Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

[graydodge14]

Hey guys,

First post here as ive been looking at boats for awhile but had not found anything in my price range. I recently found a boat through my sisters boyfriend, his boss has a 99 Supra Launch with approximately 600 hours on it. He said he bought it for his son about 6 or 7 years ago thinking they would use it alot and it only has gotten used 4 or 5 times since then. Luckily though he has a huge shop and it has been sitting inside all this time.

So the interior looks practically brand new besides one very small tear that is only noticeable since i was inspecting the boat very close. He is asking 14,500 for it but im thinking if i can get it for 12,500 or so and take cash maybe he will accept. He was supposedly taking it to a mechanic today to get it checked out and i will be driving down there this weekend to check it out on the water.

I know hardly anything about boats so this is why i am here. I am 20 years old so for me its a big purchase, i will use it for mainly hanging out on the lake and some wake-boarding and tubing here and there. So my question is can anyone give me some insight on if this is a good deal or not? Also if everything in the motor checks out good, is 600 hours on a 99 a lot of hours? And lastly should i be checking anything particular when i go down this weekend? Here is the only two pictures i took of it:

 

[graydodge14]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

anyone?

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

If your primary use will not be skiing and wakeboarding, why buy a ski boat? You could probably buy a pretty nice Chaparral or Regal or maybe a Sea Ray for less in perfect condition, with less hours and no tears. In fact I found several, but I wanted almost new or new. The dealer I bought my boat from has a 2000 Sea Ray 190 Sundeck in near perfect condition for $12995. It is nice. I also found some pretty nice boats under $10k newer and very nice. If you have cash, you are at a hell of an advantage too.

If you have to have a ski boat, that one looks decent. But if your primary use is hanging out on the lake, there are better boats that will hold more people and more beer.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

According to NADA (take it with a grain of salt), the average retail is $18,000 for the boat. I assumed it has dual batteries, trim tabs, CD stereo and accounted for the wakeboard tower and bimini.

600 is not a lot, as the average weekly used boat will put on 100 hours per year. If it is in good condition as you state, that price of 12,500 seems a good deal. I would still have the service done, especially if it's been sitting. Raw water impeller, fresh gas, tune up, etc. Also check those trailer tires for dry rot.

 

[Tahorover]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

If your primary use will not be skiing and wakeboarding, why buy a ski boat? You could probably buy a pretty nice Chaparral or Regal or maybe a Sea Ray for less in perfect condition, with less hours and no tears. In fact I found several, but I wanted almost new or new. The dealer I bought my boat from has a 2000 Sea Ray 190 Sundeck in near perfect condition for $12995. It is nice. I also found some pretty nice boats under $10k newer and very nice. If you have cash, you are at a hell of an advantage too.

If you have to have a ski boat, that one looks decent. But if your primary use is hanging out on the lake, there are better boats that will hold more people and more beer.

Perhaps he does not want to put up with a I/O?.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

Perhaps he does not want to put up with a I/O?.

Put up with???? Oh they are so terrible that over the last 20 years I must have been doing something wrong to have enjoyed every one I have owned. Oh for shame. I have to re-evaluate life.

Really?? Give me a break. I am so tired of hearing it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an I/O, in fact there are a lot of pluses. He has said he knows little about boats. For what he says he wants to do, you really cant beat an I/O bowrider or larger deck boat. And they are inexpenive to buy and run.

 

[graydodge14]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

Im definitely gonna have it checked out by someone i know and trust before i buy. He supposedly took it to a mechanic today and i should know what they said about it tomorrow. Im not dead set on a wakeboard boat, i haven't wake-boarded much but im thinking maybe if i got this i would get into it a lot more. The times i have wake-boarded i really enjoyed it and some of my friends from college ride a lot when there back home but it seems not many college kids have boats.

I would love to have a newer malibu or Tige or something like that but my finances wont allow that so I was thinking this might be a good deal if everything works out right. If nothing else, i could always tint the windows and install a decent stereo system and try to gain a profit from it if nothing else. I appreciate the help as i wasn't sure what a boat like that goes for or if the hours are to high. I checked around for some type of Supra forum or even information on the Supras but really the only thing i can find is a few old threads on google and the manufactures site. So once again thanks for the help. If there is anything else i should know, check, look for, etc. please let me know.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

I know hardly anything about boats so this is why i am here. I am 20 years old so for me its a big purchase, i will use it for mainly hanging out on the lake and some wake-boarding and tubing here and there.

In my opinion, this is not a good boat for your intended usage.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

In my opinion, this is not a good boat for your intended usage.

That was what I was trying to point out. Seems to me if your primary use is not wakeboarding or skiing, a ski boat like this is just overkill and really does not hold a lot of people and gear.

