[garrywh]

Hi All,I think I'm being hooked into this boating thing :-)I've finally come to the decision that I would like to buy a boat. It will be my first boat.I have decided to go for a used one for the time being and am looking to spend anywhere from $5000 - $6000. I know this is a small amount for a boat, but I'll probably use it a dozen times a year to pull the kids on the tow rope, water ski, and do some casual fishing. If I like boating, I'll upgrade to something nicer.I''m only using it on smallish type lakes in Eastern Ontario, no salt water.There will be five of us in the boat, two adults and 3 kids I'm a completely novice when it comes to this stuff. I can hardly tell the diff between a $5000 Bowrider or a $10000 one. I hear size and age make the big difference. So, can anyone here give me any advice or point me to some good threads here that I can research?Any advice on name brands on both boat and motor I should stick with, ones I should avoid?What are the tell tale signs of a lemon? Of a gem?How can I tell if the motor is good? Cloudy/Gritty oil = BAD! right?Out of the following boats, which one(s) would you recommend? http://tinyurl.com/qd4uo Thanks Guys, much appreciated and look forward to your replies.

[JB]

Spend a day or two at a local launch ramp, Garry.Get the owners of boats that appeal to you to tell you about them. That shouldn't be hard. Just remember that they will all tell you that their boat is the only one worth considering, so take that part with a grain of salt.You should come away with a much better picture of what you want and what it will cost you.

[studlymandingo]

Welcome to iboats.For the price range you are talking about, you should be able to find a decent selection of used boats. However, they will be older, so there are of course several things to look out for.Ultimately, when you have narrowed your decision down and feel you are ready to make a purchase, you may want to have a marine surveyor inspect the boat. It will cost a couple of hundred but if you have no experience with boats, it could save you thousands.A marine mechanic may charge you very little to do a mechanical inspection on the boat, and this will be a good idea.To carry 5 people and pull a skiier or tuber, you will want something with some horsepower. At least a 115 would be my pick on a 17'+ boat. Because you state you'll be operating in smallish lakes, you could go for a tri-hull which is very stable, but pounds in rough water. A vee-hull is made to go through rougher waters, but it handles differently.Things on the hull to check: 1. The transom. This is the very back of the hull where the motor attaches; poke it, tug on the motor some, if you see any cracks or soft spots, you could have a problem. The transom can be replaced, but it is quite a task for the beginner. 2. Floors. Poke and prod about thoroughly; soft spots indicate rotten wood, if it is on the deck, then chances are it could be in the stringers underneath (the stringers are the "frame" of the hull). Again this is repairable, but it is a MAJOR undertaking. 3. Bottom of the hull. Get under the boat and look all around, check closely for gouges or cracks, these let water in and cause structural damage. In addition, taking on water is how boats sink! Once the hull has passed a visual, ask to run the motor on muffs or in the water; which ever the case may be. You want to hear that the motor starts easily, and idles smoothly. A compression check of the cylinders is a good indication of the state of the motor. Check the steering, make sure it turns easily from stop-to-stop. Make sure the trim/tilt motor works properly. You should have a working tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and a water pressure gauge is a good idea as well. A bilge pump is a good idea, but you can add one of these easily if there happens not to be a working unit on the boat. Once a prospective boat passes these tests, a test-drive is in order. Make sure the boat accelerates and gets on plane quickly, listen to the motor. It should run smoothly without skipping. Trim the motor out, the boat will become easier to steer when it is properly trimmed. Make sure the boat handles well.Cosmetically, not too much of that matters. You can buff out oxidized gel-coat and make it look beautiful.Once you have settled on a boat, outfit the family in approved life-jackets, make sure you have a working fire extinguisher within easy reach, take a boating safety course, and then go out and enjoy the water!!!I'm sure you will be hooked on boating after a few fun trips on your new boat. Beware, you will probably want a bigger faster boat before you know it. Stay in touch with the forum, there is tons of great information here, everyone loves pictures, so keep us posted on your new boat purchase!!!!!!!

