Trying to buy a used Ranger 375 for incredibly cheap..

[Grizzly]

Do you want to fish or work on a boat?

[billnorman1]

Do you want to fish or work on a boat?

Ha ha ha ha. Good post. If there's water in a compartment it could come from being stored outdoors unless it was run in the water recently. It could also come over the back deck if someone stopped too fast, my boat will wash your back if you stop wrong.

[twitch]

if it has any transducers mounted on the transom take the screws out and see if any water leaks out or anything attached to the transom like temp sensor or so on, that will give you a hint if any water is in the transom also a guy at a local boat yard used some kind of meter to find out if mine had any water in it a few years back when I was searching for problems....

[buster502]

sometimes you get what you pay for,2k boat put 5k in it, why not just try to find a nice garage kept 1987 ranger for 7-9k and go fishing just a thought

[ericm]

There was also water in one of the storage compartments. In the lounge seat compartment. A small puddle. Don't know how long it's been there. Could the water have seeped through the fiberglass shell? That's really concerning and I'm checking it out tmrw ASAP, I just assumed that the floor would be all fiberglass but I realize know that's probably not the case.

The standing water is most concerning of all the items listed. Keep in mind that if the flotation foam can and will absorb water over time not only making the boat extremely heavy but also negating the safety of flotation (it could sink like a rock if you swamp it). Was it stored outside?

[rangered]

The serial number tag should be on the drivers side transom. I would buy it
and fix it up. Good Luck

[th365thli]

So the water was from him spilling a bunch in the compartment. Don't know how that happened. I would think in the compartment it was covered in fiberglass so it should be okay right? We vacuumed up the water and I checked the compartment for softspots. Didn't find any. I would think that they wouldn't just expose flotation foam in a storage compartment? The compartment is carpeted and I assume under the carpet is fiberglass.
-At any rate I went back today and checked for soft spots. Couldn't find any.
-Did the hammer test on the transom. I'm not an expert but it seemed good. Definitely a "clack" sound vs a "thud". I especially tapped the bottom of the transom. Still very "clacky".
-Leaned on the lower unit and bounced on it a little bit. No signs of any transom flex. The boat entire boat was bouncing with my pressure.
-Couldn't see any stress fractures or cracks on the transom. I paid special attention to where the motor was mounted and transducers etc.
-No cracks except for one a couple chip on the keel. Are keels covered with a material? The keel on this one is whitish and through the chip I could see shiny finished fiberglass. So it seems the fiberglass underneath is fine.

Another thing that concerns me. The boat was stored tilted forward. The boat cover is shit so when it rained water went through the top floor drain vents and has just been sitting in the bilge. We tilted to boat back and the water drained out. Is water sitting in the bilge a cause for concern? I took off the vent and felt inside, just wet fiberglass strands and felt not soft and solid.

[billnorman1]

Any time there are screws into the transom it is not a good thing. If you buy the boat take them out and seal behind them with a product designed to work below the "water line". From the pictures that boat looks pretty clean. It looks like the trim actuator is leaking a little, review the fill and bleeding in the owners manual or research it on line.
Those little wheels are for a speedometer which is pretty inaccurate, you'll use a GPS most likely.

[th365thli]

Any time there are screws into the transom it is not a good thing. If you buy the boat take them out and seal behind them with a product designed to work below the "water line". From the pictures that boat looks pretty clean. It looks like the trim actuator is leaking a little, review the fill and bleeding in the owners manual or research it on line.
Those little wheels are for a speedometer which is pretty inaccurate, you'll use a GPS most likely.

Thanks, we verified the trim hydraulic liquid seal is busted, but that should be easily fixable. So water in the bilge isn't an issue?

[diveshades]

I have a boat below that might fit your budget and it does not have all the issues you are looking at addressing. It is located in New Lisbon Wisconsin. The 1992 362 is the one that I might consider selling.

[larryhyco]

I sold a 1985 350v 6 years ago and I had rebuilt the engine completly 2 years earlier for $1200. This is to give you an example.

[th365thli]

I have a boat below that might fit your budget and it does not have all the issues you are looking at addressing. It is located in New Lisbon Wisconsin. The 1992 362 is the one that I might consider selling.

I'm in California....long drive

[billnorman1]

Thanks, we verified the trim hydraulic liquid seal is busted, but that should be easily fixable. So water in the bilge isn't an issue?

You'll have to drain the hull, and water test it to find out. It could be rain, a bad drain plug, a bad rub rail seal, a broken internal hose/pump or loose screws or anything. You're looking at an old boat. Water inside the bilge, that's where it should be if there's a leak or rain. Screws in the transom won't cause a hull leak. You might wish to fill the hull PART WAY with water to see if there's an external leak, but remember, water is very heavy, 62.4 pounds per cubic foot or something like that.
I could never afford a new boat, so when I was younger I would snap up a boat like this at that price.

[th365thli]

You'll have to drain the hull, and water test it to find out. It could be rain, a bad drain plug, a bad rub rail seal, a broken internal hose/pump or loose screws or anything. You're looking at an old boat. Water inside the bilge, that's where it should be if there's a leak or rain. Screws in the transom won't cause a hull leak. You might wish to fill the hull PART WAY with water to see if there's an external leak, but remember, water is very heavy, 62.4 pounds per cubic foot or something like that.
I could never afford a new boat, so when I was younger I would snap up a boat like this at that price.

Thanks for the info. The boat looked bone dry on the outside, couldn't see a leak anywhere. I'd imagine a leak would not cause the water to just sit there, it rains rarely in California. When we drained the hull the water was clear. I'd imagine if it got inside the insulation it would discolor the water. I'm going to compression test it myself tmrw and if that checks out I'm buying it.

[bassranger1]

I'm 99% sure 89 was the first year with no wood in the transom. The only other concern with the boat being tilted forward would be the flotation foam soaking up all that water. Good Luck though. They can be a fine boat.

[th365thli]

I'm 99% sure 89 was the first year with no wood in the transom. The only other concern with the boat being tilted forward would be the flotation foam soaking up all that water. Good Luck though. They can be a fine boat.

So I'm confused. Are saying flotation foam is exposed in the bilge? That's puzzling, because water gets in the bilge all the time.