I Need A Boat

Timlake

Recruit
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
2
hello i am looking at a first boat. two i am looking at is a 1997 cabio 186 sport 4.3l v6or a 1997 sylvan v178 3.0l 4cy. I am not sure what to look for on these as potential problems...
i am on a small lake with just need to cruise and pull the kids on a tube every once in a while.

both appear to be well maintained to someone that dors not have any idea what to look for...lol..interiors great shape all electronics work..motors start, run to temp and fire back up..the sylan comes with Bimini top...cabio $3500...sylvan 4000

any thoughts on these boats?
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,201
but read the buyers checklist.... All things equal in condition go with the 4.3



Welcome to the forum.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,309
welcome aboard. read the buyers check list.
 

89retta

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
772
Do not go with the 3.0 you will be disappointed. I see so many people wanting more power and wishing they would've bought a boat with a bigger motor.
 

wrvond

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
597
They're both the same age. The Sylvan is a smaller lighter boat with a smaller lighter engine. Which is fine for a small lake pulling kids on the tube. It will go plenty fast enough to make it exciting for them. On hot, sunny days, you'll appreciate that bimini top - as long as it has plenty of life left.
What's a Cabio? I don't think I've ever heard of that one. Got pics?
 

Starcraft5834

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,677
buy the boat in better condition..... if body of water you are going out in is not big.. ie- like really big lakes subject to big waves... if so, the larger the boat the better... you can go plenty fast enough with a 3.0
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
How big is your small lake? 500 acres, 2000 acres, 10,000 acres?
 

Timlake

Recruit
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
2
First thanks for helping me with the post and the feedback. You folks are awesome will keep using this forum...

I think I am going with the sylvan. the cabio looks sound but the manufacturer only makes fishing boats now. Iam on lake Shafer in indiana, it is the tippecanoe river dammed off. 2.5 miles surface area. I like the v6 but it is hours away and needs things like radio..thanks again
 

mickyryan

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
4,210
well I prefer the 3.0 because I just like the whole sipping gas aspect and cruising and its a industrial engine so I think its a wee bit beafier then a engine produced originally for a mini van :)
 

savetexomabeaches

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Messages
420
I have a 3.0 and it gets up to 40mph.. I found cruising around 25 is a fast enough speed for me and I dont use much gas
 

mr 88

Commander
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
2,115
Yea what he said

You could have a 454 in the same size boat as a 3.0 and get the same mpg if cruising at the same speed. This is if the engines have the same design heads , fuel delivery and weight was added so the 3.0 boat wasn't lighter. Also in theory a 3.0 will have more wear on the cylinders vs the 4.3 because of the constant load put on 4 vs 6 pistons . The 4.3 is a much smoother engine and just as reliable as any 3.0. Bigger is always better on water even more so in the 17-21 ' class of boats. Put 6 in a 17' and the same amount in a 21' there is no comparison for overall comfort in seating and the ride itself.
 

savetexomabeaches

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Messages
420
At 3k RPMS -- the 3.0 uses 4.8 gallons an hour, the 4.3 uses 6.1 gph, 5.0 uses 8.1 gph, 5.7 uses 8.7 gph, and the 454 uses 12.5 gph...
 

airshot

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
4,222
Please let me make it more simple....glass boat is heavier leading to a better ride but more fuel consumption, glass boats have issues with rot in stringers and very expensive to repair. Also need a heavier duty tow vehicle. Now aluminum boats are much lighter and easier to tow and require less HP to move them along. No wood rot issues in alum but they do ride rougher in the chop. Alum hull will be far less maintenance than glass and will probably hold resale value longer due to no inside rotting of hull. Just look back around 1980 or so...how many glass boats are out there in good condition? How many aluminum hull boats are out there in good condition? Now bottom line is how will you use your boat? Rough water and high performance then a good glasser is the way to go, for economy, less maintenance, and more leisurely cruising and fishing then the alum is the way to.
 

R055

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
579
At 3k RPMS -- the 3.0 uses 4.8 gallons an hour, the 4.3 uses 6.1 gph, 5.0 uses 8.1 gph, 5.7 uses 8.7 gph, and the 454 uses 12.5 gph...

That may be true but when pushing a heavy boat, you'll be running around 3.5k rpms with the 4 cylinder vs about 2.8k rpms on the 6 cylinder to go the same speed. Imagine riding up a steep Hill on a civic vs a v6 sedan.
 

mr 88

Commander
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
2,115
At 3k RPMS -- the 3.0 uses 4.8 gallons an hour, the 4.3 uses 6.1 gph, 5.0 uses 8.1 gph, 5.7 uses 8.7 gph, and the 454 uses 12.5 gph...

Not on identical boats with the same gear ratio and out drives. It take X amount of fuel to produce Y amount of hp. It takes same amount of HP to move the boat at whatever speed regardless of engine displacement. The bigger engine will go a lot faster and that's where the fuel consumption comes into play,heavy right hand and bigger boats 99% of the time. Dont know where you got those figures from but I will bet it wasn't on identical boats ,going the same speed.... Aluminum boats are lighter and all thing being equal will get better mileage and usually not take the waves as well as a glass boat.
 

mr 88

Commander
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
2,115
At 3k RPMS -- the 3.0 uses 4.8 gallons an hour, the 4.3 uses 6.1 gph, 5.0 uses 8.1 gph, 5.7 uses 8.7 gph, and the 454 uses 12.5 gph...

And if you were using those figures the 3.0 would be doing 20 mph,the 4.3 -26 mph the 5.0 -33 mph the 5.7 35mph and the 454 45mph. So to get to your destination you would be using those figures the gas ratio is pretty much the same.
 
Top