# $150 yard sale find!



## westsloper (Jun 20, 2014)

I found this boat (14' Lone Star Big Fisherman), motor (1978 Murcury 110), and trailer at a yard sale the other day. The lady just wanted it gone, I felt bad for only giving her $150 for it! I dropped the motor off to get over hauled and the steering arm bracket replaced (it was broke). Besides the steering arm bracket the motor looked brand new. The boat and motor had been sitting in her late husbands garage since he died 5 years ago. She said that before that it sat there for maybe 10 years. He was going to fix it up and didn't get any further then painting it. I plan on putting a floor in it and possibly a front and rear deck. I filled it with water to check for leaks and the bottom was bone dry. The trailer need some work, bearings, wiring, lights, and paint. All in all its a pretty sweet little boat.


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## Bob E (Jun 20, 2014)

Nice score.
=D>


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## bobberboy (Jun 20, 2014)

Way to go. And I see you're new so welcome.


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## earl60446 (Jun 20, 2014)

"I felt bad for only giving her $150 for it!" Yah right. :roll: Boat and trailer look nice, good find, you get titles and boat certificate too?

I was at a garage sale 2 years ago and a trolling motor was there. I looked at it briefly, woman said $10, I said Does it work? She said she did not know. I said I don't need a trolling motor that does not work. She said, Just take it. "I felt bad just taking it for nothing" :roll: 

LOL
Tim


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## Jim (Jun 20, 2014)

He shoots, he scores! :beer:

Nice buy there bud!

Welcome aboard.


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## WaterWaif (Jun 20, 2014)

If you get it on the water ,toast the previous owner. Great find!


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## bobberboy (Jun 20, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=356498#p356498 said:


> WaterWaif » 35 minutes ago[/url]"]If you get it on the water ,toast the previous owner. Great find!



...and maybe take his wife for a ride. It's also a lesson to not put things off. Her late husband never finished it so you'll have to do it for him. Good luck with the project.


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## DrNip (Jun 20, 2014)

Doesn't get much better than that. Guess I need to start garage selling.


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## Y_J (Jun 20, 2014)

WOW. Sure beat the day light out of my $150 score. A 12' beat up tin and a 3.5 hp Gamefisher motor that didn't work. No trailer.
Great catch you got there buddy.


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## bgeddes (Jun 20, 2014)

When you get that thing on the water and catch some tasty fish, clean a meal or twos worth and drop them off for the nice lady that sold you the boat.


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## Knee Deep (Jun 21, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=356527#p356527 said:


> bgeddes » 20 Jun 2014, 23:08[/url]"]When you get that thing on the water and catch some tasty fish, clean a meal or twos worth and drop them off for the nice lady that sold you the boat.



Agree, I'm sure that small gesture would be greatly appreciated!


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## westsloper (Jun 21, 2014)

Keeping it simple, here's what I've done so far. I'm going to skip putting a full floor in it for now. I would like to put something down to dampin the noise. Any suggestions?

And I was planning on keeping her in supply with all the fish she can eat! I asked her if she wanted to go for a ride in it when I was done fixing it and she said "In 53 years of marriage my husband never got me on a boat, so I don't think you going to either!"


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## bobberboy (Jun 21, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=356577#p356577 said:


> westsloper » Today, 14:46[/url]"]
> Keeping it simple, here's what I've done so far. I'm going to skip putting a full floor in it for now. I would like to put something down to dampin the noise. Any suggestions?
> 
> And I was planning on keeping her in supply with all the fish she can eat! I asked her if she wanted to go for a ride in it when I was done fixing it and she said "In 53 years of marriage my husband never got me on a boat, so I don't think you going to either!"



That's funny. I guess it's important to know where you stand


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## westsloper (Jun 21, 2014)

Put the girls to work swabbing the deck! Going to paint the inside tomorrow!


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## satx78247 (Jun 21, 2014)

westloper,

I don't know whether to congratulate you on your find OR have pity on you for 3 pre-teen GIRLS, what with SOONER THAN YOU THINK: BFs, prom dresses, cheerleading practice, softball, EXPENSIVE purses, 3 coeds in college, etc., etc., etc., as "A son is yours till he meets his wife BUT a daughter is yours for all of your LIFE".
(I know all about that. = CHUCKLE.)

That said, CONGRADS on the "new to you" boat/trailer/OB. = ENJOY.

yours, satx


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## westsloper (Jun 22, 2014)

Thanks for reminding me satx!


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## satx78247 (Jun 22, 2014)

westsloper,

You're welcome. = CHUCKLE.

