Boat selection: Narrowed down to two

[Danny C]

Hello again, This is about the third time I have posted about ?which boat to buy? in the last few months. It is probably obvious I am anxious to upgrade before the season starts. The other boats did not work out but I am very serious about sealing the deal this week and have it narrowed down to two boats. I will try to post links below.

Boat 1: 2006 Regal 2200, Merc 5.0 MPI, Alpha 1 drive, ~200 hrs., snap cover included. Nice tandem trailer

Boat 2: 2004 Chaparral 220 SSi, Merc 350 MAG, Alpha 1 drive, ~400 hours, no cover (will need to buy one), no transom gate (need to buy one), Nice tandem trailer except apparently no brakes, a few grand less than the Regal.

I am leaning towards the Chaparral due to the price difference and the added space of an extended swim platform and the added capacity (12 vs 10). I realize that 10 is a lot but on the one or two occasions over the life of the boat that I may want to fit over 10, it is good to know I can.

Any thoughts on pros/cons.

On another note (maybe should have started a new thread for this), I was shocked that he said the duel axel trailer had no brakes. I will definitely be installing brakes if I go with that boat. How much of a chore is it to install breaks? Anyone ever heard of a trailer like that not running brakes? It will be a slow 7 hr trip home until I can install.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Danny C]

Link to the Regal

 

[oldjeep]

There is something really goofy looking about the trailer the chaparral is on. The axles seem way too far back and the boat is hovering above the front of the bunks.

The "tiedowns" on the regal are unique - someone didn't want to spend $20 on a pair of boat tiedowns.

As for the boats, it is always hard to tell from pictures. They put a lot more detail into the Regal ad, but I assume you have actually seen them both in person?

 

[Danny C]

I have seen neither. This is a long distance sale so I am trying to narrow down to the best choice and then make the drive to ensure everything checks out and take it for a ride.

The Chap dealer sent me a whole bunch of pics and it looks good except a few "discolorations" in the hull where the fenders hang. I am guessing after time it rubbed those spots or it shaded the sun.

I may be able to adjust bow stop on the trailer to get the boat to sit better.

I noticed the tiedowns on the regal, does not look like it is going to help too much but that is better than none I guess.

 

[redneck joe]

Be careful, dont make the desicion with emotion. If these dont fit, wait evem though you are anxious.

 

[redneck joe]

Oh and if i can do brakes, so can 99% of the population.

 

[SeaDooSam]

Ok, so here is my thinking. Both boats look more than decent. I think that the Regal looks much nicer than the Chaparral. That is just my opinion though and you really can't tell with pictures. The regal definitely looks more modern and the extra 2 years and 200 hrs on the chaparral definitely show. It looks like an older boat for sure. With that said, I would probably go for the regal. However, I do advise you to not make a quick decision because selling a boat is NOT the easiest thing. Also, the fact that owner did not buy real tie downs puts up a red flag for me. The fact that he didn't want to spend $20 for correct tie downs may be an indication that the previous owner may have been "cheap" or extremely frugal. If he was, he may not have properly maintained or serviced the boat as needed. I may be completely wrong, but I just wanted to point that out.
Happy Boat Searching!

 

[Danny C]

Thanks, I have no problem passing. I have been looking since last season and have passed on several that I liked for various reasons. If it doesn't make sense, then I don't need to buy it, especially since I still have my current boat to get out on (dewinterized yesterday!!!). I happen to think these two boats fit what I need. I fact, I was pretty set on the Regals until this chaparral came up.

 

[Ike-110722]

Looking at pictures tells you very little. The real deal breaker is the condition of the boat and the engine. How well were they maintained? If there is a long distance involved you may actually save money by hiring someone in the area where the boats are located and report back to you on their condition.. They don't have to do a full blown survey, but just a good look over.

 

[JASinIL2006]

All other things being equal, I think I'd rather have the 350 Mag on a 22' boat. Condition of the boats is really tops, though.

