Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

[danrs]

I'm on my way to go look at a 1996 17' Seaswirl with the 3.0L It looks to have the Volvo Penta SX Cobra outdrive. Not exactly what I wanted, as I wanted an 18' with the 4.3 ideally, but losing a foot while a little more cramped, makes the 3.0L less of an issue I'd think.

I've got pics. Boat looks clean. She said there is some minor sun bleaching on an area of the seats. Otherwise boat is clean. Carpet looks great. No tears in any fabric. Bimini top. A couple nicks in the prop from what I can see. It has 110 hours on it, but not used in the last year.

They're asking $5300. Seems like a low price for that boat for the apparent condition (which I WILL confirm when I look at it). Exterior paint looks in great shape from all sides on the boat. Trailer looks bright and new with no rust.

Thoughts on their pricing? Is this a good outdrive? If all looks well, I'd be looking to offer less obviously, but no telling what they'll take until I try of course.

 

[KCook]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

The 3L motor will be Ok for a boat that size. But the size is not just an issue of cockpit room. Smaller boat will also be knocked around more by wakes from big cruisers. Fine for a mild lake or river, but not so good for waters with heavy boat traffic.

Kelly

 

[danrs]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Any opinions on the pricing? If condition is as reported, it seems pretty darn low, even for a 17 footer. Of course condition as reported and actual condition rarely seem to be the same thing... ;-)

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

you are looking at a 12 year old boat.

Buying a boat

1st you need to decide what you want to use it for, fishing, cruising, or water sports.

2nd how many people adults, children you want on board of the average outing.

3rd outboard, inboard-outboard, or inboard power plant.

4th Budget, what you want to pay, and what you are willing to pay, when you find
Exactly what you want.

You can hire a marine surveyor, to inspect the boat, or you can do it yourself.

You are mainly looking for soft spots in the deck, transom, cracks, all signs of a rotten, under frame. You walk all over the deck, that a mallot, or hammer with wooden handle, using handle, tap all over the transom, a shape rap is good solid base, a thud, is questionable base.

The motor should be clean, no spots where the paint is discolored, or pealing from heat, having run hot. (This part for outboard motors Compression should be atleast 100psi, and within 10% of each other,)
Spark on all cylinders, good pee stream, check lower unit for water in oil.

The overall condition of the boat will tell you a lot, as to how it has been maintained.

A 30 year old boat motor combo, may be in better condition, than a 3 year old.

 

[Mscanon99]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Hi,

I will give you my 2 Cents.....

First, everything above.

Second ,make sure you get a mechanical inspection from a quality marina/repair center.

Third, make sure your buying at a fair price....NADA is the tops I would pay right now excluding certain high demand brand/antique options.

Fourth, where are you from, where are you going to be boating?....This might be of major importance as to what you buy (I/O or OB, style, options)

Best,

MS

 

[danrs]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Well, I went to look at the boat. I spoke to the seller's wife earlier. He didn't know the ad would go up so quick, and didn't have the boat ready. Dead battery and he couldn't run it for me. But, I did look the boat over good. Deck is solid but for one small spot right at the deck hatch between the front chairs, right at the edge of the hatch opening. I didn't see any indication of rot in the floor or transom. Looked, sounded, felt solid.

Trailer in good shape. Only a couple small spots of rust.

Gel coat looked great, although dirty. He said "it could use a wax". At first glance, it looked like he was right, but with a rub of the finger, it proved to be nothing more than dirt. A little rub produced a nice shiny gel coat on the top areas where dirt had settled.

Hull and keel were in great shape. No cracks, no spiderwebbing of the gel coat, no damage. There was a smudge on the hull where he missed his mark, hit the bow roller, and marred the stripe a bit.

Interior was okay. Carpet looked clean, but had no "snap" for lack of a better explanation. If I buy, I might consider a "do it yourself" new carpet. Upholstery was in pretty good shape. A couple spots of sun damage to the top edges of a few of the cushions. Might be able to rub that out or clean it? Other than that, only one "tear" about 1/8 of an inch long. The interior color didn't thrill me, but I could live with it.

A little fading on the red (now pink) kill switch, and a broken corner on the radio cover on the port side dash.

There was about 1" missing off the tip of the skeg. Prop had a couple nicks in it.

Engine was not the cleanest. A little TLC could bring it up to speed it appears. If I buy, after it checks out, I'll get the engine cleaned and tuned up.

Since it really wasn't ready, I agreed to come back early next week, if he would agree up front upon a conditional purchase. That condition being that I will come back and see it run, and if we agree on a price, I'll take the boat. I want to get it to a mechanic to go over it then. If there are any major repairs of $500 or more, he will either take the boat back, or reimburse me the costs of the repairs (I'll get this in writing). He agreed.

For $5300? The boat didn't knock my socks off, but assuming it passes mechanical muster, still seems like a fair deal, but not a real good deal like I first thought. A bit small for us at 17', but I can live with it I think. NADA lists average retail at $5135 and low at $4390. Not too sure how accurate NADA is really. At first it looked like a good deal, but then it gave a $1400 deduction for the 3.0L engine. Is that a reasonable deduction?

