Guess I’m just looking for some validation on this. Been working hard to afford my own boat. Walleye, Northern fishing for the most part. The old man and grandpa used to fish camp on these for weeks, why can’t I?
https://duluth.craigslist.org/boa/d/1980-lund-16ft-1986-mercury/6612269929.html
How’s it look? Any suggestions on something else I should look for?
Anything to get you on the water will work!! You don’t need anything fancy.
I started with an early 80’s 16foot Lund and learned a lot. You can’t go wrong with the same. They were built like tanks and will treat you well.
Guess I’m just looking for some validation on this. Been working hard to afford my own boat. Walleye, Northern fishing for the most part. The old man and grandpa used to fish camp on these for weeks, why can’t I?
https://duluth.craigslist.org/boa/d/1980-lund-16ft-1986-mercury/6612269929.htmlHow’s it look? Any suggestions on something else I should look for?
Nothing wrong with an older boat, I’d honestly ask more questions about the trailer. The ad says good tires but I’d ask about bearings and probably even plan on servicing those right away.
Looks good. I would really look close at the “little rock damage” that has been fixed though to make sure it stays dry.
I had a boat just like it for years. Great boat. But take it on the water for a while and then pull the plug to make sure the rock damage area isn’t leaking. But you can’t go wrong. Offer 1500 and put bearing buddies on it right away
The last boat I redid was just like that one. It was built like a tank. It had a 25 HP on it and I striped the hull down and repainted it added a new floor. Paid 700 for the boat motor and trailer and sold it for 2500. The guy that bought it loves it. He fishes Grand Traverse bay with it
I would fish the heck outta that boat. Good advice above on the trailer and the rock damage. You can always upgrade electronics and add a trolling motor as you go along.
Those Mercs are solid as well. I just sold a boat with an ’86 merc 50 and it was still running like a top.
How much gas should I expect to run through it? @pooltool
Good unit for a start. check out the motor out on the water, water pumping out the p hole, have them explain the starting, choke etc., a little advice can help later. If the motor is good you can sell it in a year or so for what you paid for it. And good advice on the wheel bearings also, very important.
I would fish the heck outta that boat. Good advice above on the trailer and the rock damage. You can always upgrade electronics and add a trolling motor as you go along.
Those Mercs are solid as well. I just sold a boat with an ’86 merc 50 and it was still running like a top.
Any idea on how much gas I could expect to run through it?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>pool2fool wrote:</div>
I would fish the heck outta that boat. Good advice above on the trailer and the rock damage. You can always upgrade electronics and add a trolling motor as you go along.Those Mercs are solid as well. I just sold a boat with an ’86 merc 50 and it was still running like a top.
Any idea on how much gas I could expect to run through it?
Mine was no sipper, I don’t know how it compares to other 2-strokes of similar age but I’d bet they’re fairly similar. I think you could expect to burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 4.5 gallons/hr at wide open throttle.
Looks great! Nice price too
I would be concerned about the hull stiffness with the rod locker removed, the driver bench remove, and the back bench removed. I know when I restored my ’81 pike deluxe with those pieces remove the side had some flex in them that was not there when it was restored. Here is my stored boat.
DSCF6916.jpg
Idid not notice that but you are correct. They also did not put the brackets back in to keep the side from flexing. OP if you look at it grab the side oppsite the steering wheel and see how much flex there is in the side. I had to remove the side braces on the one I had to redo the interior and the side id not have any support at all and flexed all over the place
Start collecting the old steel 6 gallon gas tanks or newer plastic tanks…. great for camping on Voyagers, Canada LOW, etc.
See one every once in a while at garage sales.
Enjoy.
It’s a decent place to start and that era of Merc is very reliable. As others have mentioned it will also be very thirsty. My father had a Merc of the same vintage that would go through about four to 5 gallons per hour when up on plane. We always carry lots of spare fuel on any big water fishing or fishing camping Expedition.
Personally, in a boat of that length, I think you get much more usable space in a tiller rig. My favorite boat in that general size is the Alumacraft Lunker which I feel has excellent usable space and is a nice deep bolt for the price. For camping and fishing hauling Space is really important.
I agree with the other poster who said inspect that Little Rock damage area very closely. I’m not a fan of boats that had any damage that required dealer repair.
I also agree with those who said very carefully inspect the trailer for damaged and worn parts. I’ve probably spent four times more time in my fishing career working on trailers then I have on boats or outboards. It’s the trailer that takes the beating for the most part not the boat. It is also a problem that most trailers are barely sized adequately for the boat they carry.
Grouse
I had a boat just like it for years. Great boat. But take it on the water for a while and then pull the plug to make sure the rock damage area isn’t leaking. But you can’t go wrong. Offer 1500 and put bearing buddies on it right away
Looks to be on back corner if my screen doesnt percieve me, and all the ways i can think of that damage happening isnt good. Nice floor but thatll make it PIA to find a leak that is elsewhere.
Nice rig other than that. good luck!
To check the hull damage, just stick your garden hose in the boat, put your bilge plug in, and fill the boat up above the rock damage, watch for any drips.
Looks like a good deal to me.
Wheel bearings are easy to check,
Jack up the wheel off the ground, and spin the tire around, shouldn’t hear any funny noise’ s, then grab the tire and try to rock it up and down ,or side to side, shouldn’t be any play in the hub.
And the motor ,I would have a compression test done. Make sure all the cylinders, read the same
Enjoy your new boat.
A thing to check on the boat ,to trailer Fit, is look at the stern/transome and see if the bunk boards are flush or sticking out A little bit past the transome. That is ok. If the bunk boards are up under the back of the boat some were, that’s not good. Trailing a boat that way ,will put a cup in the bottom of the boat, and make it hard to control/ steer.
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