so im getting a new boat this weekend. It will be my first real boat. it is a 17ft champion boat, idk all the details about it just yet, but here is what i do know. It has been sitting in a garage all of its life. and has not been out for the past 6 or 7 yrs. ran great when he parked it, and it has a 120hp evinrude. dual console. BTW, this boat is a gift. So what do i need to do to the motor before i crank it???


Also, as this is a gift, what are the laws applied to the transger of the title?? would it be eaiser for me to "buy" the boat. idk exactly what to do and dont want this guy to be stuck with any bills. also, the boat is up to date on tags. thanks

First, don't even try to start it. Drain fuel and oil and lower unit oil. Change water pump and batteries. Probably will need carbs rebuilt. Boats that sit up tend to have lots of problems be prepared to spend some money. Also check trailer wheel bearings and tires(50 pounds of air in trailer tires). Good Luck.

If it has been sitting with gas in it, you will have to basicly rebuild the entire fuel system. The impeller probably has taken a set, meaning it is not flexible anymore. Also as suggested change the lower unit lube. Put some new plugs in it and some hot batterys. If it has been garaged hopefuly it is a sweet, clean ride, it just needs a little maintnance. Also make sure you have all paperwork signed by the previous owner, and have both titles in hand. Good luck

we think we will be replacing the tires, i have 2 batteries already and will need to buy one more. thanks for the suggestions, what will be costing the money??? me and my bud are both pretty good with motors so we should be able to do the labor part ourselves. i didnt think about the water pump, should i go ahead and just buy a new one or try and start it to see if it is working first??? thanks for the help, i dont wanna messs this thing up, since we have been fishin out of an even older 16ft alumacraft, that was gifted to my buddy by his g-pa.

i forgot to mention that the boat comes with a spare SS prop.

You will soon find out.
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Good Luck

oo dont worry, i know that lol! i was just looking for specifics!! but when u are given a pretty decent boat as a gift.... well its pretty hard to not be willing to go ahead and fix it up a lil lol!!!! not to mention it comes with depthfinders, battery chargers, a prop, skiing stuff..... etc etc...

I would put a new impeller in it. If the old one breaks on startup, the rubber can clog stuff and give you headaches.

www.iboats.com on the Johnson Evenrude boat motor repair forum has a list of to do items when awakening a motor that has sat up for some time. Also a good site for repair tips and help.

pm sent

well i go get the boat tmorrow, ill post some pics and specs on it!!!! yall dont even know how excited i am lol!

Make sure the current owner signs the front and back of the titles and TPWD Form # 143 for the boat and Form #144 for the motor. On these forms you can check that they are gifts and it will not cost you as much on tax. Just make sure that you have all your paperwork in order when you go to change the paperwork. Everything that you need, forms etc, are listed on the TPWD website @ http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/owner/buying_and_selling/

Congradulations on the boat ,,,Nothing like owning a Champion

If you're handy (and if you want to own a boat, you better be), there's nothing on that boat you can't fix with a good service manual and some basic tools. Highly recommend the factory service manual.

Yup, replace the impeller -- apart from the possibility of dry rot, those vanes take on a "set" from sitting around idle, won't be as effective as they should be.

Myself, I'd just go ahead & order the carb kits now. Otherwise what's likely to happen on your first outing is, you'll idle out past the no-wake bouys, put the hammer down and.......nothing. Gasoline turns to varnish in there & clogs it up. Don't worry, those carbs are remarkably simple devices.