Finding Total Hours – 115hp Optimax

I’m meeting to purchase a boat rigged with a 115hp Optimax this weekend. What are my best options to see the total number of hours on the rig? The seller does not have the information, but claims he purchased the rig with 27 hours total in the year 2012.

Would a local marine mechanic be able to run some quick diagnostics for relatively cheap? The boat is located in a fairly large city with multiple marine mechanics.

Thanks for your help!

Call any shop and ask if they have the scanner to scan a Optimax. Ask what they would charge for a printout of the hours. The cost can either be shared and the seller keeps the printout if you don’t buy or you can pay for it. If you are concerned I would offer to pay the whole thing. If the seller balks at a scan you can walk away if it doesn’t feel right. One thing to ask is how did he fish? I have over 300 hours on a 2014 Yamaha but 95% of those hours are at trolling speeds so the total hours will only tell part of the story. If the boat is immaculate and the seller claims to be a jigger there likely isn’t many hours on the motor.

Also, prior to the 1990’s nobody scanned a motor. There were thousands of motors sold every year without a scan. Getting a feel for the seller and looking the boat over top to bottom tells you alot.

The seller seems to be on the up and up as he’s been in contact with me for a few weeks and has invited my fiance and I to meet him right at his home with family there.

I did contact a mechanic in the area who claimed he would be at least a week out on being able to hook it up to a computer (as they are swamped). The mechanic’s advice was to really study the steering wheel and the leading edge of the skeg. His philosophy was that a skeg really starts to show wear and even dull down if it’s been run wide open for 300+ hours. A steering wheel that has had paint rubbed off or oil stained into it could be an indirect sign of high hours.

If the original pictures look good head over there and take a look. I’m overly trusting of people but I do possess a little common sense also. Visit with the guy and get the story on how he has used the boat. If 5 teenagers come out to greet you and they have wake boards and ski’s everywhere they maybe didn’t fish much.

Thanks for the advice. If all goes well and everything appears to check out, I’ll share a picture of my new (to me) Tuffy

I had a Tuffy………..very fast good riding hull.

I had a Tuffy………..very good riding hull.

Not an Osprey by chance was it?

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If you could get the readout it would tell you how many hours at what rpm it breaks it all down, plus if there were any other codes thrown like over heat low oil etc. If I was really concerned here is how I would approach it. Wright up a short contract giving him earnest money hinging on the read out on the motor. If the readout is showing something bad then my money would be refundable if motor checks out it is a done deal