Abandoned Fishing Boat Found Rotting Outside. Can It Be Saved?

[@stevehall8805]

Hi just a few comments from an outboard tech. The choke works when the key is pushed in operating the solenoid with the red lever on the motor. The lever is just throttle. Definitely get the cover for the carbs. Will drip fuel when tilted - fire risk. Tilt is low on oil. Full with ATF when right up. There a really good motor. Have fun.

[@mikeromine6495]

I wanted to help so bad. Good comments. I was dying when he thought the fast idle was the choke.

[@hunterjernigan2372]

I was just about to say this

[@billbell-qs6to]

@@hunterjernigan2372the pull rope is under motor cover

[@dragchute1]

Great project video. I've never rescued boat but I have assisted a friend who enjoys a similar hobby. One thing he always insisted on was cleaning out all the debris at the point of origin so he didn't have to deal with the trash in his garage. Well done and thank you for the entertainment.

[@grasshoppercrews1296]

I was yelling push the key in kiddo lol

[@markhensley9378]

It's definitely worth the effort. I redid several boats with my father. They were all pretty bad to begin with but they all came out nice. They take a little time but the reward is worth the risk. Thanks again for your time today.

[@volvogt21]

I love how you randomly challenge yourself

[@billdyke9745]

You got yourself a real bargain there, Joe. All that free compost too... 🇬🇧👍

[@prophez23]

Yeah man that's a great deal! There's still plenty of life in it and it'll clean up nicely. A little TLC and she'll be taking you to all the best fishing spots.

[@Bennydyk]

FYI, you push the key in for "choke", but on that engine it's just a squirt of gas provided by the "primer" through the top of the carb. When these engines are tuned correctly you usually hit them with two squirts of fuel before turning the key for a cold start and maybe another squirt while it's warming up (if it's really cold) and you're good to go. The lever that you lifted is the throttle advance when it's in neutral. These engines like to have the throttle advanced a little bit while they're warming up. It's also used to give the engine a good 'clear out' if you're been idling too long while trolling. They're great engines and Johnson/Evinrude didn't change them for like 25 years. Yours has the VRO (Variable Ratio Oil) pump (Oil Injection) taken off or is the model that came from the factory with the VRO. You can tell by the fuel pump on the side of the block that you primed. This is much better because the VRO engines were notorious for the oil pump to quit working and many of them were fried because of it. The oil mix version (like you have there) is much more reliable. It looks like it's pumping water quite well, but I very inexpensive insurance policy on any outboard that has sat for a prolonged period is a fresh water pump in the lower unit. It's an easy maintenance item that sure gives you peace of mind while out on the water.

[@rambow58]

I bought a 75 evinrude 175hp I’m basically having to do full maintenance to lower unit like you said. I was even able to pop it off when I first got it with some fresh fuel.

[@Harikarikillboy]

⁠@@rambow58 they’re amazing outboards. Evinrude used to be one of the best outboards on the market, lost their way, came out with ficht engines and now they’re gone. I don’t count their recent “inboard” or whatever they call that monstrosity nobody will buy because half the engine is underwater (what could go wrong? Haha) Japanese had tiny outboards back then, didn’t see many. Now there’s no American outboards, 7 marine was bought out by Volvo. Mercury is BRP, Johnson is dead. Corporate greed, terrible products, horrendous build quality, who knows exactly why but good luck with that Johnson. It’ll treat ya well.

[@nemo5335]

​@@Harikarikillboy That and frankly, Yamaha and Honda got so damn good that there's not a lot of reason to buy anything else. Back in the day, OMC's only real competition was Mercury, who they could usually beat on price, but now the Japanese are here and they are absolutely coming correct.

