I have just purchased my brothers 1997 Challenger 1800. He purchased the boat new and has logged less then 100 hours since. It has been in his garage since being winterized at the end of the 2006 boating season. This is an entirely new type of boat for me, as I have owned 24-28cruisers since 1993.
What should I be looking for/at before attempting to start the boat? Should I even try to start and run the engines or should the boat be taken to a Seadoo Dealer for servicing prior to doing so. The boat ran well showing no problems prior to storage in November 2006.
Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.

New Owner
Started by rlafash, Feb 07 2008 10:54 AM
1 reply to this topic
#1
Posted 07 February 2008 - 10:54 AM
#2
Posted 30 November 2014 - 01:35 AM
Wow! I'm surprised this post received no responses.
The first thing I would suggest doing would be to remove the spark plugs and turn over the engine for a few seconds to rid the cylinders of any oil build up in the lower case caused from seal seepage. This also prevents hydrolocking the motor due to oil build-up.
Next, I would perform a compression test, to ensure the top end is capable of handling the loads.
Boats that sit for awhile tend to collect debris in the fuel tank, so it would be a good idea to remove the old fuel and replace with fresh.
Check the fuel filters in the carbs. Many people who don't pay attention to this end up replacing thier top ends due to lean conditions caused by clogged filters.
Look over the oil pumps (if applicable) for leaks, and make sure the oil to the rotary valves is in good condition.
Last, check the water jackets and exhaust freze plugs for any possible ice expansion damage. This is not critical for a first out if water start up, but it definately should be done before operating the boat in water.
If all those items look good go ahead and give-er a start. I don't see any reason to give the dealer additional money for something that can be quickly accomplished @ home.
The first thing I would suggest doing would be to remove the spark plugs and turn over the engine for a few seconds to rid the cylinders of any oil build up in the lower case caused from seal seepage. This also prevents hydrolocking the motor due to oil build-up.
Next, I would perform a compression test, to ensure the top end is capable of handling the loads.
Boats that sit for awhile tend to collect debris in the fuel tank, so it would be a good idea to remove the old fuel and replace with fresh.
Check the fuel filters in the carbs. Many people who don't pay attention to this end up replacing thier top ends due to lean conditions caused by clogged filters.
Look over the oil pumps (if applicable) for leaks, and make sure the oil to the rotary valves is in good condition.
Last, check the water jackets and exhaust freze plugs for any possible ice expansion damage. This is not critical for a first out if water start up, but it definately should be done before operating the boat in water.
If all those items look good go ahead and give-er a start. I don't see any reason to give the dealer additional money for something that can be quickly accomplished @ home.
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