Newbie looking for advice

[TTPR]

Hi All- I am looking to purchase my first boat and have narrowed it down to a few and am looking for some advice. It is my wife and I and our three kids, ages 6, 4 and 1. We will use it on lakes and mostly for cruising, tubing and possibly skiing. I am not mechanically inclined so I am not looking for a project. We will sometimes have friends with us, but no more than 4 adults total and 5 or 6 kids total (with some of the kids being under 3 years old). I know this might be a little tight on space which is the reason I am considering the 24’ Four Winns. Below are the three boats I am considering. Any feedback on them or on the prices is greatly appreciated!!

2007 Chaparral 210 SSI with 350 hours on a Volvo penta 270hp. Price 23k

2005 Monterey 214FS with 200 hours on a 5.0 Mercruiser 220 hp, Price 19k

2003 Four Winns Horizon with 450 hours on a 5.7 Volvo penta V8. Price 20k

The Monterey looks like it’s in great condition and possibly has a little more space than the Chaparral but I can’t find a ton of info online about the 214fs and the NADA value is about 6k lower on the Monterey than the chaparral. Is Chaparral really that much of a better boat than the Monterey or am I missing something?

any info or feedback is appreciated!

thank you!

 

[alldodge]

First and foremost, the thing that makes a good boat is the motor. If the motor doesn't run it doesn't matter what it looks like

The Chap is better made then the Monterey and does have higher resale. I have a Rinker which is in the similar range as the Monterey, they are entry level boats

With all the folks which might be in the boat I would look at more then 21ft. That said, the larger the boat the more fuel it burns

 

[Scott06]

i would second the comments on the 24 ft boat. I have a 21 ft bowrider that we keep at my fathers lake house. we typically go out for 1-2 hrs at clip, 2 or so outings a day depending on weather. Point being we can come in to eat etc.

if we didnt have a house on the water on were on the boat the entire day i would want something bigger. We often visit buddy two hours away he has a 24 ft crownline deckboat That he keeps in a marina, they live off the water. This size is perfect for two families to go out for a day, have a meal or two etc.

 

[briangcc]

Since you're not mechanically inclined that sorta leads to this question.... what marinas are in your area to service the motor and drive?

In my neck of the woods, Volvo dealers are drying up. Where I vacation, they are non-existent. Merc dealers on the other hand are very easy to locate.

I've had both. Volvo is much much smoother to use however parts cost 2-3x that of comparable Merc.

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard. I'm going to add some off-the-wall considerations simply so they've been mentioned as you're a first time owner:

• Do a little reading HERE. There's some great stuff for when you look these boats over.
• Look over your towing capacity and how you're going to store the boat. Those can sometimes be complications that people overlook, and eventually make boat owning a bit of a hassle.
• Cost of ownership: this is the bug that bites. Buying the boat is one cost. Fueling the boat is another cost. Storing the boat, maintaining the boat, fixing the boat ... All of it comes into play, and is generally the more difficult part of ownership for people. Once you get into a larger boat, those costs are significant. Not so much brutal, just very noticeable

Good advice coming from the gang. Best wishes on your purchase.

 

[racerone]

There are some " timeshare " boating clubs.------Look for one in your area.------They own say 10 or 12 boats.------You pay an annual fee plus for the time you use one.-----A competent person looks after all the details ( insurance , maintenance ) ETC.------Cheapest way to go boating !!!

 

[poconojoe]

If I were to do it all over knowing what I now know, I would not buy an I/O boat....period.
I would only buy an outboard.

I/O's require more work and knowledge when winterizing and if not done properly can result in a cracked engine block.

The whole bellows idea is a ridiculous setup. There's a big hole in your transom only protected from water intrusion by a set of rubber boots (bellows). Failure of even that little shift cable bellows can sink your boat.
Even if just a small amount of water gets past the u-joint bellows, it can trash your u-joints and gimbal bearing.

If my boat wasn't in such great condition, I would trade it in for an outboard without hesitation.

 

[Stinnett21]

Second the above. I realize they're pricier but, especially if you're not mechanically inclined, buy an outboard.

 

[poconojoe]

I don't know if you are considering keeping a boat in a garage, but it is helpful having a folding trailer tongue.
Without that, my boat would not fit in one side of my garage, I would have to store it diagonally in my two car garage, leaving my truck out in the snowy winter weather.