Btw, at 67YY, I thought that I would have some time for myself BUT now instead of "honey does", I have "Daddy does". - Fixing the problems of adult daughters tend to be quite a bit more complicated than "kissing skinned knees" & "learning to coach softball".
(For example, when "Noe", who is a faculty member at UT, decided to go to Rice to do her PhD in math, can you guess who got to "see about" her condo in Austin? = a 206 mile round-trip.)

yours, satx


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## westsloper (Jun 22, 2014)

Carpet 



Still haven't decided on flooring.


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## onthewater102 (Jun 22, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=356577#p356577 said:


> westsloper » 21 Jun 2014, 15:46
> ...I would like to put something down to dampin the noise. Any suggestions?...



If you use foam insulation board from one of the big-box home improvement places make sure you use the "extruded polystyrene" type and not any of the litany of other types they offer. It's a closed cell foam that will resist absorbing water - just be careful not to spill gasoline on it as it will dissolve it almost instantly.


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## satx78247 (Jun 23, 2014)

westsloper,

"On the water102" has a GOOD point. - To prevent that happening, a coat of latex "porch & deck paint" will keep fuel spillage from dissolving your closed-cell foam.

yours, satx


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## westsloper (Jun 24, 2014)

I decided to go with gray hurciliner on the floor for now. I cleaned it up with a wire wheel and some solvent. Layed down 2 thick coats about 12hrs apart. It's coming together nicely! Now I just need the motor back and I can go test it out! Seats, fish finders, lights, and a power drive bow mount trolling motor are on there way as well.


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## satx78247 (Jun 24, 2014)

westsloper,

LOOKING GOOD.

yours, satx


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## westsloper (Jun 25, 2014)

Bad news on the motor front. While the mechanic was testing the newly overhauled motor it got extremely hot, he shut it off and left it over night. The next day he came back to a seized piston. Lame! He did give me a "cherry" 1973 Ted Williams 9.9hp as a replacement. I gave him what he had into my motor in repairs, $93. I think it was a fair deal. And he was honest and up front with me.


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## onthewater102 (Jun 25, 2014)

Sounds like despite sounding like a good person your mechanic isn't very good at working on boat motors (that or, on the cynical side, he pulled one on you and swapped up in value with you none the wiser...) Did you at least get your old hulk back to do with as you will?

It's pretty hard for a motor to overheat if there's water flowing through it - also pretty hard to miss the stream of water flowing out if the circulating system is functioning. Not saying it's impossible - left long enough mud wasps could block off the cooling channels through the head and somehow still let enough water through so the spout is active -- though this is extremely unlikely it's also the only idea of how this could happen that's coming to me. 

I'm sorry, but I'd be hard pressed to believe he didn't miss there wasn't water flowing - as an outboard mechanic that's got to be one of the very first things you learn to watch for...


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## westsloper (Jun 26, 2014)

onthewater102 - Thats was the first thing I asked him. He said it was spitting water but not running. I guess I should clear up the fact that he's not a "boat motor mechanic" either. He has a small engine shop, works mainly on chainsaws, mowers, go-carts, ect. The closest marine machanic is about an hour and a half away. Anyways he said he was trying to get the water to pump through it and he noticed after about 20min it was getting hot. Like I said he was very up front about it and he apologized repeatedly. I paid him for the new steering arm bracket, kill switch, and fuel lines. And he gave me a decent motor for my trouble. I personally do not have much experience with outboards, I owned an inboard ski-doo jet boat once and a few little boats with electric trolling motors. I did keep the merc and will be taking it down to a Mercury dealer to see if it can be fixed. The motor he gave me seems to run really well (in a 55gal drum). It starts easily on the 1st pull, sounds smooth, doesn't smoke, shifts smoothly into forward or reverse. I know its not as good as the Mercury 110 but it will get me out fishing for now.

Live and learn I guess!


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## onthewater102 (Jun 26, 2014)

Ah - good - you got your original back...so he was at least a decent person. That makes everything so much easier. Overheating is a common issue - there will be options available to you, just a question of $$$ but for a 110 it'll probably be worth looking into.


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## westsloper (Jun 26, 2014)

Heres a question for you. Before I left his shop he pulled the plugs and sprayed wd-40 in the holes. He said it could help loosen things up? Have you heard of that?


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## onthewater102 (Jun 26, 2014)

It could if it wasn't badly seized. If it was running at the point he realized it was hot you might be ok...it might have just burned the oil between the pistons and sidewall and locked it up with carbon...long shot, but worth an attempt to see if you got lucky. 

