I have been looking at a 1988 Winchester 26 ft cc, with twin 1988 175 Johnsons. This boat has been trailered and used very little, no bottom paint, hull in very good shape just faded. Hull is all fiberglass. The engines have 152 original hours each. The boat is not really for sale, its just sitting there, under some trees. Original owner was heavily involved in boat racing in early 80s, bought all of this separate and put it together. From my little bit of research, Winchester was a company in Princeville NC founded by an ex Grady White employee that knew boats, but not good at running a business. Questions: Anyone heard of or have experience with Winchester Boats? and more importantly, just how big of a gas pig will these twin 175s be? I would hope they would average 1 MPG at cruise speed. Trailer is home built and looks like something you would take into battle. Whole rig with gas is 6700 lbs. Any other input?
Being from eastern NC I saw lots of them while growing up. They have lots of wood in them so you need to be careful of floor, transom and stringer rot. If it was stored outside and un-covered, I’d be very cautious.
It will still have fiberglass encapsulated wood stringers and more than likely a wood transom which consists of layers of wood laminate glassed over…that’s how boats of that era were built. I remember driving by their old facility and can tell you that they were not a high-tech operation, so I’m certain they did not use the composite stringer systems and transoms found in many boats built these days.
If there are any weep holes that were drilled after the boat was glassed, areas where the resin does not fully encapsulate the wood or cracks in the floor, that is where the soft spots and rot will begin. Water will find those spots…especially near the stern of the boat.
If you are truly interested in the boat, have someone take a good look at it, run a moisture meter over it and use a nylon hammer to tap all over the hull, stringers and floor.
I’m not saying it’s a problem boat because I have not seen it. In their day Winchester boats were affordable, strong and handled rough water rather well. Just be careful because you don’t want to end up with a “white elephant” in your yard.
Also, if the transom has issues, would drilling a small hole tell the tale? The wood would look wet. I doubt the guy will let me swiss cheese his boat, but maybe one hole. The boat needs a basic refurbishing anyhow. I plan to drop off a card, and hope that he wakes up one day and just wants it to disappear.
Also, if the transom has issues, would drilling a small hole tell the tale? The wood would look wet. I doubt the guy will let me swiss cheese his boat, but maybe one hole.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>The boat probably already has at least one hole. Most boats have lots of holes. And if there are any holes (for drains or pumps or attachments) then why drill a new hole. Just remove the fitting that already is drilled through the transom and give a poke at the edges of the hole. If it’s rock solid, then replace the fitting (with a new fitting as a gesture of being a good guy) and make sure you seal it back with 5200.
If the transom has damage it will be worse at an existing hole.
