[dannyboy13]

I'm new to boating and would like to purchase an affordable boat. Unfortunately I don't know anything about boating or boats. I've looked at fourwinns and bayliners so far and found that fourwinns is out of my price range. I found that the 2005 Bayliner 175 or 185 is in my price range. I'm curious about whether there's enough power to pull a wakeboarder and have 3 to 4 people in the boat? Any thoughts on resale? Any insight would be great.Thanks,

[cuzner]

For skiing you should looking to a boat with a 4.3l engine at that size of boat.I'd consider buying used,but have someone that knows boats look it over before you buy it. Also take it for a test run. If you buy new any boat depreciates a lot the minute you sign the paper work. If you buy something less than 4 years old,any boat you choose should be o.k...... Some people here will tell you to stay away from Bayliner,not me.Buy what you can afford and enjoy it. Good Luck, and welcome to the forum Jim

[karrick]

Welcome to iboats!Unless you have you heart set on buying a new rig, I would highly suggest purchasing a used boat. I still have my first powered boat(not counting john boats) and I am glad I have an old used scratch and dent model. The number of time I haven't tied up incorrectly to the pier, and not hit the trailer correctly, resultd in a few nasty scratches to the hull. I'm glad it wasn't on a brand new bayliner. And you can learn want you really want once you get on the water from your experience and observing other boats perform on the water. This is just my 2c. Good luck Karrick

[POINTER94]

dannyboy,I'll start this with your last question. Resale on a new boat, especially a widely available production boat, will choke you. That leads to the second point, what to buy. I'll agree with the above and say a 4.3l, v6 would be my engine of choice outside of a competition ski boat.Test drive everything you can and get as much exposure to different designs, layouts, and mfger's that you can so you can select a boat that meets your needs and tastes. Ask questions along the way and you will realize a huge savings in the long run.

[gsbodine]

for a family, I'd agree with the above--you don't want to be underpowered as it will affect everyone's enjoyment of the day, not to mentino that resale is always higher with larger motors. I think used is a good way to go as well, as then you take less of a hit as you move on to a boat in the future that fits all the needs you will discover you have after using a boat frequently. It's my experience that if you plan on handling maintenance by yourself at least for the most part) that older boats will allow you to sell them for pretty much what you paid for them, as long as you take care of 'em. When looking at used boats, it matters so much more how they were treated than how old they are. DO NOT buy without water testing first, and if you decide to go the used route, get a surveyor to look it over. It will do much for peace of mind as well as possibly saving you $$$ in the long run.

[srperry01]

I agree that you should purchase a used boat and in your case it sounds like you could get alot more for your money. I'm new to boating too and actually am forcing myself not to purchase until after this winter. I've been hanging out in here for a while and also went to a local marina and quite a few shops and just asked alot of questions. Buying used allows you to get a boat that has many amenities that you may not be able to afford, ie 4.6l v6, an extra 2 feet of space, etc. Some great tools are the boating classifieds on this site, www.usedboatsonline.com, www.boattraderonline.com, www.jdpower.com, and www.ebay.com. you can really learn alot about boating and pricing if you compare boats online. It's been very helpful for me. If you're interested in four winns and can't afford a new one look for a 2001-2002 or so and you should be happy. Good luck.

[quantumleap]

For more info do a search on the subject and you'll find a ton of reading. Use the red "search" icon above. Also check out the glastron vs bayliner thread on this forum.

[Solittle]

danny - My advice is not to buy at all for a while. Go out with friends in their boat and rent several at your local marina. The best way to find out what you like and what you don't is to try it in someone else's boat. When you have pegged what you really want then go buy one.

[srperry01]

very good advice SoLittle. That's exactly what i've been doing for the past few months.

[KCook]

Excellent advice on this thread. I just wanted to chime in that the Bay 185 is a very worthwhile upgrade over the 175. Not only is the 185 roomier, it is simply better built.Kelly