Comparison of Boats for Sale

[acer52]

I'm looking at buying one of these two older boats as a starter since I'm new to boating and don't want to invest a ton into it.
1990 Seaswirl
1988 Bayliner

Can you give me your opinion which you would choose? They look really similar and the biggest difference looks like one has an outboard motor and the other has an inboard. One is a Seaswirl brand which looks like it's been bought out by Striper but was a good quality boat back in it's day according to this article: https://boatinggeeks.com/seaswirl-boats/. I'm just not sure if it's a bad idea to get a Seaswirl since I'm guessing it may be harder to find parts?

 

[briangcc]

Sorry but the links are coming through in a foreign language - I'm not willing to click that.

I'd start here:

For New Members Needing help buying a boat. A Buyer's Checklist.

All of the Iboaters know that we frequently have new members checking in and asking about wether or not to purchase this that or the other boat. After speaking to a Mod (Thanks BobVT) I have decided to use a previous post to create a check list of things to check when purchasing a new boat...

forums.iboats.com

After that its going to be condition, condition, and condition. Doesn't matter what brand boat or motor...although I personally despise Force outboard (and by extension Mercury outboards). Give me a Honda 4 stroke any day.

If you're new to boating, the general consensus, and actually how the market is shifting, is towards outboards. Winterizing is dead simple....trim the motor fully down to drain all the water out. You can't do that with an IO and you'll have new vocabulary such as bellows and U joints.

 

[acer52]

hmm...that's odd the links are showing in a different language. I just pasted them in the same as I did the article I referenced, so I'm not sure why they post that way cause it does make them looks suspicious. I tried editing it to fix it but it still changes it to a foreign language.

 

[southkogs]

Expect both boats to need some work, so look over them carefully using the guide that @briangcc posted. If you can pull it off, you even want to at least get them in front of a marine tech. The service fee to have a boat dude look 'em over is worth it.

I'd lean toward the SeaSwirl. The '88 Bayliner has some real potential pitfalls as Bayliner's build in the 80's wasn't so good. If that Bayliner has an "L-drive" run away even faster; you want nothing to do with that.

Welcome aboard.

 

[acer52]

ah, I found a different way to post the links so they're better now.

 

[Scott Danforth]

expect to replace transom, stringers, flotation foam and floor in both of them

so pick which one you want to invest lots of money and time into.

FWIW, you would be better off with an aluminum boat with an outboard for your first boat.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Not much information in either ad, so you're limited to the pictures which may have been taken recently or years ago.

Both boats, as others have said, are likely to need a lot of work, so unless you know someone who is familiar with old boats and can look at them with you, I'd suggest you read the link that @briangcc posted and then go over the boats with a fine tooth comb.

 

[Scott Danforth]

in addition to the post above. also suggest you read this thread. https://forums.iboats.com/threads/1995-sea-ray-220-signature-deck-and-stringer-restoration.495449/

 

[JimS123]

expect to replace transom, stringers, flotation foam and floor in both of them

so pick which one you want to invest lots of money and time into.

FWIW, you would be better off with an aluminum boat with an outboard for your first boat.

That's the answer. Regardless of what the link says, Seaswirl was only an OK boat. Bayliners of that era were crap.

The Johnny on the Seaswirl was a very good motor. But at that age it will need service at some time. Parts are available, but you will search far and wide to find a mechanic willing to work on it. They have been out of business for a long time.

You said, "don't want to invest a ton". You WILL.

 

[acer52]

Why are the aluminum boats a better option?

 

[JimS123]

Why are the aluminum boats a better option?

The stringers are aluminum. If you have rotten innards, a piece of plywood will fix the problem. Repairing a rotten fiberglass boat of that age will cost many thousands and probably require a professional to do the work.

While I agree that an outboard is also the way to go, older 2-strokes, although awesomely nice engines, have been replaced by more modern 4-strokes. As such, dealers don't want to be bothered fixing the old ones.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Why are the aluminum boats a better option?

