Opinions on this as our first boat...

[joshuagmh]

First, let me say thank you for all the great info provided by this forum. My wife and I have been reading threads on here constantly for the past few weeks trying to help determine what will be best for us.

We are looking for a bowrider - something we can just go out for a ride in and relax. Maybe take some friends, and do some skiing and wakeboarding if we want to. We were originally looking for an 18' boat, but after shopping and looking at/riding in a few, we realized we needed something bigger if we wanted to be "comfortable" with 6 adults on board (that is the most we would ever take out at one time).

We just spent over an hour testdriving a 20.5' crownline 206 this morning. We like it a lot! It is in very good shape, and has lots of storage. There were 3 of us on board, and it planed out rather quick, maybe 6 seconds or so. I couldnt get the rpm's over about 4800 no matter how much i fined tuned the trim though. So I am guessing the prop may need to be changed - I would probably do that anyway to make it more suited for skiing/wakeboarding.

The boat has a 4.3l mercruiser MPI engine - it is a 2004 model, but was not purchased until june 2005 from the dealer. It has the merc Alpha 1.62:1 outdrive (I think). And it has less than 40 hours on it. The guy is the original owner and just says he doesnt have time to take it out any more.

He is asking $22,000 for it and says he is FIRM on the price. I plan on having it inspected this week, and if it goes well, we might buy it.

My first question is does that sound like a fair price? I cant really find anywhere online to get a real good idea of what it is worth other than NADA, and it seems in line with that. It included the trailer, bow and cabin cover, bimini top, saftey kit, anchors, sony cd stereo. What do you guys think?

Also, what about the engine for skiing and wakeboarding? It is a 220hp engine. If i get a 4 blade prop and change the pitch (it has a 14x21 prop now) would it be plenty to ski with if I have 1 skier out and 5 people in the boat?

Any insight you guys can give me would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

You aren't being ignored.....just asked questions apparently no one has the answers to.

Mark

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

4800 should be max rpms to keep the 4.3 alive..... it's not a car.

NADA is just about the market standard and depending on the demand and what area of the US you are shopping in it all makes a differance.

If it a salt water boat I tend to de-value it depending on the maintenance and available maintenance records. How many hours are on it?

If you change the prop to accomodate more weight and skiers you will subtract from the top end speed...... what is on there now just may do fine.

As far as the price.... that is your decision. You can get many brand new rigs out there close to that money with a brand new V-6 and trailer.

Shop around before you make your decision.

 

[KCook]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

What other boats have you found? For price comparisons I would use Four Winns and Monterey. If he has this priced as high as a Chaparral or Sea Ray, that's too much.

Kelly

 

[tmh]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

I think you're mixed up on the prop thing. As someone said, you are at the HIGH end of your WOT RPM band - so you don't want to prop for MORE rpm. Sounds like what you want, actually, if it's taking 6 sec. to plane.

Yeah, sounds like you're on the edge for the engine being good for skiing with adults. You don't want to have to leave some on shore just to ski! 6 adults plus gear will hurt performance in that rig quite noticably when trying water sports, I'd say. A 4-blade would help, maybe trim tabs also to get on plane faster.

Price seems "fair" but don't buy that "I'm firm" on price crap. Yeah, IF he can sell at that price, if not...... He likely owes nearly that and is trying to get out from under a boat he can't afford - not your problem.

I'd keep looking but not give up on that one if it fits your needs well. Offer less, walk if no action from him. You can always throw in another offer in a few weeks if he isn't getting buyers interested at that price.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

I agree with the price statements here; in this area boats for sale are aplenty; with that amount to spend, you should have tons of boats that would ultimately be a better deal. I know those boats are really nice, but what year is it, how many hours are on it?​

 

[joshuagmh]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

Thanks for all the info so far.

As for the RPM, I guess I mixed something up that I read earlier. I thought I read 5000-5700 was the RPM range, but now I think that was for the 5.0L engine. Thanks for clearing that up.

I am not worried about top end speed - dont mind losing some if it makes skiing more fun. I would definately probably put a 4 blade prop on there just for that purpose.

