Classic AquaSport
General Aquasport Forums => Aquasport Discussion => Topic started by: Trav on April 23, 2013, 05:53:40 PM
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I've been looking at a 230 explorer hard top for awhile. It has a 2000 225 optimax. The motor has been well taken care with 400 hours on it. The boat needs a bit of work, my biggest concern is lots of little spider cracks everywhere, they aren't big or deep just lots. The transom passed the bounce test and poking around all the fittings, still the cracks worry me. I plan to wall the transom off in the future.
Is this a common problem or should I run away? I have until Friday to pull the trigger on this boat.
Thanks
-Trav
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Hi Trav, welcome aboard.
Have any pics? Where are the spider cracks? deck? transom? hull?
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Some are on the outside of the transom coming from the motor and where the deck meets the transom. I'm not a fibreglass expert but it looks like its just the gel coat cracking. With a 230 lbs guy jumping on the leg the cracks don't open or change. I don't have a picture but I would say there thinner than hair. Also the boat has been patched once or twice... Or ten.
How hard is it to fix some small cracks. Or it's it even worth it?
Thanks
-Trav
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The model is worth it but without pics it's hard to advise you. Any way to get some pics to us? There are instructions on how to post pics at the top of every forum.
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I forgot to take some pictures of the cracks. It's a hour drive and a hour and a half ferry one way to go see it. It has some cracks around the fuel fill and the cleats too. Guess ill have to buy it and deal with it.
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If it looks to be cosmetic cracks, I'd negotiate those points. The model is a great model.
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My 245 Explorer has some cracks in nonstress areas. Non of them have grown in the last year. Are they spider cracks? Or just random cracks? That is a great model and the Optimax is very fuel efficient. If you gang get it cheap nab it!
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Thanks for the help guys, looks like in going get it. Ill just keep a eye out and watch them grow...
Ill start a rebuild thread when I get her home. I've only seen one other like it around here. Aquasports are pretty rare up here in Canada.
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We welcome you to our merry band Trav :thumright:
Not to pry...but what kind of price are they asking up there?
Great to get a feel for the US/Canada markets.
Thanks :thumright:
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isn't the 2000 opti the trouble year for that motor ?
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225 explor:
Your right. Turns out this one is a 2001 and 2 different shops told this motor is good to go.
So.. I bought it and after a good wash I'm pretty happy with it. Ill post some pictures next week (I don't think I can post pics with my phone.)
As far as the cracks go everybody who sees them says just keep running it and stop looking for new ones... I might try and fix a couple of the bad ones in the winter.
Thanks for the help guys
-Trav
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So.. I bought it and after a good wash I'm pretty happy with it. Ill post some pictures next week (I don't think I can post pics with my phone.)
-Trav
Try this (if you can make any sense of it)
viewtopic.php?p=89027#p89027 (http://www.classicaquasport.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?p=89027#p89027)
Also, a few posts back in that same thread is a quick primer on using the Photo Gallery from a PC. Understanding that makes the phone to gallery instructions a little clearer, well maybe. :scratch:
Good luck.
PS.... Do you mind e-mailing me one pic from your phone to mine?
awashatlowtide@gmail.com
Thanks and welcome aboard. :salut:
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Here ya go.
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data//500/image4065351.jpeg) (http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7188&title=image4065351&cat=500)
Trav,
I sent this from my Samsung Galaxy so you can post from your phone.
That stated,
You have a somewhat rare bird. Look closely and you see it is labeled as a 230 "Walkaround" rather than an Explorer. Might she be a 1991 model?
Also you have the factory enclosure. Not real popular in the south but makes sense in your neck of the woods.
Let's see more. :thumright:
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Seems '91 is the transition year from Family Fisherman to Explorer and they are called WalkArounds. Most of everything I see looks like it's an Explorer 'cept the model name.
Definitely need some more pics from all angles.
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(http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p671/trav289/F372047B-0CF1-466B-908C-8B42586EEFCE-3651-000005A2B6F8E436_zpsd6994c72.jpg)
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Finally got it. Had to use photobucket
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(http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p671/trav289/46C90C00-0FCE-4ED2-BDAC-D67267989D4B-3651-000005A4BFDD63FD_zps3c504755.jpg)
(http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p671/trav289/FFEB383F-C0D2-4589-AAF3-C030F2658B76-3651-000005A4C8EDFACB_zps92d080a6.jpg)
(http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p671/trav289/107BC705-E6F6-414D-AF6F-F438EC6AF89A-3651-000005A4D40CE500_zpsf0293b8d.jpg)
(http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p671/trav289/BE7B62BF-747E-43A7-9A32-9459F14FC479-3651-000005A4E322AE9C_zpsa23d898f.jpg)
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Well hopefully that holds your guys off till next weekend.
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Yup, looks like an Explorer with a lot of customization.
You can upload your pix to your photo gallery on this site. Then post the links into your topic.
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Actually the transition year was 1990 and they transition for the XF (Express Fisherman) to the walkaround... to the Explorers The Family fisherman was a split window with a cuddy cabin... no walk arounds. The hardtop with the glass enclosure is indeed a rare bird. Looks cool. Nice Optimax too!
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Thanks for the info. It was really hard to research this boat befor buying it, couldn't find much. I've found 2'others like it, both didnt have the live well seat in the back.
That seat might be the first thing I change, I'm hoping to move it forward just ahead of the inspection hatch for the sending unit. Then make a fish locker in the aft bilge like the factory one. Did any of these boats ever come with lockers in the side decks?
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Yup, WT you're right about the XF.
There were not any XFs in 91 but there were in 90 so that is what I meant about 91 being where they started the crossover to the "walkaround" and then to the explorer "walkaround" in 91 and then "explorer" 92. I searched a few sales sites and NADA and they support this thought. Trav's 91 and CB's 91 are both "walkarounds".
Then they kinda dropped the "walkaround" from the name when the explorer was added to it but the model still had it in the model name (kinda). See the link below.
Trav, my 92 explorer only has the well in the aft right in front of the engine well. Here is a link to my thread on the 230. In the very beginning there is a conversation with the Aquasport rep about my boat and about how many 230 were built and when.
http://www.classicaquasport.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1529&hilit=she%27s+finally+home
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Due to the design and size of the foam filled trapazoid shaped stringers there is no room for side fish boxes.