Might be dipping my toes back into boating

[2stroke1971]

I haven't had a boat for about 12 years now. Our last boat was an old Bayliner 1950 Capri Cuddy that I paid very little for and did a lot of work to. Say what you will, that thing was a tank, and it could handle some crap for its size. I am looking again at a 19 to 23 foot cuddy of some sort.

My budget these days is a tiny bit better. Also the Bayliner had the 4 cylinder 2.1 Volvo and it was just not enough engine for that boat. I told myself I was going with a V8 no matter what. However...

I was looking at a 1994 Sea Pro Centra 196 cuddy. It looks really nice, especially for the age, but I can't find a lot of info on them. This one has a V6...I am not sure which one, whether its a 3.0 or not, It is a Mercruiser. Are they known as decent boats?

I really don't want a project, (yeah I know the drill they are all ongoing projects)....Lets say I dont want to pull the engine and do a full rebuild and do all the floors and all that sort of crap I did on the old Capri. (Although easily within my skillset) Something tells me that age on an old boat doesnt matter as much as condition. The Seapro is a 1994 but it looks nicer than most of the 2010 boats in my range.

EDIT: For Clarity: I see a lot of Sea Pro boats out there but not many Cuddy Cabin boats, they seem like they are mostly center console units.

 

[dingbat]

Something tells me that age on an old boat doesnt matter as much as condition. The Seapro is a 1994 but it looks nicer than most of the 2010 boats in my range.

Not saying you cant find a gem out there, but it goes well beyond skin deep.

You’re long past the expected lifetime of a number of systems on a boat. Even if you find no rot in the boat, at a minimum every hose on the boat and engine needs to be replaced. Fuel tank is suspect. Thru hulls need to be replaced as well.

 

[Chris1956]

You might consider an outboard powered boat. Sterndrives are just about obsolete, with the rise of 450HP outboards. Sterndrive power requires a whole lot more maintenance than OB's, take up a lot of cockpit space and are real hard to work on vs OB's. Also, Cobra and V-P sterndrives are getting harder to get parts.

Around here (NJ shore), 2 cycle OBs are dirt cheap. Sterndrives are pretty much gone except or some older cruisers (28+ feet). People want the 4 cycle OBs in 150HP+ in single or twin power.

 

[airshot]

Better off looking for an aluminum hull, far less wood to rot and easier to repair if it is ! If being used in salt water, then that idea might not be good. For fresh water use...aluminum all the way !!

 

[Texasmark]

At early 70's I too thought I was through boating having had a boat before I had a car and building one as a teenager. About 7 years later I realized I made a mistake and got back in. Got a bigger boat, smoother riding more whoopie.