2007 Skeeter 20i

[MattVT18]

I'm really interested in a 2007 Skeeter 20i with a 2010 250 SHO. Never owned a Skeeter but from what I can find online the 20i is a solid boat. Few things I'm curious about:
1) The engine has roughly 540 hours. Cylinder pressures were 165-175 according to the dealer. I don't know anything about the Yamaha 4 strokes, are the hours and compression number ok?
2) Looks like the controls are a touchpad like I had on my last boat. Are the touchpads still available or is there a retrofit kit for something else?
3) Is there anything I should be aware of as far a common issues that I should check out?
The boat is about 13 hours away from me but I'd make the trip if it's a good boat. I've also thought about having it shipped, but last time I bought something used sight unseen I wasn't happy. There are boats a lot closer to me in really good shape for about the same money but they all have 2 strokes. Any help/advice would be appreciated!

[KB1953]

You just answered your own question! Your last purchase you bought sight unseen and was disappointed, so why would you do it again. I would not purchase this boat without checking everything out on the boat and trailer. Does the trailer need new tires and brakes, any rust on trailer or cracked fiberglass fenders. Does it need need new carpet, seats, how old are electronics, what kind of trolling motor and how old, how old are batteries, has the powerhead been replaced and if so how many hours on new head, make sure all pumps and livewells work, test drive boat and ask for maintenance records, is the prop or drive shift bent, good luck.

[MattVT18]

Thanks for the reply, but actually, I didn't answer any of my questions. I have no idea if those hours or compression numbers are good, no idea about the touchpads and no idea about common issues. I fully intend to go look at it before committing but if the the numbers on the engine are problematic I'll pass. Same with the touchpads, if it's something not easily repaired/retrofitted I'll pass, and I'd like to know if there is anything that typically goes wrong on these boats so I can make sure I pay special attention there. I've got tons of pics from the dealer, everything looks fine in the pics but I just don't know much about Skeeter/Yamahas.

[spinkick63]

Hello. Skeeters may or may not be perfect, but I have had two and I would go for a 3rd one if it ever comes about. I currently have a 2007 20i that is new to me and it still has the original HPDI 250 with under 200 hours, so I cannot compare apples to apples.

1. I had a 2009 Skeeter SL210 (fish'n'ski). It had a F255 four stroke. I had it for just over two years and it ran flawlessly. While I cannot vouch 100% for the SHO, I would take one in a heartbeat. I know the 4-stroke compression is supposed to be higher than 2-stroke, so I think you are still ok with the values you reported. My previous Mercruiser 5.7 had about 150 and they were all good.

2. I'm not sure about replacements for the touchpads, but there is certainly an aftermarket replacement for the DCM (touchpad is the interface for DCM). I do not use the lock feature. The boat is 15 years old and I don't want to find out there's a bug in the DCM and I can no longer open any of my doors. :)

3. IMHO, 15 years can bring a lot of wear and tear on common parts (even saw this in previous boat that had the Mercruiser).
#1. Hoses. They can simply wear out.
#2. Some plastic components. Example... on my 20i two of the external ports (pump out and bilge pump out) simply shattered from years of bouncing on the water. Per Skeeter dealer, they are very inexpensive, but finding them is the challenge.
#3. Continuing with plastics... I have a bilge pump that the outlet port simply broke off. I bought a replacement only to find out the replacement has a larger outlet port so I had to either replace bilge pump again or get an adapter to go from the smaller original hose to a larger diameter for the new pump.
#4. Should be #1... how did the previous owner(s) maintain and repair the boat???
#5. Carpet can wear out but it is replaceable with a little elbow grease.
#6. Electrical connections can corrode. Check those.
#7. Get the YDS software (Yamaha Diagnostics) to see how the engine has been used.
#8. Anything mechanical will likely have to be looked at closely. Hopefully all was well maintained, greased, etc.
#9. Look at the trailer!!! I couldn't believe some of what I discovered with my trailer.
#10. Trailer... that year model use EZ Loader. The swing tongue was a TERRIBLE design and there are no replacement parts for it (the swing function). Mine was severely cracked ON THE BOTTOM. Had a friend weld it. I lost the swing function. Fortunately, I don't need it.
#11. Trailer... look at brake pads, A60 coupler (assuming same as mined) and make sure the emergency brake line isn't broken. If it is, you will need to rebuild it (not terribly expensive).

