Any boat guru's on here? Looking to buy advice/suggestions needed

[O'neal]

As title states,looking into buying a boat in the next 4-6 week's.Budget is $3500-$4000max,will be used for fishing and will be towed by my 2012 taco so it needs to be fairly light...looking at anywhere from 14'-20ft boat's.

Any particular boat to stay away from and who is abit better than the rest? Seen alot of bayliners,larson's and reinells...

Need something stable that I feel safe in even in rougher water.

Outboard or in board?-needs to be fuel effecient,not needing a small/big block....seen quite a few on ksl with inboard 4.3's or 4 cyl'sl.

Fiberglass or aluminum-Pros and con's?

Main thing is "what to look out for" as I dont want to buy someone elses problem,Forgot to winterize,block is cracked,or outdrive need's replaced,hull has damage but wont say type of deal just to pawn on the next guy...seen a few good deals on ksl but abit leary as since I dont really know what i'm looking for.

Thank's!

 

[RogueJeepr]

If ya can find one that has been garaged indoors they usually are in better shape .
99% of boat owners leave the boat outside uncovered, then the upholstery goes to crap. Having a cover on it helps (they still leak) but being in a nice dry garage is best.

 

[frieed]

Been there done that lost all the money. Rent one when when you want to for a couple years. If after that you can really run the numbers and claim you would save money, then buy.

 

[cjncustoms]

If ya can find one that has been garaged indoors they usually are in better shape .
99% of boat owners leave the boat outside uncovered, then the upholstery goes to crap. Having a cover on it helps (they still leak) but being in a nice dry garage is best.

99%? Where did you get this statistic? I would say your number is pretty far off. Although I won't argue that ALOT of people def don't keep their boats as nice as they should. We bought our boat new in 87 and it's spent every year of its life inside when it's not being used.

As for your questions. Reinell, maxum and larsons are all good boats. I personally like inboards. The 4 and 6 cyl are actually very peppy surprisingly! Just look for cracks in the gelcoat and check the bottom of the hull to see of its been beached regularly. Ask to run the boat on a pair of muffs or a test drive out to the lake. If there is. Otho g wrong with the. Oat the owner should have. O problem doing so. Good luck. I love my boat!

 

[jeeper]

B.O.A.T
Bust Out Another Thousand!!

The happiest day of a mans life is the day he buys a boat.. The next best day is the day he sells it.

That being said.. You will be much happier with an older boat it good shape than a newer boat in rough shape. I don't understand why people leave them uncovered, and outside to become so rotted?!?
If you are just fishing I don't think the MPG will be a big deal. You wont be full throttle around the lake for hours.
The 2 stroke outboards are fairly light, and easier to maintain IMO

 

[Ima9er]

i have a 1991 19ft maxum with a 4.3 mercury motor. (v6) and it gets great gas mileage, and yes the seats were a lil bit torn up and used, but only because the first owner used it. and i knew him so i got a screaming deal and a good boat that i knew a lot about. if your just using it for fishing then you might not need such a big boat. i have a wakeboard tower on mine and pull skiis and wakeboards all day long. very stable and did i say plenty of power. i've been very impressed. my boat is an inboard motor with an outboard prop. and just like "jeeper" said "The 2 stroke outboards are fairly light, and easier to maintain IMO" it's not to heavy either. it usually gets towed behind a grand cherokee v6 with no problem.

 

[UNSTUCK]

If there is. Otho g wrong with the. Oat the owner should have. O problem doing so.

x2...I think.

 

[Spork]

If I were just looking for a fishing boat I would go with aluminum. Most the time they are lighter and more durable.

 

[Johnny Quest]

canoe.

 

[Houndoc]

Depending on the size of boat, don't assume the small engine will be more fuel effecient. An over worked 4 cyl (or 6 in large craft) may burn more fuel than a 6 or 8 that is easing along.

Good advice on looking under to see if boat has been beached properly or is beat up. If they don't do that well, may not take good care of the rest.

I have not had a Bayliner, but have not heard much good about their quality. However, in boats your engine and drive will be the same no mater cheap or top of the line boat. So, if seats and other brand-specific is decent in the particular boat you look at you are probably fine. I am very happy with my Hydroswift and as far as fishing boats go have heard good things about Triumph.

As far as drive goes, I would avoid a true inboard. No way to raise prop out of the water, so damage very likely if beach at all. No advantages what so ever for fishing. So, outboard v stern drive (in board/outboard) it is and my thoughts are thus: I have an stern drive in my boat- performs great and the boat/engine/drive set-up works very well together. However, if I had an outboard option for the boat I would probably take it.

The reason for this is simple. In cold (sub-freezing) weather with an outboard you pull the boat out of the lake, lower the engine for 5 minute to drain the water and you are set with no risk of damage due to freezing.

As it is, it takes me 20-30 minutes to re-winterize the boat when I pull it out even if I will be launching again the next morning. Doing that in a freezing rain is not much fun.

Of course if you only boat in warm weather, not a big deal. Winterize once before the first freeze and you are good to go.

As far as the boat itself, age does not really matter. Fiberglass doesn't rot (although floors, transom etc can if not cared for properly) so they can last decades. Most boats have relatively low 'miles' (my 2002 has less than 300 hours use) so how they are stored is important. Of course an older engine/drive is more likely to have mechanical issues.

If you go with an older boat, I would avoid OMC drives. Parts are hard to come by.

I would recommend a test drive before buying. That is the only way to know how it will ride/handle in rough water. If the wind isn't blowing at least make a large wake and hit it a few times to see how it does. I have heard that Stingray rides very poorly. Wider boat is more stable than narrow.

Within reason, buy the largest boat your budget and tow vehicle can take. Add gear, lunch, a few people and a dog and they get crowded fast. I am very happy with my 22', but it runs about 6,000 pounds loaded so probably too much for your rig. Something in the 18-20 feet would be much better than 14-16. Keep in mind that over the last 15-20 years they have started to include the swim deck in the length. Thus a 1980's 18 foot is todays 20.

Look carefully at storage. I am amazed at how little storage some boats have.

And personally, having a top is a must and many times I have been thankful for side curtains.

 

[cjncustoms]

x2...I think.

Damn phone! Lol! Yes if there is nothing wrong with the boat the owner should have no problem letting you test drive it or run it on some muffs

 

[O'neal]

Depending on the size of boat, don't assume the small engine will be more fuel effecient. An over worked 4 cyl (or 6 in large craft) may burn more fuel than a 6 or 8 that is easing along.

Good advice on looking under to see if boat has been beached properly or is beat up. If they don't do that well, may not take good care of the rest.

I have not had a Bayliner, but have not heard much good about their quality. However, in boats your engine and drive will be the same no mater cheap or top of the line boat. So, if seats and other brand-specific is decent in the particular boat you look at you are probably fine. I am very happy with my Hydroswift and as far as fishing boats go have heard good things about Triumph.

As far as drive goes, I would avoid a true inboard. No way to raise prop out of the water, so damage very likely if beach at all. No advantages what so ever for fishing. So, outboard v stern drive (in board/outboard) it is and my thoughts are thus: I have an stern drive in my boat- performs great and the boat/engine/drive set-up works very well together. However, if I had an outboard option for the boat I would probably take it.

The reason for this is simple. In cold (sub-freezing) weather with an outboard you pull the boat out of the lake, lower the engine for 5 minute to drain the water and you are set with no risk of damage due to freezing.

As it is, it takes me 20-30 minutes to re-winterize the boat when I pull it out even if I will be launching again the next morning. Doing that in a freezing rain is not much fun.

Of course if you only boat in warm weather, not a big deal. Winterize once before the first freeze and you are good to go.

As far as the boat itself, age does not really matter. Fiberglass doesn't rot (although floors, transom etc can if not cared for properly) so they can last decades. Most boats have relatively low 'miles' (my 2002 has less than 300 hours use) so how they are stored is important. Of course an older engine/drive is more likely to have mechanical issues.

If you go with an older boat, I would avoid OMC drives. Parts are hard to come by.

I would recommend a test drive before buying. That is the only way to know how it will ride/handle in rough water. If the wind isn't blowing at least make a large wake and hit it a few times to see how it does. I have heard that Stingray rides very poorly. Wider boat is more stable than narrow.

Within reason, buy the largest boat your budget and tow vehicle can take. Add gear, lunch, a few people and a dog and they get crowded fast. I am very happy with my 22', but it runs about 6,000 pounds loaded so probably too much for your rig. Something in the 18-20 feet would be much better than 14-16. Keep in mind that over the last 15-20 years they have started to include the swim deck in the length. Thus a 1980's 18 foot is todays 20.

Look carefully at storage. I am amazed at how little storage some boats have.

And personally, having a top is a must and many times I have been thankful for side curtains.

Very good point's! I have been leaning towards an aluminum with the outboard just for the simplicity-can be beached easier and easy to drain(winterize).I do plan on being in water up until the water starts freezing and not just a few times during the summer.

 

[Bart]

Houndoc hit all the major points well. I've had 10 boats over the past 25 years, from 16' to 31' and I couldn't say it better than he did. Like anything else, condition is everything.

