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1993 Pulse 186 Refurb/Repower??

R

Rafltdcpa

New member
I own a 1993 Pulse 186 w/1993 Mariner 175hp that I love and have owned for 18 years. The hull/gelcoat is in very good shape. The engine runs well...for an oil injected / carbureted 2 stroke burning E10 premium..but the overheat/low oil pressure alarm module is faulty and has been disconnected to quiet the alarm (the oil injection system and water pump both work). The transom is solid.

Its all the other stuff that's falling apart:
Only the gas gauge works.
The rear seat backrest rotted out.
The floor under the front seat stanchions seems solid but the through holes are wet and a little punky.

The steering is not hydraulic.

I understand that E15 gas is on the horizon and so I expect that the days are numbered for 2 strokes.

I'm at a crossroads here. Do I spend the money to refurb/repower or throw in the towel, sell it for what I can get, and buy a pontoon boat?

Yamaha 4 strokes seem to be the engine of choice but pricey, even used.

Any thoughts or suggestions from the peanut gallery?

Thanks
 
Everyone will have their own opinions on this. You have detected some rot, so on a 26 year old boat (that you only owned 18 years) their could easily be more in the stringers, floor or transom that you have not detected. You can get an estimate from Checkmate to totally restore it and they will do an excellent job, upholstery to replacing all structural wood. At least then it might be easier to make a decision since it might cost more to restore than you could sell it for afterwards but if you love the boat it may not matter to you. If it was a much larger boat like 26 - 30 ft, the restoration cost would not be that much higher but you could then sell it for a lot more. Lots to think about....
 
There could be a lot more rot or not depending on how it has been stored over the years and you know the answer to that.
If I truly thought the hull was in pretty good shape and I loved the boat, the items on your list are small things.

Fix the seat back and the gauges, pick up a low hr used 200-225xs. Maybe a power jack plate and hydraulic steering if you want.

That is $5-8,000. Not too much to stay boating. And about all the boat is worth.

A factory refurbished and repowered cost will be $25,000+
 
Max HP for the 186 Pulse

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

The condition of the floor/stringers is an open question. Except for the punky through holes under the front seat stanchions there is no other obvious weakness or other evidence of rot in the floor or transom.

The suggested max HP is 185. Will the Pulse safely handle 225HP...as a matter of speed and/or engine weight?

Your thoughts are appreciated.
 
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