Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

[TheAviator]

I am looking to buy my first boat. Although I am considering renting for this up coming summer in order to get my boating chops down a bit more before I buy, since I've never owned one. I want a cabin cruiser for camping, something around 27' to 30.'

Here is where I'm at, I've had about 80% advice with people just trying to talk me completely out of buying, they say don't do it, rent, break out another thousand = boat, money pit, on and on and on. I am aware of the maintenance issues, but what I'm looking for is this: 1) How many hours is too many hours to buy a used boat? 2) Should I only buy around year 2000 forward due to fuel injection on the newer boats etc? 3) Is it safe to say buy a boat around year 2000 with less than 500 hours on it?

Other BIG question is, say if I bought a 1998 boat, how much would it be to just totally replace the engine, single, like say a mercruiser or volvo? I was thinking it may be a safe approach to buy something clean on the outside with say an engine that needs replacing and just plan on spending the extra dollars on engine replacement. Is this a good idea?

Also, any other advice you can give would be great for a naive first time future boat owner, thanks in advance!

 

[MarkSee]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

Welcome to IBOATS.

Good questions, can get lots of different answers.

I'll tackle just a few:
1-yes, try and rent first to make sure you like it and what style/model to really look at
2-that's too big of a boat to start with right off
3-most boats are money pits, no doubt about it. Even worse if you have to pay a shop to do most/all the work.
4-Lots of guys buy older boats but even 2000 and new could still be in need of hundreds to a couple thousand $$ if proper maintenance has not been done.
5-ask for maintenance records
6-plan on paying for a mechanical inspection and hull survey before purchase

Engine replacements can be several thousand especially if you need a shop to do the work.

Mark

 

[Slip Away]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

To add...

27'-30' cruiser would likely require a slip. Plan on $2,000 to $3,400 per season for that.
Off season storage (depending on where you boat) = $1500 for inside heated
Routine maintenance, oil changes, outdrive oil, impeller, anodes etc, could be $300 to $500 per year possibly.
Add that to what it will cost for gas to run the boat, monthly boat payments and it is quite a large sum of money in the end.

Make sure you do your math before jumping into this, I did the cruiser thing for 8 + years, and am glad we went back to a trailer boat now.

 

[TheAviator]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

Thanks guys, good advice. A cruiser is really my only option because my primary desire is to camp on the lake, near a lagoon close to an island. I am not planning on doing a lot of ski ing and stuff like that, other than I will most definitely fish a lot. But fishing and camping are my main 2 things I will do. Not a lot of jetting around cruising the lake, just more like cruise out to an island, anchor and camp.

 

[BIGALF]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

Did you look at a house boat or a pontoon boat? They may not be a pretty as cabin cruiser but a lot of fun. If your just going to be on a lake these boats hold a big group of people and are usually the least cost for service and even purchase.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

Although I am considering renting for this up coming summer in order to get my boating chops down a bit more before I buy...

Consider owning a trailerable boat, and then renting when you want to spend a weekend camping. Might even out against storage, slip, maintenance and fuel costs.

I want a cabin cruiser for camping, something around 27' to 30.'

That's a little big for a first boat. You'll wind up with all of the work of boat ownership, but the work of owning a second home. I'm assuming you're "camping" with several people on board and not just you? There are pontoons specifically designed for camping and smaller cuddy cabin boats that you can sleep on (but they're not comfortable for livin' in like a cabin boat. People start off in big boats like this, so it's not a guaranteed failure or anything - but's it's a STEEP learning curve.

Make sure you take a boating course. Driving it alone is gonna' be a challenge at first.

1) How many hours is too many hours to buy a used boat?

My '72 has over 600 hours on it and runs as well as many boats that I see each weekend. Hours don't mean too much on boats. Nearly all of 'em get towed in once in a while. Look at condition overall, and in your case - depending on price - look at having a professional survey done.

