Buying a used bowrider

[NSteketee]

Hello all,

I'm just looking for some advice on purchasing a used Bowrider. I am looking to ski and wakeboard. I'm not sure what would be the best purchase but I know I like Searays.

I have a few boats I'm currently looking at and need suggestions and personal thoughts...

I'm trying to stay around $17k

I found a 2003 ebbi that looks great but has 400 hours on the motor. Is this too many hours?

Here is some of the boats I need an opinion on:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/boa/5737736279.html

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/boa/5729471905.html

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...5-Sport-692904

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/boa/5691447540.html

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2006-yamaha-sx210-699213/#.V7ilQQmorlE.email


Any information and opinions would be appreciated.


Thank you for your time,
Nick

 

[Chris1956]

The tricky part of what you want is to have a boat for skiing and wakeboarding. A good ski boat will have little wake, and a wakeboard boat will have a large wake. Since you can add wake to a boat with fatsacks or other water ballast, you will want an outboard powered boat, probably 21 foot or so. Without the water weight, the OB boat should have a smaller wake.

 

[NSteketee]

Thank you for the reply,
Wake boarding will be the primary function of the boat other than cruising with friends. Skiing would not be done often, the large wake would be fine. I do not want an outboard.

 

[MCFLYIN]

Another option......

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/5732749220.html

 

[southkogs]

I think for a wake boat, I'd be lookin' at the 22' you have in your list. There's a boat buyer's checklist at the top of the forum that is very helpful while you're looking.

Have you looked at any of the inboard wake board boats available in your area? The Atlanta market is great for finding lots of variety.

:welcome:

 

[thumpar]

Don't worry about 400 hours. That is nothing. I am at 695 on mine and she still purrs.

 

[oldjeep]

Skiing/wakeboarding behind an I/O isn't a big deal. At 32MPH + the wake is smooth and at 18MPH or just before the boat planes the wake is fine for wakeboarding. We skied and wakeboarded behind a Bayliner 195 for 9 years before upgrading to the Malibu.

 

[oldjeep]

I think for a wake boat, I'd be lookin' at the 22' you have in your list. There's a boat buyer's checklist at the top of the forum that is very helpful while you're looking.

Have you looked at any of the inboard wake board boats available in your area? The Atlanta market is great for finding lots of variety.

:welcome:

You're not going to find an inboard wakeboat for 17K unless it is currently on fire

 

[jkust]

17k is going to have to be an older inboard boat. A 190Hp will pull just fine for a first boat to figure out all of the tow sports you want to do. As for Sea Ray, their Sport Series boats are about the lowest quality, corner cut boats around especially given their historical reputation. The Select Series however are nice boats and are what the Sport Series should be like. I would be interested in the Select in the link you posted if I were you. As for hours, it is very, very regional. In warmer states, people can easily use the boat a lot more and pack the hours on but up in the north the paradigm is very different. It can take people forever to get even 100 hours on their trailer boats. At 2003 however, while the hours might weigh on your mind, you are at the point where overall condition is more important.
On the I/O comments, we do everything behind our I/O with ease except of course we cannot wake surf which is becoming very popular.

 

[oldjeep]

Don't worry about 400 hours. That is nothing. I am at 695 on mine and she still purrs.

I sure wouldn't worry about 400 hours. Our 2005 had around that after 9 years, our 2012 has 205hrs and my in-laws 04 Response has over 1000 hours. Taken care of you should be able to get a couple thousand hours out of a boat engine.

 

[thumpar]

You're not going to find an inboard wakeboat for 17K unless it is currently on fire

A friend of mine sold his mastercraft with V8 for $4k. It had sat in the desert so needed a couple grand in interior work but still $6k all in is pretty good for a Mastercraft.

 

[jkust]

Given my druthers, and the fact that there are lots of boat for sale right now people are trying to get rid of before the season's end, i would always opt for the lower hour boat however, all else equal. While a 400 hour boat relatively speaking may allow a lot of life still on the engine, I would take a 100 hour trailer queen first. When I bought my current boat this spring to replace my newer and far less hours boat, the number of hours absolutely had a factor in my decision making process. It wasn't the first or second criteria but was important as high hours can affect more than just the engine such as dock rash, scratches and interior wear and tear as well. You may start to notice little things you may have missed that will need attention. This time of the year for 17k as is your proposed budget, I would expect the biggest engine possible for any particular model, little to no wear and tear and for me with my 'northern' hours on the clock paradigm, I would expect less than 400 hours no matter the year. Now if you are set on an inboard, that will all be very challenging vs I/O's that are plentiful.

 

[oldjeep]

A friend of mine sold his mastercraft with V8 for $4k. It had sat in the desert so needed a couple grand in interior work but still $6k all in is pretty good for a Mastercraft.

A direct drive ski boat is not a wake boat

 

[southkogs]

You're not going to find an inboard wakeboat for 17K unless it is currently on fire

LOL ... that could be Note to the OP ... don't buy it if it's on fire

Though, a Mastercraft in decent shape with some fat sacs added to it, might work too. But that's not too different from you SeaRay plan. Carry on!

 

[drrpm]

Are you serious about wakeboarding? If so then you'll want a more dedicated boat, otherwise a bowrider is fine. My recommendation would be to get something at least 20 feet long with at least the fuel injected 4.3 L engine. The shorter boats are also narrower and space fills up quickly with a few adult sized friends, coolers, inflatables, etc. My middle daughter (20) is a good wakeboarder and does fine behind my Mariah SX20 but she doesn't go for huge air or try any tricks beyond the basics.

 

[oldjeep]

I'm going to repost my favorite wakeboard picture. 3.0L Bayliner 195 and a then 19 year old son. No sacks or fat people in the boat. You don't need the worlds tallest wake unless you are planning on getting really crazy, you need to learn how to jump

 

[jkust]

I like that Crownline too...actually a lot more than that Sea Ray select.. Would be nice if it had an extended swim platform for putting boards on but can be added easily if not cheaply.

 

[jkust]

I'm going to repost my favorite wakeboard picture. 3.0L Bayliner 195 and a then 19 year old son. No sacks or fat people in the boat. You don't need the worlds tallest wake unless you are planning on getting really crazy, you need to learn how to jump

Hard on a kneeboard...which is why I love wakeboarding and my kneeboarding days of not looking foolish are over. I say that because way back when kneeboards were popular, we boarded behind junk to perform some pretty serious tricks. It don't take much versus what people seem to think you need.

 

[oldjeep]

I like that Crownline too...actually a lot more than that Sea Ray select.. Would be nice if it had an extended swim platform for putting boards on but can be added easily if not cheaply.

There is a special place in hell for those who put their boards on on the platform, cutting the pad with carbon fins and kicking the gel coat on the transom. Butt on platform, board in water.

 

[jkust]

There is a special place in hell for those who put their boards on on the platform, cutting the pad with carbon fins and kicking the gel coat on the transom. Butt on platform, board in water.

Yea, exactly but then with the platform, the board can't touch the boat.