1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

[ezmobee]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

There seem to be 2 kinds of boaters in the world. Those who trade their first boat for something they really want.......and those who sell their first boat because they decided they (or a family member) didn't like boating because their first boat wasn't really the boat they wanted.

That's a really excellent post.

My first boat was a 16' closed bow. I wasn't a big fan of the closed bow due to the wasted space. An 18' is the largest I can fit in my garage. I searched hard for the exact 18' open bow hull I wanted. Now that I have it, based on my storage situation and boating habits, I don't see getting 2-foot-itis again anytime soon. (of course I do have an ideal situation where I got my dad to buy a nice little 14' tinny for the skinny water and my best friend bought a 21' Starcraft )

So you really need to decide if you're going to be likely to want to trade up from this boat, and if so, so you really want the depreciation hit of a new boat. I would wholeheartedly support buying new once you've nailed down what you really want in a boat.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

I'd say no boat is perfect; every asset is a liability. Out of my 5 boats plus 3 more I share, none is perfect but I like them all. So the best arrangement, like EZ suggested, is to have lots of them!
Plus with several, when they are old like mine are, you increase your odds that one will be operable that day.

 

[JoLin]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

I have yet to meet the person who's first boat is EXACTLY what they want in a boat. In fact, most people own at least 1-2 boats before they really know what it is they want.

There seem to be 2 kinds of boaters in the world. Those who trade their first boat for something they really want.......and those who sell their first boat because they decided they (or a family member) didn't like boating because their first boat wasn't really the boat they wanted.

Just my unsolicited .02

I agree with this, too. My 4th season of boating is coming up, with my 3rd boat. Each 3' longer than the one before it. I really do need to stop doing that for awhile, tho...

Glowplug, you've thought through your needs really, really well. They might change down the road, but based on what you know, your decision is perfectly sound. Good luck!

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

I think you'll do fine with the new Bayliner. They are decent boats these days and the MSRP on that model is incredibly low.

That said, I HIGHLY recommend getting a well-maintained used boat with an outboard engine and a full cockpit liner with snap-in carpets. It won't depreciate like a new boat/stern drive boat, is VASTLY easier and cheaper to maintain, and floor rot will be a non-issue (the Bayliner 175 has the cockpit you want, BTW). Stern drives are nice, but they are maintenance intensive because they are substantially more complicated than outboards. Have a look at late 90s and newer Four Winns Horizon 170s with outboard power in the 90HP to 115 HP range. You'll likely find them in the $6000+ range with a trailer and canvas. They will give similar performance to a 3.0 stern drive boat an have more cockpit space due to the lack of an engine box.

 

[Snobike Mike]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

They will give similar performance to a 3.0 stern drive boat an have more cockpit space due to the lack of an engine box.

But you won't have a nice swim platform which is one of several advantages of stern drives.

It all depends on how you want to use it.

 

[2ndtry]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

I must be the only one who still thinks his boat purchase suited his needs I've had it going on 5 years and still think I made a great choice.

This is actually a great time to buy a new boat. I looked for late model boats for several months and never found anything quite "right". November rolled around and I got a new boat from a dealer dumping stock for the pretty much the same price I was seeing on 3 y/o boats 5 months earlier. You have obviously done a lot of homework, I say go for it.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Sounds like you've thought this through really well. You've got a lot of terriffic advice coming from every direction. Mine comes with a question. Do you think, as much as you fell in love with boating, that you might ever want to sleep on your boat? You said that your wife is set on a bowrider. Ask her the question I just asked you.
My boat is in my avatar and signature. My wife and I love to go off for a couple-several days and "camp" on the boat. The cuddy sleeps two adults very comfortably. There's plenty of room for my two sons (7&2) to sleep at the bow, while my wife and I sleep near the door. There's a hidden porta-potty under the two middle cushions with plenty of legroom which makes terrific storage space when not in use. Don't mean to throw a wrench in your works, just another option. Hope everything goes well.

Safe and happy boating always!!!

