First time Boat buyer

ormjgrouch

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
144
Hello, everyone. I've always wanted to purchase a boat but never got myself to pull the plunge. Now that i have 2 boys (1 yr and 3yrs old) I know they would love it and i want to go out and go fishing.

I've been looking around waiting for the right one, being a motorcyle rider i know it's better to purchase during the offseason. There is one out here in N. VA that i just looked at. The owner is willing to go down to 1500, He has the title for the boat buy only has a registration card for the trailer, both titled/registered in NY. Will this be a problem?

Also let me know what you guys think of the boat. I just want a relatively cheap boat for now for now so i can learn the ropes. here is what the ad states,

"For sale is a 1989 18ft Stingray open bow boat with trailer. I have titles for both. Seats 8 people. It runs excellent. start it up and go! The motor was rebuilt in 2005. Newer battery and trailer wheels/tires. Comes with various ropes, a tow behind tube, water skis and life jackets. I also have an extra prop, 2 spare trailer wheels and 2 types of boat covers. Mechanically and structurally the boat is in excellent shape, but the hull paint is a bit faded and the interior shows some wear. All in all its a solid boat $1700 or best offer"

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/boa/3294908516.html

thanks in advance to all
-O
 

AviatorJim

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Oct 20, 2010
Messages
111
Re: First time Boat buyer

I'n my humble opinion, that is an excellent choice for a first family boat. Check and see what the licensing requirement is for the trailer in VA. I think a bill of sale is all you need.

Don't cut corners on the lifejackets. Get ones that you can actually wear all day, and I suggest you get a kill switch wired in like a jetski has. If you fall over, could your wife, or the kids come back for you?

Think hard before you go out into the big water. And get a little training from a US Power Squadron or someone like that.

And the price seems to be right on the money too.

And don't neglect the trailer bearings. They fail really fast after a few dunks in the lake or saltwater with no grease.

--Jim
 

ormjgrouch

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Oct 8, 2012
Messages
144
Re: First time Boat buyer

Thank you Jim for your quick response and advice. The owner is will to take me out today so i can see it in the water, hopefully the weather cooperates.
 

Home Cookin'

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May 26, 2009
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9,715
Re: First time Boat buyer

you are in my boating market. If, and only if, what he says is true, that could be a good starter boat. You are completely at the mercy of the seller's honesty and competence (I've seen lots of honest boaters think everything is OK when it's not at all). Boats of that type and power plant are notorious for major problems to be lurking.

Know this: even if everything is as he says today, being a boat, it will have problems tomorrow. Being an old boat, maybe tomorrow morning. So be sure to regard your purchase price as a down payment, and be able to repower. Hopefully you won't have to. Or run it "to learn the ropes" and dump it when it has a major problem.

You didn't ask, but that is not the best boat design for fishing (actually, about the worst, especially for the little guys). if that's what you want to do, look for an open design with an outboard, and a hose-out interior. You will be cramped and stumbling over all that den furniture to get that croaker off one hook, bait another, and unwind the backlash from a third. Where do you cut the bait? where do you put the fish? the drinks and snacks? Where are the rod holders?
 

eavega

Lieutenant
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Apr 29, 2008
Messages
1,377
Re: First time Boat buyer

