Chivers thunderbird mkv
Submitted by clueless on Wed, 2016-02-03 13:17
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.
Image Upload:
Brock O
Posts: 3243
Date Joined: 11/01/08
I think its a good deal at
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
Posts: 704
Date Joined: 25/10/09
Yep...
Compression test on donk. 120 psi minimum each pot should be a good donk.
Deckie
Posts: 1296
Date Joined: 03/04/09
Good solid hull. A buddy of
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.
Cheers & Stay safe
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Comfortable at rest
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.
clueless
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 03/09/15
Cheers for the input. Hull
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.
Mulie
Posts: 546
Date Joined: 20/02/11
Fuel
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.
Mulie
clueless
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 03/09/15
Any idea on what a casual
Any idea on what a casual day on the river might consume? 30/40 litres?
Jim
Posts: 1336
Date Joined: 05/05/06
it looks like it was an
it looks like it was an inboard at some stage,
Bend over
clueless
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 03/09/15
Dead right mate. Has the
Dead right mate. Has the aluminum pod extension.
chris raff
Posts: 3257
Date Joined: 09/02/10
Take her for a run prior to
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
“Intelligence is like a four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.”
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
I have no experience with
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
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
dodgy
Posts: 4578
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Any old motor is a gamble.
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.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
The VRO system on those
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.
clueless
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 03/09/15
Thanks guys. Trying to
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.
clueless
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 03/09/15
After going round to a few
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
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Didn't want to service them
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.
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Nath79
Posts: 15
Date Joined: 03/06/15
Looks in good Nic if
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
Posts: 15
Date Joined: 03/06/15
Looks in good Nic if
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
Posts: 704
Date Joined: 25/10/09
Had my Evinrude 120 out sunday
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.
clueless
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 03/09/15
Thanks for the replies guys.
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
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/finally-got-new-old-boat