[@daddski1]

@@Harikarikillboy Nice comment but not all accurate friend. OMC (Johnson and Evinrude) was bankrupted by FICHT engines and a few other bad choices and then were bought out by BRP Canada. MERCURY Marine (Mercury outboards along with mercruiser Inboard/Outboards) were bought my Brunswick Corp in 1961 and has remained with them ever since. They ARE the only REAL American outboard engine left unless you go for the elite starting at 60k roughly. It saddens me because I have been a marine mechanic and shop owner for about 48 years now and mechanic for over 50. It was always (with a few exceptions) Mercury for the holeshot and racing and OMC for longevity and worry free running. The engines BRP put out until 2014 were fantastic but then they tried space age crap and went under as well. The first editions of the ETEC engines were durable and one didn't even need to lift the hood for sparkplugs or maintenance for three years after purchase. I have a few of these still and a 300 that has been bulletproof until someone messed up the oil system. Now it is rebuilt with a replacement powerhead and will run basically forever until someone screws it up by not paying attention or oing maintenance. Just mentions these things because it matters who makes what lol.... As for this 50.... great engine and yes, get rid of any VRO system out ther and just mix 50 to1 yourself and it will last decades more. I run a 1979 85 on my center console and it has never failed me in 40 plus years.- news says Evinrude may return soon!!! hoping it is true!!!

[@kalaharimine]

Always run your carbs dry when youre done, if you forget the fuel evaporates and leaves that thick oil in the jets. I know, because I kept forgetting. Nice boat size for fishing and running around on dams. BTW it would be a good idea to change the water cooling impeller at some stage and the gear oil, also missing is a rope with a handle and a knot - that's your pull start "mechanism" (emergency use). Look forward to your progress, good luck Bud.

[@HemiGUY-ch7bi]

Bro thank you for this This man is literally doing step by step on how you should approach your boat to bring it back to life I can’t thank you enough my man! Got my Johnson 140 running back great!

[@Stevensteven1098]

You have a really good project there I'm looking forward part two!

[@eagle777dh]

CHECK LOWER UNIT LUBE before you do anything else it sounded dry. lrt motor sit with tilted down after you change lower unit lube and watch to see if it drips. Setting for years the lower unit seals sometimes dry out. better to find out at home than on the lake with a broken lower unit. More outboards die of neglect than get wore out. good luck with your boat and hopefully you will catch many fish from it. On the trailer wiring the number 1 thing to look for is bad grounds, 2nd is connectors. Solder and heat shrink prevent a lot of problems down the line.

[@troyrosenbaugh9935]

Nice haul out of there. Boats get a bit rough when they arent cared for. Properly. You have to keep them fully covered when not in use, and important to winterize them before the ice comes.

[@mikeclassing5263]

Brings back memories , had a 1983 Alumacraft Backtroller 17 , was one of my favorite boats , great fishing boat .

[@Edcm85]

Theres so many people that have asked me why i buy so much junk stuff. I just tell em that its fun to fix. After the stuff is fixed then they wanna borrow it. If your not willing to put in the work then u will never find the fun stuff for cheap. I love this channel because i can see so much of the stuff that i enjoy doing myself. Goodjob man!!!!

[@lead5s]

id change the water impeller also, hope you do more boats and outboards man! that was refreshing!

[@zacharybenton2883]

It’s cool to see you throw a boat in the mix of things. I’m excited to see you fix it up, looking forward to the content

[@reggiexp69]

love that, coming from just fliping quads and bikes to this content i love the grow :)

[@ya13ya03]

That's a great boat. I have one similar with the same engine. Those are some of the best outboard motors.

[@ar2043]

The birds in the background at about 20:30 are awesome!!! Mother Nature buddy!!!!

[@fordfan6474]

Gosh dang that boat been off the water for a long time! Glad ya saved her

[@russellbritten4707]

To choke that motor you push in on the key to activate the choke. That lever is just for high idle. You should hear the choke solenoid clicking when you push in on the key.

[@PUTEMDOWNProductions]

I will save you some time, you are missing a couple of important parts on the engine, intake cover and timing advance bushing, it wont run well at high load without those. Love the vids keep em coming

[@seansysig]

Joe those engines don’t have a pull start mechanism they use a rope wound around. It is stored in a bag with the plug wrench.

[@chrisgerald4536]

I'm amazed at your resilience to take on these projects. Good for you!

[@TRICKEDTINS]

The motor has a lock to hold it up. Trim it up, and it will be easy to disengage. It doesn't come with pull start. It does have notches so you can wrap a rope around it and pull start in case of emergencies.

[@gtisid]

never been into boats . but i heard a line from a boat owner many years ago , the two best days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and then the day you sell it .

[@Stephen033]

Good lookin boat, you shouldn't have any problems with the boat since it's Aluminum. Hope everything goes well with it. I'd say the biggest project is gonna be the trailer. Great video and keep up the great work.

