Best 90s cabin cruiser to restore?

[Voidtraveler]

Hi all, I'm going to start my next boat search. This will be my third boat project. For reference I also do classic cars and I already have some experience painting. I want to take my repair restore customization experience up another notch on a reliable powerplant.

What I would like to know is what cabin cruiser from the mid-90s is plentiful in aftermarket parts and availability? For this project I will do a full repaint and custom interior. But I would like to start with a platform that is still well supported for engine and maintenance.

Specifics:
-19-24ft but less than 6000lbs tow weight
-Sterndrive/inboard with good access (so I'm not setting myself up for pulling the motor for everything)
-Closed cooling system
-And of course must be cabin or overnighter style (emphasis here on well designed helms and cabins worth restoring and water camping)
-1200 to 2000+ capacity

Plz feel free to post links to good websites for detailed searches on the boat or type you suggest.

Open to all suggestions based on this but starting budget is less than $10k. D what 90s boat sounds like the best or most fun starting point?

 

[tpenfield]

:welcome: to iBoats . . .

You say this is your 3rd boat project . . . tell us about the first 2.

19-24 feet isn't much of a cabin cruiser

Closed cooling was fairly rare in the 1990's - mostly aftermarket adaptations

SeaRay is probably the most popular brand that might be worth a look. Chris-Craft, Crownline, Monterey, Chaparral are some other brand names that may be worth considering.

Are you planning on any structural restoration ? You might not be planning on it, but often it becomes a necessity. Stringers, bulkheads, transom; that sort of thing. . . . bigdirty did a 25 foot Crownline , If I recall. It might be worth looking up his thread. Lots of wood in boats of that era, which is now 25+ years old, subjected to God only know what during those years.

Boats are typically not painted . . .

A $10K budget might be a bit light for the project.

 

[Voidtraveler]

Bayliner Ciera is 24ft, that's one I've looked at.

 

[kcassells]

Good luck with finding a used boat to just end up with having a happy day. You can spend $1.00 or $15000,.00 and the dollar boat is in better condition.
No one gonna tell ya whatts risks their are it's all up to you and accepting the outcome. Even surveyors blow cause they miss alot.

 

[Mad Props]

If you're willing to do a lot of work, Bayliner would be a pretty good bet, because odds are it needs a lot of work, but everyone knows bayliners have a bad history of build quality from the 80s-90s so that tends to drive down resale value quite a bit.
I would hesistate to buy a 90s boat with the thought that it "might not need much" because unless you have documentation that it spent its life trailered and kept in a warm garage, a 90s era boat is past its design life and you can assume its a total gut job.

So you can gamble on a used boat and spend 5K and hope it only needs minor stuff and you might get lucky or you might find out you're starting from 0 and are already 5K in the hole.
Or you can go in assuming the worst and buy a boat for 500 bucks like a lot of people here have done and know what you're in for.

Not saying one way is right or wrong, just make sure you look at all possibilities.

 

[matt167]

Why a 90's boat? Starcraft Chieftan is probably one of the best but they only had production through the 1970's. They were available from 21' to 25' IIRC. The cabin usually has a sink, ice box and some storage along with a counter. It's enough for 'camping'

 

[Scott Danforth]

there are many other brands too.....carver made a bunch of twin cabin boats in the 25-29 foot range. plenty of room in the bilge on those boats. 27 feed was the start of twins and big blocks

cruisers made a bunch of cuddies and pocket cruisers.

closed cooling is rare today, and in the 90's was extremely rare. plan on a complete engine rebuild or replacement and then adding aftermarket closed cooling

most likely anything you find from the 90's will need structural work, exterior fiberglass work, window glazing work, engine work, drive work, wiring work, and interior work (both cockpit and cabin)

you may get lucky and find a boat that was bought in the 90's, put into storage in the mid 90's and the guy dies, then after 20 some years the widow finally sells the boat (I know of two such boats). however even then, your looking at engine work, drive work and rodent restoration.

if you want reliability, look at twins, and preferably diesel twins (most likely wont find twins or diesels in such a small boat)

plan on many many many months of work and a large pile of cash.

Ted just did a swim platform and interior thread.
I am just about finished with a cuddy restoration

 

[Voidtraveler]

Thanks, all very good info! Thanks to all that posted different models. I would like to build up to a a twin engine cabin boat. Think of this project as the project before that project. I don't mind a variety of work, I'm pretty handy as long as I can still get the parts. I don't want to plan for a complete engine replacement or a complete rebuild of the cabin. Knock the ugly off, I can do.

There are some other good suggestions in there that are right up my alley I think. That chieften is a good example, I like it hadn't seen that one. I only say must be 24' because I don't want to tow bigger atm. I did look at a 28' and said, ya no I want the next size down for now. But having everyone's experience and feedback on which models won't hold value or have a bad reputation for quality and parts availability is valuable to me since I lack it.

Thanks! Need to decided and start hunting.

there are many other brands too.....carver made a bunch of twin cabin boats in the 25-29 foot range. plenty of room in the bilge on those boats. 27 feed was the start of twins and big blocks

cruisers made a bunch of cuddies and pocket cruisers.

closed cooling is rare today, and in the 90's was extremely rare. plan on a complete engine rebuild or replacement and then adding aftermarket closed cooling

most likely anything you find from the 90's will need structural work, exterior fiberglass work, window glazing work, engine work, drive work, wiring work, and interior work (both cockpit and cabin)

you may get lucky and find a boat that was bought in the 90's, put into storage in the mid 90's and the guy dies, then after 20 some years the widow finally sells the boat (I know of two such boats). however even then, your looking at engine work, drive work and rodent restoration.

if you want reliability, look at twins, and preferably diesel twins (most likely wont find twins or diesels in such a small boat)

plan on many many many months of work and a large pile of cash.

Ted just did a swim platform and interior thread.
I am just about finished with a cuddy restoration

 

[Ned L]

I would personally look at it the other way around. Find a decent boat and don’t worry about the power plant, they are easy to rebuild / swap out in comparison to a major boat rebuild. I would look toward some of the older Model Chris’s. There are some 25-30 ft Bertrams that have a really good following and were well built boats. Personally I wouldn’t bother with a Bayliner.