Looking at a first boat 1995 speedster and I don't know a thing about them

[dieselhp]

Hi,
I am new to the boating scene and my wife is looking at a 1995 speedster. There are about four for sale in our area ranging from $2800 to $3800 depending what is coming with them including trailers covers and accessories.

I was wondering the good the bad and the ugly with this machine and what I should look for.

Our intended use is for the three of us to use it as a small light toy and will pull a kid on a tube an possibly the wife on skies.

What I have found out so far is to check the wear rings, motor mount, engine compression and the general mechanical stuff.

I have no issues with doing any mechanical work myself including engine rebuilds.

For you guys who are experienced with this machine could you please tell me what to look out for and or if this is a reasonable boat?

Thank you

 

[howie099]

The engines are what you want to check out the most the boats. On a 1995 is they never been repalced/rebuilt you won't be paying the money they are asking for them. Those units don't have an hour meters so you will need paperwork or some way to prove it. Do a compression check on the engine/engines. Also take the boat out on the water to see how it drivers. Just driving it will tell you how it is. Starting it up really doens't count since you can make a crap engine run on trailer and it will fall on its face in the water. Also look over the conditon of the boat from top to bottom also. Try out all the buttons/switches to see if everything works. If it has ripped up seats like most of them do the cost is not bad to fix just a few hundred and your time so you can bargain with that.

To bargain with an average engine is about $800-$900 plus your time or anyone else time to put it in. So if an engine issues the cost goes way down.

Buying a boat is kind of like buying a used car but most people try to screw you over more on the boat since most peopel don't know what to look for. The first give away will be they won't take it on the water to prove it even floats or runs. It is warmer out now so I don't see that bening an issue.

 

[Guest_User]

in all seriousness, if this is your first boat, I would shy away from the jetboats, and get your feet wet with an I/O or outboard.
You`ll also learn the safety associated with operating and ski`ing behind them, spotter etc, prop below the water line, etc, etc...
and you may need Boating course and or safety certificate, and possible an endorsement on your DL, depending on your states requirements.

a 1995 is already old, old hoses, old seals, old hard parts, old electrics,,, as is our 98, but the difference would be an experienced boater with I/O`s and outboards going to jet drive being familiar with such from the jetski`s...

with that said, a used boat that has not been upkept, engines replaced, maintained as stated by Howie, could drain your wallet quickly and kill the fun factor...

There are many other types of boats in that price range. I see outboards and I/O`s going for 3-5K...

just bc the jetboat price is lower, by the time you get done making it reliable to take your family out for a leisurely day on the water, you`ll spend plenty, and don`t forget to insure your boat...

good luck, just my 2 cents worth...

 

[howie099]

Everyone knows the saying what BOAT means (Take Out Another Thousand). If you owned jetski's before go a take a look at them but most of those boats in those years need something. People rarely sell a perfect boat. Think of these 14" boats as a large jetski that hold 3-4 people and some beer. They are fun to drive but you have to do the work to come a head on them with the boating season now here who wants to fix there own boat they just bought.

 

[dieselhp]

Thank you for the replies thus far.
I have owned a small fishing boat for years. My wife grewup around boats and we both have pulled skier an tubers on various platforms from the traditional ski boats to pontoon boats. Over the past couple summers we have rented three seater personal water craft and have enjoyed them, so we thought we would look for something like that just a little larger.

I expect normal wear items to need replacing. I am not looking for a perfect boat, just something that would be reliable. Something is this size is makes it more appealing to the wife as she can trailer and launch and operate it on her own as well without any issues.

I know she does not like pulling our big trailers (camper, horse and equipment).

I was hoping to discover the common fault points that I should be looking for.

 

[howie099]

Usually the engines are the weak point in this old of a machine. Since it is a 95 you have a standard roller bearing seal between the drive shaft and hull. This will last longer the the newer carbon seal but you just have to make sure to grease them all the time or they will over heat and lock up and make a hole in the boat. Most will need wear ring/rings and maybe impellers depending on what they sucked up. If you can drive it and runs good, passes a compression check, and looks ok you should be good to go for the season. Driveing the boat is main thing to work out a lemon with jet drive pwc/boats. Also make sure you know what type and brand of injection oil the are using. They sould be using a low ash injection type made for seadoo's. If they are using the wrong oil walk away the damage has been done. You need to use the same oil they are using for less issues/more work on your end switching brands.

 

[ben6119]

This is just an opinion and you know what those are worth, but I prefer a single engine boat for the simple fact that a twin engine is 2x everything to break as well as burning more fuel.

~B~

 

[RFoster130]

Are you set on the 95ish models? Ive seen 97-98 models in your price range. I think the key is to set a budget. Figure out what you wanna spend. Then look around. dont be afraid to travel. You can get some really good deals if you dont mind going after them. I bought my first boat 900 miles away and the 2nd one came from 1500 miles away. Look at several before you decide to buy. They may be older, but they are a pretty easy concept to grasp, as far as maintenance. If you have ever done any small engine work on even a lawn mower, you can figure out most stuff with the internet and knowledge from this forum.

 

[Guest_User]

This is just an opinion and you know what those are worth, but I prefer a single engine boat for the simple fact that a twin engine is 2x everything to break as well as burning more fuel.

~B~

true, but I didn`t need to be towed and came in on one engine when I needed to, it just took longer...
Thank God I had the second engine...

