starviper10
Active member
Well I bought my second Checkmate earlier this summer, and just realized I never posted anything about it. I wasn't looking for another boat, as I'm still working on getting my MX-14 in the water this summer, but it was well worth the price between the motor, trim tabs, and rigging. Was too cool of a "barn find" for me to pass up.
It's a MX-15, with a 1973 Merc 150 hp circle C block stickered as a 115hp, on its numbers matching short mid. Has the optional checkmate trim tabs, dual ride guide steering, 15 psi water pressure gauge, and motor jacked up on a transom bracket. Basically looked like how Sammie would have rigged it. And then I saw the Action Marine sticker on the back of the motor, increasing the cool factor.
However, after measuring, I found the trim tabs were mounted incorrectly, and the motor wasn't at the target 2.5" above the transom. I talked to Sammie and he said he would not have set it up that way.
But I still think it's a cool boat with some hard to find parts, between the trim tabs, late model short inline merc mid, 150hp block, 1500xs louvered cowl, and dual ride guide system. Unfortunately, the transom and floor are totally rotten, just as I thought. I pulled the motor off for fear of bending and breaking the transom. Have the motor in the garage and the hull in storage until I figure out what I'm going to do.
Anyway, I figured I'd share this with you guys. Might not be Action Marine rigged, but the motor might've been there at one point. I'm finding it harder to find cool original Checkmate's like these. Maybe once I get the MX-14 finished I can restore this one properly.
It's a MX-15, with a 1973 Merc 150 hp circle C block stickered as a 115hp, on its numbers matching short mid. Has the optional checkmate trim tabs, dual ride guide steering, 15 psi water pressure gauge, and motor jacked up on a transom bracket. Basically looked like how Sammie would have rigged it. And then I saw the Action Marine sticker on the back of the motor, increasing the cool factor.
However, after measuring, I found the trim tabs were mounted incorrectly, and the motor wasn't at the target 2.5" above the transom. I talked to Sammie and he said he would not have set it up that way.
But I still think it's a cool boat with some hard to find parts, between the trim tabs, late model short inline merc mid, 150hp block, 1500xs louvered cowl, and dual ride guide system. Unfortunately, the transom and floor are totally rotten, just as I thought. I pulled the motor off for fear of bending and breaking the transom. Have the motor in the garage and the hull in storage until I figure out what I'm going to do.
Anyway, I figured I'd share this with you guys. Might not be Action Marine rigged, but the motor might've been there at one point. I'm finding it harder to find cool original Checkmate's like these. Maybe once I get the MX-14 finished I can restore this one properly.
Well damn, that one ups my Carlson Contender I just now went to the middle of nowhere Wisconsin to pick up. Paid for it last November and life seemed to interfere with getting up there. It has a 1971 115 short shaft Merc on the back. Drug it home, jumped the starter and it had great compression, has a controller with no key ( found one on my key ring in my pocket, LUCKY), fired right up, so working on putting it on my MX-14, speaking of, how is yours coming??? Get it wet yet, please post pictures, Mark