Complete newbie...jumping right in.

[Streetgang]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Here's 2 cents,

Ring up a surveyor in your neck of woods and see what he will charge and what you can expect him to do. It will help put your mind at ease. They have a wealth of experience with boats and through their databases.

Many times you can bargain the cost with the seller to either split or perhaps he will pay but even if it is all on you I would anty up.

A word of caution though, many surveyors do not do mechanicals so make sure you are both on same page. Whether you let the Iboats team walk you through a mechanical or hire a professional the end result is you will know what you are getting into.

Best wishes and good luck.

 

[cburnscrx]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Well...my first attempt at buying a boat...fail

He sold it as I was on my way over to look at it. I got in the driveway, saw the boat sitting there, he came to the door and said...Sorry I already sold it. So, long story short, it's not going to be my first boat. I'll keep my eyes open for another one, and let you know what I find. I really like the looks of the Bayliner, and while I know they're entry level boats, I think it's a good choice for me.

Thanks for everybody's input and help, I already know more than I did when this all started.

Now if anybody knows where I can find a good looking boat for under $3500 I'd be interested.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

...Now if anybody knows where I can find a good looking boat for under $3500 I'd be interested.

Plenty of 'em around - I bought my current boat at one of the ramps on Geist a few years ago. Don't get discouraged. Here's a couple in your neck of the woods that are worth a look:

THIS is an old Larson, but it looks well kept.
1978 Cobalt. Can't tell if the floor looks iffy, but worth a drive over.
THIS '86 Wellcraft doesn't look too bad.
THIS Rinker looks pretty good too. Probably the most hopeful of the lot based on the ad.

There are a couple down here in Nashville right now that if I had an extra couple grand sittin' around ...

EDIT: BTW - I wouldn't recommend worrying about a surveyor on a boat in the price range you're looking at. The fee would be too high. However, if you don't know anyone who can help you go take a look at the boat, at least see if there's a reputable mechanic you can pay a fee to give it a look. That could be a well spent $50 to $100.

 

[Downforce6]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Well...my first attempt at buying a boat...fail

He sold it as I was on my way over to look at it. I got in the driveway, saw the boat sitting there, he came to the door and said...Sorry I already sold it. So, long story short, it's not going to be my first boat. I'll keep my eyes open for another one, and let you know what I find. I really like the looks of the Bayliner, and while I know they're entry level boats, I think it's a good choice for me.

Thanks for everybody's input and help, I already know more than I did when this all started.

Now if anybody knows where I can find a good looking boat for under $3500 I'd be interested.

Take your time bud, I looked at many before getting mine, Keep in mind prices will rise as we get closer to the boating season, but take your time, there are many out there. It will pay off in the long. Just keep doing your homework on them.

Also, you've got a good start listening to the more exp guys on here, they won't steer you wrong. They don't all agree on everything but such is life. They all just want to help and are willing.

 

[cburnscrx]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Just to keep everybody updated, I am still in the market. I will continue to look as the season inches closer, but the closer it gets, the less likely I am to find a deal. The wife veto'd 3 of the previous 4 boats posted...the other is gone.

 

[wango]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Hey, thought I would chime in, even though you didn't get that Bayliner. I have a 1950 Bayliner Cuddy with a 3.0 it does fine pulling a couple kids on tubes or a wakeboard or skier. Definately not the fastest or most powerful boat on the water, but it gets around fine for me. I bought mine as a project with a cracked block, bored it .030 over, welded the block and did a little porting/polishing on the head, new valve guides and seals, etc. also replaced the points with electronic ignition. Maybe gained a little horsepower over stock, but not a ton. I live in Michigan and put it on any inland lake here, although some of the big ones can get a little rough sometimes. I.E. Houghton Lake is around 20K acres. I have had it on 3 of the Great Lakes, Michigan, Huron and Erie. Its a bit small for the Great lakes though.

Unless you're in a big hurry, you may be better off to wait til Sept. Lots of great boat deals around here after Labor Day, you start seeing them getting cheaper near the end of August. Some people don't want to store them again, especially if they only used it once or twice all summer.