[@dietznutz1]

That's what I was thinking, mostly cosmetic

[@SS-ll2ie]

There is no pull start assembly. It’s just a piece of rope that wraps around the groove on the flywheel and grabs at the hook part.

[@ryanadams3858]

Watching from Australia 🇦🇺 love all the bike videos, and as a bloke who loves boats as much as bikes, I was thinking only a week or so ago that it would be cool to see you have a crack at a boat, now you’re into one, awesome stuff, can’t wait for the next one. 😎👍

[@troyrosenbaugh9935]

Nice haul out of there. Boats get a bit rough when they arent cared for Properly. You have to keep them fully covered when not in use, and important to winterize them before the ice comes. Got your work cut out for ya, looks decent. Have fun 👍

[@bobbell5928]

1991 40 hp Johnson with 20" shaft. Check for water in lower unit, change the gear oil and replace the water pump impeller. Motor will be good to go.

[@johnhewitt8235]

I can't believe how people let things go to crap

[@thegreenman2030]

I was just going to post the same thing. A $20.00 tarp from harbor freight and some bungee cords every few years goes a long way. Or just sell the damn thing to someone who actually wants it. I see this all the dime locally and it drives me nuts.

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

People get old. When you get old it is less important than you not being able to piss properly, or even get up without getting dizzy. You are correct though and it would be much better to sell it.

[@TNAROHfan]

@@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez Yes, sell that stuff! The cost of a new boats are slowly but surely pricing many anglers out of the water, so you can make some decent money selling a properly maintained boat, instead of otherwise winding up with nothing but junk. I suspect a lot of it is old timers, just not being able to part with their boat, or their widows being the same, or people that have no idea how to do any maintenance themselves. Just a shame though. It kills me to see perfectly good boats, just rotting away with how expensive they are. Even if I could no longer use mine, I'd rather them continue to fish in somebody else's care. A few years ago, I got a really nice down payment on a new boat out of my big one. Old being the operative word, because only the frame and outboard was old, everything else had been replaced piecemeal over the years. So it was practically a new boat that was more than water ready.

[@Sean-bp6xb]

Thx for sharing. I had a project boat during covid. It had a maple tree growing out of it. Lol. Enjoyed your approach. Glad the engine was an easy fix somewhat. Only thing I would have done different (or I did do different) was pressure washed everything first. I hate working on slimy grungy stuff. Haha. Thx again. Just discovered your channel. Looking forward to watching more of your vids. Watching from Ontario Canada 🎉

[@gaugecross3570]

Pull start isn’t missing. It’s only pull start for emergency start and you use a rope with a knot tied in it wrapped around the flywheel. Also turning the flywheel in reverse can damage them over time so I’d be careful doing that

[@budledbetter7457]

Hey friend it's a boat outboard it doesn't run on land so the engine cover is your air filter and it only has a place to wrap a rope around flywheel for manual start

[@staygold902]

He may not have a "job" but joe works his hole out no question , hardly anyone can compare in content

[@kevinsimpson7687]

Heck yeah man nice score on the AlumaCraft. In my book any AlumaCraft is worth saving. Can't wait to see how it turns out. I'm an avid bass fisherman and have always loved AlumaCraft boats. I have a little 10 foot flat bottom and don't plan on ever selling it lol.

[@scottmu1]

i have a 74 12 ft flat bottom i got last year for 100 bucks and i put a 3.5 johnson on it its a blast to fish with i love bass fishing too id not trade it for anything ..good luck on the water

[@mikejones420]

Nice vid, I used to work on marine engines, and boats at Yamaha( wasn't a fan of marine work) lol kinda surprised it ran, but then again 2 stroke isn't too bad, really surprised the water actually came out through the water pisser, they usually clog up

[@Military-Museum-LP]

An outboard, name brand, electric star with tilt/trim is worth some good money. The trailer is a name brand and people seek this. The boat is aluminum even though the floors need changing. I think just parting it out 2000 to 2500. SCORE

[@freetaylor72]

Right on man! Risky little investment but you pulled it off! Motor is worth 3 times what u got into it. Fun video to watch too! Can't wait to see you do all the interior stuff

[@speedfreak8200]

Kinda contradictory.... Risky Investment but motor worth 3 times what he paid?

