New (to me) boat! need some help

b33nine · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 311 City: Salem-ish

So, in a completely un-expected turn of events, I am the proud new caregiver for a 2005 X-Star. My Dad decided it was time to get back into the boating game and found a pretty good deal in Northern California on a bank repo boat and decided he needed to have it. It being a repo, it obviously needs some TLC. All the stereo equipment from the boat is gone, the ballast pumps currently won't empty the ballasts (dealer thinks its just bad impellers) and there a some minor scuffs and dings here and there. Other than that, it seems to be a great boat especially for the price he wound up paying for it.

I've got some questions that I'd love to get answered from anyone that knows.

there are 6 holes where speakers used to be inside the boat. My *guess* is that they're the 6.5" diameter variety, but I'm not certain. We'd like to get speakers to at least fill the holes, but I'm pretty far out of my league when it comes to stereo stuff. I need to find a nice/affordable stereo deck for it as well.

The Tower seems a bit wobbly and there doesn't appear to be any bracing on the under-side of the forward tower mounts. Is it missing some bracing or did MC figure the fiberglass was good enough to support it? In any case I think we'll try and do some kind of extra bracing but if there is a factory option then I'd prefer to order those parts.

Here's a crappy phone pic of the boat for now, I can provide photos for reference to the questions if needed.

b33nine · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 311 City: Salem-ish

also:

Suprahunter · Soul Rider Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 486 City: Lowell

Check the MC team forum you might get a deal on stock speakers and equipment with someone upgrading their system. The MC towers are wobbly there is a corner brace kit that will help. Check with your MC dealer and bring lots of money.

STANG KILLA SS · Posted: Mar 14, 2010 7:54 am Post subject:

nice!

LS1_SE7EN · Criminal Joined: 17 Jul 2009 Posts: 92 City: Chattanooga

The polk DB651s are cheap and I got 3 pair at the end of last season for $90. I think they typically run about $50-60 a pair though. If you are patient and look you can find a good deal.

K-dub · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 14760

someone correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't MC add a plate inside the fiberglass layup for the tower support where the tower feet will mount?

Pretty sure they do from what I remember. Would be my guess as to why you dont see a plate on the underside of deck under the tower feet.

And +1 on the tower corner brace kit. Should firm it up nicely.

Chattwake · Posted: Mar 14, 2010 1:47 pm Post subject:

For your mc parts call my friend Ryan Jones at American boat center in Knoxville 865-777-2628. Tell him you know Tom from chattwake and he'll hook you up.

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

Congrats on the new boat. You might look into the Kicker speaker line, as well. Either those or the Polks seem to get pretty good thumb up's from folks that own them and they won't break the bank.

LoudonTN · Posted: Mar 15, 2010 6:49 pm Post subject:

b33nine · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 311 City: Salem-ish

well, apparently they don't make the corner brace kit for the 05 towers. There is a metal support glassed into the underside of the boat so that's good piece of mind. I walked through the boat again today and am very anxious to get it on the water. A buddy of mine is trying to convince me to go out this weekend and drysuit it, but I don't know if I'm that brave.

We're taking the prop to get re-shaped or whatever its called this week and then it's just going to be a process of doing what needs to be done and deciding what we *want* to do.

The boat has holes for speakers as well as tweeters. I'm thinking maybe some wetsounds stuff but am at a loss for what to do with the tweeter holes if I go that route. Suggestions?

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

LED's?

Chattwake · Posted: Mar 16, 2010 4:23 am Post subject:

Post a pic of said holes.

jjaszkow · Posted: Mar 16, 2010 5:13 am Post subject:

Without seeing the holes, it's tough to come up with the perfect solution.

The best solution is probably installing component speakers again to fill the holes with the new tweeters. Barring that, I would spray-dye some plugs to match the vinyl (or other surrounding material) and insert them into the holes. http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/3693/=68q18f has a pretty good selection.