I have just about that same boat (1988 17.5' Stingray Bowrider, model 176 SVB - even has the same color scheme on the interor; light grey, dark gray, cranberry). I just paid $2800 for it, but it was in excellent condition; The only thing I have had to do with it is replace the seat backing on the pilot-side back to back and the fore bow cushions, as it trapped water that didn't drain and rotted out the wood there. The 3.0L Mercruiser is plenty of motor for my boat. It planes quickly and gives me 40 MPH WOT (running a 20" pitch SS 3-blade prop). I will say that the boat tends to porpoise a bit at WOT if not trimmed correctly. I keep hearing that the common solution to this is smart tabs. It handles chop pretty well, but it is a light boat for its size and thus it gets bounced around pretty good if the water is rough. It is fairly conservative with gas. I have averaged a little under a half-tank (so about 10 gallons) on a full day of cruising and water sports (tubing and skiing). The motor is really easy to work on; it sits level with the deck, and the two jump seats come completely out, so you have easy access from every angle on the motor. I have had 4 adults and 4 kids on the boat with no problems other than having to sit the bigger adults forward to make planing easier. If its just my family (two adults and two kids) seating arrangements do not matter. It has enough giddy-up to get 200 Lb adults up on skis very quickly, and have had a smaller wake-boarder get up with little effort. Its not ideal for fishing, as there is not a lot of open deck space, but it will get you out on the water. I also haven't found a good place to mount a trolling motor, which is very useful when fishing my local lake.
My only warning is to inspect it very carefully for wood rot. The floor is not fully encapsulated in fiberglass. If it has been left out on the weather, or the ski locker has been allowed to remain flooded ( it drains out to the bilge, but if the drain becomes blocked, it will just allow water to pool) the underside of the wood is not protected and rot would probably set in. Be sure of the usual stuff (transom is solid, no penetrations in the hull, bilge area is solid, etc). I looked at another Stingray and found that most of the hull was solid, but the decking where the trim pump was mounted to was starting to get spongy.
Good luck.

Rgds
 

eavega

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1,377
Re: First time Boat buyer

Take it for what its worth, but a 31' cabin cruiser that has been sunk would probably not be my first choice as a starter boat. Two engines, plus a host of other systems to give you headaches (galley, head, cabin electrical) translates to more time at the dock doing repairs and less time on the water. I would also assume (never having owned or driven one) that they are harder to control and not the boat I would choose as a proof-of-concept to get you started in boating. Given the new challenges in trailering I have had with the upgrade from a 15' trihull to a 17' bowrider, I could not even conceive of the difficulties in trailering, launching, and retrieving a 31' boat. Of course that is a moot point if you are willing to pay for a slip for that beast. Given that you are looking for a first boat on the cheap, though, I would assume that a slip for a 30+ footer is not in your budget.

Key phrases to make you run away screaming from Craigslist Ads:

- "All you have to do is <insert a supposedly cheap fix here> and this boat is water ready..." - A water-ready boat sells much quicker and for a better price than a fixer-upper. If all you have to do is some cheap fix, why doesn't the seller do the fix and make more money on the boat?

- "The motor and the trailer alone is worth the asking price!!" - The boat is junk, I need it off my property.

- "The hull is solid" - The deck has soft spots, but the outer hull doesn't have any obvious breaches, so the boat should float. Never mind that a lot of the times a rotted deck also implies rotted stringers, and the stringers and deck form an integral part of the support for the hull.

These are just some of the warning phrases you will see in Craigslist ads that should indicate there is a lot of work to be done before you have a safe, reliable boat.

You are definitely better off looking at something along the lines of that 18' Stingray. Patience, the right boat will come along. Winter is coming, and good boating weather is months away.

Rgds
 

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
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9,715
Re: First time Boat buyer

Well it looks like i'm back at square one, the boat sold. Thanks all for your input and i will keep hunting for my first boat. Pretty hard to ignore these 31' footer going relatively cheap. I want this one....


http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/boa/3318409882.html

no, you don't.

get a 16' +/- open boat with an outboard and have some fun. Take the boys when they get older (3 is OK, not 1 years old. 5 is great)
 

ormjgrouch

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Oct 8, 2012
Messages
144
Re: First time Boat buyer

thanks guys...

Usually I go buy a toy THEN I join a forum and then realize i should of purchased a different year or model. I guess being in the water is different and want to make sure my family is safe.

Till I find my next prospect.....
 

