Chivers thunderbird mkv

 Hey guys I am almost sold on a boat. Its a chivers thunderbird mkV. The owner has it advertised for 6850, is willing to let her go for 6k.

I know the boat has a great rep so thats all good. Im just wondering if the package is worth 6k or id be paying a little too much. 

It has a pod extension, with a 1986 120hp johnson v4 vro.

Hydraulic steering.

Underfloor fuel tank

Hummingbird gps chartplotter/ fishfinder (798c si)

Canopy, clears, anchor, vests etc...

 

With the engine being so old it worries me a little.

 

 

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Brock O's picture

Posts: 3160

Date Joined: 11/01/08

 I think its a good deal at

Wed, 2016-02-03 13:54

 

I think its a good deal at 6K, good old hull giving theres no signs of rot etc.

just be sure to do a compression test as a minimum, very simple to do yourself and the owner shouldnt have any issues you doing that.

 

sandbar's picture

Posts: 704

Date Joined: 25/10/09

Yep...

Wed, 2016-02-03 14:58

 Compression test on donk. 120 psi minimum each pot should be a good donk. 

Deckie's picture

Posts: 1297

Date Joined: 03/04/09

Good solid hull. A buddy of

Wed, 2016-02-03 15:21

Good solid hull. A buddy of mine got hold of one & removed the cabin area to make it a normal runabout.
Great fishing boat with huge deck room for fishing.
As was said, make sure there is no rot in the hull, but I personally havn't heard of any of them doing it.

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Cheers & Stay safe

carnarvonite's picture

Posts: 8622

Date Joined: 24/07/07

Comfortable at rest

Wed, 2016-02-03 15:25

Not a bad hull, comfortable at rest but can be rather wet and thump a bit in chop. Had one with the sterndrive but haven't ridden in one with a pod.

Posts: 58

Date Joined: 03/09/15

 Cheers for the input. Hull

Wed, 2016-02-03 17:30

 Cheers for the input. Hull is pretty good shape. Solid all over.

So the engine doesn't strike concerns with its age? Thats my only concern really. I assume its gonna be a thirsty motor, anyone with experience on fuel usage? 

As long as it gets me out and back, and pull a biscuit in the river I will be a happy man.

Posts: 546

Date Joined: 20/02/11

Fuel

Wed, 2016-02-03 17:44

 You're right, it's gonna drink fuel like there's no tomorrow. I think late 90's is when engines improved markedly in the technology they employed. I am a big fan of those hulls though. 

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Mulie

Posts: 58

Date Joined: 03/09/15

 Any idea on what a casual

Wed, 2016-02-03 17:53

 Any idea on what a casual day on the river might consume? 30/40 litres?

Posts: 1317

Date Joined: 05/05/06

  it looks like it was an

Wed, 2016-02-03 17:44

 

 it looks like it was an inboard at some stage,

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Bend over

Posts: 58

Date Joined: 03/09/15

 Dead right mate. Has the

Wed, 2016-02-03 17:52

 Dead right mate. Has the aluminum pod extension.

chris raff's picture

Posts: 3257

Date Joined: 09/02/10

Take her for a run prior to

Wed, 2016-02-03 19:09

Take her for a run prior to purchase before you hand over your hard earnt would be my biggest tip .. and try and take someone with half a clue with you

 
Motors old but for the price if she’s been well maintained , compression is good and cranks up cold that’s a good thing . 120hp aint going to go like a rocket so see how she handles pushing that hull . 
 
Being changed to a pod ,  I’d be having a good look at the workmanship on the transom plus trim the motor out a bit and swing it up and down and check for any flex or any existing fracturing of the gel that may indicate any internal rot .. other than that a spongy floor is a give away . Back at the ramp pull the bungs and check for any excessive water . 
 
Trailer you will be able to check out driving , launching and retrieving .
 
If it all checks out , you got yourself a good buy just hang inshore until your 100% she’s going to get you home . Good luck hope to see some fish pics soon . 
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Intelligence is like a four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.”

Ashen's picture

Posts: 1042

Date Joined: 22/03/13

 I have no experience with

Thu, 2016-02-04 05:58

 I have no experience with the hull but they are quite common. However, I do have the exact same motor powering a 18.6ft Penguin Huntress and its been quite reliable.  Haven't spent a full day on my boat yet but fuel consumption seems decent for a 120hp 2 stroke.

