I've had my Checkmate for just over a year now, I treated myself to a Christmas present project.....purchased it on Dec. 15, 2012. This has been my first and only boat so-far.....just been dealing with motorcycles.
I was new to boating, and looking for a boat needing some TLC at a affordable price (just in case I ended up never useing it). Looked at a few Baja's, Scarab's, and Donzi's in the under 23 ft range.....a couple Action Marine and Yamaha/SeaDoo in the 20 ft range.....and a couple open Fishers....could not figure out what I wanted.
But I knew my wife wanted a outhouse on the rig.
I found this nice looking Checkmate on craigslist, not knowing what it was, I did the google thing and your site came up......changed my life since.....read, read and read, looked at all the pretty pics, and saw all the support and chamadre....this was the boat I wanted for my first.
When I got there, as usual it wasn't as pristine as they claimed, looked like it was sitting for years.
The hull and molding was separated on the left side from a hit, gauges didn't work, wireing all cut, gas tank was cleaned but not connected up engine looked like it was gone over by a used car mechanic....new plugs/wires, shiny black paint all over, trailer looked like crap, but 2 new batterys and he said he hasn't started it in 6 months.......I started to walk away.....he said if I got gas we could start it....I went and bought a can and a couple gallons....it ran, and sounded fine.
I know the rule of thumb is not to buy if no compression test or a wet run, but the boat looked like it had soo much potential.....I bought it, and have not regretted it.
3 months, a lot of sweat and frustration, total cost under $2800, way under budget for what I was going to spend, and a chunk of that was for new tires for the trailer and a used bucket seat and sunbrella, and a lotta knick knacks. Working on it most weekends with no boat knowledge except all the info and advice from all you guys on the forum.
-I mated the deck and hull together
-rewired all the gauges...all work except the temp gauge(no sending unit on motor).
-replaced all cooling lines and fuel lines, installed a electric fuel pump, bilge , etc.
Took her out for the first time last year March, happier than a pig in ****....it flouted and ran....been out 4 times since,,,,,hopefully I double that this year.
87 Enchanter...87 Merc 200 with Bobs lower and 6 inch plate...
Thanks again for welcomeing me into the clan.
Oh yea....I use one of my kids sand pail for the outhouse she wanted.
I was new to boating, and looking for a boat needing some TLC at a affordable price (just in case I ended up never useing it). Looked at a few Baja's, Scarab's, and Donzi's in the under 23 ft range.....a couple Action Marine and Yamaha/SeaDoo in the 20 ft range.....and a couple open Fishers....could not figure out what I wanted.
But I knew my wife wanted a outhouse on the rig.
I found this nice looking Checkmate on craigslist, not knowing what it was, I did the google thing and your site came up......changed my life since.....read, read and read, looked at all the pretty pics, and saw all the support and chamadre....this was the boat I wanted for my first.
When I got there, as usual it wasn't as pristine as they claimed, looked like it was sitting for years.
The hull and molding was separated on the left side from a hit, gauges didn't work, wireing all cut, gas tank was cleaned but not connected up engine looked like it was gone over by a used car mechanic....new plugs/wires, shiny black paint all over, trailer looked like crap, but 2 new batterys and he said he hasn't started it in 6 months.......I started to walk away.....he said if I got gas we could start it....I went and bought a can and a couple gallons....it ran, and sounded fine.
I know the rule of thumb is not to buy if no compression test or a wet run, but the boat looked like it had soo much potential.....I bought it, and have not regretted it.
3 months, a lot of sweat and frustration, total cost under $2800, way under budget for what I was going to spend, and a chunk of that was for new tires for the trailer and a used bucket seat and sunbrella, and a lotta knick knacks. Working on it most weekends with no boat knowledge except all the info and advice from all you guys on the forum.
-I mated the deck and hull together
-rewired all the gauges...all work except the temp gauge(no sending unit on motor).
-replaced all cooling lines and fuel lines, installed a electric fuel pump, bilge , etc.
Took her out for the first time last year March, happier than a pig in ****....it flouted and ran....been out 4 times since,,,,,hopefully I double that this year.
87 Enchanter...87 Merc 200 with Bobs lower and 6 inch plate...
Thanks again for welcomeing me into the clan.
Oh yea....I use one of my kids sand pail for the outhouse she wanted.
but 60 without wind I can handle tonight, it's the 40's on Wednesday and 50's the next couple days after that worry me.