Buying first boat

[Gamecatcher]

Re: Buying first boat

I have a Tracker Grizzly 14' boat and it is a monster in the 14' boat class

High sides, wide beam, great boat. Not a sofa on the water, but it has receivers for seat posts. You can add comfortable seats.

I feel your pain of campaign tastes on a beer budget. Most of us have been there.

It may be out of your budget, not sure if you could find one for $500. Maybe $750-$900 depending on condition? Good luck.

If it were me, I would go as big as I could within my budget. That motor will not get you up on plane. It will just push you around, so might as well look at 16' if you can find one.

For $500 + $25 for a rivet tool, and some PC-11 epoxy, you can probably have a very reliable 16' boat!

Good luck.

 

[bnicov]

Re: Buying first boat

Just remember that BOAT stands for BUST OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND!! Repairs on boats get expensive real quick so that great deal may not be such a great deal after all. Is the hull waterlogged? Are the stringers and transom and floor rotted? What shape is the trailer in? Does it even run??? If you are REAL handy, you may want to give it a go, but, if you need to pay someone to do all the work, pass on it and save up to buy something more modern and decent.

 

[64osby]

Re: Buying first boat

Bergy, Great choice on Aluminum boats.

Before you buy anything check the capacity. It's not hard to hit 700lbs, 2 adults 2 growing kids, motor, fuel, gear. You need a large 14 or a 16' in my opinion.

A little high on the budget, but you could sell you motor, some work on the floor and interior. My guess is that could be on the water for about a grand.

http://worcester.craigslist.org/boa/2910552799.html

If that's too much, you need to talk the Admiral out a couch on the water and look at something like this. Sell your motor, maybe buy some tires and do some handy work and your on the water. Maybe $600 - $700

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/boa/2971843802.html

Just ideas and my .02

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Buying first boat

This changes everything: "...fish with my father roughly 2 days/week and take my wife and 2 young children(4 and 5yrs.) out for leisure and teaching them to fish a couple days..."

Your first selection is for one or two guys who can deal with having to paddle home. Or swim when it falls apart. You now have to put safety first and reliability a close second.

IMO a 12' jon is a one man boat for fishing, or one man + one child. Put two full-sized men in it and you are at risk--a manageable risk for many, but still a risk. Add those high chairs that the fresh water guys like and the risk doubles.

You need to start with a stable, high sided high floating platform. For starters, a square bow not a pointy bow. For concept purposes, that would be a 13' whaler, a 14' carolina skiff (even a 12' Carolina) but you'd have to be lucky to get one, especially a whaler, in your budget. The one you will find, though, is a wide body 14' jon-I have one made by Lowe that i can tell you would be perfect. Or yo may find a whaler clone such as McKee.

Wifey isn't going to get the soft comfort out of anything that is safe and reliable (in your budget) so you have to sell her on the value of fun and family. The stated plan is to get a nicer boat after you all see how much fun it is and let the children take over the 14' when they are 12-14 years old.

 

[Bergy37]

Re: Buying first boat

Honestly, safety hadn't crossed my mind. Thinking back, my grandfather had a 14' Jon when I was a kid. We'd take it out on Champlain with 4 of us(2 adults, 2 kids) and it was scary as heck. 100 feet of water under us with a strong channel and we're nearly flipping every time the wind blows. Crazy time. That's probably what what motivated my father to buy a big fiberglass tri-hull.
I talked to my wife some more, showed her the responses on here, and she decided she'd let me up the budget to $1500. So I started looking around and man, I came soooo close to buying a 1985 21' Sea Ray bowrider 197 with a 5.0 230hp Mercruiser. The guy is a friend of a friend and is moving. He can only tow one rec vehicle, so he chose the camper. NADA on it is $2250 and he was willing to part with it for $1600. Great condition all around, garage stored, tuned every year. I'm reluctant because of the necessary cost of maintenance and storage. I have a car port, but it would be better served in a garage. Not to mention, I'm no mechanic. I'm ok with taking apart my old gas ice auger or an outboard, but not an 8 cylinder engine. After all the great reviews of the mercruisers, it's hard to pass up.
Now I'm back to looking and have at least have a better budget to work with. It also helps being armed with the knowledge that you folks have schooled me on. I'm sure I'll be throwing some links out there for review, as I want to be 100% certain before I buy. Thanks again.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: Buying first boat

I'm glad your wife agreed to up the budget, you should be able to get something much better suited to your needs now. Another nice thing about an outboard is you get a lot more room in the boat and that is nice on the smaller boats. Keep looking and put up any links you find so we can all put in our two cents.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Buying first boat

This is a great website with tons of great advice, however, none of us will be with you when you go to buy the boat. My best advice is to take a knowledgeable boater with you to inspect the potential purchase. I did that my first few times and learned a ton from two different people. Even if you don't know someone like that, take your dad along or even your wife. Dad can be a good second set of eyes. Your wife can play good cop / bad cop with you. I've done that many times. Even if she is 100% on board with buying something, she'll play the sour puss that helps me keep the negotiated price low.

Good luck and keep asking questions.

 

[64osby]

Re: Buying first boat

A little high on the budget, but you could sell you motor, some work on the floor and interior. My guess is that could be on the water for about a grand.

http://worcester.craigslist.org/boa/2910552799.html

I will repeat my post on the Starcraft ss

Here is a great example of how nice and safe this boat can be. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=544549&p=3736879#post3736879

If you were willing do do some rehab and/or finish what the PO has done you could have one too. If not this one find a boat similar.

