85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

[Bigbopper]

Hello, Newbie here.

I am considering buying a 1985 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider with an Indmar 351 inboard on a really nice newer tandem axle bunk style trailer. I really like the hull design as it is a much deeper "V" than any other ski type boat I have looked at and appears it may be a little more usefull in slightly rougher water.
I looked at it and it appears to be a little rough but nothing I wouldn't expect for a 22 year old boat. The floor has been covered with painted plywood, I assume is due to the floor being rotten underneath. I checked all the stringers, bilge area and areas under the floor that I could access and did not locate any rot. The current owner told me the boat was from California and the plywood on the floor was put there by the previous owner as he used the boat for fishing and the carpet was constantly getting dirty. (I don't buy it but whatever)
The interior is very weathered but I plan to have it redone trough a buddy at a very reasonable cost. If I purchase the boat, I am going to assume the floor is rotten under the plywood and take the appropriate steps to repair.
Anyone have any info or knowledge on this boat?
The trailer is a 1999 DHM bunk style tandem axle with disc brakeson the front axle and a folding tonque and appears to be in very good shape.
Anything else to check for?
I can probably get the setup for $7K-$8K canadian less the trade of my 14' Lund.

Thanks for any help!!

BB

 

[Dakota47]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

For $8.000 you can do alot better and keep your Lund. look here or on e-bay. or boats.com There are some very good deals out there right now.. i bought this 1987 Rinker on e-bay for $3000 , it has a 4.3 V-6 & nice trailer too

 

[Bigbopper]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

Thanks for the reply Dakota, nice looking boat you have there!
I'm interested in this Ski Supreme model mostly due to the fact that it is very unique with the deep V and inboard design. Being a Ford fan, I also really like the 351W and the simplicity of the direct drive over having a leg.
The overall boat is in the condition I would expect for a 1985 boat, but after looking around I agree that the price is too high.
Being in south western BC, there seems to be alot less selection of good used boats at a reasonable cost, and I have a real issue with buying something "sight unseen" or dealing with shipping/importing from somewhere else.
The only known damage is some apparently superficial cracks in the gelcoat on the rear gunnel area and around a rear grab handle. Is the gelcoat fixable?
The condition of the floor/stringers is still unknown, but I stuck my head into the bilge and battery areas with a flashlight and did not see anything of concern.
Anyone have a realistic idea of the value of this boat?

Thanks,
BB

 

[tommays]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

The motor may be a reverse rotation does it have a left or right hand prop


Manifolds that fit are and issue you can get modern ones BUT they may require some mods to fit

The new ones were to tall on my BIL 351 powered Correct Craft and required raiseing the engine cover 1-1/2 "


Tommays

 

[DaveM]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

I'm not familiar with this brand, so I can't really speak to its value. This is a tournament ski boat, yes? You will pay a premium for these boats.

Assuming this is a tournament ski boat, why would the previous owner use it for fishing? This makes no sense. And no matter what the hull looks like, it was made to run on flat water. The slightest chop will loosen your molars.

How many hours are on the engine? These types of boats are typically run hard. Has the engine been rebuilt? And if so, when? You need to do more than observe stringers to find rot. I recommend a professional survey.

The story you are being told does not add up in my book.

 

[salty87]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

i have to agree with davem. first, inboards hold their value pretty good once you get past the depreciation years. you also generally have larger engines ($) because inboards aren't as efficient as i/os. and, there's always a decent market for older inboards for the wakeboarding/slaloming crowds.

as to the condition of this boat, i'd run. you have a previous owner who not only didn't take very good care of it but he used it for an entirely different purpose. you could find some strange surprises when you get into it. you already know the floor is probably gone. who knows what shape the engine/tranny are in. the seats are probably trashed too. if he didn't care about the painted plywood floor, what else did he not care about?

you should consider the boat a complete overhaul. what's that going to cost you? what's the boat worth?...in my area, nada guides says in an average condition that boat would be worth around $4k, that boat isn't in average condition. subtract your suspected repair cost from the 'value' of the boat and it isn't worth too much. your market may differ.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

....you better up your limit on your gas card....good for towing/skiing tho' although you might not get out as often if you have too many $200 Gas Saturdays in a row.

 

[Bigbopper]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

Thanks for all the great info! Based on all the above, I have decided to keep looking as I am in no hurry, just wanting something for next summer.
Any prefered brands of 18-20ft I/O or outboard bowrider boats around 15-20 years old that are better than others? Any to stay away from? How about stern drive brands? I know to stay away from OMC.....don't ask how I know...
It will be mainly a lake boat for some skiing/tubing with possibly an occasional trip in the ocean.

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[salty87]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

brands mean little after 15-20 years of ownership. a good brand with no maintenance will be junk, what had been cheap but was properly maintained and possibly improved by a loving owner could be a steal.

look at as many boats in your range as you can. you'll get a feel for what you like, what looks right, what looks wrong, as well as talking with the previous owner to get an idea of how they cared for it.

the best 15-20 year old boat you can find is the one that was the previous owner's dream boat that he ran as often as possible.

 

[Dakota47]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

look for a original owner boat that has been well takin care of..

 

[juliamarie]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

Thanks for all the great info! Based on all the above, I have decided to keep looking as I am in no hurry, just wanting something for next summer.
Any prefered brands of 18-20ft I/O or outboard bowrider boats around 15-20 years old that are better than others? Any to stay away from? How about stern drive brands? I know to stay away from OMC.....don't ask how I know...
It will be mainly a lake boat for some skiing/tubing with possibly an occasional trip in the ocean.

Thanks again for all the help!

I own the same boat you are talking about...I love this boat but 4000 is top value now. In the condition it is in you will drop some serious cash into it to gew it to new. Boat hauls *** and a little tough to turn in reverse if needed

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 85 Ski Supreme Sierra bowrider

I own the same boat you are talking about...I love this boat but 4000 is top value now. In the condition it is in you will drop some serious cash into it to gew it to new. Boat hauls *** and a little tough to turn in reverse if needed

You do realize that the post you responded to is 3 years old right?