1996 Prostar 205

[billboat]

As TruckeeEP wrote, I think I might be moving into "previous owner didn't give a crap" zone. The oral history isn't matching the written history at MC where all of the maintenance was supposed to have been done. There's only record of a single oil and transmission fluid change 6 years ago. Perhaps there's an error because there's also no record of repairs claimed in the ad and why make up repairs?

But the fuzzy feeling of a well loved boat isn't there.

I don't have an awesome MC, but I do have a little red boat that will pull a wakeboard for the time being. I think I'm going to shop a bit more until I find a boat I'm excited about...not worried about.

Thanks for all the advice and information.

Bill

[mikeg205]

regarding the oil.. no it wouldn't be milky right away.. I would not pay for it without a water test.. then you'll spot any issues with winterization. Was the engine at least drained when it the last time? I would do a compression check on the street minimum.

In addition - is the atf in the trans pink or dark maroon.

It takes many hours of freezing to crack a block - drain the water out of the block see how much comes out.

Without a water test - you may not know hidden issues - the gas in the tank could be bad - siphon some gas out of tank - if it's dark you won't want to run it with that.

you can also check the plugs to see check the health of the motor - additionally running your finger under the rocker cover near the oil fill cap will indicate if any sludge in motor.

How's the riser exhaust manifold union? seeping or clean?

The thing will prolly need a new t-stat as well. If you buy the boat - get penetrating oil and spray down bolts.

[billboat]

Ok, so I'm going to press on.

I called to get the maintenance records today and the boat has only had 40 hrs put on in it in the last 6 years. Additionally, the last winterization according the records was in 2013. I checked and Dallas got down to 17 F this past January. I made a mistake and checked the oil before we started the boat at the test drive. Will the oil still be milky a week later when I go to pick it up this weekend or would it need to be run again to see if there's water in the oil? I've got a science experiment going in the garage to see how quickly oil and water separate.

I would like to check the compression before handing over my money. I have a feeling he won't take it to have it checked for me. Would I hurt anything to check it in the parking lot when I go to pick it up? I will change the impeller right away so I don't care if I mess it up. Does the engine need to be warm?

Thanks,

Bill

[_fng_]

If the boat feels right then buy it! It's a boat so things will go wrong but 800 hrs is not a lot if well maintained (mine has 1350 and aside from routine maintenance hasn't given me issues in my 600 hrs of ownership). The great thing about this boat is everything is easy to work on and engine parts are easy to get. Also, this forum is a wealth of knowledge that makes DIY work easy.

[paco_06]

Your first paragraph made me bust out laughing!

From what you just said, go buy the boat!

I hear you about being cheap! If it makes you feel better, I truly believe the boat and trailer are worth 11k. It has perfect pass=$1k and a tower=$2k. So it's the same as finding a boat similar for sale in the 8k range and adding these very great items.... You'll love both additions...

[billboat]

Paco,

I don't have mcocd, I just have ocd. The worst part is that it is combined with a bad case of cheap a** so I'm emotionally unable to buy new or just throw the keys to a mechanic and say "make it right". So I live my life trying to make a previous owner's problems perfect...it is a sickness. About once a week when I'm riding in the car w/ the family I make everybody get quiet, turn down the radio, and then ask, "did you hear that?"

I hear you on the time/value balance though. My daughter will be 16 next year and everyday the value of time increases more and more.

I just called the mastercraft service guy and asked about the speed and ticking. He said the speed might be a little low but there was no concern on the ticking. He said I was just hearing the injectors.

I did check the transmission fluid and engine oil and they were perfect; looked new - the owner said he had about 8 hrs on it since the last change.

So if I don't freak out in the middle of the night between now and Friday, the forum should be bombarded with pics and posts asking, "what's this sound".

I looked, but I couldn't find the link for the MCOCD support group.

You guys are a great resource.

Thanks,

Bill

P.S. Just joking on the sickness part, feel free to make fun of me.

[curver900]

Maybe you already did but.... make sure you check the dip stick on both the tranny and the engine after you run it next time make sure it isn't milky in either...

[paco_06]

I am cracking up reading this! You sir may already have some mcocd!

I'll say what I've said twice in this thread, this boat is worth 11k!!! Everything is not perfect, and it won't be on a twenty year old boat. Sure it needs a better trailer, it's got a few dings and scratches, it's got an upholstery defect or two. Once again, it's twenty years old. You want it for wakeboarding, think about it, is already got a tower and perfect pass. This is about the best hull for the money that's out there for that. If you were into skiing, I'd recommend waiting for a previous hull, but this hull is superior for boarding and it's more spacious.

I think to ease your mind, go look at it again, test drive it again, see if you can talk to the mastercraft guy again and make a decision. You're right, there's no need to rush, but...... Everything you describe, there may not be another boat in the country that's better for you than this one, that is if course without spending twice as much... I was in a similar situation as you, but my first look was in the fall at my 205. I was just killing time looking at it and I fell in love. Thought about it for six months, took a test ride in the spring, agreed on a price and bought it. I looked the entire winter for something comparable, and also another six months after purchase to clear my mind I didn't give too much... Guess what, nothing within a twelve hour drive even remotely comparable!!! I have a very good feeling this will happen to you as well. And sure, if you don't get it, something else will come up, but they will be very few and far between.

OK back to the top speed issue, like mentioned above, it may just be the speedometer. I have one that will not go above 40mph, but on a good calm day, my boat tops out at 44mph and that's GPS verified. If yours in fact only makes it to 38, that still doesn't make something bad wrong although it could have a problem. Someone could have already put a lower pitch prop for boarding and surfing. Or it could just be dinged. Still, not a deal breaker.

