I will try and keep this from being a wall of text, but it is indeed quite the story, so bear with me.
First thing, I'm in Portland Oregon.
In spring I got a little money, so I thought I would start my boating phase of toys. So I ended up with an 18' 1988 bayliner open bow. The motor mount was broken, and the prop was bent, but the guy said the part for the mount was like $15 and the prop wouldn't be too bad. So like a novice, I went ahead and took it for $2250.
I took the boat out with a couple members of my family, and it didn't seem to run good, so I took it to a marine shop, and the first thing they said to me was "get rid of it." They told me the motor was super expensive to fix, and they break all the time, and that the boat was going to be instantly more trouble than it was worth. So after I bought a $300 prop, I took the marine mechanics advice. (They weren't trying to sell me anything so I thought ok I'll listen to them.)
So I place an ad on CL, and trade the bayliner, and a motorcycle I had, plus some $ and made a deal for a 21' sea ray cuddy... He said he had to rebuild the motor, but once it was fully operational, it would be mine.
(Mid Summer)
So mid summer, and excuse after excuse (I'm not saying it wasn't truthfull, there was just constant reasons why the boat wasn't done). So I just sucked it up, and realized I would just have to use it for fishing since there was no way I was going to miss all summer, and not use the boat when I got it.
(Late Sept)
Finally I get a call, and it is to let me know, that the motor on the 21' Sea Ray had a cracked block, and that since this whole process had been drawn out for months, that I should come down, and take a different boat he had in mind.
(Mid Oct)
Suddenly in my '77 chevy silverado, I'm white knuckled on the interstate pulling a 1978 25' Wellcraft Suncruiser.
(Now)
I am SO out of my league... I used to ride in a friends boat when I was a kid, and I figured I would start at a decent size, and work up from there, but I feel like this thing is a monster! My truck has to work to pull it, and I'm not sure I could pull off a successfull launch/retrieval without experiencing one of the horror stories I've read about on this site.
The boat has a good canopy on it, and I want to use it for fishing since after waiting for months I don't want to just park it.
Things of note:
He said he took it out, and it ran beautifully the day before I picked it up, and that it works, but he didn't let me know so I could come go out with them. The boaters that live at the dock attached to his shop, said that it is a good boat, and to ease my fears, he gave me a gift card to get a "tow card" in case something happens.
I realize I am way over my head, and it is completely possible that I just got screwed.
When he first showed me the boat he said I couldn't have the trailer it was on, because it was too nice (it was indeed fancy). Yet the trailer I got is not good. The tongue at the ball insert is bent a little so it doesn't look like it gives you a completely locking setup. As well as the boat actually stops about a foot to two from where it should be winched up onto the trailer, so it doesn't actually rest on the bow roller on the trailer. Again.. I probably got screwed.
I am so over my head, I don't know what to do. I want to take it out this winter for fishing but I'm scared sh!tless.
Any tips, advice, or anything would be SO appreciated. I would prefer to not have my ignorance insulted since I do admit it..
Thanks guys.
Anthony - Portland, OR
First thing, I'm in Portland Oregon.
In spring I got a little money, so I thought I would start my boating phase of toys. So I ended up with an 18' 1988 bayliner open bow. The motor mount was broken, and the prop was bent, but the guy said the part for the mount was like $15 and the prop wouldn't be too bad. So like a novice, I went ahead and took it for $2250.
I took the boat out with a couple members of my family, and it didn't seem to run good, so I took it to a marine shop, and the first thing they said to me was "get rid of it." They told me the motor was super expensive to fix, and they break all the time, and that the boat was going to be instantly more trouble than it was worth. So after I bought a $300 prop, I took the marine mechanics advice. (They weren't trying to sell me anything so I thought ok I'll listen to them.)
So I place an ad on CL, and trade the bayliner, and a motorcycle I had, plus some $ and made a deal for a 21' sea ray cuddy... He said he had to rebuild the motor, but once it was fully operational, it would be mine.
(Mid Summer)
So mid summer, and excuse after excuse (I'm not saying it wasn't truthfull, there was just constant reasons why the boat wasn't done). So I just sucked it up, and realized I would just have to use it for fishing since there was no way I was going to miss all summer, and not use the boat when I got it.
(Late Sept)
Finally I get a call, and it is to let me know, that the motor on the 21' Sea Ray had a cracked block, and that since this whole process had been drawn out for months, that I should come down, and take a different boat he had in mind.
(Mid Oct)
Suddenly in my '77 chevy silverado, I'm white knuckled on the interstate pulling a 1978 25' Wellcraft Suncruiser.
(Now)
I am SO out of my league... I used to ride in a friends boat when I was a kid, and I figured I would start at a decent size, and work up from there, but I feel like this thing is a monster! My truck has to work to pull it, and I'm not sure I could pull off a successfull launch/retrieval without experiencing one of the horror stories I've read about on this site.
The boat has a good canopy on it, and I want to use it for fishing since after waiting for months I don't want to just park it.
Things of note:
He said he took it out, and it ran beautifully the day before I picked it up, and that it works, but he didn't let me know so I could come go out with them. The boaters that live at the dock attached to his shop, said that it is a good boat, and to ease my fears, he gave me a gift card to get a "tow card" in case something happens.
I realize I am way over my head, and it is completely possible that I just got screwed.
When he first showed me the boat he said I couldn't have the trailer it was on, because it was too nice (it was indeed fancy). Yet the trailer I got is not good. The tongue at the ball insert is bent a little so it doesn't look like it gives you a completely locking setup. As well as the boat actually stops about a foot to two from where it should be winched up onto the trailer, so it doesn't actually rest on the bow roller on the trailer. Again.. I probably got screwed.
I am so over my head, I don't know what to do. I want to take it out this winter for fishing but I'm scared sh!tless.
Any tips, advice, or anything would be SO appreciated. I would prefer to not have my ignorance insulted since I do admit it..
Thanks guys.
Anthony - Portland, OR
