N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

[Safooma]

I know, what a surprise.

My wife and I are looking to purchase a boat for family fun. We bought a house recently(two years) and we are only 4 miles from a nice lake. We want a boat with seats in the front as we will be hauling ourselves and our two kids(8 and 15), their friends and sometimes my parents. Tubing/wakeboarding and fishing will be enjoyed by all.

With that said, have a budget of 2-3k. No financing, we are buying outright or not buying--if we need to finance then we cannot afford it. Problem is that this limits the prospects to old boats.

My family had boats when I was growing up(trihull w/outboard, 67 17' reinell I/O, Daycruiser w/454), so I am reasonably savvy when it comes to boats....which means that I know that a boat can become a nightmare, fast. And I will admit that now that the purchasing will be done on MY dime, I am a bit nervous.

Today we looked at a 79 chrysler marine tri-hull with seats in the bow(9 seats all told). Mechanically it has a volvo penta I4 and a 280 outdrive, dual tanks and batteries. Even has a bimini top and interior that is in good condition. Started right up and idled/revved great. The owner is going to let me take it out to the lake over the weekend. How cool is that?

As great as this all sounds, I have a few things I would like to run by you fine folks.....


Is the volvo penta I4/280 a good set up? My only experience(albeit as a teenager) was with mercruiser.

I have never heard of Chrysler marine. If the engine/outdrive is volvo, what, exactly, did chrylser make?

The floor. It didnt feel soft, but it did have a bit of give under my feet--and uniformly over the entire boat, not just in certain places. Is this normal? Is there a way to investigate this further? It's probably worth noting that I am a bit of a fatty though(280lbs), MAYBE that has something to do with it.....;-()

Is there anything else I should look for/test while or before I take it out?



Thanks!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

reinell built the hull, sounds like the engine is marinize crysler engine. outdrive is volvopenta. hull and outdrive good, question is are parts available for the engine. also with the I 4 the boats probably going to be a slug. hard to plane. under powered compare to today's boats, and the 454 you had as a kid. i really suggest you go with an outboards, easier to maintain, and repair on a budget. what ever you find in you budget, expect to do some work on it. with your weight, recommend something in the 17' up, with 115hp up.

 

[tmh]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

In your price range you will have to compromise a lot, but it can be done. I somewhat agree on the outboard idea, but maybe you stumble upon the right fit in an I/O.

The one you're looking at I have no info. However, it's very old for an I/O....the owner sounds like a very honest guy so find out what the service history has been, etc. IF it has enough power when you test run it, then it may be a decent deal (should be cheap). Soft floor.....well maybe it's that and your weight, who knows. Only way to be sure is start drilling/cutting. I'd say unless the floor is shot, then the biggest issue is waterlogged floor/foam, etc. IF the engine gets the boat moving fine then likely not too much water weight so you're OK.

Be patient. A 18' bowrider mid 80's with a decent engine can be had for your price range....just wait for one in pretty good condition from someone who took care of it. The biggest problem, of course, is keeping it going!

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

If the lake you are boating on gets a pretty decent chop in windy conditions, be aware that a tri-hull will "slam" the waves pretty hard.

As mentioned before, that 4 cyl. may be a bit of a slug.

Maybe talk with the parents about how much they will enjoy hanging out with the family on the "new" boat; tell them of how you are trying to find one for around 3K and what a hard time you are having finding one in that price range that will accomodate everyone, maybe dad will have an extra 2K to invest in the fun!​

 

[rogerwa]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

What area are you from? In my area I see deals on Craiglist all the time. Also, in my area you find realy good older boats in great condition because they are only used 3-5 months of the year. so if they are cared for, they can be quite a good deal.

If looking at older I would be looking at Outboard models. The older ones with I/Os have the potential to need a more expensive maintenance, Bellows, risers, etc. With the outboard, if you blow it on the purchase you can stick another one on there fairly easily.

I like I/Os for a number of reasons, but maintaining the OB is so much easier.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

rogerwa, they do have great deals in your area, i see them on ebay all the time. just too far for me to go get.

 

[Safooma]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

Thanks for the replies. I can't believe I neglected to mention the price: 1700 obo. I live in oregon, which has a boating season of 5 months, max.

While the owner seems honest, he knows next to nothing about boats. It was given to him in lieu of a debt and he has never taken the boat out---doesn't even know if it floats, LOL. I think that his willingness to let me take it out for an extended test drive has more to do with getting a handle on the boats sea-worthiness than with his confidence in the boat.

One thing I did notice was that it has a waterline across the bottom. Couldn't this indicate it was moored rather than trailered and isn't this usually a bad thing?

It did have current oregon tags/registration, so I would think means that at least it has been used recently and not rotting in a back yard somewhere.

As for my budget...I have about 3300 from a recent stock windfall that I am using for finances. My parents have offered to help, but several thosand dollars is more like a co-purchase than help ;-)

Ultimately I suppose that the test drive will determine everything. Although having spent the last several nights reading horror stories about soft floors and failing stringers on this forum, the floor has me ultra paranoid.......I wonder what a new glastron would cost with a good down payment........

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

the water line is on most boats that are not washed when loaded on the trailer. the water these days around busy ramps, is ugly, an clings right to the hull, good reason to keep it waxed. all may boats have bathtub rings, and never in the water more than a week.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: N00b here, needing some advice on potential purchase.

Two things to look out for on an older boat. 1) Registration and Title. If the owner cannot provide it, you are in for a paper chase that will drive you to drink (that's right you are married so you already are in that class -- kidding of course). Some states don't require it but check the hull (right rear corner) for stamped numbers or at least an plate. If it's gone, you have at least one problem. 2) Registration and title for the engine if an outboard. Same reasoning. 3) Fuel tank material. If the tanks are aluminum or fiberglass (not plastic) they are subject to degradation from ethanol blended fuel. You may not have that fuel in your area yet but it's coming. Finally, a 454 makes power but at the cost of fuel I'd really rethink that one. Shop carefully.