 

[tisjeep]

I agree with most points above so I will add and Emphasize a few already made.
First point I am going to make is that I have never in the 8 years I have spent boating got on the water for less than $150 dollars a day. It is expensive!!!!

I prefer my outboard to my inboard. I can Run from southwest Colorado in the middle of a snowstorm to lake Powell in February and not worry about my motor freezing. Hitting the water on New years day when it is glass and Running full out is the most rewarding ride you will ever have (Even if it is cold as he!!)

Winterization is a breeze. Top off of the Tanks add your two stroke oil and fuel stabilizer and lower the motor all the way down until it almost touches the ground and you are done. Inboard you have to drain and then add Antifreeze to keep from cracking your block. This is an involved process even if it is easy it is time consuming.

No oil change on an outboard aside from the lower unit oil which should be done with winterization. Water in the lower unit can freeze and break stuff too.

No Alignment issues to worry about on an outboard.

Outboards take up more interior room to make space for the motor.

Now the good things to watch for.

1 NEVER BUY A BOAT WITHOUT A TEST DRIVE. In fact when you do a water test take everything that you might possibly take on the biggest most crowded trip you will take and see how the boat performs. There is nothing worse than running great all by yourself and then loading all of your friends and equipment in and never being able to plane out or taking several hundred yards to do so.

Give it a few runs from neutral to full throttle and make sure that it doesn't fall flat on its face. Driving a boat is the equivalent of running a car fully loaded to the max of its weight capacity all the time at full throttle.

I have discovered that the condition of the paint and interior is generally a good camparison to the quality of mechanical care. In most cases.

Check the lower unit oil. One screw top and bottom. Check for Water and or Metal in it. Lower unit failure is costly. Just as an FYI the last one I had to rebuild was over $3k.

Mercruiser checks: make sure that it shifts all positions without dying. These are notorious for the shift cables binding and not killing the motor ( there is a interrupt switch that kills the motor momentarily to shift out of forward or reverse).

Check any boat for vibration. A little is ok but anything more than a little is bad news.

Check the Propeller. Nicks and bangs in the Propeller are characteristic of someone who didn't pay attention and hit hte bottom. Tears a lot of stuff up.

If you own a boat never run a stainless prop unless you really know your lake. Aluminum or Composite props will usually break before the internals of the lower unit. Way Cheaper than a lower unit.

Carry several sizes of props. If you have trouble plaining or running out with one size go down one size until it is good. If you are running by yourself in an empty boat you can run a much bigger prop than if you load the whole family in the boat, or try pulling a water toy of any kind.


I could go on and on all day but if you have any questions feel free to send me a PM and I would be glad to answer any questions you may have about things.

 

[frieed]

All I'd add is that I really liked the 150HP Yamaha 4-stroke that I had. Started first time every time, regardless of the temp, and was very quiet. We could hold a conversation with barely raised voices with the outboard at WOT.

Oh, and get the family/friends on kneeboard/wakeboard/skis asap. Tubes suck up a lot of gas.

 

[MikeGyver]

I came here just to read the boat owning clichés

 

[littlyota]

I suggest finding a friend with a boat. Throw in gas money and help him out on maintenance and cleaning.

That being said. Most stuff has been covered. I have a 1998 with just under 500hrs on it. Mercruiser 454MPI

Maintenance is pretty easy, the costly part is just using it. I estimate it cost around $150 for me to take it out. That is between fuel, food, drinks and whatever else the wife always wants at the last second.

 

[kmboren]

Anyone have anything to say about a Centurion Direct Drive Mid engine boat. My Brother just bought one and if I move closer I am thinking of buying into it with him. It is a 99. Looks pretty nice from the pictures he sent me and the person he bought it from kept it garaged.

 

[RustEoldtrux]

Hey Mike, joining the dark side now (ha ha)? The best (and only) boat I bought was a new 17 ft. Coleman canoe in partnership with a good friend back in 1980. He bought out my half about 15 years ago and still has it. That canoe made lots of fishing and pleasure trips and cost very little. We had a small 2 HP Evinrude outboard, which made the package very nice.

 

[cowmilker]

My experience is mostly with an old OMC electric shift unit. My advice is to stay away from them (they stopped electric shift in '77-'78). They also have a ball gear system (instead of a u-joint) that can give problems, I think OMC COBRA is better. I think the ball gears were used up until about '83(?)

Another peace of advice is to think BIGGER when you are talking motors. When there is a storm blowing in, or another emergency, you want to be able to get OFF the water NOW.