Can't seem to find many used OUTBOARD open bow boats ...

swearingen

Recruit
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
3
We are seeking a used recreational fiberglass outboard open bow and motor in the 18' range for freshwater water skiing and general boating but are having great difficulty locating such boats. We have used the various used boat websites we can find and also Ebay and Craigslist however even the boat-specific sites never allow searching by 'outboard only' in their Advanced Search tools, so we scroll and scroll through listings and it seems that 99% of the boats are I/O. We're also working with a marina in Ontario to help us locate one. It's as though no one is interested in these boats anymore or maybe they get scooped up immediately. Can anyone offer any advice to us on 1) how to find such a boat on the east coast and 2) why it appears there is no inventory? Thank you.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
Welcome to iboats.

Outboards fell out of favor with the manufacturers in recent years, partly due to their cost over i/o models, and many consumers are now more into fit finish and usable space. One a boat gets over 18 or 20' long, it needs more hp, and hp is cheaper with an io.

Yes, there is a shortage of these boats with outboards.

Try your searches, but ad the brand of outboard you are looking for ( Mercury, Evinrude, etc ).

Ontario is huge, as is "the east coast", where are you located?

Price range?

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-mo...eel-region/1996-wellcraft-bowrider/1068469806


http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-mo...rd/1059992160?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-mo...er/1067865225?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true




Good Luck.
 

airshot

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
4,216
I would also add that you are looking at what might be the most popular size and style of boat on the used boat market. I am in the great lakes area near Lake Erie and they are in abundance but not many are up for sale. Those that are for sale seem to be wornout and that is the reason for selling them. If I might suggest....consider an aluminum hull as there is no rotten stringers to deal with so older hulls can still be very usuable unlike glass hulls.
 

swearingen

Recruit
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
3
Thanks for your responses. Price range is around $12k but when I remove that restriction I see almost nothing anway. We are looking for 17-18' foot in Southern Ontario and Michigan. We are going to title it in Ontario but we pass through MI on the way up to our place so that's why MI is a target market too. But even doing national searches we often don't see even one boat that qualifies.

Prefer fiberglass since it's quieter if we encounter some chop which can get to about a foot.
 

thumpar

Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
6,138
What is keeping you stuck to an outboard? If you are towing toys you find the layout to be better in an I/O. Having a sundeck is a great thing especially if you have kids that like to swim.
 

JLK62

Cadet
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
22
Have you tried searching for "fish and ski"? That returns quite a few outboard bow-riders on Craig's List Atlanta.
 

henleyhale

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
136
We have quite a few of these in texas, i own one for sale and there are many others around me, but most of these boats are older in the 70s and early 80s finding one that is perfect turn key and worth 12k is not going to be an easy feat. Most of these boats are barely worth 1500 and most need a new floor stringers transom and interior, that being said, for 12k you can have one of these old jewels in your driveway with a newer used motor new interior and rebuilt floor and transom for that price.
 

henleyhale

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
136
Bayliner has reintroduced the Fiberglass OB Bow-Rider in their Element Line of boat.
New Boats start at $13K and up.

This is a much better idea than mine, just priced one out how id like it withb 60 hp and itd be in my drive way for 17k thats a no brainer if you have 17k for a boat. Its a Sharp looking thing too.
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,198
ReD some reviews thathave the element a bit underpowered But still yeah good deal
 

haulnazz15

Captain
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Mar 9, 2009
Messages
3,720
60HP on an 18' boat? No thanks. I wouldn't want it with less than 90HP at absolute minimum, but 150HP would be more useful for any watersport interests. Do you intend on using an 18' bowrider on Lake Ontario?
 

Mule Laker

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Messages
140
Welcome to iboats.

Outboards fell out of favor with the manufacturers in recent years, partly due to their cost over i/o models, and many consumers are now more into fit finish and usable space. One a boat gets over 18 or 20' long, it needs more hp, and hp is cheaper with an io.

I think it would be the opposite. Lack of usable space (and the heavy weight) is the biggest drawback with a small i/o boat. I think I'd have to get a 20' i/o to ahve the same space as our old Larson 170 o/b.
 

SkiDad

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
1,518
the 18' element XL has a 115 available but I think that's around 20K. The regular element is 16' i believe but you can up engine to the 75 horse.

what about a used Bayliner 180 with a 90 or 115 - i would think you could find one of those in your price.
 

UncleWillie

Captain
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
3,995
If you look at the Element line, they all use what is now called an "M" hull which is a reinvention of the "Tri Hull" of the past.
The largest element has the look and feel of a Tri-Hulled pontoon.
You might consider looking at OB powered Tri-Hull Pontoon boats.
I rode on a 28 foot Tri-Toon a few years ago with a 250hp OB behind it.
It could top 45mph and would have no problem pulling a skier or a tube.
It was nothing like the rental pontoon boats on the lake with the 10 hp motors you commonly see.
Today's Toons aren't like your Grandfathers Toons!
 

swearingen

Recruit
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
3
Thanks to everyone that responded. For anyone else that cares to chime in, we were hoping for open bow fiberglass with 100-150 HP outboard, willing to go back to 90s models to stay under $12k. Thanks!
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
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Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
Most boat manufacturers only have 1 outboard bow rider model in the 17-19' range compared to dozens of other models. So your looking at 5-10% of their production and are looking at the used market. While not impossible, they will be few and far between. You may need to increase your search radius to include all the great lake states and even MN
 

airshot

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
4,216
Interesting reading on here as I am quite interested in why so many boaters require such high horsepower motors. Now I am an old guy, growing up when a 25hp on a 16' Lyman was king, however in not to distant past I had an 18' with a 70 hp OB that held my family of 5 and could easily pull two skiers or tubers without a hitch. Topped out at 34 mph and my current 22' has a 140 hp that tops out at 34 as well. It is a rare day when it is calm enough to run WOT. So I guess my question is why on earth would someone want to feed a 150hp on an 18' runabout when you probably will never get the chance to use all that hp? Just curious here!
 

thumpar

Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
6,138
Interesting reading on here as I am quite interested in why so many boaters require such high horsepower motors. Now I am an old guy, growing up when a 25hp on a 16' Lyman was king, however in not to distant past I had an 18' with a 70 hp OB that held my family of 5 and could easily pull two skiers or tubers without a hitch. Topped out at 34 mph and my current 22' has a 140 hp that tops out at 34 as well. It is a rare day when it is calm enough to run WOT. So I guess my question is why on earth would someone want to feed a 150hp on an 18' runabout when you probably will never get the chance to use all that hp? Just curious here!

Mine has a 250hp and the reason is because I can. I use every bit of it when I want to eat up some fuel.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
my 19' SeaRay 190 had 220hp and that wasnt enough, even though I could hit 50mph WOT or pull skiers all day.

It all depends on what the OP wants for a boat. FYI to the OP, I sold my 2002 SR 190 for $12k 3 years ago with only 274 hours on it. no need to get a boat from the 90's to be in the 12k range.
 
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