Help for 1st time boat buyer

[TXClyde]

Hello folks. I am a boat virgin and in desperate need of advice. I want to buy my first boat for my family. We will tube, slalom and all want to learn to wake surf on a medium sized lake. My budget is $50k - $65k, though always happy to spend less . I want at least a 2008 for resale purposes and at least a 21'. And I want electric ballasts, cruise control, etc. Other than that, I am honestly not sure what I definitely do or don't want. I live in Dallas and there are a lot of boats on the market here. What fits my search on boat trader are the '10 - '13 Wakesetter LSV, '10 - '12 Super Air Nautique, '10 Supra SSV, '09 Mastercraft SSV, '13 - '16 Moomba LSV & Mojos, and '13 - '17 Tige Z1 and Z3. All of these are in my price range. I would GREATLY appreciate any advice or input on this decision. Which are better? What options are must haves? OTher considerations? Thank you very, very much.

 

[harringtondav]

I can't relate to wake board boats. Lots of cost in the "gotta haves" you list. But for $50-$65K you can buy a very nice 21' or longer BR. Think about boating beyond wake boarding. All that ballast stuff is great if that's what you're planning to do most of the time.

But for family boating, skiing, tubing and non-professional wake boarding, you can purchase a very nice new bow rider at the low end of your budget. Wake board boats are hot with some. Resale is limited to them. A nice, well maintained bow rider has a larger resale market.

Wake surfing requires a inboard drive for safety. These boats aren't worth much in heavy waves. Lots of limitations for a single recreational activity.

 

[TXClyde]

On Boat Trader, for 21' - 24' and used newer than 2010 within 100 miles of me, there are 83 wake boats and 43 bow riders. Seems the market is wake/ski boats. And interested in wake surfing (not boarding).

 

[tpenfield]

:welcome: to iBoats . . .

Same question on THT . . . (right?)

Straight inboard ski boat or a I/O bowrider would be the way to go. Sounds like you are leaning towards the pure ski boat, which will be fine. You will find to get a 'better' (i.e. stronger brand name) boat within your budget, you will have to go a bit older . . . more towards the 12 years old vs. 5-8 years old.

Boat manufacturers are continually adding cool stuff and bling over the years, so I'd get familiar on the years where nice new features came into being.

Also, you can check www.bucvalu.com for the pricing of various brands/models/years in the used market. www.nadaguides.com also has market value estimates, but BUC tends to be more based on actual data, whereas NADA is more of an estimated depreciation value with less input on the actual market.

The boat market has been crazy good for the past few years, but I suspect that is going to change soon.

 

[southkogs]

I'm a fan of Mastercraft, but Moombas are real popular around here these days too.

In used boats though, especially one that you're going to spend $65k on - condition is key. I'd take a well cared for Ski Centurion over a beaten and weathered Mastercraft. A lot of these tow boats get ridden hard, partied harder and cared for not-so-much. So, you want to pay close attention to details and maybe even hire someone to survey or check the boat for you.

Check out THIS topic.

A wake surfing boat will be an okay boat for slalom skiing. A boat that's good for slalom skiing might be okay for wake surfing. But you won't find a boat that is good at both. The way the boat goes through the water is almost perfectly opposite for each type of sport. Keep in mind which one you want better performance for - I think the Natiques and Mastercraft boats are probably the better hulls for slalom skiing that I've seen. I don't know much about the wake surfin' boats as I try to steer clear of those dudes. They drop some monster wakes.

Welcome aboard.

 

[tpenfield]

FWIW -

https://www.boattrader.com/boat/2010-mastercraft-x-45-ss-7137997/

https://www.boattrader.com/boat/2012-mastercraft-x35-7216896/


The 2010 is the newest one on BT in the Dallas area under $65K . . . the 2012 model is close to your budget. Seems like nobody wants to sell their 5-8 year old Mastercraft . . . for under $65K. I wonder why that is

BTW - We like to spend other people's money. Let us know how things go. :thumb:

 

[QBhoy]

Malibu or nautique and you’d get a stunning boat for the money. No need to also suggest the go to boat of this type...the mastercraft obviously.
personally love the finish of the nautique...
But as eluded to earlier. These boats...lovely as they are...have only one thing in mind. Tow sports. All I’ve ever been in or around are literally useless at most other things, like choppy water, getting close to the beach and efficiency or performance for the power they have.
But if your requirements heavily weigh in on the side of tow sports....these are the boat for you. Anything else just falls short for anything more than a half serious effort at it. Especially for wake surfing. It just isn’t achievable with conventional boats.

 

[harringtondav]

On Boat Trader, for 21' - 24' and used newer than 2010 within 100 miles of me, there are 83 wake boats and 43 bow riders. Seems the market is wake/ski boats. And interested in wake surfing (not boarding).

My read is more people in your area are trying to sell wake boats than BRs. Market demand can't be measured by 'for sale' signs. It's measured by demand and 'sold' signs. If you boat on glass, and don't mind that engine house taking up the center of your boat, go for the inboard. But keep in mind you will own a single function boat, and be reselling it to a single function buyer.