That's all I can think of at the moment. Feel free to ask anything specific. Although mechanically inclined and I do most of my own work, I am NOT a mechanic. By all means seek advice of someone that knows what they are talking about. :)

Oh... an afterthought... Yamaha has an excellent online resource for motor parts as well as some Yamaha dealers. Skeeter does not. However, Skeeter reps are pretty good about giving you a part number (via email) that you can contact a Skeeter dealer and attempt to locate. Feel free to PM for a Skeeter contact that I use. Don't know if he would appreciate me broadcasting or I would post it here.

Have a good one

[99R93S]

^ Great post.

I wish I could add to your specific questions but I can’t. Never owned a 4 stroke, no idea about #2. I have an 08 and mine works great, however like spinkick I’ve never tried the alarm, I don’t need it so only bad can come if it lol. The only think I might add for #1 is at least it’s a dealer. Do a good search on their reputation. If it’s really good then doubt they would pull a fast one on compression numbers. But ask them when they got it on trade, have they performed all the maintenance if it’s a local trade. Ask them what they did when they “reconned “ the boat. If you aren’t familiar with that term, they should have a check thru process from when they get it to when they put it for sale. So what did they work on or fix, any engine work or maintenance performed? Hope maybe some of this helps or gives you ideas.

[spinkick63]

Thank you 99R93S... that was a compliment.

Another thing to consider since you live well north of me. My previous boat was a 2008 Tracker Marine Tahoe with at 5.7L Mercruiser. That was gifted to me from a military family member. It was maintained and repaired by "professional" shops. I love my military family member and GREATLY appreciate his service, but whoever he trusted to service, rebuild, maintain, fix, etc, that Tahoe... well, I questioned their qualifications. In short... you live well north of me. Make ABSOLUTELY sure the winterization steps were performed on that 4-stroke or you will spend time and money on getting it repaired!

My family member did not understand the proper procedure to winterize. He spent a large sum of money to repair the damage. After the boat was gifted to me, I discovered one of two things.... #1 the damage was NOT properly repaired or #2 it was damaged a second time because the primary issue for me was was both cylinder heads were shattered from freeze damage.

I fixed/repaired all damage and traded for the Skeeter I referenced above.

Don't misunderstand me... I love my family member and GREATLY appreciate his service but you have to look at EVERYTHING. That gift cost me $3500 (parts... I did all the work/labor) to fix/repair before I decided to trade. That particular boat was more of a bow rider with a few fishing features vs a bass boat with a few ski features (like my previous SL210 I mentioned previously).

Regardless of anything I, or others, tell you... it comes down to personal preference. I wish you the best. My confidence is high, however, that your future experience with the SHO will be FAR better than dealing with any 2-stroke that is quickly becoming a fossil.

Good luck across the board! I hope anything I have said prompts you to ask the right questions and make the best decision for you and yours.

[MattVT18]

Thanks spinkick63 and 99R93S. The dealer has very positive reviews and has been very willing to send pics of whatever I asked for. They have agreed to send me the full check sheet of their reconditioning process and agreed to touch up some gel chips I saw on the bottom of the boat. While they aren't a Yamaha dealer, they contacted a local Yamaha shop to get the records on file with Yamaha. Looks like this engine has had some work (2 powerheads, one under warranty and one on the "not a recall" program in 2016 as well as a lower unit under warranty). They're offering me a 1 year warranty (3rd party) for the engine at no cost. Maybe I'm just cynical, but it seems they are offering a lot without me asking for it. This time of year maybe they just want to make a sale because their season is over. I'll have $2-3k in costs associated with looking at/transporting the rig if I make a move. I was really worried about the trailer being totally rotted being from Connecticut but my brother-in-law ( he lived up there for 20 years) said most boats are put up from October-May and don't see the harsh road conditions that ruin vehicles. I really like the boat but the logistics are making me have a hard time making the deal. If it was 5 hours away I'd already have the deposit in, but my BIL says that's easily a 15-16 hour drive with normal delays. He takes two days up and two days back when he visits his friends up there. I'd really need to fly up/back and would rather have it shipped (not towed) to minimize risks of damage. Thanks again for the input.

