Which boat to buy????

Hi Folks,

I am going to buy my first boat. I have been a jet skier for a few years, but want more room and speed is not my thing anyway. We just want to toodle around the Gulf with room for the family and to tube. I want a used boat that won't kill me on maintenance (I will keep up with the routine maintenance) and hopefully won't fall apart after I buy it. My budget is about $6,000 and I am in Florida and plan to use the boat in mostly salt water. I will have a mechanic check out any boat I buy (after a water test). I can afford a used I/O and there are several that I would like to consider but an outboard is a lot more expensive, severely limiting my choices. I am a woman who is fairly handy, but I am no mechanic, boat or otherwise. I have been told so much conficting information that I am very confused at this point. I will keep the boat in a high and dry and they will wash it down after each use.

I have been told that an I/O is terrible for use in salt water and then I was told that is not true and a vast majority of the boats on the Gulf are I/Os.
I have been told that an I/O can't handle shallow water like an outboard.
I have been told that a pontoon boat handles better in the Gulf and then told just the opposite.
I have been told that I/Os are easier to work on and then told the opposite.

I know there are no guarantees in life, but I just don't know what to buy anymore. I'd prefer to buy a 18' I/O bowrider with a 130 HP Mercruiser I have my eye on, but thought I would ask some seasoned pros about this. Any beginning boat owner advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Which boat to buy????

You've certainly got a lot to consider. I/O's generally aren't the preferred choice in salt water when certain things are considered. You can certainly have and operate one but there are parts you will have to replace periodically that you'd rarely if ever need to replace in fresh water. I/O's don't tilt up as far as Outboards and that is a big advantage of Outboards. Someone else can pipe in about pontoons as I have heard and seen both sides. I/O's are generally not as easy to access to repair as a completely out in the open Outboard is. I/O parts presuming it isn't an obsolete set up are widely and very available just about anywhere. Outboard parts can vary. If I were you in salt water, I'd seen out an outboard first and formost and If for somereason like the money issue you mentioned above you had to go with an I/O, I wouldn't accept a 3.0 when a 4.3 offers nearly 50% more power, uses the same amount of fuel and is marginally more expensive.
All that said, I prefer I/O's to my Outboards here in freshwater MN.

Re: Which boat to buy????

Bacall? You get asked about Bogart a lot, dontcha'? Welcome aboard.

bacall2345 said:

...I have been told that an I/O is terrible for use in salt water and then I was told that is not true and a vast majority of the boats on the Gulf are I/Os

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.
There are as many opinions on that as there are boats. Most of the boats that I have salt experience with have been outboards, but there are plenty of I/Os out there. I wouldn't freak out about that part. If you like I/Os better - go with it.

bacall2345 said:

I have been told that an I/O can't handle shallow water like an outboard.

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Some I/Os run a little deeper and have trouble in the shallows, but my folks have a 19' with an I/O and the egress out to the lake from their place is about 3 feet deep - no problem. One advantage that I think an Outboard has is no trim rams: meaning if you bump something with an outboard and don't have it locked down it can bounce up. I/O won't do that for ya'. In the gulf I wouldn't worry about that much

bacall2345 said:

I have been told that a pontoon boat handles better in the Gulf and then told just the opposite.

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Someone else will have to chime in, but I'd be leery of a 'toon in the gulf. Calm days it's probably not a big deal, protected waters are no problem either ... swells out in the Gulf proper with a pontoon

bacall2345 said:

I have been told that I/Os are easier to work on and then told the opposite.

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... you'll get more of that here too I think OBs are a little easier to keep up with maintenance on, but my I/O has been easier to work on. It's going to boil down to personal preference.

bacall2345 said:

...I'd prefer to buy a 18' I/O bowrider with a 130 HP Mercruiser I have my eye on, but thought I would ask some seasoned pros about this. Any beginning boat owner advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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For the beginner: rent a couple of boats and see what you think. Rent a pontoon and take it on the Gulf. Rent a bow rider and take it out. Post some links up for us to look at and we'll comment away. AND, take a safety course of your choice.

Re: Which boat to buy????

I'm new here and all, but I haven't seen any pontoons on the ocean. The ones on the river pack it up when the waves/wind start kicking. I can't imagine when they'd "handle better in the gulf". I don't understand the tilt angle question because at some point neither I/O or O/B will be able to push the boat - it's just the O/B can go even further into uselessness. That being said, I do like that O/B motor exposed for repairs. I've seen very few O/B around here on anything other than fishing boats (Grady types). And, the majority of BR, CC, and cruisers are I/O so if that's what you're looking at then I/O it is.