Oh, brakes (electric brakes, anyway) are super easy to install and will only set you back a couple hundred. Not a dealbreaker, I wouldn't think.

 

[Danny C]

How about the 400 to 200 hour comparison? I guess it is all about how well they have been taken care of. Would anyone be nervous about 400 hrs? From pictures, the 400 hr motor is spotless. It looks brand new, but that could just be a good cleaning from the dealer.

 

[oldjeep]

How about the 400 to 200 hour comparison? I guess it is all about how well they have been taken care of. Would anyone be nervous about 400 hrs? From pictures, the 400 hr motor is spotless. It looks brand new, but that could just be a good cleaning from the dealer.

200 vs 400 would not concern me. How the boat was maintained, stored and the overall condition matters more than if they were used 20 or 33 hours a year

 

[Newbie@boats]

That trailer definitely does not look right on the Chaparral I would really be concerned towing that boat 7hrs home and trailer brake are always a plus that regal is a beautiful boat

 

[Danny C]

It seems that there is a slight lean towards the Regal, so what do I do, strike a deal on the Chaparral of course! In my defense, at the end of all the negotiating, the price difference was pretty significant (about 20-25%). This is all dependent on an in person inspection and a test drive that will happen this Friday.

There isn't another marina within about 30 miles of this dealer that is willing to do a mechanical inspection. After speaking with a few shops, it seems that they do not do anything other than a once over. It did not sound to in depth to me. Apparently some do not even bother to check compression unless they hear or see something that really warrants it. That being said, I am considering just judging for myself from inspection and test ride without an actual mechanical inspection. Does this seem reasonable? What else would a trained mechanic find that I wouldn't?

 

[redneck joe]

Compression test. 45 buck at parts store.


Also, barkes can be required for that size depending on your state

 

[Danny C]

Brakes are the first thing on the list, regardless of laws. They are a must for me. I already have some lined up to order, just need to confirm a few things on the existing trailer. Hoping it has the mounting bracket for brakes or else I will be ordering all new axles.

As far as compression goes, have you ever had a parts store do a compression on a boat. Same procedure, just interesting on their reaction to a boat instead of a car. I have rented the compression tester from the parts store (for free) and done it myself on my current Outboard. The marine service tech I spoke with said they typically do not do a compression test on I/O's. He said it typically is not necessary unless there is a reason to suspect pour compression.

 

[redneck joe]

I'd more be inclined to text a 200 to 400 hour boat motor than a 200,000 mile car.

 

[Danny C]

I guess I will just rent a tester and test it myself. Does anyone know where to find the specs on what range to expect? Last time I did it on my outboard, they said as long as they are all within a tight range of each other, they were ok.

 

[oldjeep]

It seems that there is a slight lean towards the Regal, so what do I do, strike a deal on the Chaparral of course! In my defense, at the end of all the negotiating, the price difference was pretty significant (about 20-25%). This is all dependent on an in person inspection and a test drive that will happen this Friday.

There isn't another marina within about 30 miles of this dealer that is willing to do a mechanical inspection. After speaking with a few shops, it seems that they do not do anything other than a once over. It did not sound to in depth to me. Apparently some do not even bother to check compression unless they hear or see something that really warrants it. That being said, I am considering just judging for myself from inspection and test ride without an actual mechanical inspection. Does this seem reasonable? What else would a trained mechanic find that I wouldn't?

I'd at least try to take someone along who knows something about boats and trailers to take a look at it for you.

 

[Danny C]

I've owned my old boat for five years now and have done almost all my own work: Rebuild carbs every year, replaced floor, rewired boat, rewired trailer, rebuild fuel pump, check compression, rerun fuel lines, replace fuel sender ect. I have also built a chopper from scratch when I was out in California.

That being said, I am definitely not the most mechanically knowledgeable guy around (more of a garage tinkerer) but I am probably the most knowledgeable of my friends. Especially the ones that would be willing to drive 14 hr road trip.