[@eagle777dh]

@@speedfreak8200 Motor could have been locked up or lower unit broken. Running motor $1500 broken motor $100 maybe.

[@freetaylor72]

When you buy a clapped out boat its a coin toss, lower unit could be wasted, water pump could've been wasted, he got lucky... still haven't been in the water yet either. Obviously you've never had a boat cause there's 2 good days when u buy a boat, #1 the day bought it, and #2 the day you sell it. I live on a huge lake in East Texas, and there's boats all over the place, nice and clapped out. It was a cool video, because he got lucky, running motor is worth 1500 bucks, aluminum boat is worth 500, if its put together with rivets not so much, spot weld is better. Let's see what happens with the rest of the project. So yea, the boat was filled with BS, and uncovered and he got it running.

[@RT-vo2vh]

Replace impeller and lower unit oil ... and pack trailer bearings regardless .... also ethanol gas eats those old fuelpump diaframs and gaslines so filter em good... you already know this, yer fam has boats...

[@jeffreybunch3959]

Boats aren't cheap, It just needs a lot of love.👍 You might have to put a new prop on it, the blades are looking rough.

[@DIRTVLOG]

Wow good find! I can't wait to see the rebuild process!

[@mikedixon3292]

Take notes from Steve halls comments. Good tips . Also the motor doesn’t have a pull start. The notch in the flywheel is for a rope pull for emergencies when the starter goes out. Also don’t start adjusting the carb linkage until you do a little research because if they get out of sink with the timing it sucks big time. Have fun learning on that motor.

[@kenjohnson5498]

Restored those are pretty sought after boats because they are built pretty well. Even though the impeller is working i would look into replacing sooner than later since it sat dry and they have a tendency to flake apart.

[@tieoneon1614]

I just restored the exact model 3 weeks ago with a Mariner 4 cylinder. 25 hours into, about 6 hours was cleaning. Everything worked on the boat even though it looked like shit. StarBrite hull cleaner on the hull and trailer did amazing. Dishsoap handscrubbed the carpet and seats. New windshield, dash organizer, rod straps and Lowrance and the boat looks and fishes like new. Its light, fast and stable.

[@tieoneon1614]

I just sold my new boat for a profit, and bought that same model and fixed everything as a project turned out great. That shallow V hull shape design is perfect for Wisconsin. I have an OEM windshield that fits that dash on Marketplace if u need one. Can find them anymore, i had one custom made and still had to cut it to fit the downward angle dash. Mine has a Mercury Im very familiar with, those Johnson/Evinrude if it has VRO are crap. You'll want to delete the oil injection before it kills your motor.

[@SS-ll2ie]

The plastic cover on the gas gauge on your tank is gone. That’s how water got in

[@christophervaughan1650]

Hey man just a heads up because I have had this problem before. Do NOT use treated wood in there. The treatment in the wood will eat through the aluminum and ruin the hull and it will get pin holes all along where the wood touches it.

[@Robert-xe3os]

Definitely looking forward to more on this project

[@TheBucklessYooper]

Excited to see a boat resto! I've got an old family ski boat half torn apart to do the same thing to when i get time and some spare cash.

[@ashtonray5230]

Can never go wrong with aluminum. I have a 1990 tracker proV 16ft 40hp absolutely love it. Really enjoy the videos!! Been watching for yrs it feels like

[@fishingfool2644]

That outboard doesn’t have a pull start recoil system. If the battery is dead you can wrap a rope around the flywheel and pull start with the key in the on position.

[@DestinationRC]

This is great! I was wondering if you might try an old 2 stroke seadoo? That would be pretty cool and summer themed!

[@olegoat6226]

Nice little boat you found there. I have had boats since I was 2...couldn't imagine being without one (or two...lol). They can be a pain (hence the B.O.A.T. acronym), but so worth the smiles and memories. Perfect size for you and the Mrs to go out and fill up the live well. Another masterclass in video production...keep up the great work bro, can't wait to see what she looks like when you are done!

[@JW-fq1pp]

So don't automatically assume that just because those fuses look good that they are. We just had a thing at work where one of those fuses looked good but tested as open with the meter. Then when a slight amount of pressure was applied to the side, it tested good. Kind of like an intermittent cold solder. Good work on all three vehicles, btw.

