1981searay amberjack 25.5 tlc.

[Great Lakes Boater]

Hi everyone. 1st post. So I have some questions about an 81' Searay Amberjack 25.5 with the 260 murcrusier I'm purchasing from a friend.

Quick overview. Friend was selling the boat and a Trailer for a deal too good to pass up even if I put some money in.
Checked her out today and she needs some cosmetic stuff such as teak restoration and a fiberglass wax. Other then that she seems sound. No mushy fiberglass and haul still has the vc17 paint on it.
Stored and winterized since fall of 2022 with wrap and weighted tarp.
Motor was run today with muffs and a water line while I watched and she ran fine through different rpm bands. Only have a few questions about it if anyone can offer advice or knowledge.

1. He said it was bogging down last time he was out, he shut it off and sat for an hr before restarting and she ran fine after (overheating?) also mentioned that he never changed the gas or added stabil to it the season prior to running that summer. I'm definitely thinking bad gas and a possible cooling issue, any info on this?

2. Do I need a specific kind of stain to do the teak? What grit paper should I use to buff and sand?

Any knowledge or info would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[oldscoolSR]

I had 40 year old teak to restore on my Express Cruiser. I started with 100 grit to get it opened up and cleaned of any buildup. Then used a 150 grit to smooth. Blow off dust well .If the wood was not coated with anything that creates a film (shellac like) which in my opinion is a travesty anyhow , then the only thing teak in decent condition needs is a decent quality 'teak oil ' stain. Just rub in with a lint free rag . In my case three separate passes with about an hour dry time in between .
My two cents about the drivetrain. There is no such thing as being too thorough when dealing with something this age. Even though my '84 260 ran very well when I first got it , I still did not consider it worthy of going out on big water without checking a lot of boxes. I rebuilt the Quadrajet and put a brand new (proper thickness) base gasket and sealer. New thermostat , distributor cap , spk plugs ,fuel filter. All because I had no maintenance history on any of it. As for gas I run nothing less than premium with no methanol content; getting harder to find. If your buddy did not you are likely looking at moisture in the fuel system. Some STP water remover and a tank of Shell V power would be money well spent.

 

[Great Lakes Boater]

Thanks for the tips! So far so good on restoration. Needs a tune up and a few wire connections cleaned. She's got two new batteries and power to all the switches, bilge, lights etc. Noticed a loose starter connection while replacing the slave solenoid. Are these motors very finicky with loose wires?