 

[pwpns]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Welcome to boating. Sounds like you did your homework. If you have the money and enjoy boating more than wrenching and/or tinkering go with the new boat. I spent this last summer wrenching on my boat instead of riding it. I would just stick with the 175 instead of going to the 185. I looked on Bayliners website and there is not much difference in the two. Plus the less weight of the 175 will be easier on the 3.0l engine. Also you will be into about 2000 less if you find out you need a bigger boat. I used to have a bayliner 1750 mutiny with closed bow and still had sufficient room for 4 people and with the added bow space you should be fine. Once you and the wife have been boating for a while and enjoy spending more time on the lake you might want to start looking at a cuddy. Me and my wife moved up to a 19' Stingray cuddy to spend more time on the lake and havent regretted it a bit.

 

[JBF 1962]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Yeah, a nice swim platform is the way to go, and the engine under the floor is bonus. so is a galley...and the head...can't forget the fridge...or the stove and running hot and cold water, love my aft cabin too. And it only took me 5 boats to get what I really wanted. Good luck finding your boat

 

[Glowplug007]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Ok guys, thanks so much for all your helpful suggestions. We bought the boat! Gonna be the longest winter of all time for me. Now we are rethinking what lake to keep it on. Im in Lexington Ky. I can get a slip on lake herrington 40mins away but its a about as skinny as a river. Its 35 miles long, but really skinny and lots of boaters. Or i can keep it at cave run lake which is about and hour and 15 or so, but its huge by comparison and in a national forest so its a lot prettier. My basic question is this: Which is worth more to you experienced boaters, more time on the water or a bigger pretty lake? Im split! The closer lake would offer more opportunities to just go for a cruise on the fly,perhaps with friends grab dinner and take a ride. And because we have dogs that have to be taken out, closer lake equals more time on the water. Buuuuuuuut, cave run lake is more like an actual lake and better/safer for tubing on the occasion we would do it. If I go for the smaller lake I get the convenience and the option of towing (although my tow vehicle isnt great) to the better lake for a weekend trip. So i again must rely on your personal experience. Which would you do?

 

[642mx]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Ok guys, thanks so much for all your helpful suggestions. We bought the boat! Gonna be the longest winter of all time for me. Now we are rethinking what lake to keep it on. Im in Lexington Ky. I can get a slip on lake herrington 40mins away but its a about as skinny as a river. Its 35 miles long, but really skinny and lots of boaters. Or i can keep it at cave run lake which is about and hour and 15 or so, but its huge by comparison and in a national forest so its a lot prettier. My basic question is this: Which is worth more to you experienced boaters, more time on the water or a bigger pretty lake? Im split! The closer lake would offer more opportunities to just go for a cruise on the fly,perhaps with friends grab dinner and take a ride. And because we have dogs that have to be taken out, closer lake equals more time on the water. Buuuuuuuut, cave run lake is more like an actual lake and better/safer for tubing on the occasion we would do it. If I go for the smaller lake I get the convenience and the option of towing (although my tow vehicle isnt great) to the better lake for a weekend trip. So i again must rely on your personal experience. Which would you do?

Personally, I would drive an hour from Lexington to the Ohio river in Louisville. River boating is a lot more fun than lake boating (just my opinion). If you need a marina to keep it at, look into Admirals Anchor... those guys are wonderful people!

 

[cribber]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Congrats and hope you have as much fun as we do cruising our local water. The beauty of having a trailerable boat is you can just drive to your next destination. Start out on the water you plan to be on the most and get familiar with it and how your boat handles. Then start venturing out to other places you'd like to visit. Best advice is develop a routine for launching and retrieving and stick to it. Just keep your composure when things don't go right (and they will trust me). And always remember you don't generally need to go past idle near a dock or ramp. If you didn't get it lined up the 1st time... do it over until you do. We've all been there before...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

close by is better, all things being equal, but 40 minutes and 1:15 are about the same, considering you don't just hop in and go.
leaving it in the water, far from home, has its advantages and disadvantages, less so in protected water without tides, northeasters and hurricanes.
A trailerable boat gives you a great range of options.
have fun, take your time, and expect stuff to go wrong.