[@ericmonahan6580]

Don’t use treated wood for the decking the chemicals react with the aluminum. Use regular plywood and coat it with fiberglass resin.

[@RDAmidwest]

Marine plywood is pricey but good. Agree with fiberglass resin, maybe even a layer of fg mat.

[@solanaceae2069]

Nice find. She can be brought back to fit condition with minimal cash and work.

[@gt_fishing]

When cleaning the carb you missed the main jet. It's in the bowl, you need to remove the screw that you did to drain the gas the inside that hole you access the main with a small flat head screwdriver 44:57

[@gregrose8774]

The wheel stand turns and locks in sideways once off the ground. $500 was a steal! Great vids ;-)

[@stevehall8805]

From the outboard tech again. A couple of things I forgot to mention, the roller that works in the curved throttle arm slot will be missing the clear sleeve on the roller that should take up the gap in the slot. Needs new roller or clear plastic sleeve to suit also they don't have an air cleaner just a carb cover. All the best.

[@virgilklondike]

ya i guess most lakes dont have that much airbourne dust let me ask uncle al tho to make sure😊

[@uhoh71]

The gas cap on that tank is missing the clear plastic cover so basically it's acting as a funnel when water hits it going straight into the tank. You may want to tilt that tank up on the corner closest to the cap and siphon the water out again. The main thing in keeping an outboard running is keeping the tank pristine clean or you'll be constantly cleaning the carbs.

[@tubbycake8751]

Something completely different for the channel. Love this. If you do plan to restore this my best advice is to not look at this as your typical engine bc its an outboard and get a manual dont guess that very well could cost u big money

[@DevinBoynton]

Heck yeah! Boat content! Love the diversity man

[@danielmattison9449]

All that dirt on the floor looks like his worm farm. LOL😂 It kept his bait fresh😊.

[@3mteers]

Love the content! I’ll be honest though I was so confused watching you siphon out the tank when you could’ve just poured it out?

[@joeyclawson7041]

I love watching an old boat get the love it deserves.

[@Jimsalos]

I really enjoy all the variety of projects you work on. I think Vinny is going to want to go for a boat ride

[@MoonShine07]

Nice boat but there a neverending money pit! Looking forward to this episode!

[@blackbartbartholomew7122]

Great Vid Joe! You are definitely repairing some cool stuff. You’ve had an amazing variety.

[@rgarizonahomestead2729]

Johnson engines are great. looks like a fun project over the summer months and see some fishing coming soon. take care and have a wonderful week ahead

[@jerytherew1]

Good watch. Thanks for the intertainment. Keep up the good work. Any repair video is good with me. Even if you can't repair it. The disassembly is fun to watch.

[@meco72104]

Awesome looking forward to this boat project, Great content!

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

Nice....dish soap on the attachment would help a lot......Lysol lemon does an excellent job at cleaning grime, disinfecting and putting on a shine. It is dirt cheap.

[@scottkellogg8145]

Isn't this the first boat project I love watching other boat challenges thinking about selling my quad and getting a 16 ft bass tracker boat

[@_Drae2210]

My gawd you make all projects that seem impossible doable to the average wrencher. Sometimes I'm scared to take the plunge but I get a lot of confidence watching you do your thing. Keep it up man.

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

He does work on carbs constantly. An average pleb that has never opened a carb usually does more harm then good.

[@neildanby]

I have a very similar '96 Grumman, same trailer, same motor except oil injected, looking forward to your progress. Thanks

[@johnseymour5223]

I don't think I have ever seen/heard what happens to all of the bikes/equipment that you get and repair, are they resold? is this what you do for a living? maybe a video covering that subject or a video link if you have talked about it before...Thanks!

[@RDAmidwest]

My first impression is that aluminum boat should be fashioned into about forty thousand shiny new beer cans. 😊 Cheers!

[@jackmahogovv]

You are always finding new and unique things to work on. Amazing this engine was in this good of shape after sitting for god knows how long. One suggestion. It looks like the water pump is working for the time being. Change that out before taking it out for any kind of extended runtime. The rubber those things are made of get brittle and the fins will either break off or it will come loose from the bushing the rubber is attached to. You know what happens if you don't have waterflow. For $20 or whatever the kit costs, just do it.