Trailer, if you buy it, just make it a point to fix that one. Install a prop guard, put a lower receiver hitch on your tow vehicle to raise the back end and done. Just keep your eye out for another, they come up for sale from time to time it who knows, a couple years from now you may want to have a new factory style trailer built... You can always get around a thousand for the one it's currently setting on.

Engine, you say it's ticking? If it's very loud, yes there's something wrong. If it's slight and only when you're revving it to the max, well... I don't know of many that won't do that. It would be worth your while to have a compression test, but if it cranks easily and runs smooth, likely there's nothing wrong with it.

All in all, sounds like it's the boat for you!

[FoggyNogginz]

P.S. I would find a welder and add a prop guard most likely. Inexpensive peace of mind.

[FoggyNogginz]

I agree that it is not a MasterCraft trailer but that is also not a deal-breaker if the existing trailer fits the hull well and seems to be in good shape. I had a 1996 model exactly like this with 1100 hours on that same motor and it never missed a beat in it's entire life. I would say go ahead and make a deal but it might not hurt to take the time to quibble a tiny bit over the trailer to see if you could save a little cash with this recent discovery.

In my opinion the biggest mistake that you could make here would be to go another summer without a boat knowing that you could be hanging out with your family! This is a great price on a boat that is easy to maintain and is actually in pretty high demand by those who like to slalom with a family. It is true that a better boat will always eventually come along, and this is why many of us on this forum have a tendency to trade up quite often. However next month is May, and that means that it's time to get on the water! I'd buy this one now and then do the majority of your searching for upgrades next winter after you had a little time to familiarize yourself with what makes you happy and what works best for you and your family as your next boat.... because there is always the next one!

Enjoy your purchase and keep us posted!!

[epnault]

Truckee,

Yeah, I've been looking at that one and trying to figure out how to get it to TX. Some people on this site say 800 hrs isn't anything since these boats can go up to 2500, but others seem to quibble at 800 hrs. Still trying to decide on that.

EPnault,

We will do most of our boating about 10 miles from home in a local river. So we'll always use the trailer. Is that what you mean or significant trips on the trailer? Probably not much for the latter. You're right, it isn't a mastercraft trailer.

I wasn't as concerned about going faster than 36 mph as the boat's ability to do so as an indicator of engine troubles. I think you guys are right. Thanks for pulling me out of my new-to-me boat haze.

I'd decided I was going to shop for a year, but then when I saw this one somewhat close and I got itchy (Dallas and I'm in Houston). It looked really good in the pictures, but wasn't as pretty as I'd hoped when I saw it in person...I just resolved myself to the fact that all older boats would be a bit worn. It sounds like I should be a bit pickier.

I walked away that day b/c the trailer had never been registered and I didn't want to mess with somebody else's title problem. He offered to deliver it to me after he fixed the title issue so I kept thinking on it and talked myself into on the way home.

I guess the big question is, how long will I have to look to find the boat in the CL add above w/in 6 hrs of Houston? Better to buy a less than perfect $11k boat and put a few $k into it and have it now or wait 12 months for a cherry at $14k?

Thanks for the wake-up nudge.

Bill

This might be the right buy for you right now given you only want to spend around 11k and drive less than 6 hours. We are just helping you think through things before you buy. It is much better to know the bad before you buy versus learn afterwards.

[billboat]

Truckee,

Yeah, I've been looking at that one and trying to figure out how to get it to TX. Some people on this site say 800 hrs isn't anything since these boats can go up to 2500, but others seem to quibble at 800 hrs. Still trying to decide on that.

EPnault,

We will do most of our boating about 10 miles from home in a local river. So we'll always use the trailer. Is that what you mean or significant trips on the trailer? Probably not much for the latter. You're right, it isn't a mastercraft trailer.

I wasn't as concerned about going faster than 36 mph as the boat's ability to do so as an indicator of engine troubles. I think you guys are right. Thanks for pulling me out of my new-to-me boat haze.

I'd decided I was going to shop for a year, but then when I saw this one somewhat close and I got itchy (Dallas and I'm in Houston). It looked really good in the pictures, but wasn't as pretty as I'd hoped when I saw it in person...I just resolved myself to the fact that all older boats would be a bit worn. It sounds like I should be a bit pickier.

I walked away that day b/c the trailer had never been registered and I didn't want to mess with somebody else's title problem. He offered to deliver it to me after he fixed the title issue so I kept thinking on it and talked myself into on the way home.

I guess the big question is, how long will I have to look to find the boat in the CL add above w/in 6 hrs of Houston? Better to buy a less than perfect $11k boat and put a few $k into it and have it now or wait 12 months for a cherry at $14k?

Thanks for the wake-up nudge.

Bill

[TruckeeEP]

This is a comp for you to look at. I really don't know much about this particular boat, but at least you can see what a couple more thousand buys you... 1996 205 LT1 motor with less than 400 hours.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/boa/5539847177.html

[epnault]

Bill,
Like Truckee is saying do some more homework before you pull the trigger. I think you need to take a few days and educate yourself on inboard ski boats. That is 100% not a MasterCraft trailer and that is a negative because it doesn't perfectly match your boat and it is missing the prop guard. Are you going to be a trailer boater? As far as top speed, with that engine you can expect around 40 mph. Are you a barefooter? If not you don't need anything more than 36mph. Bottom line this isn't a pristine boat so take your time.

[epnault]

Bill,