SWD

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 1, 2011
Messages
284
Re: First time Boat buyer

Well it looks like i'm back at square one, the boat sold. Thanks all for your input and i will keep hunting for my first boat. Pretty hard to ignore these 31' footer going relatively cheap. I want this one....


http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/boa/3318409882.html

I dont think so........My personal experience only this year was to go from a 12ft fishing boat with a 6hp outboard to a 19ft cuddy with a 200hp mercruiser. That was very intimidating to say the least especially unloading and loading. After a couple of trips I'm beginning to get some self confidence, by next summer it will be better. My son (14) and I have both taken and passed the boatsmart course here in Canada and if such a course is available in your end of the country take the time and do it. Prior to getting this cuddy we had looked at a few others in various states of neglect. You dont want a big fixer upper, you need one thats pretty much ready to go with a few tweaks. We too had looked at open bow but decided on a cuddy because of personal preference. I would agree with others regarding the size. Keep it manageable and to a size that you would feel confident in it. You can always upgrade later.
 

jkust

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Aug 2, 2008
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4,942
Re: First time Boat buyer

My honest opinion is to pull 15k out of your cash account and pick up something that requires less maintainance and repairs. A nice, newish 18 or 19 footer, lightly used by someone who thought they had more time for boating than actually materialized. Spent your time boating not fixing or planing to fix or looking at the stuff that needs repair while you are using it hoping it doesn't stop working.
 

SWD

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 1, 2011
Messages
284
Re: First time Boat buyer

My honest opinion is to pull 15k out of your cash account and pick up something that requires less maintainance and repairs. A nice, newish 18 or 19 footer, lightly used by someone who thought they had more time for boating than actually materialized. Spent your time boating not fixing or planing to fix or looking at the stuff that needs repair while you are using it hoping it doesn't stop working.

Yeah.....well if he had that much at his disposal why would he be looking at a $1700 Stingray? I mean for some 15k is a fair bit of change, especially when raising 2 small kids. He should be able to find something that is still in good shape for a reasonable price as an entry level vessel. Take your time, keep looking. Like others have said, the right one will come around.
 

jkust

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4,942
Re: First time Boat buyer

Yeah.....well if he had that much at his disposal why would he be looking at a $1700 Stingray? I mean for some 15k is a fair bit of change, especially when raising 2 small kids. He should be able to find something that is still in good shape for a reasonable price as an entry level vessel. Take your time, keep looking. Like others have said, the right one will come around.

You'd be suprised how many people I know that go really cheap, though they certainly don't have to only to spend way more time off the water dealing with issues. I've got a friend that dealt with that situation all summer and yes we all have little kids.
 

nwcove

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May 16, 2011
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6,293
Re: First time Boat buyer

you could buy something within the budget new, run it for the next few years and see how the kids like it.
 

SWD

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Messages
284
Re: First time Boat buyer

You'd be suprised how many people I know that go really cheap, though they certainly don't have to only to spend way more time off the water dealing with issues. I've got a friend that dealt with that situation all summer and yes we all have little kids.

Its just like buying a car. Spend peanuts on purchasing it, spend more cash and time fixing it rather than driving it. I hear you.
 

southkogs

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Jul 7, 2010
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14,785
Re: First time Boat buyer

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/boa/3324012825.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/boa/3299735296.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/boa/3326842921.html

a couple of starters right there on your local CL, in addition to lots of 14' jons, in your price range (I'm guessing). If it's big and cheap, it's a problem.

Good picks HC! I like the looks of that Winner in the first link. The OB on the last boat is a good one. Those things go forever.
 

Bulbash

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May 22, 2012
Messages
332
Re: First time Boat buyer

As it was mentioned before. Check for rot. Get on your knees and look into ski locker, smell it. If you smell rotten wood leave it no matter what seller tells you, unless you wanna do a complete restore. If it all looks and smells good last thing before you buy ask seller to core a small hole in the transom just to make sure its not rotten, sometimes it will look good and sound perfect but it will be wet inside the transom... As for the 3.0 merc its a very good engine with very cheap parts available anywhere...
 
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