I've got until Wednesday when I'll go look at it again. He's holding it for me, and I've got first dibs if I want it.

Thoughts?

 

[danrs]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Here's a few pics. Hope it's okay to post them like this, photobucket is giving me fits tonight, and won't let me grab an album link.

 

[danrs]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

And one last pic.

Thoughts? Maybe not the great deal I originally had hoped?

 

[oops!]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

the price is high.....

the soft spot means rot....no doubt about that.

but the pkg is good...3L and volvo is a good pkg.....you can do anything on that boat....ski, fish, tube...anything

read td's post.....

and have a surveyor go over it

cheers
oops

 

[KCook]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Looks like there are no backrests to the jump seats at the rear?

Not my cup of tea, I would be inclined to keep shopping, for a nicer boat. This model is on the plain side. On the other hand, if a boat this plain is Ok, then may as well switch to a fishing boat with more utility.

Kelly

 

[danrs]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

It's got back rests, but they're hidden by the bimini there.

It was on the spartan side. I know seaswirl is a good boat (from what I understand, no personal experience), but this would certainly be their entry level offering I'm sure. As it doesn't seem to be a great deal, and it's not just what I want, I think I may keep looking. I've got a few days to think about it, so I'm sure I'll have it sorted out by then.

 

[oops!]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

what exactally do you want to do with the boat?

how do you want to use it?

you said "its not just what you want"

what are your ideas?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Taking the soft spot in the floor out of the equation I think that boat looks to be in nice condition and is definitely worth $4-5k. However, there is a soft spot in the floor and you need to know exactly what's up with that. In this economy $5k should get you a boat that requires NO work. Also, it doesn't seem like you're too excited about this particular boat. Like the others in this thread I look forward to you better describing what you'd like to do with a boat and maybe we can recommend something better. I do like the seating layout of this boat with the single capt chair on the driver side and a back to back on the other.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Hey, It's a nice looking boat, although a bit spartan but Seaswirls are. The condition looks good, and the hull design, & layout, of the boat is well designed, it is roomy, & uncluttered looking. Basically it gives you a lot of boat for a 17 footer, it's very open. All these features I look for, & like myself, I don't like being cramped on a boat. If I was in the market, and it appeared to be sound, I'd get it myself., But it all depends on where, & how you are going to use it.

 

[tmh]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

OK, watch for the warning signs of potential neglect! When buying a used boat, you want to find one that was owned by someone who is NUTS about his/her boat! Let's consider this one......It looks in OK shape so maybe not used too much....but, soft spot in floor - MAJOR problem. If he cared he'd have had a cow over that and fixed it! It also shows water got into and sat in the boat.

The 1" off the skeg is the #1 sign for me that I'd walk from this one unless very cheap and exactly what I wanted. I have a 23 year old boat in just OK condition. Yes, as a rookie owner I broke a piece off the skeg. Although manys said it would still run fine, I couldn't stand having that skeg broken and had it fixed (actually installed skegguard) and I am NOT a boat condition nut! He'd have had that fixed if he cared about the boat much!

Dead battery - proper maintanance is to keep the battery trickle charged all winter. Obviously he didn't do this. A dead battery is no big deal - $60 even if it's ruined - but it's yet another sign of neglect. What has been neglected in the engine yearly maintanance? Any 303 fabric gueard ever used - doubt it.

Sorry to go on and on but this isn't a 20+ year old "fixer-upper". It IS a reasonably priced and OK condition boat by the looks - but "OK" in a 12 year old boat can add up to lots of $$$ fast! If I were you I'd be much more inclined to pay $7k for a used boat that was owned by a boat nut.

 

[Dakota47]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

i bet you could take that home for $4.000 cash.

 

[INJUN]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

TD's got it right.

Because of the skeg and chip, I'd want a test drive to feel for any bad vibrations.

The pics look better than the description IMO.

Nice rig, if that's your cup o tea.

 

[danrs]

Re: Going to look at a 17' Seaswirl. Opinions and question.

Thanks for the comments. Still not sure what to do with this one, but I'm leaning towards passing on it. If it wasn't exactly what I wanted and was a great deal, I'd likely do it, but I'm not getting that "great deal" vibe. And after thinking about another thing concerns me that I shrugged off at the time. When he said he couldn't start it because the battery was dead, I offered to pull the battery out of my truck to start it up. He said it was "out of gas too". Yet when looking at it later, it showed half a tank?

So either he was too lazy to do it at the moment, the gauge was wrong, or he tried before I got there, and it wouldn't start, and he needs a couple days to sort it out and get it running. Maybe it's nothing, but that put up a warning flag for me. He did say he'd sign the agreement that the deal would be void upon the boat requiring any repairs over $500, or deduct the difference from the price, but in the end it is still just a contract on paper, and if he decided not to honor it, it will take time and money to get him to do so. Probably not worth the headache.

I think I'd rather pay a fair price for something very close to what I'm looking for than I would pay a great price for something that's not quite what I want. I'm shopping for deals (it is a buyers market), but not desperate to get into something by any means.