[KCook]

You've gotten great advice above garrywh. And that's a bunch of neat boats on your Boat Trader site. One of the first decisions you may want to make is outboard or I/O. They have different advantages, and both have their fans. Here are some more threads that may help - How old of a boat is too old? InBoard vs OutBoard? Kelly Cook

[waterinthefuel]

Garrywh, welcome to Iboats! Don't hesitate to ask any question you want to, if non boating related, there is even a forum for that right here on Iboats. Some good guys in here. We all love boating and want to help the fellow boater as much as we can.

[deejaycee_2000]

On the list of the boats you are looking at, there is 2 deal I'll concider: the 1989 Bayliner Capri 1700 and the 1990 Peterborough Bowrider - Wakeboard

[tashasdaddy]

i grew up with a 18' bowrider, 115hp johnson. theres plenty of room, as the kids are going to want to take friends, plenty of power for towing toys. i perfer the outboard, as you don't have and engine taking up valuable floor space in the boat. most outboards are much easier to maintain, as you don't have to pull the outdrive every yaer for service of the gimbal bearing, bellows, alignment. out boards are also much easiler to winterize, as you are in a cold climate. Good luck.

[garrywh]

Thanks for all the advice folks. Definately appreciated.I spent quite a few hours going through various threads. There's gold in these here hills :-)That "How old of a boat is too old?" thread was definately a BIG help, and studlymanfingo, definately appreciate the time you put into your replySo, I'm getting pics in from the various sellers, and I'll prolly be taking some out on the weekend to test.One of the sellers mails this to me..."The engine has just 5 hours operation since the rebuild. The engine received new pistons, rings and connecting rods in November. Compression is now full. The interior seating was done professionally during the winter too. I did the carpet myself and then realized that IÂ’m not a carpet installer." Should I be concerned with the engine rebuild? Is this normal procedure after 15 years? This is a 1989 Capri 1700 Bayliner...Thanks again all!

[tashasdaddy]

be aware that vintage Bayliner, there are lots of post about floor, stringer, and transom rot and replacement. i'm sure there are good ones out there, just a heads up.

[studlymandingo]

The engine rebuild is a good thing. Mechanical things wear, and from what your quote said, the engine was worn (the compression thing I mentioned earlier); and it was time for a rebuild. Ask him to produce the maintainence records for the rebuild. I would like the fact that the motor was just rebuilt. Bear in mind that many of the older Bayliners have OMC outdrives on them. They were a great drive, but they are no longer in production, so you will want to see if there is a shop in the area that will work on them. The thing that would concern me with that particular boat is the stringer system as tashasdaddy mentioned. Ask the seller about the stringers and floor, see what he has to say.Keep us posted, and when you make the decision to purchase, post some pics!

[OLDSPUD]

I think Sea Ray may be a step up from any Bayliner, in fact I just bought a 19' 3.0 ltr open bow for under 10K. Kindof a special deal, but there is always a deal to be found. The seller was in a touch of financial trouble.When bad $$ things happen to people, usually things like boats are first to go. Actually quite easy to find deals, just be patient, they are out there.One thing for sure, you usually get what you pay for, Bayliners are bottom line boats for a reason.Spud

[KCook]

Bayliner bashing is the all time favorite sport here at iboats. Just a tiny sampling - Are Bayliners really that bad??? What's Up With All the Bayliner Bashing?? Kelly

[tommays]

I would be looking for the rare boat that was garage stored or otherwise kept dry when not in use as POOR storage causes about 98% of the rot problemsThe drive system Outboard or I/O you need to have it checked buy a Pro in most cases if it has BIG problems it may well cost more than the boat is worth to replace or repiartommays

[OLDSPUD]

had a 21 foot Bayliner for a month, worst riding boat I have driven.If you want an affordable boat to go fishing in but will beat the hell out you, get one.Again you get what you pay for, Bayliners are one of the least expensive boats out there.do the math