 

[poconojoe]

With an outboard you lower it and the water drains. Then you fog it, change the lower gear lube and you're done winterizing.

With an I/O, the winterizing list is much longer and again, if done incorrectly, can result in having to deal with a cracked engine block come Springtime.

With an I/O, you'll need to change the bellows and gimbal bearing when needed and if you are paying someone to do that, it can cost a lot of hard earned cash.

 

[poconojoe]

With the amount of passengers you are planning to have, I would seriously consider a pontoon boat. They are very spacious. It's like having your backyard patio on the water.

Pontoons are no longer considered "old people's" boats. They are very popular where I boat at in northeastern Pennsylvania. Probably half the boats are pontoons.
They move surprisingly fast and you can ski, tube, etc. with no problem.

When we first began to frequent this lake, it used to make us chuckle when we saw a large pontoon up on plane flying by, but now we know better and it's just as common as any other boat.

 

[DoubleStuf]

If you are buying a boat with an I/O and planning to do any of your own maintenance at all here's what I would do to test it out:

Bring a handful of about 8-10 pieces of hardware. Nuts, bolts, washers, etc. Make sure they are non-ferrous stainless steel. Now open up the engine compartment and chuck them into the back of the bilge area. Next, begin the retrieval process. If you can complete this task without cursing and changing your mind, you are ready to own a boat!

 

[JASinIL2006]

For that many people, I would not consider the 21' boats. The 24' will be much more comfortable. Also, while you can ski and tube behind a 'toon, it is not optimal and a V-hull boat will be better suited for that sort of activity. On the other hand, if water sports are only an occasional thing a pontoon might be OK. Our kids loved to tube, ski and wakeboard, and I am glad we went with a bowrider.

I agree with much of the sentiment above re: outboards. Our Mercruiser V8 is a lot more work to winterize than an outboard would be. I personally don't care for the look of a big outboard hanging off the boat, but if I were doing it again, I certainly would consider it.

 

[racerone]

Bowriders do not do well at the ---Haulover Inlet-----Look for the videos on youtube.

 

[Lou C]

Those prices are high for 15+ year old boats, keep in mind that boats have a fixed service life, and also, certain parts for I/O drive systems start to become NLA after about that time.
if any of them have wood in the structure, you have to be really careful, because at that age rot can be a big expensive problem. Even if they are all composite (no wood) there can still be structural problems due to less than adequate workmanship and storage practices (freeze/thaw cycles can cause delaminations, that can be almost as bad as wood rot).
As others have said if you're not mechanically inclined listen to those of us who have busted our knuckles in the bilges of older I/O boats and stay far away from them! Or else get used to paying between $700--$1500 for maintenance every year. They are good only if you:
1) don't mind various projects, some easy some hard
2) grew up with Chevrolet small block engines, and like working on them
3) don't mind dealing with boat company caused designed in horrible access for repairs

given what you want, an outboard powered pontoon boat would be a better choice, or a larger fiberglass bow rider with outboard power.

 

[Scott06]

Those prices are high for 15+ year old boats,

I see similar all the time these days, especially at bigger dealers in big boating areas. I have a '04 Sea Ray 200 Sport that I periodically peruse values to make sure my insured value is ok, I see listings for $13-22k. Not sure what folks are paying but listings OP mentions don't surprise me.

 

[poconojoe]

I see pontoons blasting around and even pulling skiers and tubers all the time.
As I said, they are very popular boats at the 13 mile long lake Wallenpaupack here in northeastern Pennsylvania.
They are virtually a back yard patio on the water.

Plus, there's no bilge, no area to fill with water and sink your boat.
The pontoons are aluminum, less chance for damage when beaching the boat as verses a fiberglass hull.
It's not that the 'toons can't be damaged. It is possible they can get crushed from a collision or develop a pin hole and leak the air out. Nothing is invulnerable.

 

[hugh g]

I would consider a bowrider at least 22 ft. You're not mechanically inclined so an outboard is a better choice. Pontoons are nice but often don't come with a trailer, which means renting a slip or buying the trailer. Off season you'll need to have a marina pull it & store it.

 

[Scott06]

You're not mechanically inclined so an outboard is a better choice.

except for draining cooling water in the fall no diff in mechanical ability between stern drive and modern OB. gear lube and oil changes basically the same way.

 

[roscoe]

I say outboard deck boat, or pontoon.

A pontoon can be set up with a small head and a changing room.



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