Re: best kind of boat?
Like you, I was looking for a do-all type of boat that the family could enjoy. I ended up with an aluminum Starcraft Holiday (18ft) with 100hp outboard. Flooring is fairly straight forward to replace and not all that difficult or expensive, unless you have to re-glass and replace stringers. If you're after an aluminum hull, just make sure the rivets aren't leaking (not a big deal to fix either), the stingers aren't cracked, and the transom is solid. I added eye bolts to my transom to pull tubes with. Core sample are the only way you'll know if its solid, but then you have extra holes in your boat!
I wouldn't shy away from that $300 hull you are looking at. It looks like it has the old cable/pulley steering. These aren't the most solid-feeling steering designs out there, but they work and are cheap to fix. I know because my boat broke the cable while at the dock when I was thinking of buying it. If you've got a good motor and controls, you could possibly deck it, replace some electricals, and be on the water playing before winter sets in. Hopefully, the trailer doesn't need much! I'm into my boat for less than $700, and it'll pull tubers/skiers or fish all day. If you have to pay someone to do the work, you may want less of a project.
