there can be lemons, and/or certain product lines
have more problems than others.

One thing I have been able to find is that I believe wellcraft was
originally built in Michigan before it was moved south, the ones built in
the early days seem to be high quality and have a thicker hull. Maybe it's
just nonsense but that's about all I remember.

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 10:35:15 -0400, "P. Fritz"
wrote:


I've had a '89 wellcraft monte carlo for 7 years now and have had no
problems with it at all............
like all manufacturers, there can be lemons, and/or certain product lines
have more problems than others.


A given manufacturer may have both "good years" and "bad years," and
"good models" and "bad models," more often than not, driven by the
current owner's objectives and/or financial health of the company.

good point


--

_ ___c
\ _| \_
__\_| oooo \_____
~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~
~~~ ~~~~~~
~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/
Homepage*
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

Dan,
Sorry about your problems, but Wellcraft is considered a good middle of the
road boat.


"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"HotRod" wrote in message
...
For some reason I really like the look of these boats I've looked at
three of them now in the 1979 area they are all 25' boats with twin 260
hp engines, condition is different between all of the boats I've seen.
I'm currently looking at one located in Florida that is in MINT condition
but needs a few of the new parts installed to completed. I'm looking for
reviews or information on these boats does anyone have comments or
reviews that I can look at?

1) Both engines have been rebuilt
2) Interior is 100% new
3) Hull is in great shape.


Stay away from Wellcraft. They are POS boats. I bought a beginners 17
footer maybe 5 years ago - it was brand new. The engine would not start
after it was sitting off for 30 minutes, dealer could never fix it, two
engine mounting bolts snapped off, the alternator bolt snapped off, all
the buttons were falling off, seams in the seats came undone. The only
thing that didnt break was the hull.

A friend just bought a 50 foot wellcraft, here in Chicago. The engine
compartment started on fire twice. The second time his son ended up in a
hospital for smoke related sickness.

Wellcraft in my opinion is the biggest POS ever made.

Maybe 1979 versions are better. I know that the recent models are very
bad.

I have a '78 V-20 Steplift and am very happy with it. Although I had to dig
out and pour fiberglass mix in the transom, the floor is still good, hull is
good (an inch thick on the sides near the transom where I installed a
fitting). The wood under the floor and the transom would probably be your
biggest concerns. Walk all over the floor pounding with your heels to ck.
LD
"HotRod" wrote in message
...
For some reason I really like the look of these boats I've looked at three
of them now in the 1979 area they are all 25' boats with twin 260 hp
engines, condition is different between all of the boats I've seen. I'm
currently looking at one located in Florida that is in MINT condition but
needs a few of the new parts installed to completed. I'm looking for
reviews
or information on these boats does anyone have comments or reviews that I
can look at?

1) Both engines have been rebuilt
2) Interior is 100% new
3) Hull is in great shape.

WHY did you end up pouring fibreglass resin into the transom?



"LD" wrote in message
...
I have a '78 V-20 Steplift and am very happy with it. Although I had to
dig
out and pour fiberglass mix in the transom, the floor is still good, hull
is
good (an inch thick on the sides near the transom where I installed a
fitting). The wood under the floor and the transom would probably be your
biggest concerns. Walk all over the floor pounding with your heels to ck.
LD
"HotRod" wrote in message
...
For some reason I really like the look of these boats I've looked at
three
of them now in the 1979 area they are all 25' boats with twin 260 hp
engines, condition is different between all of the boats I've seen. I'm
currently looking at one located in Florida that is in MINT condition but
needs a few of the new parts installed to completed. I'm looking for
reviews
or information on these boats does anyone have comments or reviews that I
can look at?

1) Both engines have been rebuilt
2) Interior is 100% new
3) Hull is in great shape.

O.K, another question I'm considering replacing on of the drive housings on
this unit because of a very small crack and was wondering something Before
I look stupid at the marina

Can I replace the drive housing with one that turns the opposite direction?
(Alpha drive)
Is it better to have one drive spin the opposite way than the other drive or
doesn't it matter, when driving an identical boat it seemed to pull to the
right.

I knew going in that the transom was "soft". With the motor tilted up and
pushing down on the skeg I saw a little flex in the transom. Didn't really
notice any when we ran it on the lake but I thought it might need repair.
This Wellcraft still had 3/4" or more of fiberglass, even without the wood.
The (used to be) wood was in 3 sections, center, left, & right. That
obviously offered almost no strength to resist bowing. I decided to replace
with a polyester resin w/filler consisting of calcium silicate, 1/2" glass
fibers and a foaming agent which gives the final density equal to oak (and
will not flex and will not ever rot). The stringers were gone too but when
I called Wellcraft they told me it wasn't a concern--the wood was basically
just a template for the fiberglass. I cut out the top and removed most of
the "wood" with a w/d vac.
This is an incredibly strong and rigid boat. On most boats I've looked at
the hull will flex with hand pressure all down the sides. Although heavy,
this extra glass and weight gives a smoother ride in the chop.
If you get into this and need help, email me and I can go into detail and
send you some pics.
LD

"HotRod" wrote in message
...
WHY did you end up pouring fibreglass resin into the transom?



"LD" wrote in message
...
I have a '78 V-20 Steplift and am very happy with it. Although I had to
dig
out and pour fiberglass mix in the transom, the floor is still good,
hull
is
good (an inch thick on the sides near the transom where I installed a
fitting). The wood under the floor and the transom would probably be
your
biggest concerns. Walk all over the floor pounding with your heels to
ck.
LD
"HotRod" wrote in message
...
For some reason I really like the look of these boats I've looked at
three
of them now in the 1979 area they are all 25' boats with twin 260 hp
engines, condition is different between all of the boats I've seen. I'm
currently looking at one located in Florida that is in MINT condition
but
needs a few of the new parts installed to completed. I'm looking for
reviews
or information on these boats does anyone have comments or reviews that
I
can look at?

1) Both engines have been rebuilt
2) Interior is 100% new
3) Hull is in great shape.