You can have boat loads of fun in this 1979 Barretta 163. The 120 HP inboard motor will pull most adults up on
water-skis and is an excellent choice for kids, wake boarding, family fishing, and tubes.
This is the second generation MerCruiser 120
which includes reverse thrust making navigation easy for novice pilots. We've completed all the major restoration work and would love to finish it, but major life changes require we spend no more time on this boat. Only about a few hours work remains to full restoration. See below for details. We've invested over $2,700. Buy-It-Nowto benefitfrom our changing circumstances. Fully restored this vessel should sell for $3,500!
TL;DR: All the major stuff has been done. What remains is mostly cosmetic. This boat can be ready for the water in a weekend. This is a great low-cost option to get out on the water having fun!
- All glass is excellent. Frames are true. Glass is clear. The pass-through hinges are in good shape and the stops line up
- The original MerCruiser engine runs well
- Carb and throttle were tuned
at the end of the 2017 season
- An exterior crack in a
coolant journal was repaired successfully
- Prop is in good shape
- Stern drive was reconditioned in 2017. New seals, gaskets, grease,
oil, coolant pump inducer, etc.
- New "fail-open" thermostat
- The hull is in good shape
- New custom-cut treated and sealed plywood deck. Ready for
installation of deck carpet in your choice of color. A common complaint
in this model was the original deck was too thin and felt flimsy. The
new replacement deck is firm and greatly improves hull rigidity
- There are no significant defects in the
hull
- The gel-coat is in good shape from the gunnels down, though it
could use a good polish!
- Transom is solid and the tow loops feel firm
- Brand new lounge seats and casting seat
- Trailer is in excellent condition
- tires have plenty of tread
- Axles greased and spin freely
- New
trailer jack
- Paint is complete
- No damage due to rust
- A fitted storage cover is included. This cover was purchased new in 2017 and unused until this season
- Many brand new, unused, accessories included
- Four Type III (ski-vest style) life jackets
- New dock and anchor lines
- New sand/mud bottom mushroom anchor, perfect for lakes throughout the Midwest
- Fire extinguisher and mounting bracket
- Hull polish/gel-coat restorer
- and more
- The interior upholstery needs selected and installed
- The stern drive hydraulic trim pump
stopped working just before putting the boat into storage last winter.
We are confident replacement of the pump motor will resolve this
issue. Since it's a MerCruiser 120 pumps are easy to find. Brand new
generics run about $130, OEM Mercury about $300. This repair takes 2-4 hours with no experience and there are plenty
articles and YouTube videos describing the procedure.
- Gel-coat has suffered sun damage in a few spots that get lots of sun.
Damage is not widespread, but some sanding and gel-coat spot treatment are warranted.
- The port stern (left rear) handrail mount is unsound. A block
of wood or some body filler behind the fiberglass will do the
trick for minimal cost.
- The dash gauges and switches work, but are unreliable. New switches for the
essential components; bilge, trim, etc, will be conveyed with the boat,
but will need to be installed. This vessel has an open cockpit, so you can follow each wire with your hand from one end all the way to the other. None of the gauges are required for
operation of the vessel, but they sure can be helpful.
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