best make/model bowrider for gas mileage?

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard OBX BUM

you are in the dog days of summer. if you really want a good price on a boat, wait for fall. prices will drop significantly. regarding NADA pricing, etc. when buying used. it is ONLY a guide.

regarding a boat that gets good fuel economy - its called a sailboat. power boating is an expensive sport. generally the fuel is the cheap part.

yes, your observations are correct. Many boats from a given parent company share the same hull, some with different plugs. Also regarding the motors, the two major I/O manufactures are Mercruiser and Volvo Penta. both have used the same automotive engines. Mercury is now casting their own line of engines. Outboard Manufacturers are a bit more plentiful, however they all buy Tohatsu's for their 40hp and lower motors.

The key to a used boat is not the manufacturer, it is the care and maintenance that the boat encountered. Most low end boats are designed with a 5-10 year life expectancy, however with care will last decades.

 

[southkogs]

Dunno' what your budget is OBX, but end of season boats will be pretty reasonable outta' Knoxville as folks wind up the year.

Another consideration 'cuz you like the 'toon: 3 person personal watercraft for a go-fast tow rig. You'll wanna' look carefully at 'em depending on what kinda' tubing/skiing you do, but I've seen 'em used quite a bit and they are kinda' fun to ride on.

 

[ssobol]

...My family and I walked the entire marina that my toon is at. We looked at every bowrider there. I was hoping to see a couple for sale signs. none to be found. There are several more marinas on the lake im going to check...
http://tricities.craigslist.org/boa/4565494374.html

A fair number of marinas prohibit the posting of "For Sale" signs on boats docked in the marina. You might find a board posting the ones for sale near the office or similar place.

 

[tpenfield]

welcome aboard OBX . . . even though I am a little late to the thread . . .

My pearls of wisdom as it relates to your buying decisions . . . some of which has been touched upon.

(1) Bigger engines tend to get same or better gas mileage than smaller engines under normal operating conditions. I know that sounds counter intuitive, and certainly would for automobiles. However, boats require a substantial amount of power to move them over the water, and an engine size that is better matched to the load requirements typically does better. Smaller engines tend to be over-matched with a boat full of people, requiring full throttle and therefore will use lots of fuel. The bigger engines use more fuel in the higher throttle ranges, and you are going at speeds that the smaller engines cannot achieve.

So, a 4.3 would be nearly as fuel efficient, perhaps more than a 3.0 in a lot of cases of a small boat loaded up with 5-7 people

(2) Family of 5 . . .??? Don't forget about the friends . . . soon you will be up to near the capacity of the boat.

(3) there is no 'best' for fuel efficiency. . . they are all about the same.

(4) Condition is the key with older boats. New boats can sometimes be as problematic as old boats, (basically loose ends from the manufacturing process, quality control issues, etc).

I don't discourage people from buying new versus old . . . Somebody has to be buying the new boats, right? You just have to run the numbers versus how long you think you will own the boat to see if it works out for you. The worst scenario is someone who owns a new boat for a few years and expects to get a good amount on a trade-in or private sale. The depreciation loss in the first few years can be substantial.

(5) Fuel will probably the least expensive item of your cost of ownership. You could increase it by 25% and it probably still would be the least expensive item of your cost of ownership. Not sure what the cost of ownership of the pontoon is versus a bowrider, but many people will tell you that fuel cost is the least of their worries.

(6) Smaller bowriders tend to sell like hotcakes in the spring as folks are preparing for summer. You may not find a lot for sale now, but that should improve as summer ends.

 

[thumpar]

Boat and best fuel usages are not something that go together. For a family of 5 your will want at least an 18'. I would only want a 4.3l or bigger in a boat that size. Mine is a 20'2" and has a capacity plate of 12. It has a big beam so it doesn't get too crowded. The wide beam will help with the room. Get the biggest engine you can find in a boat you like. The fuel usage only gets crazy when you use the right hand. I can burn through 40 gallons in a day pretty easy if I tried.

 

[kjsAZ]

If I would be in your shoes I would estimate my future needs. You can keep the toon and add a smaller boat to it which can't carry all your family and guests or go with a larger new boat instead. Be aware that if you load boats to their max capacity they all get cramped and lose a lot of their oooomph too. Max capacity is yet another "issue" The person capacity is calculated on lightweight people and the weight capacity is fast reached with that too.

 

[OBX BUM]

just found a nice boat that seems to be a really good deal from nada,check this one out. http://tricities.craigslist.org/boa/4582627474.html
average retail 24+ asking 18 with 22 hrs on it. 22' 2009 monterey 194fs is this what you would consider a good deal? seems like one to me.I do agree
this is not the best time to buy, but that still doesnt mean a good deal cant come along.right? [h=2][/h]

 

[tpenfield]

With any used boat purchase, you want to understand as much as possibly about the boat's history. So, what does 22 hours in 5 years tell you? What more could be known about that? Otherwise looks OK. . . . Keep in mind that a boat's true value is what it sells for. If the boat did not sell for $24k, then it is not worth $24k.

 

[LippCJ7]

Not the best time to buy? I may disagree with that, in fact I think you are coming into the best time to buy, the end of the season is coming and people are thinking about storing for the coming winter, you still have time to enjoy the boat.

You could do a lot worse then to buy now.

 

[southkogs]

Not the best time to buy? I may disagree with that, in fact I think you are coming into the best time to buy, the end of the season is coming and people are thinking about storing for the coming winter ...

Our season runs a little longer than yours I think Lipp. Prices in Knoxville/Tri-Cities will still be more toward "premium" for a month or so. End of September is when they are really in the "priced to move" category. Most folks there can still water-ski in Mid-October, and you could leave your boat in all year long.

That said - I agree: no reason a deal can't come along now. Boat looks good and ad sounds okay. I agree with Bruce: she seems under used and I'd like to know why. But, if everything checks out it should be a nice boat.

 

[Cptkid570]

I have the answer: Take the 70hp off of the pontoon and find a 16 or 17' boat that needs an outboard motor. Stick the 70hp engine on the 17' boat.. then get an economical 40hp for your pontoon (it isn't going anywhere fast anyway). Then you are all set.. you have your ski boat, and your pontoon just got efficient!

 

[slag]

To answer your first question, none. No boats are "fuel efficient", especially if you plan on doing water sports. If fuel cost is an issue for you, then you should find another family activity. On the list of costs involved with boating, fuel isn't even at the top of the list for many boaters.

For a family of 5 I would suggest a boat no smaller than 21'.
Would you buy a 20 year old car? I wouldn't and I wouldn't buy a 20 year old boat either, but that is just me. Some like older boats and don't want to pay the premium for a newer one. I prefer the newer styles, engine technology, and amenities that come with a newer boat.

Family of 5 here. We have had a 18.5 foot regal 25 year old boat for many years. It's been a wonderful boat, fun to use, "economic" 3.0 liter engine, and plenty of room. We just bought a 20 foot boat and it is going to seem huge. When you get into the 21-24 foot range of boats, you really need to think more about your tow vehicle and if its up to the task. Not just pulling it down the highway, but launching and retrieving as well. Doesn't make sense for many of us not in a southern state to spend 20-30k on a boat we can use only 3-4 months out of a year.