Young and Dumb

rlb2252

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
110
What is your boat buying age limit? Ten years old? Thirty?

Do you have a finite cut off point? Are you suspicious of a boat?s instruments or wiring or mechanicals beyond a certain age? Or that the boat structurally is too suspect?

In aviation, most of the private plane fleet routinely exceeds an age of twenty and twenty five years old.

Do you like your boats like you like your women? Or men?.?
 

Frank Acampora

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
12,004
Re: Young and Dumb

I would not even consider a newer boat--they just don't have the classy looks of boats from the 70s and earlier. I automatically assume that any boat I buy will need to be rewired. Structurally? Fiberglass is plastic. All but the worst damage can be repaired as good as or even better than new. It's just a question of how much time and money you want to throw at it.

The only damage that would put me off is if the gel coat was worn off or UV damaged so that the substrate fiberglass was weakened by UV. But I have a boat of unknown age that I put new stringers, floor, transom, steering, seats, instruments, etc. Lot of work but the old lady has (to me) beautiful lines and was worth saving. Previous owner used her as a bumper boat and the bow was shattered and poorly rebuilt so I did that properly too. Eventually I intend giving her a classy three color gel coating. My newest boat is an 88, but I had to settle for her. LOL. Actually, she has a nice, low cuddy, and an agressive look that I like.
 

109jb

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
1,590
Re: Young and Dumb

Age doesn't matter to me at all. What does is condition and appeal. The only exception is in the engine. I don't even care there except for parts availability.
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Young and Dumb

My boat is 29 years old so no, age doesn't matter to me although I bought it knowing right out of the gate I was going to rebuild it.

Getting a boat that old and expecting everything to be perfect is kinda silly.

Just do your home work and know exactly what you are getting into.
 

jay_merrill

Vice Admiral
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
5,653
Re: Young and Dumb

I'm open on boats - if the price is right and I like the boat, I'll consider most.

I definately have a cutoff on outboards. If the dang thing was made after 1980, I don't want it! ;)
 

Bait Me

Cadet
Joined
Jul 30, 2009
Messages
24
Re: Young and Dumb

If it gets me from point A (the dock) to point B (my favorite fishing spot), it's a good enough boat for me.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Young and Dumb

I never figure and value for guages, and accessories, whether new or old. the boat has to appeal to me, and have a multi-purpose use.
 

26aftcab454

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
1,510
Re: Young and Dumb

I have a really sweet 1957 (52years old) Lonestar Eldorado -all aluminum weighs 780lbs bare hull-with a factory hard top and transom bracket. in 1994 I installed a brand new 115hp Evinrude that starts every time. It runs a little over 40mph.
I would rather have it than any late model generic open bow runabout . true they ride better/drier/maybe faster/ what ever.
 

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Young and Dumb

Being a salt-water boater, my reservation about older (15+) boats is the condition of all electrical components. I would budget into the purchase price a complete re-wire even if all works fine at the moment. I avoid as much "hard-wired" gear as possible--cabin lights, stereos, etc. Just give me a bilge pump and a fuel guage and I'm OK. I carry battery-powered running lights on my old boats even if the hard-wired ones worked "last time I checked."
 

eli_lilly

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
435
Re: Young and Dumb

I don't think it's so much how old a boat is, it's that the manufacturers seem to have had their good and bad periods.

-E
 

Tahoe 55

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
226
Re: Young and Dumb

My answer is 0. I'm a little different from the majority on here. I would never want to buy a used boat. I've bought plenty of used things before and it always turns out to be "buying someone else's problems". I want brand new so I know how it's been treated from the first hour of use and a good dealer to handle warranty work. Don't get me wrong, I do all my own maintenance and repairs (except for warranty work, but I'm involved in that too).

I know all the arguments for buying used, but that doesn't out weigh the benefits and experience of buying new to me. I'm glad so many people like to buy used so I can trade up for another new one.
 

lowell7963

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 18, 2009
Messages
48
Re: Young and Dumb

If it gets me from point A (the dock) to point B (my favorite fishing spot), it's a good enough boat for me.

What about point B back to point A?:)

As a newbie the used boat is perfect, can't even see the dings:D I put on it from the old ones. However, the motor, I'd like to have a new one with a warranty.
 

hazwild

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
131
Re: Young and Dumb

i like to be under 5 years old just makes me fell better.just my 2 cents .You get what u pay for
 

cwhite6

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
348
Re: Young and Dumb

My answer is 0. I'm a little different from the majority on here. I would never want to buy a used boat. I've bought plenty of used things before and it always turns out to be "buying someone else's problems". I want brand new so I know how it's been treated from the first hour of use and a good dealer to handle warranty work. Don't get me wrong, I do all my own maintenance and repairs (except for warranty work, but I'm involved in that too).

I know all the arguments for buying used, but that doesn't out weigh the benefits and experience of buying new to me. I'm glad so many people like to buy used so I can trade up for another new one.

I agree with this. The last thing I want to do is buy something I want to use for enjoyment on the weekend and have to spend all week fixing it. But, I think it is wonderful that folks like working on and fixing their boats. I am just not comfortable working on boats and would prefer to ride in them.
 

26aftcab454

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
1,510
Re: Young and Dumb

The last thing I want to do is buy something I want to use for enjoyment on the weekend and have to spend all week fixing it. I am just not comfortable working on boats and would prefer to ride in them.[/QUOTE]

I agree that I would rather ride in them than work on the boats...in the past 20years I have been towed in once for running out of gas and once with a control box issue...this past Saturday at the sandbar I frequent was a very nice new 24ftCrownline that they could not get to start for about 20 minutes. I waded over and asked them if the killswitch was pulled or the boat in neutral?- Started 1st crank!
and yes it has happened to me before but my SlingBlade like mechanical skills saved me.:cool:
 

cwhite6

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
348
Re: Young and Dumb

and yes it has happened to me before but my SlingBlade like mechanical skills saved me.:cool:[/QUOTE said:
What you aim to do with that lawn mower blade Billybob?
 

Friscoboater

Captain
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Messages
3,095
Re: Young and Dumb

I love to work on my boat, and I have the means to do so. I think half the fun is working on it. But that is me. My boat is almost 30 and people break their neck to see what it is. I say it's just an old Glastron.
 
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