Chattwake · Posted: Mar 16, 2010 5:21 am Post subject:

You could just get some cool looking billet circles and, using contact cement, place them over the holes.

The cheapest fix would be for me to send you some round Chattwake.com stickers and you could just put those over the holes. Laughing

Wait, I've got it! Install a kegerator in the bilge and run taps through the holes!

Suprahunter · Soul Rider Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 486 City: Lowell

Cant you just put the tweeters in to fill the holes even if they are non functioning they will look like they should be there.

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

I'm likin the kegerator idea.

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

b33nine, how did your Dad find the repo?

b33nine · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 311 City: Salem-ish

He's a licensed dealer so can go to the bank auctions. He actually deals in cars and motorcycles/quads etc. mostly but all that stuff gets lumped together so he checks out auctions all the time on that stuff.

He actually got this one off of craigslist though, from a couple of guys in California that do the same thing. He almost bought the same boat but one that was in a bit nicer condition earlier last week at the auction and afterwards decided to call on a few postings on craigslist.

I will log into his account and look at the post-sale stuff when the boat auctions roll around. It's kind of crushing to see nice V-drives bringing sub 20k.

(I rode behind a 95 prostar 190 for about 12 years so that's why it was crushing Mr. Green

)

Grit dog · Newbie Joined: 18 Nov 2009 Posts: 18

He got the boat for less than $20k???? Wow, thats a steal unless it's all messed up. How many hrs, what engine?
You said it's only got some minor scratches and dings, so the biggest problem is a missing stereo?
Speaker holes are probably for JL 7.7" component speakers. Very good speakers, can get them for about $260/pr on fleabay. May be some less expensive component spkrs that would fit though.

That's still a hell of a deal if it's in good shape!

Wakeboarder3780 · Posted: Apr 03, 2010 11:31 am Post subject:

firstly:

b33nine · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 311 City: Salem-ish

quick update,

Grit dog, no, this one wasn't in the 20's. I was referencing when I'd log onto the auction site to see post sales results and see lots of V-drives selling in the 20's and lower. Mostly moombas, centurions, supremes and/or older v-drives. Seems like you could find a nice moomba for cheap if that's what you were after. My dad wanted a mastercraft though as that's all he's ever had and knows that he can trust the brand (and the resale value lol)

It's in relatively good shape all things considered. We've fixed the alternator and the starter so far and it's been running well since then. In both cases we had them re-built instead of buying new ones so that saved a bit of money. It has about 145 hours and the 8.1 engine.

Wakeboarder3780, uhhhh, not likely? haha. Problem with buying boats from an auction is that you'd have to trust a proxy to look at the boat and decide it was worth whatever it is you were willing to front. You also don't get a chance to test drive it or anything so you could be walking into a boat with major problems. If that were the case, it'd be tough luck for you which would royally suck. Also, I just don't think my dad would really have any interest in doing it either. He's helped out a couple of friends here and there and it's a really thankless thing. If something is wrong with a vehicle, it's automatically his fault in their eyes, so he just doesn't deal with it anymore.

Stereo is being installed right now. My dad had a buddy who's into all that stuff and just ended up giving him a budget and having him do his thing. I'm excited to see how that turns out.

I ordered the pieces to plumb in 4 extra 350lb fat sacs. Hoping the stereo is done early next week and I can plumb in my ballast later in the week. I ran it with 3 extra bags 3/4 full and it was really nice so getting it all plumbed in and actually full is going to be great.

Probably in a couple weeks we're going to be having a vinyl wrap installed. I've been working on the design in my spare time for the last month or so and it's getting close to finished. We have a local connection that is going to give us a really nice price on it so we decided it'd be a great way to cover up some of the flaws and make it really unique at the same time.

Hopefully in a month or so she's all done for awhile. We've had some really crappy weather lately so right now is a great time to get all this stuff taken care of.

Once she's done I'll definitely post some pics (as long as the vinyl wrap turns out as expected haha)