2) Should I only buy around year 2000 forward due to fuel injection on the newer boats etc?

Same deal as hours ... condition over year. I've towed brand new boats in, and been towed in by brand new boats.

3) Is it safe to say buy a boat around year 2000 with less than 500 hours on it?

Condition, condition, condition ... Otherwise, the answer to your question is "no."

Other BIG question is, say if I bought a 1998 boat, how much would it be to just totally replace the engine, single, like say a mercruiser or volvo? I was thinking it may be a safe approach to buy something clean on the outside with say an engine that needs replacing and just plan on spending the extra dollars on engine replacement. Is this a good idea?

Just look for the best overall package. Stay away from OMC systems (obsolete, unless you're going to be your own mechanic) and be prepared for repair costs annually. Some years there will be very little, other years enough to make you wonder why you got into this to begin with.

Consider your cost of ownership - See Slip Away's post - that's typically what puts boats into repossession more than the cost of the boat itself.

Welcome aboard.

 

[jestor68]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

 

[TheAviator]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

Thanks guys, really interesting reading. Yes I should have said I know a little more than you would think. I will put it in a slip, I am aware of the slip costs. I am aware that you need to change the oil every 50 hours. I am aware annual maintenance costs would be around 1500 counting winterizing etc., and I am an all cash buyer so I will not have any payments. I am looking to find a deal for about $15 - $30K. I had a friend recently sell his for about $28 that was in immaculate condition 2005 Sea Ray, 24' had a generator, new it went for about $75K, or at least that is what he said, he bought it for about $50K and sold it for almost half of what he had in it. His was similar to what I"m looking to buy, but when he sold it I wasn't in a position to buy his at that time. POint is, I'm hoping to find something similar with a similar price. Thanks again, looking forward to hearing more.

 

[pckeen]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

With that price range you should be able to find something decent. Now is a good time to buy, with the season coming to an end in many parts of the country. Have a professional marine survey done before buying. If you cannot or will not do that, then inspect every system you can on the boat, and pay a marine mechanic to examine the mechanical systems and give you an opinion. The cost of the survey or mechanic will be tiny in comparison to buying the boat...and discovering you have major repairs to perform.

There is a huge difference between 15 and 30k. Don't buy immediately - look at a lot of boats, and remember - there will always be another deal around the corner.

It isn't possible to advise you on what boats are good or bad based on number of hours alone. A 10 year old boat with 500 hours on it has not been heavily used....but if it was stored outside in the rain and snow, not properly winterized, and maintainance wasn't done on it regularly, it could be a major problem. Condition is extremely important, which is why it is important to have someone look at it that knows what he or she is doing.

Good luck!

 

[achris]

Re: Buying my first Boat, Need Advice

Best advice is to buy something small (in the 14'-17' open boat range) first, cut your teeth on that. Maybe for a year. Handling a larger boat (22'+) is a handful. Having learned those skills in a smaller boat first will be invaluable. I have a 20' boat (for 27 years, and before that a 15' and before that I grew up with my parents boats), and the first time I was at the helm of a friends' 27' it was incredibly daunting, and not at all easy, and I had 25 years in boats before that!

Rough rule of thumb for annual upkeep, 10% of initial purchase price. That is NOT the price you buy it for, it's the price it would be new, now. You might pick up something second-hand for (let's just say) $25K, but new that same boat might be nearer $100k. So, budget $10k PER YEAR to keep it maintained and all the bi-annual slip, anti-foul, pen and engine maintenance costs...

A few years ago LOTS of expensive boats came on the market REALLY cheap... A lot of people who thought they would like a boat like that bought them. A couple of years later a lot of those boats are back on the market. Why? It's not because those people didn't want them, it's because they hadn't budgeted those ongoing costs... They couldn't afford them.... Remember, 10% of NEW costs PER year....

Chris.....
(and really, getting a year or 2 in a smaller boat will be massively beneficial.)