 

[Bergy37]

Re: Buying first boat

I've been searching high and low for a decent aluminum, but all I keep finding are 12' Jon's and Sea Nymphs that start at 2k. I might expand my search to the areas surrounding my in-laws on Long Island. Anyways, I'm considering going to look at this boat this weekend: http://albany.craigslist.org/boa/2970854401.html The guy sounds like he knows what he's doing, he has receipts, and is ready to drop the boat in water for examination. What do you think?

 

[Pony]

Re: Buying first boat

I've been searching high and low for a decent aluminum, but all I keep finding are 12' Jon's and Sea Nymphs that start at 2k. I might expand my search to the areas surrounding my in-laws on Long Island. Anyways, I'm considering going to look at this boat this weekend: http://albany.craigslist.org/boa/2970854401.html The guy sounds like he knows what he's doing, he has receipts, and is ready to drop the boat in water for examination. What do you think?

The fact that he is willing to drop in the water for you to check it out is a great sign. If the floor and transom/floor check out, and the engine is a good runner.....that would make a pretty good family boat.

The fact that the floor was replaced at some point makes me wonder. Did he take out a rotten floor and put new floor over waterlogged foam and bad stringers? Did he glass the floor in properly, or just put it in? I might be overthinking that, but it is something that crossed my mind.

Also on a funny side note....loved the "its either a 1 7/8" or 2" ball". Uhhh yeah I would assume its one or the other as well (as every boat that size will be one or the other)...I might just be an oddball, but I know exactly what each of my trailer's have on it.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Buying first boat

Sometimes another good way to find boats for sale is to go for a drive in the country, especially near lakes. That's where you'll find the roadside deals that aren't posted on the internet.

 

[Bergy37]

Re: Buying first boat

Figured I'd give you folks an update on my boat search. First let me say that thanks to the thoughtful responses and countless hours spent reading in these forums, I feel so much better off than when I first joined iboats. I even read the entire thread in which Friscoboater rebuilt his boats deck, very educational. What have I learned? I do not want a boat with even the slightest soft spot in the floor as it could get expensive quickly. I have a long ways to go before I buy my first I/O, because I have the neither the money to maintain it nor the familiarity to recognize when something small could turn into something major. I've learned that in ads there are alot of tell-tale phrases that immediately raise red flags. Lastly, I've discovered an excellent source of information that's full of helpful and considerate people.
On to the boats... I was pretty close to taking an offer from my local marina. They offered me a 12' aluminum v-hull with trailer and a beat up 14' fiberglass sea star with trailer for $900 total. I ended up turning it down for the following reasons: 1)the transom on the sea star was fiberglass and no thicker than the rest of the boat. It has 2 large cracks that were in motor bearing locations. 2)the 12 footer just looked too small and unsafe for my kids. The seats were roughly 2" from the rim of the boat. 3)I would need to buy a motor seperately. The best deal I've found locally was an old 10hp for $400. and 5)If I was to find a better deal or wanted to upgrade later on, the return would be minimal. Both trailers were throw-aways and the sea star was shot.
So on friday, I took Capt. Caveman's advice. My daughter had a appointment for tests at the hospital in Springfield(1.5 hours away). After we left, I decided to take the scenic route back home to get a look for a possible deal. After about 25 minutes of driving, my daughter yells, "daddy, a boat with a sign". We found a nice 14' aluminum sea nymph complete with motor and trailer for sale. No price, noone home, so I got the number and left. The guy called me back today and gave me the skinny. Boat, 15hp evinrude, trailer, 2 gas tanks, oar, 2 lifejackets, anchor with extra rope, and a gallon of 2-cycle for $900. I immediately asked him if I needed a 17/8" or 2" ball because I'd be down Tuesday to pick it up. Besides all the extras, I was really sold on the seats. They are fastened a little deeper in the boat than most of this size. The seller was very curt, so I'm a little nervous that he might sell it from under me if he tenders a quicker offer. We'll see. Thanks again for the advice, and also for enduring this long winded post.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Buying first boat

congratulations!

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: Buying first boat

Bergy I'm glad you found something you like and I hope it doesn't disappear on you. Hopefully you'll be on the water soon having a great time.

 

[Gamecatcher]

Re: Buying first boat

Congratulations. One of the two happiest days of being a boat owner! I am sure this boat will be much easier to manage than the other two you were looking at. Send a picture when you can.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Buying first boat

Yup, good luck with the purchase. Maybe the karma came back my way as someone FINALLY agreed to buy my pickup truck.

...and remember Bergy37, if this deal falls through then you can take another country boat drive with your daughter!

 

[Bergy37]

Re: Buying first boat

Sorry I haven't given any updates. The PO noticed a little lube had leaked out by the prop and noticed the gaskets were in rough shape. Took 2 days for them to arrive, but he popped em in and called me for pickup. The guy was honest and open, which made the transaction easy. The boat is now in my driveway awaiting the registration. She's an old timer and you can certainly see the 40 years, but everything that matters is sound.

Capt. Caveman-- Did the sale of your truck go through?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Buying first boat

... Also note, the boat is wearing Mississippi registration numbers in the ad pictures...

The boat has a Massachusetts Registration.
It's not the same as, and pre-dates, the Postal Abbreviations.

Massachusetts = MS
Mississippi = MI
Michigan = MC