CptAJ's Boat Search: An exploration of the Venezuelan [Cheap] powerboat market

So, after coming to you guys for advice on the Scarab (http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=577395) and getting some great feedback, I saw tpenfield's boat search thread and decided to take you guys on this adventure with me. No one around me appreciates the excitement but I know I'll find friendly ears in this place!

First, a little background. I've owned my share of boats and raced quite a few. My dad was a builder and a big player on the venezuelan racing league. He died a while back and I haven't had a boat since (I always mooched off of his rides XD) Now, I'm finally in a position to buy myself an entry level boat, so lets get to it!


The Sneaky Scarab


Big nope on this one. Check out the previous thread for reasons. Basically, that console doesn't match the hull. Something funky happened there.

Price: 7-8k$

daSilva 21': The favorite



daSilvas are great hulls. Really fast and nimble. I've driven them before and this is exactly the type of boat I want. I think most indigenous venezuelan 21' sports boats are descendents of the Challenger 21. Some are considerably modified, some are straight up copies. Most of them are top notch hulls. The industry is very serious here, don't think because they're copies that they suck. They consistently outperform the originals over the years. Think more Japanese copying and improving of technology instead of Chinese knockoffs.

The owner says the 225hp Evinrude engine is from 2000 but that's a lie. That looks at most like a 1998 engine, right? I'm not sure. That's a good thing cause I can leverage that fact to negotiate the price.

Cosmetically the boat looks great. The engine is also very neat which at least hints at good maintenance. Even the front cushion thingie is in perfect condition and, lets face it, that's the kind of thing you usually just remove and never replace once it gets broken. If it got restored then I know the guy cares about the details and is willing to spend. If it's original then I know he took good care of it. Either way, good omens!

This one is my favorite so far.

Price: 6.5-7k$

The price is right. I want to lower it a bit but its still in the lower end of the price range for these boats in Venezuela.

More to come tomorrow! Feel free to comment on these! I want to hear what you guys think about them all

Re: CptAJ's Boat Search: An exploration of the Venezuelan [Cheap] powerboat market

That Evinrude could have an older cowl on top of a newer motor.

The lower cowl would be the same for a 1998 or 2000 so the upper cowl should/could be transfered between the years.

If it is a 2000 and it IS an Evinrude then it IS a FICHT...direct fuel injected 2 stroke. Also being the big 90* V6 it was the more problematic of the first generation of the FICHT engines. By 2000 they made some improvments but most were fully solved until the 2001 model year.

It could also be a Johnson that would be a carb'd 2-stroke.

Re: CptAJ's Boat Search: An exploration of the Venezuelan [Cheap] powerboat market

Santos 21: When the saints go marching in!

Santos was a portuguese craftsman turned entrepeneur that developed one of the most respected and lasting brands of venezuelan sports boats. He was known for superbly built hulls and great attention to detail. The Santos 21 is a top notch hull that I've driven before. My last boat 6 years ago was a modified Santos 21 hull with an STV racing bracket for the motor and built with some experimental filler materials that made it light and strong (Don't really know what they were, I was too young to ask when my father built it). This santos is probably not as great as my previous one but it should still be a good performer.

The engine is in good shape. A 200hp yamaha from 2000. I'm not a Yamaha guy but they're sturdy motors and this is not a racing boat so yamaha is probably what I need.

Bonus: My brother is a stakeholder and manager in the marina where this boat is kept. I know exactly what I'm getting. No surprises here.

Re: CptAJ's Boat Search: An exploration of the Venezuelan [Cheap] powerboat market

Mercury: The Plot Twist

I've gotten a tip on a Mercury 225hp from 2002 that's just sitting in storage. The owner got a new motor and has no plans for this. It's not on the market yet and he doesn't really care either way. This could be a huge objective of opportunity, I'm going to make a super lowball offer and see how it goes.

If I can get this motor on the cheapo it would change the whole equation here. Finding an orphaned hull is trickier but CONSIDERABLY cheaper. Even building my own is not entirely off the table as I have good relations with several factory owners all over the country; but that's probably not gonna happen. Materials have been increasingly expensive to import these past few years.