Good idea on getting the motor inspected, and you might want to get a boat survey done - at 6K it's probably 5% of the purchase price and gives you a little more piece of mind. I'd agree with jkust about the motor size too, bigger is better. Same thing with boat size, that 18' BR will feel pretty cramped with more than a few people onboard walking around.

Re: Which boat to buy????

southkogs said:

One advantage that I think an Outboard has is no trim rams: meaning if you bump something with an outboard and don't have it locked down it can bounce up. I/O won't do that for ya'. In the gulf I wouldn't worry about that much

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Actually, a lot of them do. Anything with a console will will have a trim ram, a lot of the tiller styles have them too. Pontoon on the Gulf, no thanks. Maybe the backwaters. Vacation down there and have never seen one...

I think an OB would be the best choice for someone just getting into boating. I've had both and an OB just seems to be easier to maintain. My opinion only.........

Re: Which boat to buy????

I'll just add that an IO will give you access to the swim platform, making the stern much more usable.

Re: Which boat to buy????

bacall2345 said:

Hi Folks,

I am going to buy my first boat. . . . I have been told so much conficting information that I am very confused at this point. I will keep the boat in a high and dry and they will wash it down after each use.

I have been told that an I/O is terrible for use in salt water and then I was told that is not true and a vast majority of the boats on the Gulf are I/Os.I have been told that an I/O can't handle shallow water like an outboard.I have been told that a pontoon boat handles better in the Gulf and then told just the opposite.I have been told that I/Os are easier to work on and then told the opposite.

I know there are no guarantees in life, but I just don't know what to buy anymore. I'd prefer to buy a 18' I/O bowrider with a 130 HP Mercruiser I have my eye on, but thought I would ask some seasoned pros about this. Any beginning boat owner advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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It sounds like you have been told a lot of things . . . they are opinions not facts. Everything has its plusses and minues and you will find just about every type of boat in every type of water.

I/O's are good for access to the stern (water sports, etc) Salt water requires better anode protection and maintenance.

An 18 footer may be a bit small for the Gulf . . . so, if you can go a bit bigger, that might be the thing to do.

Re: Which boat to buy????

I wouldn't want to be in the Gulf with a pontoon or an 18' boat. I know it's done but not me. I'd want a V-hull 20 some feet long.
I currently have an I/O and really like it but I'm a fresh water boater. Maintenance issues tempt me toward an outboard but I like having the swim platform too much. If I were boating in salt where maintenance must be even more intense I would certainly get an OB.
I think the best thing you can do is rent several different boats, take them out, and see how they handle. So much of boat selection is personal preference.

Re: Which boat to buy????

With the mentioned $6K budget, getting something decent with an outboard may be tough, as boats with outboards tend to run higher $$$$. The boat market in Florida is pretty well saturated, so that work towards a buyer.

Start looking and see what you can get.

Re: Which boat to buy????

tpenfield said:

Start looking and see what you can get.

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Second that. I boat in salt water and I've owned both types. I/O's and outboards both have their pro's and cons. In the used goods market, good deals come in all shapes, sizes and outdrive arrangements. You won't know what you'll find until you start looking- and I'd look at a lot of boats.

Do you have a knowledgable friend who'd be willing to tag along? That'd be a huge plus.

Tell more about how you'll use the boat... how many passengers besides yourself, and how old are they? When you 'toodle around the Gulf', will you stay within sight of land? Are you going to trailer and launch the boat every time out, or keep it in a slip? If you're trailering, what kind of tow vehicle do you have? I won't get into the pontoon thing as I have zero experience. I've never even SEEN one in my waters (Long Island), which in itself might be relevant. The Great South Bay is usually choppy and can get downright snotty on a regular basis. V-hulls rule here.

Re: Which boat to buy????

Well thanks Everyone I'm getting some great information here. I have been looking at boats for 6 weeks now and I have been looking at everything from I/Os to pontoons to outboards. I have been in pontoon and hurricane deck boats which are a wet ride in the gulf and have ruled them out. I plan on staying near the shore, will not boat in windy weather, want to have a swim platform and will rarely have more than 4 adults on board. The kids are grown and out; it's my time now. My preference is an I/O as there are so many more to choose from in my price range. I don't expect to keep this boat more than 5 years as I expect as my confidence grows I will want a bigger boat. It will be flushed after every use. An OB costs so much that the boats are much older and less desirable. Will keep her in a high/dry. I am test driving the bowrider this afternoon. What can I check myself today? Should it hit around 5000 rpms flat out? Should I look for any specfic signs of trouble?

Re: Which boat to buy????