[spinkick63]

If your warranty covers EVERYTHING for that year.... that's a pretty good deal for a 12 year old motor. Do a thorough walk around and look at that trailer (if you can). This was mine after I got it home (I didn't look under the swing-away hinge):

broken.jpg

Good luck and enjoy it!

[KB1953]

Get the serial number on the hull and call Yamaha/Skeeter, find out if hull was damaged or swamped. Does your dealer have a clear title, not salvaged. What happened to the original motor that came with boat? You failed to mention how much they are asking for this boat. Do you have to drive back 15 hours should you have any motor problems with your 1 year warranty?

[MattVT18]

I haven't got the warranty contract yet to review but it is nationwide coverage. It could be limited in scope though which might make a buyer feel good but still be on the hook for a major repair. I've looked at many pictures of the trailer and it looks good. No idea why the motor was changed, the boat wasn't sold by the dealer selling it now, not even sure how many owners it's had. We've settled on $24k as the selling price with the warranty and gel coat repairs in that price. That's what similar age/condition boats with 2 strokes are selling for withing 2-3 hours of me. Some are even higher depending on brand. I'm leaning towards passing even though I really like the SHO for that money. The time/money to verify everything and get it here raises the price quite a bit.

[spinkick63]

24K with a 4-stroke... I would probably jump on that as well. Down here I paid 27K for mine and it had the original motor (low hours for the age though).

Good luck with it. Hope all goes well.

[JJohnSind]

Compression numbers are within tolerances, but every boat I’ve owned has been tighter than that. 540 hours wouldn’t scare me if i5 was taken care of, but keep in mind, that boat has 540 plus the hours racked up from the original motor. That much hours on a boat, if not taken care of, could show a mean of wear. My ‘07 that I sold last year had 500 original hours and was immaculate (garage stored makes a huge difference). You really have to see the boat in person to get a better feel for what shape it’s in. Pay the most attention to the transom and check the trailer for rust (those frames were known to rust from the inside out).

[MattVT18]

Spinkick - that was my main attraction. I just can't bring myself to put down a deposit without seeing it.

JJohnSind - the hours are concerning with no history on it other than the dealer printout. There wasn't any maintenance on there, just the warranty work and the free short block in 2016. I've looked at pics that made a rig look like new and when viewed in person they didn't seem to match. I believe the dealer is being honest but everyone sees things through a different lens.

Thanks again for all the responses. There have been somethings I hadn't really thought of. I made a commitment after my last boat to not put any money down until I've physically looked the boat over. I'm going to stick to that. Maybe the Bullet I'm scheduled to look at this week will be the one...

[99R93S]

That’s a very good way to go. I looked for months, but finally got the one. Heck I was looking within a 20 hour drive radius. I ended up with the perfect one, no joke, 7 miles up the road. Just be patient and trust your gut. It’s a big investment (at least for a lot of us), make sure it feels right.

[MattVT18]

That’s a very good way to go. I looked for months, but finally got the one. Heck I was looking within a 20 hour drive radius. I ended up with the perfect one, no joke, 7 miles up the road. Just be patient and trust your gut. It’s a big investment (at least for a lot of us), make sure it feels right.

Being patient is hard but I'm getting better at it. I've had a couple of boats/trucks that cost me a bundle due to rushing. I'm starting to see more boats for sale that are within my price range. Gotta keep telling myself that a boat is not a necessity and I'll be fine until the right one comes along!

[spinkick63]

I forgot to mention in previous posts to ask if it has been in salt water. I've never had a boat that has seen salt water, but I've seen a lot of videos about it.

Also, if you have never seen it, here is a YT video about how Skeeter boats are built (water test). I'm guessing by the grainy-ness of the video that is from 80s or 90s. It is only about 3 minutes long. Enjoy.

[99R93S]

Yeah maybe don’t buy the one in the video though I love the hell outa mine tho, it’s my last boat.

[MattVT18]

I forgot to mention in previous posts to ask if it has been in salt water. I've never had a boat that has seen salt water, but I've seen a lot of videos about it.

Also, if you have never seen it, here is a YT video about how Skeeter boats are built (water test). I'm guessing by the grainy-ness of the video that is from 80s or 90s. It is only about 3 minutes long. Enjoy.

Pretty neat video! My brother in law mentioned saltwater, said it was pretty common in that area to do both.

[spinkick63]

Lol 99R93S... I'm guessing that boat is about 30%!