Can't decide which way to go...

[cwd56]

I'm in the market for a boat. I've had a small bass boat and one fish and ski that was an outboard. I'm looking at a 2014 Bayliner 185 zero hours, and a 2003 Crownline 225 LPX With 200 hours. The 225 is in great shape. Very bright yellow, clean, and we'll maintained. I know the owner and trust him. He's asking $20k for it. The bayliner is a 2014 that's still at the dealership, it has the fishing package, listed at $29k.

We like to play, and be out on the water. We also enjoy fishing. I know the 225 isn't as fishing friendly, it's got so much room. What are your guys thoughts on the two? I'll be honest, I'm leaning towards the 225. My only hang up is no one wants to finance a boat of that age.

 

[UncleWillie]

Adding a trolling motor and a sonar does not change a Bow Rider into a fishing boat!

There is more than one way to finance a project.
What other assets do you have that have more equity than the boat?

I will add, out of conscience, that financing a non-necessity, is a bad financial plan, especially if you are not already debt free.

 

[JaCrispy]

The Crownline is similar to my boat design and we fish on it regularly. I mounted some clamp on rod holders and we usually sit on the sundeck. We land fish on the swim platform then they go straight to the cooler to keep the boat clean. Three of us can fish comfortably but I've had 5 before, you just need to fish off the sides.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n.../P82A03061.jpg

 

[drrpm]

How much watersports vs. fishing and how many people do you intend to take out? The Crownline will probably stave off 2 footitis for a long tine.

 

[southkogs]

Some people go BOTH ways ...

Drop down to the cheaper boat, and then buy a small cheap (like "several hundred dollar" cheap) aluminum boat with a 10HP tiller motor. Even coming down to a $10,000 big boat, you can find something in nice shape ... though, that Crownline is probably really nice.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Shoot you can get a real nice boat in that size for $6,000 or less...... If I had to finance a boat it would be a HUGE red flag to me that I was spending way too much on it.

 

[thumpar]

My Crownline is a 1996 and would still take it over a brand new Bayliner.

 

[jkust]

Those boats aren't even comparable or close to the same class?? I can say that I would want the CL over the BL. It must have a large V8 in it vs the v6 or small v8 in the BL. As for fishing...we cannot fish with any practicality out of my smaller sig boat (sort of similar to a CL style) because nobody (but me) in the family can reach the water to wash the fish and bait off their hands as it sits so high out of the water. I don't know how high the CL would sit out of the water but I can tell you I end up having to do all of the fish removal and baiting for the rest of the family. We essentially don't fish at all because it is just a pain and because I can not accept a hook snagging the vinyl which is bound to happen with kids.