P.S. the 3.0 G.M. blocks tend to crack from freezing in the exterior water jacket just below the head gasket under the manifold. Can be tough to see depending on the boat it is in. Take a mirror with you, if you go to look at one. The ones I've seen cracked are sometimes very obvious, other times you can just see a small line of fresh rust where the crack is. Also, sometimes the manifold cracks, much cheaper repair. Somewhere I have some pics of a cracked block, I'll see if I can find them and post em up.

Take your time and happy hunting. Good luck

 

[saumon]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Just to keep everybody updated, I am still in the market. I will continue to look as the season inches closer, but the closer it gets, the less likely I am to find a deal. The wife veto'd 3 of the previous 4 boats posted...the other is gone.

Well, this is not necessarily a bad thing: there will be PLENTY of boats to choose from and look at till may/june, the busiest period being march/april and, most importantly, you'll be able to test ride them which, in my opinion, is mandatory with used boats.

 

[littlerayray]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

just my .05 cents since Canada got rid of the penny i spent two years looking at boats and doing tons of research on all the brands that peaked my interest drove my wife nuts but after those two years i was able to make an informed decision as well as one i would not regret

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

hey frisco hahaha ive seen a lotta of ur you tube vids wen i redid my deck on a 85 galaxy good to c u again how r ya ?? hows the sea ray ??? and y listen to frisco i followed wen u bought that boat what a nightmare huh ???? I did the same thing on my first boat ended up pulling the motor fixing a rear seal leak i dint notice wen i test run it ..and redoing the deck i did sell it last yr and get my mney back then some but not much ...check corners for rot ,run engine , even a compression test iss great !!! luckily i didnt have to do transom and stringers were still solid and encased i nfiberglass only becouse i beleive galaxy made a good boat and still a lot of them out there bayliner different story !!!!id even see if u can do a test run on the lake ????most importan take ur time ???

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

i c them all the x here in nc maybe travel ??? and people here for some reason take care of there things most of them from what ive found verses the midwest !!

 

[cburnscrx]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Well, I have been looking off and on (mostly off) since the original Bayliner, and it appears the spring season pricing is upon us. I found another Bayliner on eBay, but it's missing...well...the motor. haha. I don't think I want to start my first boat hunting down a boat AND a motor. Then again, that would keep me away from the Force motors. Hmm...Na.

Anyway, just thought I would update and thank everybody for their advice so far!

 

[fireman_54]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Well I am looking for a starter boat here in MI, but I look all around the great lakes area and I stumbled across this.
boat 1987 fourwinds

may be worth looking at and in your price range

good luck with your search!

 

[cburnscrx]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Still alive and breathing. I am still looking on an off at some boats and might take a look at this one.


"Priced to sell quickly. (Have already bought larger boat.) 4.3L OMC Cobra I/O runs great. Hull & transom in A1 shape. Galvanized trailer in good shape as well. Spare SS propeller. Weather covers and storage cover. Dual batteries. Automatic bilge. Built-in depth gauge."

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks for the responses. Anybody available in the Indy area and want to take a look with me?

 

[Slip Away]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

OMC, can of worms for a new boater. Pass

 

[cburnscrx]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

Well, I'll take that as a good thing as I never even got a shot...long gone before I could check it out.

 

[Catus Magnus]

Re: Complete newbie...jumping right in.

another new guy here.
I owned a Regal 175 15 years ago, with 3.0/Mercruiser. It was a fine & sufficient powerplant - topped out around 40ish, may a little over, and was quiet relative to an outboard. Sold when first daughter was born. That was 12 yrs ago, time to take the daughters boating, just bought a fish-n-ski that's very nice. It's got an intermittent ignition prob (wont turn past 4K first few minutes) but fine thereafter, need to sort that out. We're enjoying it. The 115hp Merc/Dixie pulls substantially harder than I remember the Regal, and has more top end when hitting on all six, but it's lighter.
there are some decent boats in the mid-3000 range, just need to be willing to pass on a few of them. I looked for a couple months. Most I looked at where nowhere near as nice as their pictures/description depicted... this one was, and I took it. Here's my craigslist find: