want a boat, thoughts?

[BoomerD]

My family had one a boat when I was in my teens. My dad's company had it as you're legally required to if you do bridge construction over water. Just aluminum with an outboard. Went pretty quick. Tons of fun.

The only thing I can say about boating, especially with larger ones, is they take a lot of gas. Back in the mid 90s, these friends of my grandma bought a speed boat. Cost over $100 to fill it back then. Must be pushing $250 now for one that size. Plus don't forget that you need palace to store it, may need a license.

That's a pretty small boat. A garage would be more appropriate than a palace...although, as much as boats can cost...a palace MIGHT be right....

Boat and trailer licenses shouldn't be all that expensive.

 

[weadjust]

The motor appears to be a Suzuki DT-85. When/if you check the compression the most important thing is that PSI for each of the 3 cylinders are similar. I don't know what the compression should be for that model of motor. Does it have carbs or fuel injection. I prefer a carb motor because it is an easier DIY repair. I find most of my problems with my boats and pwcs are fuel related. Especially if you run ethanol gas.

 

[pelov]

already have the vehicle with hitch + mount. Boat comes with road ready trailer. I'll fill it up myself, it will never be docked at a marina. Remember, check my OP for the type of boat I'm looking at because most of the stuff you've mentioned wouldn't apply.

It would be impossible to spend 400-500 a day on gas with what i'm looking at, although I do know they aren't efficient, but I'm looking at light (bass type) boats with ~100hp outboard motors.

I'm also not looking at it as an investment.


I would want a boat cover for sure though.

What about insurance? Not sure what the policy is in your state.

The gear, vests and whatnot, will cost you ~$400-$500.

The boat we have has a 120hp Mercury outboard engine and the boat itself is ~18 feet in length and a day out costs about $200, though that's in Europe and gas is more expensive there. Expect around ~$150 or so for a few hours.

Outboard engines are better because repairs are easier and you can drop in replacements as opposed to an inboard where you've gotta pay up the ass if anything goes wrong.

Bear in mind that taking the boat into and out of the water can be a pita as well. Generally speaking it's not the kind of thing you can do on your own.

How many hours are on the engine? It looks quite old and the boat looks to be in rough shape. I'm not sure $3500 is even a good price considering the market.

A few of years ago when the market was better, we bought a 19' walk-about SeaSwirl Striper with a 120hp Mercury outboard motor that had been used under 50 hours for $10,000, just like this one. It has a small cabin underneath with enough room for 2-3 people to sleep and it was in great shape.

We did have to add a trailer but then again we were also shipping it overseas so that really wasn't a big deal.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for. That boat certainly looks like it's been used and abused, though, and chances are the motor isn't in the best shape.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Just get a jet ski. ^_^

 

[MovingTarget]

Are you close to a body of water? If you aren't, then forget about it. Keep in mind that you will likely need a boating license. I know that my state required you to take a written course/test. Owning a boat doesn't have to be expensive if you keep your ambition in check. It doesn't have to be a status symbol to get the job done.

A small wooden/aluminum boat with an outboard is a pretty simple affair that doesn't cost too much in fuel/maintainence. Heck, my family had a small flatbottom aluminum boat with what seemed like one of the original evinrude outboards (which predated...me...by quite some time). Simple to repair, and easy on the wallet to gas up for a quick fishing trip. With a small trailer, even a midsize sedan could tow it between our house and the local boating ramp.

If your boat is for ocean use, then abandon all hope of it being cheap.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Just go to whatever body of water you choose...pour all your money into the water and walk away...it'll be cheaper.

This. Boat = break out another thousand

 

[weadjust]

I have owned no less than 4 watercraft every year for the last 22 years and have yet to take one to a shop to be repaired. Current boat inventory is a pontoon boat, bass boat, and two jet skis. Two stroke motors are pretty simple engines. I occasionally buy a non-working jet ski for cheap, fix it and sell for a nice profit.

Shop manuals can be had for free online if you look around. There are many boat and pwc forums online that have a ton of info and help with repairs. Boating like any hobby & can be expensive if you let it. I don't play golf or hunt. I know a bunch of people that do and they spend a ton of money on their hobby/sport. I have never seen a bunch of hot chicks in bikinis while in the woods hunting. I'll stick to boating.

 

[jagec]

Bear in mind that taking the boat into and out of the water can be a pita as well. Generally speaking it's not the kind of thing you can do on your own.

You would hire a professional to put a 17-foot boat in the water?