Spray it again, I'd use PB Blaster penetrating oil if you've got it, otherwise WD40 won't hurt either. Let it sit 5 minutes and with the plugs still out put it in gear and try to turn the prop by hand. If it moves you're in business...without the plugs there should be very little resistance. You won't do any harm to it one way or the other and it won't cost you anything to try.

If it works (turns) get it to a boat mechanic for a new impeller...should be a relatively inexpensive fix. Have him check the compression & see if any of the cylinders got scored.


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## kofkorn (Jun 26, 2014)

Not exactly the same thing, but I had a chainsaw that had wood chips clog up the ventilation. The piston seized while I was using it. My brother, who is an auto mechanic took it home. He said that he removed the spark plug, took a steel rod and hammer and gave the piston a whack. The piston freed, and I've been using the saw ever since. It doesn't have any noticeable difference when running. 

Now that was a late 70's saw that I wasn't worried about losing, and certainly less valuable than your 11hp motor, but there is certainly a possibility that you could get it running without a lot of extra money. Soaking in WD-40 should help break it free. If you can get it moving, you could take the cylinder head off and see if there is any significant damage (Scratches, warped head etc). 

Good luck!


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## onthewater102 (Jun 26, 2014)

As far as seeing it spitting water - that sounds like the exhaust mixing with water that's flowing through the impeller housing and spitting out the prop. There should be a steady stream (not sputtering/spitting) of water flowing from a fitting up on the power head. You should know what this looks like too in case your impeller ever fails you will know to turn the motor off immediately and paddle your unfortunate a$$ back to shore so you don't damage the motor.


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## westsloper (Jun 26, 2014)

Thanks for the tips guys. I do have some PB Blaster in the garage, I'll give it a try when I get home. I don't think I'll beat it with a hammer, I'll leave that to the professionals. And my Minn Kota 45 PowerDrive was delivered yesterday so hopefully I won't have to paddle my "unfortunate a$$" anywhere...once I build a aluminum platform to mount it to.


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## kbush (Jun 26, 2014)

Previous owner is probably smiling watching you fix it up! Nice find.


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## westsloper (Jul 1, 2014)

Well the Mercury 110 is unsiezed! I soaked it overnight with PB Blaster, then used a brass rod to rattle the cylinder through the spark plug holes while turning the prop and presto chango the motor is free!! I'm still going to use the Ted Williams motor for a while though. I would like to find a short shaft lower unit to replace the long shaft thats on the Mercury currently. The Ted Williams fits the shallow transom on the Lone Star better. 

Now I'm just waiting for some wiring items to be delivered and I sent the Minn Kota 45 PowerDrive back and exchanged it for a Traxxis 45. The PowerDrive unit was going to be a pain it install on such a small bow. and the Traxxis was $150 less


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## onthewater102 (Jul 1, 2014)

Don't forget to check the compression on each cylinder on your 110...you're not out of the woods yet.


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## westsloper (Jul 1, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=357886#p357886 said:


> onthewater102 » 01 Jul 2014, 11:45[/url]"]Don't forget to check the compression on each cylinder on your 110...you're not out of the woods yet.



I just called a marine shop/boat dealer and I'm dropping it off on Friday to have it tuned up "right"! They also have a lower unit off a 1976 110 there that might fit it. If it does they said they would trade me straight across for mine, I'll just have to pay for the labor.


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## onthewater102 (Jul 1, 2014)

Ok - just ask them to check the compression...has nothing to do with the lower unit.


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## westsloper (Jul 1, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=357911#p357911 said:


> onthewater102 » 01 Jul 2014, 13:44[/url]"]Ok - just ask them to check the compression...has nothing to do with the lower unit.


 
Yes way ahead of ya! Thanks for lookin out though! They are going to do a full tune-up on the motor (like the last guys was suppose to do), inspect the pistons/cylinders, check all the seals, and then swap out lower units.


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## onthewater102 (Jul 1, 2014)

Good deal - you've had some good luck and I hate to see you get burned again with the lower unit if the head is warped or the gasket blown.


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## satx78247 (Sep 26, 2015)

westsloper,

it's now September 2015. - Did you finish/splash your NICE "garage sale" Lone Star??
(I'm really partial to Texas-built "tinnys".)

Pictures???

Btw, I finally found MY boat/motor/trailer: a 1959 TEXAS MAID OSPREY on a San Antonio-built period trailer (with 2 new tires) & a "period correct" 35HP Johnny to push it.
(It needs seats, a windshield, cleaning up & that's about it, I think. = Looks like the factory paint-job just may clean-up & look decent after polishing/waxing.)

yours, satx


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