About to give up on my sportster

[bigtexan99]

This is my 2nd Seadoo boat.....had a single engine Challenger a while back and now my Sportster LE.

Both boats always had issues, engine / drivetrain. And I spent a lot of time working on them, but each trip to the lake always seemed to have something else fail.

Now my Sportster is cutting out again at full speed due to a lean fuel condition. It's back at the mechanic right now.

I really like boat, but I want to enjoy it....not fix it.

So, I'm looking for something more reliable....any suggestions? Are the 4-tecs more reliable? My only requirement for a replacement boat is that it fit in my 22 foot garage on the trailer.

 

[howie099]

The whole issue is the previous owners never take care of their stuff. Off all the 2-smokers the 951 had the most issues probably since people don't service stuff and the 951 needs more attention. Its not like the 587-717's pretty much keep oil it, clean carbs, and ride it. Its good for 200+ hours. The 4-strokes have less maintenance sort of to do to them. You just change the oil and take care of the supercharger when need be if it has one. The price to go to 4-stroke over the 2-stoke is like 2-3 times the value of the 2-stroke on you have.

The drivetrain is pretty much the same on both so those issues carry over from 2 to 4 stroke. I have to say I think the boats get less serviced than the PWC in used market. When I bought my 1998 Sportster 1800 is what 14 years old at the time. I pretty much did everything...Swapped the beat up plastic pumps with brass ones, wear rings, new impellers, new carbone seals/boots. Replaced all oil lines, switched oil, rebuilt the carbs, replaced the fuel pumps, added external fuel filters. That was just the maintenance stuff and the boat was in very good shape now the broken and rear broken items. Needed a ride plate hard to find but found a new one, replacement weed cable, reverse cable, linkage between the dual pumps since it was bent, fixed the terrible hull work on the boat bottom & bilge pump.

I paid $4400 for it and I bet I spent another $2000 on that stuff. That doesn't include the Hydro-Turff, stereo system, dual battery setup, and the 2 new engines this year, 3 new wheels/tires on the trailer. I keep my boat in my pole barn all year and its heated in the winter so I am sure that help it out a bunch also.

It looks nice now good for 5+ years for me. I will one day give in to the man and go for the 4-stoke but I like the pinging of the 2-stroke and the easiness of working on them.

 

[bigtexan99]

Good info thanks. Its tempting to wait and see how this latest fuel issue works out for me, and if
the boat then goes into a relatively trouble free period. That would be nice.

I've put a lot of time and effort into this boat but have yet to reap the pleasure! I've only had one outing that was issue free.

 

[Dr Honda]

They are all reliable. But.....

1) You have a 13 year old "Toy". They get abused, and neglected. Reliability is from the previous owner.

2) Since I saw a comment of "It's back to the MECHANIC right now".... then an old boat isn't for you.

3) A 4-tech will be just the same way. if you are going to buy used... it all depends on the last owner. Even a boat that is only a year old can be crap. If you are buying it used, it could have been sunk (filled with water) or run low on oil... or a hundred other things that could have it on the edge of death.



So, my advice to you... buy a new boat with a warranty, and then you don't have to worry.


With that said... the old boats are totally reliable, if they are fixed, and maintained properly. That means... there is no way that a mechanic is capable of doing it. The owner has to be willing to jump in, and do what it takes.

Since I live in a snow state, and my boat is parked for half the year... I only own old boats, since I can't justify a payment for the time it's parked. My last seadoo boats were a 96 Sportster, and a 2002 Islandia. When I get them (cheap) I get them home, and then take them apart. When they go back together... EVERYTHING is fixed properly. When you do that... you can take them out, time after time... and not have an issue.


That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[bigtexan99]

2) Since I saw a comment of "It's back to the MECHANIC right now".... then an old boat isn't for you.

With that said... the old boats are totally reliable, if they are fixed, and maintained properly.

Thanks Doc....I have done quite a bit of wrenching / replacing / fixing myself....but I know my limits. And diagnosing / fine tuning the carb is one of them, hence the mechanic for the fuel issue.

I guess my question is...when does it get reliable? I've had the engine rebuilt, new crankshaft, new starter, carbs rebuilt. I did a new prop / wear ring /driveshaft wear parts, rave valves cleaned. Replaced the DESS post, put in a new starter solenoid, and it still seems like everytime I go out, something breaks or needs adjusting.


*****

I've been looking around and so far a Tahoe Q3 with a reliable outboard motor seems like a possible replacement. I'm going to give the Sportster one more season to see if it settles down.

http://www.boats.com/listing/galler...-O-B/119326171?r=119326171&entityid=119326171

 

[howie099]

Doc is right you have to go through them all when u buy them. The issue to is with older boats you might know more than the mechanic. 2 strokes hAve be out of the main stream for seadoo for over a decade now.

Also replacement part quality is also and issue. Certain parts need to be oem. If you rebuilt the carbs a few times and they are acting up need to find other ones sometimes the damage is to bad on the inside.