 

[randay]

take a look.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/boa/3123881895.html

seller is flaky, haven't been to see it yet, but this one is one of my top choices. I'd ideally want a pure bass boat, but this is to keep the other half happy.


i'm ignorant with boats. I know basic stuff, check compression, check electronics.

any advice?

im not a bass fisherman but that boat doesnt look like a very good "pure bass boat". I believe you want a large flat deck up front to stand on while you cast.

anyway check the gelcoat for blisters or cracks/stress cracks. fading/chalkiness (which usually can be polished out). check the floors for soft spots. if you can look inside the floor and check the stringers for water if it has wooden stringers. also check the transom to make sure its solid and not waterlogged or rotten or anything.

I think as long as there is no sort of water damage or rotting the boat should be good to buy, as long as you like it and it fits the price range. if anything is rotten or soft you'd need to replace it which involves tearing out the old thing and replacing it with new. in your case this would make the boat a bad buy.

good luck.

 

[j&j]

What about insurance? Not sure what the policy is in your state.

The gear, vests and whatnot, will cost you ~$400-$500.

The boat we have has a 120hp Mercury outboard engine and the boat itself is ~18 feet in length and a day out costs about $200, though that's in Europe and gas is more expensive there. Expect around ~$150 or so for a few hours.

Outboard engines are better because repairs are easier and you can drop in replacements as opposed to an inboard where you've gotta pay up the ass if anything goes wrong.

Bear in mind that taking the boat into and out of the water can be a pita as well. Generally speaking it's not the kind of thing you can do on your own.

How many hours are on the engine? It looks quite old and the boat looks to be in rough shape. I'm not sure $3500 is even a good price considering the market.

A few of years ago when the market was better, we bought a 19' walk-about SeaSwirl Striper with a 120hp Mercury outboard motor that had been used under 50 hours for $10,000, just like this one. It has a small cabin underneath with enough room for 2-3 people to sleep and it was in great shape.

We did have to add a trailer but then again we were also shipping it overseas so that really wasn't a big deal.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for. That boat certainly looks like it's been used and abused, though, and chances are the motor isn't in the best shape.

What gear is 400-500 dollars? 3 Vests would cost about 75 bucks, it has the flotation device to throw if someone falls overboard, the required whistle, and fire extenguisher/front/back basic lights.

no boating license is required in TX unless you're under a certain age and neither is insurance. although i'd probably get liability which is like 100 bucks a year.


in terms of getting it in/out of the water via a boat ramp, it's always nice to have a helping hand, but it's far from actually being difficult with a bass type boat.

 

[alkemyst]

jesus christ, other than weadjust, who has owned a boat with a motor on it?

I don't know your budget or disposible income.

Boats can be very expensive. We had a dual 250HP Dusky open fisherman. Fuel was measured in gallons per mile

One day just cruising up the intercoastal the oil sender failed and that was a $10k experience to repair it.

 

[Raizinman]

This 1995 VIP boat with the standard 85 HP motor originally sold (MSRP) for $14,518. The current value of it now is: $2970 to $3390. The beam (width) is 6’11”, it is made of fiberglass, and the weight is 1660 lbs. If it comes with a trailer add about $200 more. Not sure what location the boat was used in, but if in salt water, take off another 15%.

Founded in 1968, VIP Boats products range consists of runabout sport and deck boats. Eventually occupying a very large 340,000-plus square foot facility, VIP Boats has engaged in-house construction of many items including upholstery and trailers. The boat company filed bankruptcy in 2008, but Caddo Manufacturing continues to build vessels using the VIP name.

When purchasing a boat, always check the NADA.com Blue book on line. It will give you the above information (which is where I got it). Happy boating!

 

[EMPshockwave82]

Take the mystery box. I mean a boat is a boat but the box could be anything. It could even be a boat. You know how much you want one of those.

 

[djnsmith7]

OP, did you buy the boat? Looks like someone did, or the seller removed it for other reasons.

 

[j&j]

No, not that one. The seller ended up acting very strange, and now his friend has it, bla bla bla. It's still for sale though, he's trying to stick to 3600, and keeps reposting it like twice a day. The interior is pretty poor, although it seems to run very well.

I'm looking at two other options now :

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/boa/3011503183.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1999...05?pt=Fishing_Boats&hash=item41680dc62d#v4-36

the first is a true bass boat with what seems to be a quality 90HP Johnson motor. The other boat is more of what I want, but the 120HP Mercury/Force motor I've seen mixed reivews on and that scares me a bit.

I've seen the bass boat as of yesterday and it's in great shape overall, other than the tach not working, but the seller is motivated and I think I could get it for 3500ish.

The fish/ski boat listed on Ebay the guy is more firm on price, but I could probably take it for 4K even and would do that in a heartbeat if I was more sure of that motor.

