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Trying to buy a Checkmate

S

scottcleaver

New member
Never had a Checkmate before so I need some help. Looked at a boat today and really wanted to buy it. 1999 28ft with a 502 MPI 415 hp. Nice boat for the year and looks like it has been well cared for. The boat sounds fine. We took it for a ride and it had a very difficult time getting up on plane. This should be enough motor to easily get moving with half a tank and four normal sized adults I would think. I know it takes a lot of knowing what your doing to get it to plane quickly but this was extremely difficult for the boat. Is this even close to normal or is the performance terribly lacking on this boat?
Thanks
Scott
 
power should not be the problem if the engine is running properly....the 502 should give the boat a top speed in the 60s....

the problem getting on plane is most likely due to the size/style of prop on the boat.....(or less probably..... a loss of power from the engine)

how long in seconds did it take to plane?

an undersized...over pitched....or just plain wrong prop for that boat is most likely the problem...if it has been propped for top speed then plane time with suffer.
 
X2 the prop can make all the difference. you can have all the hp in the world and with the wrong prop it will not do good. some folks carry two props with them, one for top speed and one for hole shot.

If the boat is solid and the motor is strong you will be fine may just have to try a few until you find the right prop that matches the boat and you.
 
Thanks to all for the quick response. Elderly gentleman is the current owner. I am pretty sure he is not into swapping props for top end speed but you never know. I will get the prop info and post it as quick as I can. I am getting a compression test Wednesday. It is a 360 hour boat, I would guess the compression would be fine but that would be a deal breaker for me. If the compression is good, I will feel a little better. Could need a tune up or maybe the injectors need work. Just don't know much yet.
Thanks
Scott
 
He may have not swapped props out. On my old spray I had the boat planed fine then I ran a ground and the boat still planed ok. When I got the prop back from the shop the boat didnt want to plane. When I had it fixed at another shop the boat was fine again.
 
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I always recommend a compression test on the engine before you purchase. Even if you have to pay a mechanic and end up not buying the boat, it can save thousands of dollars in the long run. I know this sounds silly, but the engine can still run and sound pretty good even with one dead cylinder.
 
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