Hello all,
Just picked up a 1976 Aquasport 22-2 (is this a flatback??) which I plan to build into an Ultra budget bay rat for fishing, clamming, tubing, and cruising. This will be a 2nd boat so I am trying to keep the cost as low as possible using all used parts etc..I picked up the boat for 600bux with a 1999 175HP Johnson on the back which has bad compression in 2 cylinders. I sold that motor for parts ($800.00) and now picked up a 1992 Suzuki DT 140 ($700.00) which has perfect compression in each cylinder. I am looking for advice on the gotcha's with this boat while I have the motor off and in the process of rigging the Suzuki on? Mounting height? Prop size and pitch? Transom plate? I wanted good gas mileage so I elected to go with the smaller 4 cylinder Suzuki.
Also, the floor is OK, only soft spot is the small access channel running down the side of the boat where the cabling and rigging run.
When I open the access hatch in the floor near the transom I don't see any foam in there, I do see a little water (under the floor), is this normal? The fuel tank is shot, I plan to just use an above deck 24 gallon tank under the console since there seems to be plenty of room under there.
For the money, she's not a bad boat, bow rail was removed- holes filled, transom is solid, no major cracks, Has 2 pedestal seats with cushions, stereo, VHF, depth finder. No trailer, I bought her in the water and drove her about 5mins down the canal to a friends dock with the bad motor (it does run, just not well), hoping when I pull her out the bottom doesn't have some major repair or something wrong :)