 

[DrPizza]

We have a boat. It's awesome to have. 18.5 Glastron Fish/Ski combo, 190hp volvo penta. Gas at the marina is expensive - the only option where we spend a lot of time is 91 octane no ethanol. $4.54 a gallon last week. That translates easily into $100 for an afternoon of tubing and skiing. Putting that into perspective though, it costs a hell of a lot more for a lot of other recreational activities - 4 people going to a concert, or going to a football game, etc. In fact, those activities are a hell of a lot more expensive than boating.

I really don't think it's that expensive overall, but I have the space at home to store it & don't have to pay to keep it at a marina. Launching a boat under 25 feet, despite what someone said above, is pretty easy, though I've seen some people at the boat launches really struggle. The general problem is that they can't back a trailer down the ramp - uncoordinated idiots. (Practice in a parking lot somewhere so you don't annoy people who have to wait for your sorry ass. - Easiest way is hand on the bottom of the steering wheel, hand goes in the direction you want the trailer to go.) Some service can be a little expensive; I just dropped mine off Saturday for an oil change and to have the usual service done - checking the lower unit, changing the oil/grease where it's needed. That'll run me about $250. (And as a courtesy, they'll regrease the hubs on my trailer, which saves me a bit of time.) The water pump just started leaking. The marina said I'd probably make it through a week of boating, but after that, I'd need to take care of it. If I had them do it, I'm guessing a couple hundred dollars. I found a kit for replacing the impeller and o-rings etc., on sale for under $20. Last year, my starter went. It might have been a do-it-yourself job, but fortunately, I had the marina do it. From an earlier service, they had pulled it and reused the same bolts. They should have replaced the copper clad bolts, but didn't. The result - the bolts started twisting without the threads giving - my block had to be heated to get those bolts out (add a couple hours to the job) without snapping the bolts and needing to drill them out. Drilling them out would have meant the entire engine had to be pulled, changing what could have been a $200 job without problems, that was a $400 job with problems, into a small fortune.

Overall, I'm quite happy with it. It's got plenty of power for pulling skiers and tubers. On relatively calm water, it runs around 50mph with an aluminum prop. I could get more speed out of it with a stainless steel prop, but don't find that necessary.

Extra equipment isn't as expensive as someone above said. We have enough of those tacky orange life vest things for the capacity of the boat; they cost about $8 each. We also have the much nicer vests, especially since we tube and stuff - since I'm good at bargain shopping, I can get them fairly cheap ($20ish each) - just bought two of them to replace the yucky ones in the kayaks. They were on sale BOGO. I've gone overboard (pun not intended) with purchasing safety equipment - I'm supposed to have a fire extinguisher, I have 2. I'm supposed to have flairs or other visible signalling device - I have both and twice as many flairs as necessary. 1 throwable cushion - I have 4. Whistle as a back-up to the horn, etc. And still, I'm no where near $400. In NY, registration for the trailer is about $20 a year, and registration for the boat is good for 3 years (I think) for somewhere around $100. Other states vary significantly on this. No "license" is required, though you have to take a course and have a certificate before operating a pwc. I'd prefer that people DID have to take a course before boating, though I haven't run across too many morons on the water. Neat fact I learned from one of those courses: it's legal in NY to be operating a boat while drinking a beer; I never would have suspected that. Though, you can still get a dwi if you're intoxicated.

*note: things I ran across last week at our favorite impromptu social gathering/party spot (a shallow sandy cove, warm water, few weeds, 75% protected by a nasty shoal) - a pickup truck tool box retrofitted into a floating pontoon charcoal grill capable of cooking enough bbq chicken or hamburgers for a few dozen people. Also, a floating beer pong table (same cove.)

 

[Ronstang]

the 2 happiest days of your life, the day you bought you boat and the day you sold your boat.

That is unless you own a boathouse. I have had a house on the lake since the mid 80s. My dad and I built it when I was in college. It has a two stall boathouse and I have always had at least one boat hanging there. In this situation boats are not too bad. My boat is out of the weather and is a switch away from using any time I please. Because I bought a brand new boat in 1997 with a fuel injected Mustang engine I have not had many mechanical issues with this boat in the last 15 years. Rather nice actually. Just batteries and gas and a random fix every so often.

For the most part I agree though as I actually hate boats. If I had to keep one on a trailer in a storage lot I would never ever own one.

 

[Muse]

My aluminum flat bottom and oars are not that expensive.