[@ThaFailedMusician]

There should be a pull cord in the top for the motor cover. It'll just be a rope with a handle for emergencies. You just wrap it around the fly wheel. The impeller seems to be bad. It should be shooting water out of that tube with force. It appears to be just dribbling out. You have your work cut out for you but, you'll have a nice little boat when you get done. You lucked out on the motor. Figured it would be toast.

[@GeorgeT6566]

Now ya working on something I enjoy watching. Make sure you check the oil in the foot of the engine. if there is water in it you will have to change out the seals on the prop shaft. And if it was me I would put a new water pump in the foot of the engine before I took it out on the lake. as long as this boat has set up I am sure the pump is about shot.

[@robertwolfe5707]

Really like your channel. Just wanted to let you know that on my boats you have to push the key in to choke the motor. The lever that you call the choke is actually the throttle. It allows you to rev the engine without it being in gear. Grab the key and see if it’ll push in. Hope this helps

[@darrengray2309]

I can't believe you pumped all that old fuel through it. I'm not a mechanic but even i know that was a stupid thing to do.

[@shartne]

Man you hit the jackpot that is a nice deep boat and it has lots of features. With a lot hard work you can put new indoor outdoor carpet in it and make it look nice. And a lot of elbow greese. I would use that boat to go fishing everyday that I could. They have giant fish were you live Waleye and I dont know for sure you live in Wisconsin where they have giant Musky. Johnsons are one the most dependable boat motors made or they use to be back in the day. Now they make 4 cycle Honda that are great motors.

[@riccochet704]

That'll make a nice crappie/walleye boat when it's finished.

[@hargray2]

That gas cap should have a clear cover over the gauge. Rain is just going right in the tank. The “anchor” on the light switch is for the rear light only. Navigation is for all lights front and rear, you throw the switch to anchor if you’re moored in the middle of the river at night.

[@marks4517]

I have almost the same motor. You push the key in to choke it, the lever is an like an extra throttle for neutral. Hope this helps and good luck

[@18wheeler77]

32:27 why you pumping it out, just pour it out. Lol

[@troyrosenbaugh9935]

I will say, those out boards are totaly not like any motorcycle you've messed with great little boat. Put a white neutral ground to trailer from your truck lights will help a ton.

[@victorgerhardt1504]

Nice find for 500 bucks! I'd take that deal.

[@waffalobill]

Sitting so long, should replace the water pump impeller. Should pull the out drive to service it anyways. Do impeler while your in it.

[@loo9904]

A lot of work has been done, well done, greetings from Russia.

[@dominickserignese8837]

What a shame! I am incapable of abusing anything with an engine.. when I had my house all my garden equipment was properly maintained. I can't say I miss mowing the lawn and moving the snow. I bought a townhouse Two Towns over and there's tons of trails for dirt bike riding. You know what that means don't you😂

[@shelbywilson114]

Outboards don't really have air filters. Not much dust on the water

[@davehanna1557]

I’m always impressed how people can leave their stuff out to rot. This was a good score…

[@taurota1554]

Awesome as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along

[@flyingmerkel54]

Hey buddy, there is no pull start on that motor, the flywheel has a place you can put a rope for emergencies only. You got that thing for a steel. Worth some effort to make it sellable, or more time to make it a great little bass boat.

[@RDAmidwest]

PT Barnum said it best, there's one born every minute. 😂😂😂 All us boat owners can confirm the accuracy.

[@anajay78]

Those OMC 40hp motors are awesome.

[@MoonShine07]

How about a DIY vinyl boat wrap job?

[@michaeldecker2725]

Still to think of what makes a family leave everything behind. This unit strikes as an organized guy that just a simple easy package to do what he enjoyed.

[@3613jeremy]

When I was in HS I was in a small engine repair class and my dad just bought a small boat like that but it ran rough. So he sent it to a boat repair shop 3 different times and they couldn't figure it out. So I took it to my school and went through it and literally took me 30min to figure out the cylinder jacket was cracked and allowed water in the cylinder from that point on me and my dad swore we would never own a boat again while living in a winter state But as much as I dislike boat motors it looks like that was a great deal