Because if the wood is rotten on an aluminum boat, it's a 2 day fix and maybe $100

Vs a fiberglass boat where it will cost you over $3000 and almost a year

 

[KD4UPL]

I've had some experience with an '89 Bayliner that looked almost exactly like that one back in 2002 and 2003. It was a project at that point: new floor, engine work, upholstery work, etc. I did get it fixed up and used it for a couple years. It belonged to my neighbor and she was paying for everything so it was a great learning experience. However, 80's Bayliners are not known for quality.
Both of those boats will likely require a couple thousand in updates and maintenance that wasn't done. They are best described as projects. If that's what you want and you enjoy tinkering then great. If you just want a boat to take out and enjoy with friends and family you would be money ahead to spend twice that much on a newer boat.

 

[acer52]

I know these boats are designed for pulling skiers, tubers, and wakeboarders but what if I wanted to take it occasionally out to a bay to crab in salt water? Is that a bad idea? If so, why?

 

[tpenfield]

Take a boater safety course, if you have not done so already.

It is hard to assess boats via an Internet forum. Brand names mean very little after 10 years.

Most parts on a boat are generic and can be found in the aftermarket.

Bayliners of that era have a particularly bad reputation . . . poor build quality.

Outboard engines are going to be easier to work on than an I/O, but parts can be expensive.

How much money is in "a ton"?

Expect to keep feeding either boat money.

Check your weather, wind, wave forecast on days you want to head out into the ocean/bay

 

[Scott Danforth]

I know these boats are designed for pulling skiers, tubers, and wakeboarders but what if I wanted to take it occasionally out to a bay to crab in salt water? Is that a bad idea? If so, why?

These 2 particular boats were designed to be cheap and last about 10 years and be replaced. Yes, only 10 years. The one boat is 33, the other is 35.

You can pull tubes behind a rowboat with a 20hp or a pontoon boat or a jet ski or any other boat.

Pulling a skier will depend on which motor each has.

Neither of these boats were designed with wakeboarding in mind since wakeboarding came much later. Hull shape wont make a good wake

You can pull crab pots in on anything that floats.

Any fiberglass boat under $10000 or older than 10-15 years should be considered a project

I wouldn't recommend either of these two boats simply based on age and manufacturers as neither boats were built well back in the late 80s/early 90s. Especially for a first time boat

 

[airshot]

Anyone getting into boating, especially newbies, expect to spend some big bucks, no way around it....that is boating !!! General rule of thumb...." The less a boat costs in the beginning, the more it will cost in the long run". ..... The most expensive boat you will ever own is the one you got for free !!!

 

[acer52]

Good feedback... Thanks for all the advice!

 

[aspeck]

I would be more comfortable with the Seaswirl in the bay than the Bayliner. I would be more comfortable with the quality of the Seaswirl than the Bayliner of the 80's. I would be more comfortable with the powerplant (Johnson) of the Seaswirl than the Bayliner.

That said, if I was new to boating, I would be leery of both boats. You need a trusted mechanic/surveyor or VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE friend to go with you to look over both boats and check for rot and mechanical issues. It is POSSIBLE that one of these boats would be a good boat for a newbie, but not likely. Learn as much as you can about boats and boating. Take a boating safety course. Go boating with KNOWLEDGEABLE friends who can teach you ... not friends that just want to go out and sling drinks and be idiots on the water. Learn as much as you can before you leap into the world of boating. With knowledge and the right equipment, boating can be one of the most relaxing and rewarding experiences you will ever have. Without knowledge and the wrong equipment it can be a nightmare.

Good luck!

 

[Scott06]

Good feedback... Thanks for all the advice!

You should look through the restoration threads on this site so you can see what time and water does tot he floor, transom, and stringers of boats of this era. Would be surprised if they both didn't have damage the the fiberglass encased wood structure. Not that they can't be in good shape just would be highly unusual for a boat that age to not have some rot.

I had a 91 Sea Ray 170 bowrider was in my family for 20 of its 25 years, Always covered and garaged, had two soft spots in the floor where you got off the swim ladder tot he interior and between the two consoles where the floor always was wet when you go swimming with a bunch of people. Boat looked very presentable and in good shape, but I am sure there was more damage under the two soft spots...

The Seaswirl looks like carpet has been replaced would be suspicious of having new plywood put over and old deck.