 

[aspeck]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Glowplug, my bro lives in Lexington and has a cottage on Herrington. Have boated Herrington several times with him. The water level fluctuation is pretty amazing on that lake ... it is definitely a deep lake with sheer drop-offs. The lake is EMPTY during the weekdays and there really aren't that many boaters over the weekend.

Because of the proximity to Lexington I would recommend Herrington as your "starter" lake. That will put you on the water more, and you won't have to deal with weather related issues (storms will come, but the water doesn't get very choppy because of the steep banks and narrow, windy contour of the lake.

You can always move to a different lake later on.

Whatever you chose, you can't go wrong being on the water! Have fun.

 

[aspeck]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Gwinn Island Marina or Herrington Lake Marina are the two marinas on Herrington lake that I would consider.

 

[RonR]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

I say forget the new boat spend more time shopping, that's part of the fun.
you can also save a heap of money.
Uss the money that you will save and rent two to three different boats
Pick the HP range you want and go for it.
When you find one that you like have it checked by a certified mechanic at a boat shop.
They will charge you for it. You will still be thousands of $'s ahead. Even after rental fees.
Find a place to dry store it. don't get a boat silp
Having the boat checked by a mechanic is almost a good as a new boat. It sounds like you really don't have a lot of time, so you may not put many hours on the engine.
Take the boat in for service, before the season starts, which you probably will do anyway.

Having no boat experiance is not to much a negative.
I would bet money if you were to go onto a launch ramp someone would be willing to help you get if off the trailer.
Same as when you put it back on.
It won't take long to learn how to steer a boat, remember there are no brakes
RR

 

[DaNinja]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

So the deal is complete?
:: puts Bayliner bashing stick back in the rack ::


Enjoy!

 

[jayhanig]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

Ok guys, thanks so much for all your helpful suggestions. We bought the boat! Gonna be the longest winter of all time for me. Now we are rethinking what lake to keep it on. Im in Lexington Ky. I can get a slip on lake herrington 40mins away but its a about as skinny as a river. Its 35 miles long, but really skinny and lots of boaters. Or i can keep it at cave run lake which is about and hour and 15 or so, but its huge by comparison and in a national forest so its a lot prettier. My basic question is this: Which is worth more to you experienced boaters, more time on the water or a bigger pretty lake? Im split! The closer lake would offer more opportunities to just go for a cruise on the fly,perhaps with friends grab dinner and take a ride. And because we have dogs that have to be taken out, closer lake equals more time on the water. Buuuuuuuut, cave run lake is more like an actual lake and better/safer for tubing on the occasion we would do it. If I go for the smaller lake I get the convenience and the option of towing (although my tow vehicle isnt great) to the better lake for a weekend trip. So i again must rely on your personal experience. Which would you do?

Of those two choices I'd definitely pick the larger of the two. I'm reminded of when I completed my motorcycle safety class and was looking for my first bike: I was warned not to buy anything like what I trained on because I'd be bored with it in no time. That's what I think will happen to you on that narrow lake with all the traffic. Besides, it's only another half an hour away.

 

[trailking82]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

my choice would be cave run, like wanting a bigger boat.. you'll soon want a bigger lake. with that said however do not just limit your boating experiences to just that lake. you have a trailerable boat and your tow vehicle is sufficient, there are so many nice lakes and waterways close by you take advantage of all them. i have boated on a couple lakes in KY and a couple out west, i've also boated the ohio and out of all of them all my favorite rides have been on the ohio, there is much to see out there. also you have the ky river that runs right through were you live.. there you'll find the ky palisades, you can only see these from the water. There is much too see out there, explore it all. also its that time of the year for the boat shows, louisvilles is later this month, i'm sure lexingtons is close as well. you'll find all kinds of new things for the boat that you won't find in the store.

 

[Glowplug007]

Re: 1st post, total newb needs your thoughts!

I guess I just don't understand what's so great about river boating, especially on the ohio, you have huge barges coming by all the time, everytime I've been near the river there is a bunch of trash and logs floating around and it doesn't seem like a safe environment for any sort of watersports, what's the attraction?