Newbie-Celebrity Question

[pokman]

Hi everyone new to site love all the info. Anyway I grew up on boats and now have been out for 10 years because of school career kids etc... So looking to buy first used boat. Heres one I found wondering what you guys think of it. 1996 Celebrity 18 ft open bow. 4.3 merc ss prop 475 hours all freshwater. Comes with cover and tubes and wakeboards. Asking 5000. I haven't looked at it in person yet because have to drive. So any negatives about celebrity? Thanks again and I hope I posted in correct forum.

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: Newbie-Celebrity Question

I own a '89 18' Celebrity 181 open bow with the 4.3L V6 Mercruiser. It's been extremely reliable for me and still runs great. I've owned mine since 1991.

Check the floor for soft spots where the plywood is starting to delaminate. Just a simple push with your foot will work. It's not hard to repair but is some work ( remove all seats,carpet and set circular saw depth to just cut thru plywood. replace with marine plywood. make sure all edges are stable too, may need pieces put under at the edges)

Mine's stable in rough water too. I've been out in 5' waves on the Chesapeake Bay when a storm moved in suddenly. It's no fun but I made it back with no problems.

Jeff

 

[Flipper1983]

Re: Newbie-Celebrity Question

I have a 1996 Celebrity 180 with the 4.3L and I love it. Its a fun Boat and handles really good.

Here are my gripes the convertable top instead of having a metal snap in system it has a ruber molding that connects it to the top of the windshield. Mine has rotted and fallen apart and I cannot find a replacement molding to sew back on. I am gonna have to change it to a snap together system. No big deal I just really wanted to stick with the rubber molding.

The other is the floor just as Jeff said. I have two bad spots one at the front of the boat were the fiberglass floor in the open bow meets the wood and carpet floor and the other is under the rear seat were the fuel tank inspection hatch is. These are both issues of human error in my opinion. The reason being is that the boat has a giant factory swim deck to dry off on at the stern. But instead people just plop there wet bodies down and the run of is what does this atleast on my boat. In the back I can see where the water from wet bodies ran down in the seats and came to rest on the floor under the seat where there is not good ventilation to dry it out. It is the same in the front. I make people dry off good before they climb back in the boat.

We have had 4 adults and 3 kids in the boat while pulling a tube and it runs like a scalded dog. Mine does have the 4 barrel carb that pushes either 210 or 215 horsepower. I believe the 2 barrel carb motors run about 190 horsepower.

I love my boat and will be putting a wake tower on it this winter for even more fun this summer.

I do know that when I bought mine last summer the NADA valued the boat at $ 5,000.00 in poor condition because of my floor issues and some fading and stitch seperation in the upholstery. Depending on the condition of the boat and the fact that it comes with toys I dont think its a bad price.

If you would like to talk to me more about mine just send me a PM

The pic is my wife and kids out on the lake.

Captain
Flipper