'04 crestliner 1700 serenity- familiar?

tyjo

Cadet
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
15
Anyone familiar with this boat? I am looking at this boat with a 90 HP 4 stroke Merc. Has no electronics on it for some reason. Seems to be good shape except the knucklehead didn't realize you need a bumper when docked. This boat is 17' LOA... I have a 4 person family and want to tube off this thing. I don't think we will ever ski off of it since it is in Lake Erie and my kids are very young yet. How will this boat do in 2 ft waves? How will this heavy 90 HP 4 stroke do? Here's the ad.. ANY THOUGHTS?


***********************************************
90hp 4 Stroke Mercury Outboard Runs Fine
Tall Fishing Canvas, Bow Cover. Full Stern Seat, CD Player.
Complete w/Trailer.
The eisinglass is a little cloudy and there a a couple of small scratches on the starboard side. Aside from that, it is Like New! In the Water Ready to Go!
Current Price: US$ 12,900
 

rndn

Commander
Joined
May 20, 2007
Messages
2,323
Re: '04 crestliner 1700 serenity- familiar?

Crestliners are really nice well made boats. A 17 footer for boating just on Lake Erie is a bit on the small side. A 2 foot wave is measured from calm water to the top of the wave so the wave height itself from bottom to top is closer to 3 feet even though it measures 2 foot, a rather large wave for a 17 footer. The boat in my signature is a 21 footer and is no fun in 2 foot waves. If you only plan to boat in Lake Erie and have 12k to spend you should look around Craigs List as there will be plenty available in that price range.
Where in Lake Erie do you boat?
Don't forget that there are probably several cities on Craigs list that you can search for boats in your area.
As a side note I purchased my 21 foot Crestliner with 12 hours on it last May for $3,600.00, so if you have cash in hand there are really great deals to the patient buyers. I looked for 6 months and when I had it checked out by our local Crestliner dealership, they told me they would sell it for $15K.
Finally Lake Erie can be a very fun lake, however it can go from dead calm to 4 foot seas in less than an hour, so please be very careful and go in as soon as the waves start showing any signs of building.
 

tyjo

Cadet
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
15
Re: '04 crestliner 1700 serenity- familiar?

RNDN,

Thanks for the responses. I do boat in Lake Erie near Buffalo. I currently have a 19' center console Wellcraft that I just sold. I liked it but it was very family unfriendly. I drove the 17' today and it is small. The beam is small, the boat is low to the water, we would get wet for sure. The problem is I can;t exceed 20' at all, I want to fish and yet I want to beach comb with my little ones. I guess I also want gas prices to be $.50 a gallon. I found an 18' Boston Whaler today that has caught my eye. It is a center console again but this one has a rear bench seat which does help. But it is still a CC which is never family friendly. The Crestliner was nice... things flip and and down, tuns from a fishing boat to a cruiser and I have to admit, the 4 stroke was great. I heard the waves hitting the boat but not the motor. :redface: The nice part of an aluminum boat is the maintenance free part of it. The nice part of a fiberglass boat is it's substance. So anyhow, what a dilemma.
Thanks again fro your reply.
 

rndn

Commander
Joined
May 20, 2007
Messages
2,323
Re: '04 crestliner 1700 serenity- familiar?

Great smallmouth fishing in that area of Lake Erie!!
 

tyjo

Cadet
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
15
Re: '04 crestliner 1700 serenity- familiar?

RNDN,

What a twist of events... I ended up buying the crestliner 1700.. I put an offer in and accepted one for the boston whaler 2001 18'er... so you ask why would you give up a whaler for a Crestliner? well after I got home and did some surfing on the Whaler I found it's motor is a MAJOR issue. The motor is a 2001 Mercury Optimax. This motor had some serious problems. There was a class action suit against them over it. And when I test drove it, it vibratd at just over idle speed. Why? no idea but I read about another guy that had the same problem and it cost him 3k to fix it. So here's the deal... I got the crestliner for $10,5k. The motor is a 90 HP 4 stroke '05. Not sure how I could go wrong. When the weatherman says "waves" I'll plan on sitting on the boat in the marina and drink beer LEGALLY. :)

lesson Learned.... research EVERYTHING.
 
Top