I built my own 14' dory, nice project and it was beautiful. Plywood, hardwood stringers and seats made of offset hardwood slats, fiberglassed the exterior, then painted the whole thing except for the stringers and seats, which I sealed. Bought some oars and oarlocks and an anchor. Fun to row on the north shore of Maui and throw the anchor and dive for fish, etc. Later I worked on the docks of Alameda in the S.F. bay, working on boats for brokerages. Very different perspective. That's for people with a lot of money and time on their hands. Most of those boats were not what I would consider owning. It took a long time before it dawned on me what a quality boat really is: Intelligent, tasteful design and true seaworthiness. The great majority of the expensive boats I had worked on fell far short of that... but not all. I worked mainly on sailboats.

 

[herm0016]

omg. hes not looking for a 50 foot sport fish.

I think a boat that size/cost is a good choice. just make sure you maintain your boat, and it will last a long time. It really is easy to launch from a trailer and handle if you plan what you are doing and think about it.

i have a 300 dollar old fiberglass with a 1965 9.5hp evinrude (see my thread on that) I love the little thing. i can go all day with 6 gallons of fuel. It's not fast, but it gets there. i have about 500 into the whole thing so far, with parts and such.

large boats are a money/time suck. growing up we had a 265 and a 340 sea ray sundancer. my grandfather has 9 classic wooden boats in various states of restoration and had many other boats between 37 and 100 feet over a time span of about 60 years.

 

[Fritzo]

As a former boat owner, there's a saying that is 100% true.

The two happiest days of a boater's life are the day he buys his boat and the day he sells it.

 

[SearchMaster]

Boats aren't always that bad. I have two - a 24 foot pontoon since 1995 and a 21 foot Regal runabout since 2001. The last couple of years have been bad for the Regal...two years ago it had problems with the shift cable and last year a starter bolt broke off in the block. Both required the engine to be pulled so I couldn't repair them, and after all was said and done each repair was almost $1000 (break out another thousand!!!). Other than that, I think I'd spent a grand total of $300 on unscheduled repairs, and <$100/year on routine maintenance items.

Gas isn't THAT bad, but the Regal has enough power that it doesn't have to run WOT much of the time (5.7L/230HP). We filled its 45 gallon tank before we put it in the water a month ago, and are at half a tank now. According to a review I saw it burns about 6GPH at 29MPH and that's probably about right. Keep in mind I live on the lake so our outings tend to be an hour here/hour there, not all day excursions. The pontoon is much less efficient because it is a much harder boat to propel through the water.

If you really want a boat and have the cash reserves to take care of unexpected expenses, go for it!

 

[Meghan54]

I agree with Zap, boat ownership isn't for the faint of heart, but it doesn't have to be a wallet drainer, either.

Of course, buying used opens you up to buying a boat with a rotten transom, floor, electrics, etc., and those are the money suckers.

Outboards of all brands are relatively cheap to keep and fix.....even the Force brand. And while Force motors aren't universally revered, they're not junk either---having lived with more than a few in my life. Force outboards are very simple and easy to keep, if you're the least bit handy with tools.

They are louder than some of their contemporaries, like Mercury or Johnson/Evinrude, but even the worst Force OB I ever owned never left me stranded on the lake.

If you buy a boat that has a solid transom, solid floor, solid stringers, the boat won't cost a bundle to keep. Same with the outboard....check the compression, check the lube in the foot/lower unit (BEFORE you crank it up!), etc. Ideally, have the buyer take it out on the water with you for a run. Offering to pay for the gas goes a long way to getting your prospective purchase out on the lake for a true trial run.

Boats are great! Couldn't imagine living without having at least one around.....just something about being out on the water---nothing else like it, 'cept maybe flying. But flying makes boat ownership look cheap. LOL!

 

[LurkerPrime]

only thing that scares me is oil injection

It scares alot of people. Most people I know disable the injector and pre-mix the oil with the gas (50:1 I believe). That way you never have to worry about remembering to fill the oil reservoir, worry about the reservoir leaking, or the injector failing. If the injector breaks, not only will you be stranded, you might be beter off unhooking the motor and letting it sink to the bottom as your wallet will thank you for it.

Also most boats don't need the ludicrously over powered motors strapped to them. Your top speed and cruise speeds aren't increased by that much, but your fuel consumption will skyrocket. More HP also costs more cash up front to purchase. Unless you plan on loading your boat up with 5+ people and water skiing regularly you don't need anywhere close to the max listed HP rating for the boat. (that rating is there so you don't sink your boat and/or kill yourslef when going full open throttle)

 

[slag]

jesus christ, other than weadjust, who has owned a boat with a motor on it?

I had a 73 trihull with a 72 50 hp evinrude. Great running little boat

Have a 3 liter mecruiser in my bowrider. Its rock solid as well.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Boat = big hole in the water in which you throw money.