 

[Guest_User]

Thank you for the replies thus far.
I have owned a small fishing boat for years. My wife grewup around boats and we both have pulled skier an tubers on various platforms from the traditional ski boats to pontoon boats. Over the past couple summers we have rented three seater personal water craft and have enjoyed them, so we thought we would look for something like that just a little larger.

I expect normal wear items to need replacing. I am not looking for a perfect boat, just something that would be reliable. Something is this size is makes it more appealing to the wife as she can trailer and launch and operate it on her own as well without any issues.

I know she does not like pulling our big trailers (camper, horse and equipment).

I was hoping to discover the common fault points that I should be looking for.

awesome!
I meant no disrespect with my reply... reliability keeps people in the family happy, find a sour boat, and well then you know...lol...

personally I would rather carbon seals as opposed to the sealed bearing type, when they tear, down you go. at least with the carbons it will leak and warn you in most cases...

I sincerely hope you find a good boat, these are fun, but if I had to do it all over again, I`d choose an outboard...
just go thru my build thread and you`ll see why...lol...

ok, happy boat shopping!:cheers:

 

[RFoster130]

\I sincerely hope you find a good boat, these are fun, but if I had to do it all over again, I`d choose an outboard...
:

I'm the total opposite. I'll never buy a prop driven boat. From the first ride i took in a jet boat i was hooked. I think a lot of it depends on how your first experience goes as far as dumping money into a project. Try to find a good boat to start with so you dont have that negative impact from the beginning. My first was 10 years old with 68 hours on it and it was mint. 4 years later I sold it in even better condition. The only thing I ever spent money on was routine maintenance and stuff i wanted to modify. It was very reliable and never once let me down. You have to really research what you are buying and dont be afraid to come here and ask a million questions. A lot of people end up here after they bought what was described as a perfect boat, only to find out it was a pile of crap. Then they have a bad taste from the beginning. Good luck and dont hesitate to ask for help.

 

[Guest_User]

I'm the total opposite. I'll never buy a prop driven boat. From the first ride i took in a jet boat i was hooked. I think a lot of it depends on how your first experience goes as far as dumping money into a project. Try to find a good boat to start with so you dont have that negative impact from the beginning. My first was 10 years old with 68 hours on it and it was mint. 4 years later I sold it in even better condition. The only thing I ever spent money on was routine maintenance and stuff i wanted to modify. It was very reliable and never once let me down. You have to really research what you are buying and dont be afraid to come here and ask a million questions. A lot of people end up here after they bought what was described as a perfect boat, only to find out it was a pile of crap. Then they have a bad taste from the beginning. Good luck and dont hesitate to ask for help.

I can understand that...lol...
But having OB`s and I/O`s in the past, true they can be a big PITA to. I do enjoy the jetboat and the twins make it more fun, those engines sing a nice tune...
My situation was helping a friend help me, he got the better end of the deal... I had my eyes on a Yamaha jet boat, Chaparal, and a Celebrity and bought the Challenger, well you know the story anyways...lol...

so I don`t really have a bad taste in my mouth per say about the seadoo jet boats, it`s a machine and I enjoy working on anything. In hindsight tho, with the coin spent, I could have had a helluva newer or nicer boat from the get go...
oh well...:facepalm::cheers:

 

[dieselhp]

Thanks for the input. I have been continuing to educate myself on this boat as much as possible. There is one about 60 miles away from me that I think I will go take a look at this weekend. The guy says he has only had it a year and is selling due to moving. He said we can take it out for a test ride, I can do a compression test and anything else I want. As far as he knows the engines have never been rebuilt or overhauled so I am curious to take a look at it.

Again thanks for tips and your thoughts.

 

[dieselhp]

I just went and looked at the first boat. Appeared good on the surface but something just didn't appear right.
When I got there the boat was already in the water and he ran it. We talked before I went out there that I wanted to do a compression test on the engine cold. Not a problem, then he told me that he only owned the boat for a year and it was still titled in the other owners name.

After talking to the guy for a while he told me that had a back injury last year so he bought this boat, a fishing boat, a seasonal campsite.... he has six kids and the list went on. Now he is dumping everything and buying a new house. Things were not adding up.

I had him pull the boat out of the water to inspect the hull and drive system. I saw one of the wear rings was completely gone and lodged in the discharge.

I asked him about it and he said the mechanic just went over it yesterday and found nothing wrong.

I decided to pass on the boat and I have expanded my search. This site has tons of good info and it helped me pick out a few things that may have been issues.

 

[Guest_User]

I just went and looked at the first boat. Appeared good on the surface but something just didn't appear right.
When I got there the boat was already in the water and he ran it. We talked before I went out there that I wanted to do a compression test on the engine cold. Not a problem, then he told me that he only owned the boat for a year and it was still titled in the other owners name.

After talking to the guy for a while he told me that had a back injury last year so he bought this boat, a fishing boat, a seasonal campsite.... he has six kids and the list went on. Now he is dumping everything and buying a new house. Things were not adding up.

I had him pull the boat out of the water to inspect the hull and drive system. I saw one of the wear rings was completely gone and lodged in the discharge.

I asked him about it and he said the mechanic just went over it yesterday and found nothing wrong.

I decided to pass on the boat and I have expanded my search. This site has tons of good info and it helped me pick out a few things that may have been issues.

Glad you passed on that one... someone feeding you a ton of BS... Seadoo OEM wear rings do delam, and you guys should have felt that engine cavitate like a pig...

good luck with the next!:cheers: