Essential maintenance for new (used) boats/motors/trailers

I'm new to boats. Before last month, I only owned kayaks. Now I have a 1992 Grumman MV1449 with a 1992 Yamaha 15hp 2-stroke. I have been doing a ton of reading and searching, trying to get up to speed.

There are no maintenance records of any kind. The guy I bought it from only had it for about four months before he had to sell it. He was told the motor had 40 hours on it, but there is no way to know for sure.

I want to make sure everything receives proper maintenance, so I have been searching for recommendations. I have seen a few people share what they do whenever they get a new boat/motor/trailer. As a new boat owner, it would be really helpful if there was one place where people shared their list of essential maintenance for new used boats.

For the boat itself, it seems the catch-up maintenance is easy: clean, inspect, and repair. For trailers, it seems like the recommendation is to tighten all bolts, inspect/repack the bearings, check the wiring, check the safety chains, and check the winch and straps. Easy enough for all of that.

I am a little less clear on the motor. I have gathered that I should do the 100-hour service, and then go further. It seems like most people agree that with a 25 year old motor, I should replace the impeller. Since it probably sat unused for a good portion of its life, I should probably clean the carb. I should probably inspect the thermostat, too.

I am really interested in hearing what other people always do when they get a new boat/motor/trailer. If there is something obvious that I am missing, it would really help to know.

Thanks in advance.

Welcome Aboard, Mike . . .
my rule of thumb for an older motor is to "assume" that it has been run hard,
abused, and neglected..... take care of the items you mentioned and then run it
for awhile, drain the gear case oil and check it for anything that is not normal.
run it again - for a longer period of time, drain the gear case again - do the same check.
if ANY kind of idling or running issues occur that you think may be fuel related,
thoroughly inspect every fitting and O-ring from the tank to the carb - replace as necessary.
if the fuel hose is silver or gray, replace it. if the fuel hose and bulb are hard, replace it.
fuel delivery problems will drive you NUTS before you finally replace every inch of the hose
and squeeze bulb from the tank to the carb.
patience is a virtue !!

also - we like to have photos of any of your concerns so the gallery can provide you with accurate feedback.



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Thanks Johnny, and thanks for the welcome, too.

The information on checking the fuel line is particularly helpful. The service manual just says to check for cracking or leaking, no mention of stiffness.

This is my boat. The motor is as clean as can be and runs really well. I want to keep it that way:

good looking rig !!
yep - once you reach that threshold of looking good and running good,
it is easy to maintain and keep on top of things before they become an issue.
the blurb about: "The service manual just says to check for cracking or leaking hoses"
by the time you see cracked and leaking hoses and O-rings - - - it is way too late for general maintenance.
if you have no idea as to how old the fuel line and squeeze bulb is, It would be a good idea to
make one up now. Get the SAE J1527 compliant fuel line and NEW stainless hose clamps and a new squeeze bulb.
the hose system is either 1/4, 5/16 or 3/8" inside diameter . . . just make sure it fits your fuel pump
and gas tank gas tank connections firmly. as well as a clear inline fuel filter that hangs vertical just forward of the motor.

happy and safe boating !!


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