Beyond the things you mentioned, there are a whole host of other plus's and minus's with each that you'd want to consider. I'm going to guess a 6 k boat like you describe will have an older, noisier, smokey, gas guzling 2stroke compared to any 4 stroke I/O, that is significantly quiter, no smoke, with a nice swim pad over it. Youll see my sig boat is about 18 feet with an i/o and I also have another similar bowrider with a 2 stroke outboard. I love the outboard for it's instant speed and the fact that it truly does tilt to a usable height more than the I/O but thats about where the plus's end for me. Saying the 2stroke guzzles gas is a huge understatement. Of course here we don't have salt water to steer our decisions. Even my instant speed comment is a little sketchy since head to head tests on same boats with different power plants have even debunked that.
a 3.0 or a 4.3 should not hit 5000 rpms flat out or at least you wouldn't want it to. If it had a lower pitched prop say like a 19" on a 4.3 you would hit the 5000 rpms but thats beyond the max recommended and so you'd have to manage the throttle. In other words that prop was used for tow sports for more out of the hole speed and less top end speed. I/O's rev significantly lower that OB's generally.
Also since you are going to tackle some more unpredictable water, the heaviest boat will likely take chop the best. An 18 foot I/O can weigh under 2000lbs or can weigh 3000lbs with the very same engine set up.

Re: Which boat to buy????

How many RPMs should she hit flat out? Should the prop not turn at all out of the water (engine off, of course)?

Re: Which boat to buy????

bacall2345 said:

How many RPMs should she hit flat out? Should the prop not turn at all out of the water (engine off, of course)?

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4.3 is 4850 if i recall. 3.0 someone else can chime in but its close. Some larger v8 are higher. Its fine that it can theoretically spin the prop faster, you just never want to allow it to happen. The HP curve instantly drops off over the highest recommended wot which is actually a range not just the 4850 I mentioned. When the engine revs higher that it is built to, you can do major internal damage. A higher pitched prop like a 21" will spin slower at wot but move you faster over the water while at wot but pull out of the hole with less effectiveness.

I'm confused by your second question but if the prop is out of the water, engine off and not in gear, you can spin it freeley.

Re: Which boat to buy????

Somone told me that if you can turn the prop out of the water, that is a bad thing. Don't know if that is true or not...

Re: Which boat to buy????

bacall2345 said:

Somone told me that if you can turn the prop out of the water, that is a bad thing. Don't know if that is true or not...

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No that's normal if the gear selector isn't pushed forward or backward. If it is locked in neutral as in the center position, then the prop can spin all day long. Sometimes you will be following a boat on a trailer and you can see the prop spinning in the wind going down the highway...that is normal.

Re: Which boat to buy????

Just a word of caution re the WOT question - unlike a jet ski or an outboard, an I/O isn't designed to be run at WOT continuously. The recommended throttle setting for cruising is around 70%.

Re: Which boat to buy????

Another retired guy said:

Just a word of caution re the WOT question - unlike a jet ski or an outboard, an I/O isn't designed to be run at WOT continuously. The recommended throttle setting for cruising is around 70%.

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Yes and an 18 foot boat at wot in the upper 40's mhp to low 50's isn't the most pleasant over chop. Also what is pleasant and fun to me can vary greatly from my wife's perspective. The kids and I love hitting some nice chop on a windy day but for some reason she doesn't see it the same. In other words won't likely be hanging around the WOT range for very long.

Re: Which boat to buy????

bacall2345 said:

I plan on staying near the shore, will not boat in windy weather, want to have a swim platform and will rarely have more than 4 adults on board. The kids are grown and out; it's my time now. My preference is an I/O as there are so many more to choose from in my price range. I don't expect to keep this boat more than 5 years as I expect as my confidence grows I will want a bigger boat. It will be flushed after every use.

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I think you're narrowing it down already. An engine/outdrive that's flushed after every use and 'dry slipped'... salt water is hardly even a consideration. If you buy an I/O that was used in salt, however, you WILL want to know when manifolds and risers were last replaced. If the seller can't produce receipts, assume it needs to be done and factor the cost into your offer. Same for outdrive bellows and water pump/impeller service.

In general, mani's and risers last 5-8 years, outdrive bellows about the same, and water pumps need to be serviced every season or 2.

Used boat sellers are worse liars then used car salesmen. When you find one you really like, you NEED to hire a pro to go through it for you.

Re: Which boat to buy????

Tested our favorite yesterday, 18' 1995 bow rider in cherry condition, obviuosly keep indoors or dry storage with a 130 HP Mercruiser. It was pretty windy weather thanks to "Sandy" but it ran well, RPMs looked good and was told that manifold and risers were just replaced by dealer but will have mechanic check it out this week. If that goes well, I will have a boat by the weekend! Can't wait! Thanks for all the help and I will post a pic if I buy it.