Need some newbie advice on what to look for...

[mosailn]

Hello Y'all,

Always wanted a 222, this popped up in my area and going to see it this week.  I want this to be a long-term project..maybe clean it up and get out this year, put some seats in it, do floors next, replace inboard next with newer one or diesel or o/b, etc.

So what to look for? I know the history of the floors/stringers..but with in an inboard should I be worried about anything else?

Rudder? I guess I can wiggle to see what kind of play is in it? I am assuming Aquasport used an aluminum or brass shaft and then used plastic or delran bearings? Stuffing boxes can be fixed...do they have struts on the shafts? 

Sorry for the dumb questions.. I'll search more tonight when I have time..

Here is the link:

https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/boa/6603195772.html

Cheers,
mosailn

[RickK]

Looks like a decent deal and the inboard model is a rare find.

[theFunsmith]

I got my 76 as an inboard and have done a lot of work to convert it to an outboard. I pulled out all the running gear and steering assemblies. I may be able to shed some light on the rudder. I didn't remember having any delrin in the through-hull hardware fittings. I'll take a closer look at them tonight. The rudder is cast bronze over a polished stainless shaft.

[mosailn]

I looked at boat, amazing how people can neglect the most simple things...its a '76 hull, the engine ? maybe a late 80's early 90's carbed 350? Rudder looks a bit beat up and it sat in the water with no zincs on the rudder or shaft for a while..

The good:
1. Hull solid
2. Single axle trailer but only has about 10" of clearance from bottom of rudder to road
3. Stringers felt solid all around the motor
4. deck felt solid under the stringers running fore an aft


The bad:
1. soft spots on the deck
2. engine is a bit of enigma
3. why are there two batteries in the bottom of the boat ??
4. has plywood hatch covers that are separated
5. misc. hardware, wheel and instruments
6. has a kicker bracket mounted on the stern - is this good or bad?
7. wiring is suspect but I am expecting this from a 40 + yr old boat

re: Engine not sure what year it is..its def. a 350, carburated beast, runs but looks at least 20 years old.  Hours if they are real around 600+ and the manifolds look like they need to be replaced.  I would need to do a compression check at some point and pull part of the engine apart to see if it was properly cared for..

The good:

1. Its a project
2. I really dig the classic lines with the inboard
3. I could easily work with it for a year or two before having to remove and replace, the deck
4.  Its a project and the current owner is a good guy and recoginizes its a project and he has offered me a 'take it away' price...

Thoughts? Should I sea trial a boat for 1k? Or just roll with the risk ?

[theFunsmith]

If you do decide to pull the trigger, I have the pictured rudder and hardware, as well as a couple props available.

[RickK]

Here is a link to our "Buying a Used Aquasport Bible"
http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=10634.0

I'd sea trial it, even if you're set on buying it - free boat ride and you can learn anything special it takes to start it, etc.  The trolling motor mount is a good thing, especially if you 1) want backup power and 2) a means of slowing the boat while trolling.