Make sure theres a service history. I know you have a limited budget and would not like to see you having to fork out $3K+ in a few months time, to replace a dud motor that came with the boat..

My previous boat was a Voyager LTD with a Johnson 150hp v6 2 stroke and I used about 80litres for a full day of fishing out on Direction Bank. Obviously the 150hp will use more fuel than the 120hp at WOT.  Fuel usage will depend on how you drive the boat, the water conditions and the hull design.

 

If you do decide to go ahead with the purchase of the above boat, I have a service manual which I can let you borrow as needed.  2 strokes are quite simple in design and knowing the basics will save you money in service costs.  Also, when I change to a more modern motor, I'll sell you my 120hp at very good mates rates, for use as a spare or to pillage parts as required etc! 

 

Other things to consider are the included items like safety gear (epirb, flares, life jackets etc).  Might not sound like much but if the boat doesn't come with any of that, then you better budget for an extra $1k...   Welcome to the world of "Better Off Another Thousand" ownership! Lol

 

 

 

 

 

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A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!

Posts: 4561

Date Joined: 01/02/10

 Any old motor is a gamble.

Thu, 2016-02-04 07:22

 Any old motor is a gamble. Might go for another 10 years or another 10 minutes. Plenty of the omc v4's still around and in use though.

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Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

DTrain's picture

Posts: 486

Date Joined: 10/02/12

The VRO system on those

Thu, 2016-02-04 09:20

The VRO system on those engines gets a pretty bad rep. Lots of people pulled them off and went back to pre-mixing their oil in the fuel tank. Other than that they're a pretty simple and reliable engine.

Posts: 58

Date Joined: 03/09/15

 Thanks guys. Trying to

Thu, 2016-02-04 20:16

 Thanks guys. Trying to search and read upon the motor, seems there are a lot of people still using them. Not all is as bad i thought, providing inspection comes back good.

Posts: 58

Date Joined: 03/09/15

 After going round to a few

Fri, 2016-02-05 20:39

 After going round to a few reputable mechanics/dealers i am a little put of by the purchase as i dont have contingency for an upgrade if needed within the next 2years. All places didn't want to service the engine and said "its a good hull but a matter of time for the engine". Still looking....

Ashen's picture

Posts: 1042

Date Joined: 22/03/13

 Didn't want to service them

Fri, 2016-02-05 21:01

 Didn't want to service them for what reasons?  Or is it because theres less parts for them to profit from? Lol

 

This has been brought up in your past treads/topics, but a lot of members advised you to buy a small boat and take it from there, considering it'll be your first boat with a limited budget.  Theres a few good 15-16fters with decent motors for less than $8000 on gumtree.

 

Anyway, good luck mate.

 

 

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A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!

Nath79's picture

Posts: 15

Date Joined: 03/06/15

 Looks in good Nic if

Sun, 2016-02-07 11:09

 Looks in good Nic if compression pretty even on all 4 shouldn't b too bad mine are 1979 models an still go we have the old part that goes every now an then but most has been wear and tear not a failure on 2 motors in 2 or 3 years I've changed rectifier a coil  and starter motor that's out twins pretty reliable 4000 rpm a pretty sweet spot too 

Nath79's picture

Posts: 15

Date Joined: 03/06/15

 Looks in good Nic if

Sun, 2016-02-07 11:09

 Looks in good Nic if compression pretty even on all 4 shouldn't b too bad mine are 1979 models an still go we have the old part that goes every now an then but most has been wear and tear not a failure on 2 motors in 2 or 3 years I've changed rectifier a coil  and starter motor that's out twins pretty reliable 4000 rpm a pretty sweet spot too 

sandbar's picture

Posts: 704

Date Joined: 25/10/09

Had my Evinrude 120 out sunday

Mon, 2016-02-08 13:47

 And with 3 blokes, tackle boxes,esky full of beer n fish plus 20 spare litres of fuel my old swifty was cruising comfortably at 4g doin 20knots. Motor is an 84 model. Very happy but yet to top up tank for the final reading. Was out in the 40's.

Posts: 58

Date Joined: 03/09/15

 Thanks for the replies guys.

Sun, 2016-02-14 16:20

 Thanks for the replies guys. I do appreciate the advice and time. I didn't get the chivers in the end, i got a savage osprey at a much cheaper price

 

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