It is a 2004 boat, that was purchased in June 2005 and has a 3 year factory warranty on the engine. So, I should have almost another year of the factory warranty.

It only has about 38 hours on it. I would have it inspected by a marine surveyor before I bought it for sure - I talked to a couple today about it. So getting that done would not be a problem. I really want a compression test (which should be fine on such a fresh engine), and someone who knows all the bad stuff to look for.

As for other boats, I have looked at 3 Sea Rays from 2001-2004, and none of them were in the condition of this boat, and had a lot more hours on it. I like one of them - at least the layout and storage areas, but I think it had even a smaller engine in it. I did look at a Four Winns boat also, I believe it was a 19', and the bow felt INCREDIBLY small compared to other similar sized boats.
We did just look at a 2006 Chaparral that is brand new - it was the showroom model that they were trying to get rid of. It was BEAUTIFUL. Everything I could ever want in a boat and then some. They were trying to get it out of the showroom to make room for the 08 models (or so they say). I humored them and wanted to see how low they would go. They started at $39k. I got them down to $30k, but they wouldnt throw in a trailer. I couldnt afford that anyway. My wife wont let me finance $1 of our first boat.

I guess my biggest hold up right now is the price. I would have no problem paying $20k for it honestly. The guy was pretty straight forward with me about everything on the boat. But he also said if he didnt get $22k, he would just keep it.
I think I will give him a call and tell him if the survey turns out ok I will give him 20 for it this weekend. And if he doesnt want it, oh well. I would rather walk away BEFORE I spend the money on the survey.

Thanks for all the help. I am still looking, but crossing my fingers that this guy will work with me.

 

[rndn]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

As people have said maybe he owes 22k and needs it to get out from under the loan. You could always offer him 20k contigent on the marine surveyor, but just make sure that information is in writing.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

You know, I had an 18' Sea Ray with the 3.0 for years. I know people won't believe it but I could have seven average size people on board and that thing would pull me out of the water on ski's no problem and I am about 250. I used a 4 blade 19" prop and that made a huge difference with the hole shot. But, I think that 4.3 is not enough engine for that boat. If you are right about the 6 seconds to plane, that is a long time to drag someone through the water. That boat really needs a 5.0.

 

[joshuagmh]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

But, I think that 4.3 is not enough engine for that boat. . That boat really needs a 5.0.

Is there that much difference between a 18' with a 3.0 and a 20' with a 4.3?

I just cant see that in my mind that it would actually be WORSE with the 4.3. But of course, thats why I am here.

 

[KCook]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

2' may not seem like much. But a 20' bowrider will weigh about 40% more than an 18' bowrider.

Kelly

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

Agreed i have both a 17.5 and a 18.5 the differnce is huge if i have the time i will post some side by side comparison's hard to believe what a foor or two can do.

IF you have a dealer in your area you may want to check this boat out.

http://www.larsonboats.com/senza/186io/default.asp

It has a 8' beam and a 21 degree dead rise and there both smooth and fast on water and in a good chop, seats 4 adult's in the cockpit which is very dry even in heavy chop and two can go up to the bow and strecth out very nicely and with six it's a very stable boat.

If you havnt heard of larson i can tell you there a very well built boat and with vec const, it makes for good resale down the road.

 

[orion25]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

I have to second the Larson. I just got a Larson LXi 208 (20'9" with a 5.0MFI for about $27K new. It came with a Lifetime hull warranty ans a 5 year warranty on everything else (except the snap in carpet). The engine, drive, bimini, guages, vinal, etc is all covered for 5 years.

If you are interested in traveling to AL I can send you the name of my dealer. They had the lowest prices within 300+ miles of North AL. We have been out in the Larson 6 times now and love it! Great power and we got the following standard:
Bimini
Snap in Carpet
Snap in Bow & Cockpit covers
Raw Water Transom Shower
Cockpit Table
Automatic Bilge
2 Axle Trailer with Brakes
Depthsounder
Plus all other standard LXi features. Check the Larson site for details.

By the way, Larson is owned by Genmar. Genmar also owns Glastron and Four Winns plus a few others..........

