Thanks to Ranger09 and Swollen Crappie...

I'm ever closer to the new boat.(new to me)
The info on the engine is wrong, it's not an optimax but is a 115hp Johnson.
Also, owner has informed me it has a 20 gallon tank.

Here's a link to it...
1998 T&D Industries 20 Tender - 18' Boat in Melbourne, Florida

If you click on the more pictures button, it takes me to the ebay page. I'm the one buying it, so I don't know if anyone else will be able to see it since the auction is closed.

Hopefully I'm off to get her this Friday evening. I figure roughly 7-8 tanks of fuel for the round trip depending on how good she pulls. I had to sell my HDS-8 (key crying smiley) and LSS-1. I'll shop for another when my old boat sells.

I'm not worried about any salt water damage. Tell me what you think. Did I do ok? Cost me 4k.

That's looks like a good deal to me Reaper, congratulations!

Looks like enough console for the horn to me...nice looking boat Craig...enjoy the drive and do it safely....Glad I could help...Ranger

I will take it. Where do I send the check?

Looks like you found a boat that will handle the rollers on Oo and with plenty of room to stroll around as well. Has some cool history, unique features, and should be easy to spot so i can follow you around to your favorite holes more easily. Once you apply the REAPER logo that boat too will be the beans! Congratulations and have a safe trip Craig.

Looks like a great boat Craig! I think you are going to enjoy that a lot more then the one your in now. One life settles down, i am going to have to take you in my boat to let you show me how to use the HDS8 then after that I am going to expect a trip in your new boat!

Be careful on the drive and make sure you check those tires over real well and have your spare ready. Thats a long ways to travel on tires like that with that much weight on them. Cant wait to see it when you get back.

You have my number if you need anything

Have new tires on the truck, the boat has no spare...yet. Still waiting to here from current owner as to what size I need to pick up. I've also asked if the trailer has bearing buddies on it, if not, I might borrow the ones off my current trailer incase they will fit. Even have relatives babysitting the house, dogs and cats while I'm gone. Will be gone almost 2 days.

Road trip is on for sure.

Check list includes...

grease gun
tools
Transom saver
electrical tape
Extra Battery
Jumper cables
Trailer Spare
Ice chest


I can help you install the 8 and it won't cost you. Then will take her out for a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crappie Reaper

Have new tires on the truck, the boat has no spare...yet. Still waiting to here from current owner as to what size I need to pick up. I've also asked if the trailer has bearing buddies on it, if not, I might borrow the ones off my current trailer incase they will fit. Even have relatives babysitting the house, dogs and cats while I'm gone. Will be gone almost 2 days.

Road trip is on for sure.

Check list includes...

grease gun
tools
Transom saver
electrical tape
Extra Battery
Jumper cables
Trailer Spare
Ice chest


I can help you install the 8 and it won't cost you. Then will take her out for a bit.

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Might add a few 4"- 6" long wood blocks to that list. They make good substitutes for a broken set of leaf springs when placed between the axle housing and trailer frame. 2X4 pieces work.

Craig from my house to Lakeland Florida is a 22hr and 37 minute drive. Where your going is another couple of hours east and south. You have to add alittle time for rest in there...2 day trip is going to cut it really close and with no rest and none of us are getting any younger. I drove it both ways straight thru but had 13 days between trips. Florida does have some excellent roadside pull offs though and makes for some good resting places...Drive Safely My Friend......Ranger

Where I'm going is a little over 19 hours. Son in Law going with me. Straight there, test run, hook up, straight back. I'm used to long drives.

Be careful and have a safe trip!!!!

You did say south of Orlando....if so let us know how long it takes you...Ranger

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ranger09

you did say south of orlandoranger

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east

Hope its not to awfully far east or you will absolutely be needing that new boat. Lakeland Florida is between Tampa and Orlando..have a safe trip...Ranger

Sweet ride.I have the same motor on my Lowe.Very good.Have a great and safe trip.

Thanks, found my compression tester but no clue where the fittings are. I guess I need to invest in a new one. Seller claims 125lb compression in all cylinders, but I need to see it myself before I drive that far and make sure I'm getting what was advertised. If the compression is good, and she'll cycle through the gears, she should be good to go.

WELL TELL US ALL ABOUT IT.......Ranger

Did you make it home Reaper?

