www.iFourWinns.com

This is acutally untrue. All the electronic ignition and injectors are still available thru the automotive sector. These engines are essentially exactly the same that rolled off the line in Cleveland Engine back in the day that went into a numerous amount of vehicles. I am an engineer for Ford and know several people that worked at Cleveland Engine back in that time frame. The only thing I have been able to come up with that is different is the ECU program itself and I may have a solution for that, and currently looking into the distributor (which is electronic and not points style) to see if it is truely a sealed unit.

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2008 H200 Frenzy Edition 5.0 GXi

1993 Horizon 190 5.0 EFI (Sold)

I didnt read every single post on this thread, but the best advice given to me by sombody (cant remember who) and I will pass along is

"Buy your second boat first"

Heres what will happen, you will buy a older fixerupper, dump a bunch of money and time into it, love your time boating and in a year or two or three you will sell it for less than you have into it (cause most likey its not worth what you have into it), less your time and buy your second boat, which you will spend more than you did on your first purchase.

Seen it, done it, and dont recommend it. Buy the biggest, newest type of boat that meets you and your families needs and spend less time fixing it and more time enjoying it.

just my $.02 having been through it.

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Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

I have to say that after talking it over with the wife, we're going to do what many of you have advised and that is to try and save up some money for something a bit newer and better. I am going to bow out of this thread and go into limbo mode for now until I get closer to purchasing something again.

Thanks for all the info, advice and friendly conversation. You guys are the best. Hopefully, I'll rejoin you sooner rather than later.

Eric

Good luck with the search Eric. The more you look, the more you will find.... and learn.
We looked for a long time and stumbled across a divorce settlement situation. Paid about $10K less than its actually worth.

Cheers, Craig

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2007 H220 5.7 MAG

I was in your boat (literally) at the beginning of summer. I came here and into some other forums and found out what I was up against.

Unfortunately there are all too many people out there stuck with a boat they don't want that has "something" wrong with it. They cannot afford to dump 500, 700, a thousand or more into getting it running, so they stick a nice quote on it, take some pictures from the boat on the river the last time it ran, and put it all on Craigslist hoping someone will come along and bite, then get it home and find the floor is rotted, the engine has a cracked block, the hull has a crack - and now they have a very expensive lawn ornament.

I must thank everyone here as well - I found what I thought was a great boat that "had a little soft spot in the floor, no more than 6" wide" and then read about rotted floors and stringers and transoms (oh my!) and the effort and cost to fix them. I went to look at that boat. Sure enough, Just as pictured. It looked nice, but then I opened the ski locker and was met with a mushy feeling all over the supports for the floor. The deck was fine - the stringers and everything else, not so much.

That is what is hard about getting into boating. You spend $3000-$4000 on a boat, and are then putting $2000-$3000 into repairs and maintenance and then it runs and then stops, and then you put another $2000 into the motor, and $500 on the trailer, and $1000 into odds and ends you were not expecting... And you are left with an $11000 boat that is worth $3500.

Best advice I got - Buy a $15000 boat that will cost you $15000. Don't buy a $3000 boat that will cost you $15000. Best of luck to you, and I hope you find a good boat that works for you.

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2008 Four Winns h180 Bowrider
3.0 Volvo Penta

2013 Dodge Durango HEMI

Same boat here as well. This forum helped me out a lot.
jsimon is correct. "Buy your second boat first"
I literally spent years looking at older/cheaper boats and never really found one I felt good about buying. I finally started looking at newer models with less issues to worry about. I ended up spending about 1/3 more than I originally intended, but I am a hundred times happier with what I got.

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2004 248 Vista "Amante"
MC 5.0MPI/B3

While you might be able to get those parts from Ford, then there's things like the thermostat housing, the exhaust manifolds, risers, etc. The point is that no one uses Ford Marine engines any more, not that there was anything wrong with them, there wasn't but the aftermarket has not picked them up like they have the Chevrolet engines.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

If it is a Ford, it's a problem.

Usually if it is an F-250 or F-350, and you are on the highway, the biggest problem is located between the steering wheel and the driver's seat. Just saying.

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2008 Four Winns h180 Bowrider
3.0 Volvo Penta

2013 Dodge Durango HEMI

This is very very good advice, take it from someone who's been there, done that and would not do it again. I learned a lot about all aspects of boat repair and that knowledge is valuable to me. But if you want to go boating, buy a late model boat in good shape that you can get parts and service for easily where you live. If there are no Volvo dealers near you do not buy a Volvo I/O, get a Merc. I put a lot of money into our boat and a LOT of time, learned a lot, but also learned that I would not do it again.
Its the same in the classic car biz eveyone tells you buy the best condition one you can, because restoring one yourself is not economically feasible, unless you keep it forever.

Do you want to be a boater, or a marine mechanic/fiberglass fabricator?

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II