New member with a few questions

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liam_harrow

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First of all hello everyone, My name is Liam and I'm from Boston Ma. I was told to check out this forum by a member on THT. I'm currently looking at 2 parkers. One is a 1997 and one a 1998, both 2320's. They are both powered by 225 ox66's and both around 400 hours. The 1997 has a bracket and the 98 doesn't. The 98 had the stepdown pilot house and the 97 the cabin is the same floor height as the cockpit. Why and when (1998?)did Parker switch over to the stepdown? I would like to hear opinions on the differences between the two. I am checking both out this weekend and the 98 is getting surveyed. Here's the link to the thread I started on THT. http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-for ... -tips.html Thanks everyone!
 
Welcome aboard.

I dont know. On our 94 2320 (extended cabin or I call a 2330 plus Stainles Marine made bracket, open back and transom door) we have a step down into the cockpit and the floor opens up and made in 2 pieces and both hinged. There is a lot space under the floor. Also in front the door, there is large fish or bait tank under the cockpit deck with a thru hull pickup

I far as I tell, Parker made a lot of layout options on most of their models and never seen a complete list including pics and layout diagrams. That would be great to see the history
 
Check under each pie plate.

Fuel tank should be ok but check it the best you can,

Have fuel hoses been replaced?

Does the tilt lever POS mechanism gizmo work on the outboard bracket? That is when you raise the motor does the tilt meter display the correct setting on the dash guage?

Have the OB and bracket zincs been replaced ? There are zincs on the powerhead by the spark plugs. Have they been replaced? Check with flashlight around both thermostat housings for corrosion.
Mechanic diaphragm fuel pumps or 2 electric pumps? If former be prepared to rebuild
Buy parts from SIM Yamaha and talk with Andy

If Stainless Marine bracket then the bracket pie plate is probably leaking and Warthog replaced with a better one from Armstrong Marine. It requires making the hole larger and solved the problem forever
Bracket also has zinc and drain plug

Check all thru fittings. Some are marelon ? sp? and may need replacing with SS fittings

Check the deck for soft spots and under pie plates, gelcoat cracking. A good cockpit wax job hides most small cracks

Check cockpit drains. If brass may need replacing. Check flappers some like flappers some like ball type

Run the boat at WOT and check max rpm

Check age of bilge pump and capacity. Often they have been replaced with smaller units

Check the antenna mount and does it have a separate waterproof fitting for the wire going inside

Check the front and rear eye hooks are tight
Check all lights are working esp the front left and right lights, and top light . Has LED bulbs have been used as replacments.

Make the motor is cold before you start it

Check age of batteries

Need pics!
 
liam_harrow":3tg1xavv said:
The 98 had the stepdown pilot house and the 97 the cabin is the same floor height as the cockpit. Why and when (1998?)did Parker switch over to the stepdown?

Very interesting...I do not believe Parker ever made Sport Cabin boat without a step down. Are you sure the boat minus the step down is not a 2310 "walkaround" cuddy cabin that is mislabeled as a 2320? The 2310 has a level deck going into the helm area. The step down allows for a lower profile pilot house which Parker has advertised as more aesthetically pleasing lines and provides less wind resistance.
 
Brent":2x1jsrc4 said:
Check under each pie plate.

Fuel tank should be ok but check it the best you can,
(All of these answers are referring to the 98).Sending units look good, Bilge doesn't smell like gas.

Have fuel hoses been replaced?

Does the tilt lever POS mechanism gizmo work on the outboard bracket? That is when you raise the motor does the tilt meter display the correct setting on the dash guage?
Yes that works on the digital gauge

Have the OB and bracket zincs been replaced ? There are zincs on the powerhead by the spark plugs. Have they been replaced? Check with flashlight around both thermostat housings for corrosion.
Mechanic diaphragm fuel pumps or 2 electric pumps? If former be prepared to rebuild
Buy parts from SIM Yamaha and talk with Andy
Not sure about this either, but I will take a look with the surveyor

If Stainless Marine bracket then the bracket pie plate is probably leaking and Warthog replaced with a better one from Armstrong Marine. It requires making the hole larger and solved the problem forever
Bracket also has zinc and drain plug
I haven't looked at the one with the bracket yet. I am tomorrow

Check all thru fittings. Some are marelon ? sp? and may need replacing with SS fittings
It doesn't have a thru hull transducer, so the only ones should be the scuppers for the deck and transom, and then the raw water wash down, correct?

Check the deck for soft spots and under pie plates, gelcoat cracking. A good cockpit wax job hides most small cracks
I checked around all pie plates, they all looked good. No soft spots or cracks, and I know it hasn't been waxed.

Check cockpit drains. If brass may need replacing. Check flappers some like flappers some like ball type
The flappers are very brittle. I don't think the cockpit drains are brass, but I could be wrong.

Run the boat at WOT and check max rpm
Will do when I sea trial.

Check age of bilge pump and capacity. Often they have been replaced with smaller units
The bilge wiring and pumps look good, not sure of capacity.

Check the antenna mount and does it have a separate waterproof fitting for the wire going inside
I will have to check this.

Check the front and rear eye hooks are tight
The seemed tight when I tugged on them.
Check all lights are working esp the front left and right lights, and top light . Has LED bulbs have been used as replacments.
All lights work including the cabin lights. No leds

Make the motor is cold before you start it
I watched the motor start cold. It high idled for a normal time until the computer brought it down to a normal idle that was pretty steady.

Check age of batteries
Batteries are recent.

Need pics!
I know! I will make sure to get some good ones. Thanks!

Seems like I did the quote/response backwards.
 
warthog5":1z9cgshk said:
The '97 w/ Bracket is what you want. This is because it has a FULL transom.

The other is a Notched transom. :(

TWOBOATER":1z9cgshk said:
All things being equal, I'd get the boat with the bracket, hands-down.

If all things were equal I would for sure go with the bracket, but I don't think they are. The guy with the 98 is motivated to sell(already has another boat), and the guy with the 97 isn't at all. Also the 97 has a trailer which I don't need, and it also has a bow pulpit, which combined with the bracket would make it more expensive to slip at the marina.
 
The 97' does step down, just not to the same degree as the newer ones. I believed 98' was just like 97' but I may be wrong. The newer models step down quite a bit more than the 97', don't know when that started. As for bracket, my 97' doesn't have the bracket and I wish it did. I still like my boat but a full load of gas and a little rough water and your feet will be wet when you slow down or stop. Really wish I had the full transom, next one definitely will. Really can't go wrong though if the boat is sound and price is right.
Best of luck,
Kevin
 
Everything BRENT said, and I will echo the consensus here: FULL TRANSOM with A BRACKET: you will LOVE the extra space afforded…the step down into the cabin? No big deal…you'll bump your head once, and then not again.
Extra marina fees? Big deal, you only live once…why settle? Get the full bracket, you will not regret it.

SNG: (I was one of the THT members who directed you over here :D )
 
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