I did make it home. 43 hours round trip and 2,600 miles. Boat was not quite as advertised and was able to talk him down some. It's not as wide as I thought it was, but will be good enough for my first center console.

The trip started out with a deer doing a body check to the side of my truck as I was heading toward Claremore to pick up my co-driver Son-in law. I saw the deer out of the corner of my eye to the left and started slowing down. He locked up and turned to the his right then jump up. His rear end hit my side view mirror colasping it in and breaking the plastic backing off exposing the wiring. The mirror itself survived and is still fully functional. His head hit just where the window on the back door contacts the back portion of the door. It's now dented beyond repair, yet the window made it and it stills works and seals. I got lucky on that one!

The Son-in-Law had never driven a truck bigger than his lil Ford Ranger and the Silverado had him trying to get used to staying between the lines. Boy had me skeered a bunch of times. The Garmin Nuvi made the trip easy as far as not having to fumble with maps. The route it gave us just happened to drive us RIGHT past the standoff in Alabama and we saw all the news sattelite trucks as we passed by. The trip itself was uneventful other than the truck wierding out a couple of times. I've got something electrical going on. I'm just glad it smoothed out and got us back.

Once we arrived at the guys house, I started checking the boat over. Turns out the boat itself is a '92, yet was advertised as a '98. I crawled underneath it and found some areas that had been patched somewhat poorly and found another gouge that needed attention. The skegg on the motor was missing about an 1 1/2" off of it. The trailer had been advertised as an aluminum trailer, NOT, it was a home made trailer made with 6" galvanized I-beams. One heavy duty trailer for sure. The wheels had good rubber on them but the lugs and lugnuts were rampant with rust from the salt water.

I told the guy I wasn't sure and he said but you drove all this way???? I told him that it wasn't a problem as I could write the trip off as a loss instead of buying something that had not been truthfully advertised. He offered to knock off a substantial amount so I told him to get the cups out and hook it up to some water and let me listen to the motor. The motor sounded good and shifted into proper gears smoothly. I went ahead and bought it. Florida does not require titles for Motors, so I asked him to write out a separate bill of sale for the motor including writing down the model, serial number and date it.

Both tires were low so I had to bring them up to pressure. I never did find a spare for it prior to hitting the road and decided to take my chances since the rubber looked new. The trailer did have bearing buddies so I shot each hub with a good amount of fresh grease.

At this point, I was already extremely tired from the trip down there, but, the Son-in-Law had ZERO experience pulling a trailer and the interstate was busy with Saturday night travelers. We hit the first station and filled up and headed North. The Garmin shot us through Orlando on the way down and the Florida turnpike had you stopping and donating a buck about every three miles. I think it cost me close to ten bucks so I made the call to take I-95 to I-10 instead of going back the same way I came. Since I went North on 95, the Garmin was going to send me through Atlanta and I thought, no way am I going to pull this heavy thing through all those hills and mountains so I just turned and headed west on I-10. That's about as flat as you can get out that way and it was a good run of road to let the newbie drive. After teaching him some basics, I faded out for awhile. I think I might have got about 6-7 hours sleep the entire drive. We made it back safely to his house in Claremore around 1:15 Sunday afternoon. I came home, did a few things, sat down to watch the superbowl and decided to record it and take a nap. Laid down when it was 7-3 early, didn't wake up until 6:30 this morning.

Although the boat wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it should work just fine until I can upgrade to a bigger vessel. It has a full deck that is self bailing and a bilge underneath. The access port to the bilge allows inspection and the inside of the bottom of the boat in the back was dry. The front of the boat is not very wide at all and it's designed to slice through the waves. I'll find out soon enough how she handles Oologahs wrath. She should plow through them without tossing the boat too much. I might have to build a wrap around windshield for her to keep my big rear dry from the wash she'll be throwing. Remember, this boat was originally built for a Sherrifs Department, so she's made to cut and run!

I'm happy with her for now, but final thoughts will be after I get to take her out for a day.

Glad you made it back safe and sound! If you need any polycarbonate for a windshield let me know!!

Glad you made it home Craig....Ranger

Welcome home Craig. Once the boat proves herself on the Oo high seas you have a compelling road trip story for the rest of your life. Always appreciate your detail.