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

A good friend of mine has a 2001 Tige. It is a gorgeous boat - but unless we are skiing, it's really not that comfortable. Is the supra a v drive? If not, you're losing a fair bit of room over an I/O. Also, realize they ride pretty rough. If you are going to be using it 90%+ for skiing and wakeboarding, go for it. If not, I'd agree with most of the others in looking for more of a do-all boat.

As for NADA pricing, while we all know it's a joke - it may be even farther fetched on an inboard ski boat. The market is just that much slimmer for them. Not that there aren't those that are into them (if I had my shoulders from 10 years ago, I'd have one), it's just a smaller market.

 

[QC]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

I agree, Tournament boats for hanging out and cruising are misapplied. While they handle really well, and accelerate better than anything, they are designed to either make a big wake (V-drive) or make no wake (direct drive). They are not designed for comfortable or efficient cruising. And they indeed ride rough in most water conditions. Annnnnd, they are typically compromised as far as seaworthiness is concerned. Especially Supra. Just look at the dropped Bow. All Bowriders suffer from this, but the Supras seem to have the open bow closest to the water of anything out there. For me your budget and use screams 18 -2 0 ft. Bowrider with a V6 I/O. Look for at least 18 degrees deadrise and a decent swim platform (or add one) and you will have a very comfortable boat for a variety of conditions and activities.

If you boat on very flat water, and watersports is your primary use, then go for it.

BTW, I love inboards for their simplicity, but you cannot argue that they are less flexible for shallow water, they are harder to maneuver for the average boater, and they are not trimmable so they are slower and hence less efficient. Yes, I have seen some contradictory data, but for each of those I can produce a 100 examples the other way. Spend some time at BoatTest.com and you will quickly agree unless I am a flipping idiot . .

 

[southkogs]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

If you can pay $12K cash - spend a little time looking on Boattrader, iBoats and Craigslist before you go this route. You may ultimately wind up liking the idea of this boat, and that's probably okay. But for $12K real money you can dig up a LOT of used boat.

Just make sure you take your time and find the right boat. If you miss one deal, another will be along - don't feel like you have to jump on it.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

Since no one addressed the issue of hours I will. The hours on a boat are little more then a guide. A boat with 2000 hours that has been maintained properly and regularly is a far better boat then one with 400 hours that has been neglected. Both boats may visually look the same.

An older boat with low hours is a flag to me (not meaning it IS bad but look close) as it may be the owners attitude is like well we only took it out 3 or 4 times this year so I am not gonna do anything to it it should be good for next year, and again the next year and so on, you get the point.
Boats require maintenance regardless of use. The Impellers go bad sitting or bring used and should be replaced every other year. Oil sitting in the pan may collect condensation if not warmed up to burn off the moisture, etc. Grease will get stiff, rubber will oxidize. Hope this help you in your quest for a boat. Generally a deeper V hull rides better in rougher water a shallower V will go a little faster a tri hull is more stable but will beat the crap out of you in any chop.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

Since no one addressed the issue of hours I will. The hours on a boat are little more then a guide. A boat with 2000 hours that has been maintained properly and regularly is a far better boat then one with 400 hours that has been neglected. Both boats may visually look the same.

An older boat with low hours is a flag to me (not meaning it IS bad but look close) as it may be the owners attitude is like well we only took it out 3 or 4 times this year so I am not gonna do anything to it it should be good for next year, and again the next year and so on, you get the point.
Boats require maintenance regardless of use. The Impellers go bad sitting or bring used and should be replaced every other year. Oil sitting in the pan may collect condensation if not warmed up to burn off the moisture, etc. Grease will get stiff, rubber will oxidize. Hope this help you in your quest for a boat. Generally a deeper V hull rides better in rougher water a shallower V will go a little faster a tri hull is more stable but will beat the crap out of you in any chop.

I think the reason nobody mentioned hours is because we all beleive as you do, that the hours do not matter as much as condition of boat. I think it is far more important to check a boat out closely than to focus on hours alone.

 

[graydodge14]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

Thanks for the help guys, you have all brought up some issues that i have never really thought about until they were mentioned. I am a little worried about the maintenance of the boat since like it was mentioned the guy may have thought "well we drove it 5 times we dont need to do anything to it."

Im still going to check it out though but i may be looking into something with a little more room. I think if i got the boat i would wakeboard and ski a lot more but that is something im not completely sure on. My one concern about this boat is space like y'all also mentioned. The motor right in the middle doesnt exactly leave the ideal set-up to just hang out with. But anyways im going to check it out but i may be going the other routes yall suggested.

 

[Borgey401]

Re: Should I pull the trigger on this boat.

For the money you're about to spend on that boat I personally think you can get A LOT more boat for your buck elsewhere.