Decision on buying 18' Mariner

[OFFDUTY5]

New to forum and I need a little help on decision......looking at a 1988 18' mariner..... 50 hp ( 1989 )mercury..... boat has no dents...but all in all decent shape.... floors a bit soft so I think about two years left.... trailer newer.... both are mechanically sound.... need to know what some of you would pay for this boat...ball park figure.... thanks

 

[GA_Boater]

What's the asking price and pics or link to an ad?

 

[OFFDUTY5]

Asking $ 3400.00

 

[jbcurt00]

A getting soft deck (floor), IMO, may not have 2yrs left, and no way to determine that anyway. At least not accurately..

W no pix, and no ad link, I dont think it sounds like a 3400 rig to me, esp not w an overly underrated 50hp.

Its probably rated for a 125-140hp, maybe even rathed for a 150.

 

[shaw520]

By the time the deck begins to get soft, in most cases the under-structure is already rotten,...boats tend to rot from the bottom up.
Sounds over-priced for what you've described.

 

[jbcurt00]

Shaw, its an aluminum boat, so little (likely none) wooden structure below decks, except the deck itself.

Waterlogged foam, yep, thats nearly 100% likely.

 

[SeaDooSam]

Sounds like an awful lot to me! Sounds like the floor needs to be redone and that motor is very small for an 18 footer. Sounds like a good deal at 1000-1500 if that IMO

 

[laurentide]

Since it needs to be gutted, rebuilt, and repowered, I'd offer $1000. You can sell the 50hp to fund a 70+HP. I'd say 60hp is the absolute minimum on an 18'er. A 50 will struggle to put it on plane with any weight in the boat. I have a 70 on mine and it's adequate, definitely not fast (low 20's at 4000 RPM).

 

[Watermann]

Way over priced but in some areas of the country AL boats go for a premium. All I can say is around the PNW where these boats command a huge price that one is over priced by at least $2000. A soft deck means the transom is soft too making the boat a complete rebuild. The 50 HP motor is less than half of what that boat really needs, I have a 140 for my 18'r. Top dollar in my area is 1500.