Need advise on my first boat purchase.

[b4tn]

Hey all. Purchasing my first boat that will be going in brackish water in Annopolis MD and surrounding lakes. I have been looking at boats and doing lots of reading and think I found the boat I want. I took a look at it twice and other than some surface oxidation it's in good solid mechinical shape. Paint on the bottom looks relatively new, the apolstry aside from the one cusion behind the ladder that everyone steps on is pristine. The motor bay and storage area is dry. I pulled the dipstick and the oil is clean. The seller keeps it on a battery minder so it fired right up. It has a new stereo system and all the gauges work. It does have some corrosion on the hull and rails which looks to buff out easily. I take it out for a test ride Monday. With the extras does this sound like a decent deal? My wife does not like it because it's old and not shiny but I'm sure with a detail and some elbow grease I can make this boat shine.

Well maintained and good strong boat. Just not using it like I should.
1994 Sea Ray 200 Bowrider (20FT / 200 HP / Inboard-Outboard / 5.0L MERCRUISER)
1995 Easy Loader 4-wheel tandem trailer
- BOAT: Purchased 2011
Maintenance/upkeep records dating to 2002
Major upkeep: (Performed by Waterfront Marine)
Replaced Trim limiter and sender (DEC 2011)
Replaced Transom helmet, Gimbal Bearing, U-joint Bellows, Cable & Bellows (DEC 2011)
Replaced propeller (APR 2013)
New battery (AUG 2016)
- TRAILER:
Complete overhaul (converion to disc brakes & wiring) by Patriot Auto Services (2011)
- ACCESSORIES: ($1000+)
Sportstuff Slalom Jockey Steerable Towable (1 of 4 steering fins detached - but onhand)
Lifejackets: 5 - Type II / 4 - Type III (L/XL, 2-S/M, youth)
Wake Board, Skis, Tow ropes for towable & waterski/wakeboard
Boat cover (Always covered with additional layer by a tarp)
- NADA value (Boat & Trailer) - Low = $5900. Average = $6700.
***Asking $6000 OBO for entire package. Willing to sell without accessories. Make an offer.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

It's all about condition. Read the sticky at the top of this forum for things to look for in a used boat. If it fits your needs only you can decide whether to buy it or not with input from your wife, or she can ultimately decide. After you make the minimum number of posts here you can send photos, the experts will want many photos. From my limited experience with I/O's the Gimbal bearing and boots may be due to be changed after 6 years. The boat is going on 24 years old, there may be some issues that are unseen and you will only know about them when the boat breaks down. I will not buy a boat without a cylinder pressure test and a run in the water minimally. Running in a driveway at low RPM and running on the water at max. RPM is a huge difference.

 

[b4tn]

Thanks for the input. That's the list I went by minus the compression check. We go out on the water with it tomorrow afternoon. I feel fairly confident it's been well taken care of. The guy is a retired Navy officer which doesn't mean much except that we are both former military so at a minimum I at least trust he is not hiding anything lol.

 

[ondarvr]

Search the boat for rotten wood, this will be the big negative on a boat like this, it will be the difference between having fun all summer, or suffering through another winter with the boat under a tarp and you with a grinder in your hand. Plus the couple thousand it will cost to do the repairs.

 

[southkogs]

Do a little searching on your local listings for comparable boats - like Craigslists and such. Look at the pricing and see where that falls. $6k feels a little pricey for a 23 year 20 bow rider that you gotta' put a bunch of elbow grease into.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Do you have a link to the ad?

 

[b4tn]

Thanks all. The floor has been recently replaced. I did find rot in the inboard side board where the passengers ride. One side he had already removed the other side will need to be removed. Each board is about 4'x1' in size. Behind the boards no damage. I also searched and found the same model going for roughly the same price but the interior was roughed up pretty bad. Lastly the ad is pasted in the beginning of the thread. He did not have any pictures posted. There was only one picture and the add has since expired.

 

[ondarvr]

A new floor typically indicates that the stringers and transom are rotten also, and frequently the "new" floor is just a new sheet of ply screwed down to the old rotten floor. Start running now.