 

[joshuagmh]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

Ok, so I did some searching for a 5.0L in the size boat we want (19'-21') and a lot of them came up listed as 220hp. I dont know what makes the difference between a 4.3 with 220 or a 5.0 with 220, maybe EFI vs carb? Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but wouldnt a 4.3/220 be better than a 5.0/220? It has to be at least a couple hundred pounds lighter, and it if is turning the same HP, wouldnt the smaller lighter one be much better? It seems like just saying "get a 5.0" isn't quite enough to clarify it here. I also know there are 4.3's with 190hp output, but just based on info in this thread, those would not cut it at all.

 

[DufferJim]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

The 4.3 isn't all that much lighter, definitely not 200lbs, at least in automotive applications.

The 5.0 would also have a significantly larger torque rating at the same 220hp as the 4.3.

And, of course, EFI is always preferable to carburation in my opinion.

 

[05GlastronSX]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

an extra 2 cylinders with the v-8 greatly improves torque numbers and there would be less stress on the engine since it would have to work less (lower rpm) for a given speed compared with the 4.3. You might notice a slight increase in fuel economy with the 4.3 since it has a smaller displacement, 2 less cylinders, and is multi-port fuel injected as compared to carburated. In a perfect world, a 5.0 mpi (260 hp) would be ideal for that boat and if you want even more power, you could step up to the 5.7 vortec mpi (i believe 300 hp). IMO the 4.3 mpi is THE smallest engine you should put in that big of a boat. My friend has a 2002 192 crownline with a carb 5.0 and its OK at best on holeshot and has a 50 mph top end. i can not imagine a 4.3 in a foot bigger boat pulling a skier with 4+ people in the boat. crownlines are good quality boats and therefore, they weigh a lot for their size. i would pocket your money and look somewhere else for a crownline with at least a 5.0.

 

[ruf1967]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

Torque is a big difference between a v-6 and a v-8 engine. The v-6 will work harder over its lifetime than the v-8. Don't get too hung up on the horsepower ratings. The engine's displacement is what you should be concerned with. Those hp ratings are obtained in controlled enviroments, with engines hooked up to computers, not out on the lake. That v-6 is a major selling point on a twenty footer. I know that salesman will tell you there is plenty of oomph to pull skiers and your friends/family around. That same salesman will also tell you, if you decide to trade it for more horsepower later on down the road, "if it had a v-8, your resale would be higher". One thing to remember is, once you've chosen the power package, that's it, your stuck with it. There are no upgrade kits or aftermarket chips to enhance the performance of the engine. Really decide what the boat will be used for and choose the most horsepower you can afford. You'll be much happier in the long run.

 

[orion25]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

4.3 Carbed - 190HP
4.3 Injected - 220HP
5.0 carbed - 220HP
5.0 injected - 260HP

 

[joshuagmh]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

Yeah, I guess I wasnt thinking about torque. Having plenty of experience with cars, I guess torque is what I am looking for after all when it comes to getting the skiers up.

After all the info on here, I guess I will have to pass on the boat. It really isnt worth it to get a boat that I will have to worry about it having enough power. I am in no rush to buy a boat. But we have been looking for almost 2 months, and this was the best one so far. If it had a 5.0L, it would probably already be in my driveway.
I will break the bad news to my wife tonight.

Thanks for all the help, guys.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Opinions on this as our first boat...

Ok, so I did some searching for a 5.0L in the size boat we want (19'-21') and a lot of them came up listed as 220hp. I dont know what makes the difference between a 4.3 with 220 or a 5.0 with 220, maybe EFI vs carb? Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but wouldnt a 4.3/220 be better than a 5.0/220? It has to be at least a couple hundred pounds lighter, and it if is turning the same HP, wouldnt the smaller lighter one be much better? It seems like just saying "get a 5.0" isn't quite enough to clarify it here. I also know there are 4.3's with 190hp output, but just based on info in this thread, those would not cut it at all.

I never thought i would say something like this, but the 4.3 with efi is hard to beat and if there is a big cost delta, not even close.

A 4.3 efi with a volvo out drive is one heck of a drive system along with that i am very sure you get a better intake manifold with a volvo and the bore of the 4.3 make's it a bit more effecient along with weight saving's and plane time.......