Looking to make my first boat purchase!

tazrig

tazrig

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

jermaine said:
Ski boat for sale or trade
1988 Sea Ray
Ok two more to what do you all think?
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All things being equal the sea ray is a better built boat. Although made by the same parent Co. (Brunswick Marine) it is a heavier built boat, more solid, seaworthy etc. I would look at both though. The more boats you look at, actually touch, feel, shake, walk on, inspect etc. the more you will start to see the differences in both quality and the whether or not the boat has been cared for. I know the Larson is "vintage" but they always made an exceptionally solid boat.

http://nashville.craigslist.org/boa/3490133011.html

I would rather have an old well built boat than a bran new cheaply made one. In fact, my boat is a 1976 and I've restored it twice rather than buy new because they just don't build them the way they used to.

You were right about the boat with the OMC. If all the guy knows is that it is a V8 then he knows even less about maintenance and besides that anything with an OMC or Yamaha sterndrive is NOT a boat you even want to consider. Don't get frustrated, there are lots of "good" boats out there in your price range. Here is a pic of a recent purchase that was bought for only $3,000. The buyer had a mechanic go over it and it passed with flying colors. :D


boat.jpg


For what it's worth you're going about this in the right way. Keep looking, keep asking questions and soon you'll be out on the water in a safe, reliable boat of your own.
 
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tazrig

tazrig

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

southkogs said:
Sea Ray sounds like a dud. I don't know what a "weak center transit" is, but when a Craigslist Ad says "boat in fair condition" I let it go.

The other Bayliner is one you'd have to go look at.
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You're right... I didn't even look at the description. I was just studying the pictures. My bad! :facepalm::facepalm::facepalm:
 
QC

QC

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

southkogs said:
The other Bayliner is one you'd have to go look at.
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"235 evinrude" On an 18 footer? I want to know more about that. Has to be over the HP rating, but she will flippin' fly :eek:
 
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16victor

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

How far do you want to drive? 4 hrs too many?
1990 Rinker

But don't know how long it is...
 
southkogs

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

QC said:
"235 evinrude" On an 18 footer? I want to know more about that. Has to be over the HP rating, but she will flippin' fly :eek:
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:D LOL - I'd be more worried about the "flippin'" than the "flyin'"

I missed that - musta' read 135 in my head.
 
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jermaine

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

I have a test ride scheduled with 93 bayliner tomm. hope all goes well if so this could be the one.
 
tazrig

tazrig

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

Good luck and keep us posted. One question a bunch of us had was for you to check the "capacity plate" on the boat as some of us thought the 235hp was way over capacity for that sized boat. Either way though, look out for the things we've all mentioned and good luck!
 
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jermaine

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

tazrig said:
Good luck and keep us posted. One question a bunch of us had was for you to check the "capacity plate" on the boat as some of us thought the 235hp was way over capacity for that sized boat. Either way though, look out for the things we've all mentioned and good luck!
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Should the over hp be a deal breaker if everything else checks out? Guys seems to not had any problems with it. And he is the first one to offer a trip on the water so thats a plus for me.
 
southkogs

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

jermaine said:
Should the over hp be a deal breaker if everything else checks out? Guys seems to not had any problems with it...
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Overpowering a boat can be a little dangerous, but not necessarily. The biggest deal (in my head anyway) is that IF you were ever involved in an accident, and you were being sued, the overpowering of the boat would put you in legal trouble in terms of liability. There are safety issues, but I think the liability is the biggest deal.

jermaine said:
...And he is the first one to offer a trip on the water so thats a plus for me.
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Sea trial is always good. Try and get a look at it on the trailer too. That'll help you see what kinda' shape the hull is in.

Have fun ... even if it ain't the right boat.
 
QC

QC

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

Also, that is a carbed 2 cycle. She will REALLY eat fuel. I rarely mention fuel as it is just part of the deal, but that combo is very thirsty.
 
saumon

saumon

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

southkogs said:
Sea trial is always good...
Click to expand...

I must say it isn't only good, it's MANDATORY, especially on a used boat in that price range...

If the seller refuse/can't/is too busy or whatever, simply walk away.
 
tazrig

tazrig

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

southkogs said:
Overpowering a boat can be a little dangerous, but not necessarily. The biggest deal (in my head anyway) is that IF you were ever involved in an accident, and you were being sued, the overpowering of the boat would put you in legal trouble in terms of liability. There are safety issues, but I think the liability is the biggest deal.


Sea trial is always good. Try and get a look at it on the trailer too. That'll help you see what kinda' shape the hull is in.

Have fun ... even if it ain't the right boat.
Click to expand...


^^^+1
 
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jkust

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

I love these boat shopping threads and checking out all the links. I never saw the bayliner in the link because it was flagged as spam. Having a family of 6 to me is a tall order for an 18 or 19 footer. That's a lot of bodies. I'll just say I agree with the I/O comments and the usefulness of the sunpad. The sunpad is some valuable real estate on our boat and is where everyone gravitates to. I'm usually relegated to the bow since the kids and wife are on the sunpad. I've also got an old bowrider with a 2 stroke outboard and it is a smokefest and loud as heck plus burns gas at an almost illegal rate. The I/O is so much more family friendly, budget friendly fuel wise, and just quiet where you can have a normal discussion at wot. So far in 9 season our I/O has only had winterizing and annual required maintainance that is about 300 dollars a season and one full preventative tune up that was maybe $700, while the outboard in 29 years since we've had it has never cost a single penny in repairs and only the lower unit lube and fogging are done yearly which a monkey could do. Point being the outboard costs far less to maintain and the water drains itself.
 
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jermaine

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

Well the search goes on. Couldnt get the boat on the river everything flooded but it did start and run good. My only issue was the floor was mush he said that its just the top layer and everything under that is all fiberglass. I dont know how true that is but he did say he would take 3000 so i said had to think about to do some research. Is that true can just replace the top layer or everything under it? Also there was no place to tie a tube to other than the side tie downs is that safe? And what do you think about this onehttp:// bgky.craigslist.org/boa/3598325521.html
 
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jkust

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Re: Looking to make my first boat purchase!

jermaine said:
Well the search goes on. Couldnt get the boat on the river everything flooded but it did start and run good. My only issue was the floor was mush he said that its just the top layer and everything under that is all fiberglass. I dont know how true that is but he did say he would take 3000 so i said had to think about to do some research. Is that true can just replace the top layer or everything under it? Also there was no place to tie a tube to other than the side tie downs is that safe? And what do you think about this onehttp:// bgky.craigslist.org/boa/3598325521.html
Click to expand...

If you want to go boating don't get a soft floor boat. You generally need to replace the floor and the stringers and the foam plus the transom and it is a huge project. A soft floor boat is nearly worthless. The link you posted seems to not work.
 
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