Rookie needs advice.

S

slapeks

Recruit
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
4
I need some advice regarding buying a used boat. I want to spend as little as possible since I don't know whether I like boating or not. I expect two people (no more than four) going out on a bay or a lake ( no open ocean). I intend to fish a little, maybe cruise, basical :confused: ly relax. My questions:<br />1. what's the minimum size of I should be looking at (15 16 17...)<br />2. how much HP do I need<br />3. center console or bowrider or...<br />4. should I stay away from any boats before 1985 1980 1975 etc<br />5. any recommendation regarding brands (boat and engine)<br />6. anything I should pay attention to when considering a purchase<br />7. anything else ???<br />If anyone could help I would greayly appreciate.<br />Thanks
 
Carphunter

Carphunter

Commander
Joined
Aug 11, 2002
Messages
2,061
Re: Rookie needs advice.

You are going to get all sorts of advise on this subject, so here is mine. If you are not an experienced boater, then I suggest that you start small. I started out with a 14' seacrest boat with a 25hp Evinrude. I was not afraid to take this boat out on an average size lake, (Patoka Lake - 8800 acres), with Myself, my wife, and my two young boys. I could reach speeds of 28 mph fully loaded, which seems a lot faster on the water. My boat and motor was a 1976, and I never had the least bit of trouble out of either. I could run all day on 5 gallons of gas too. I can only give you advise on my own experiences, but I really like the old Evinrudes and Johnsons, (which used to be built by the same company, OMC. Someone might have to correct me on this one, but I thought OMC bought back Evinrude, but I am not sure). There are certain years of Evinrudes, and Force motors that had problems, again, maybe someone could tell you which years, I am not for sure. Around here in Indiana, I would say that the Mercury motors are by far the most popular. I see a lot more Honda's and Yamaha's too, but I do not have any experience with these. I have recently sold the old Seacrest and purchased a Dynatrak 17' with a 115 Johnson, and I can tell you, I would not have wanted to start out on this boat. This boat has too much power for a beginner, and you could really get hurt. You might try renting a boat at a local marina to give you an idea if you really want to purchase one or not. Most marina's offer a wide variety of boats for rental. If the boat has been taken care of, I dont believe age is a huge factor, (my current boat and motor combo is a 1980). My boat is a fish and ski which is great for me (fishing), and the rest of the family (cruising). I sold the old seacrest boat only because my boys are getting a little bigger, and it was getting hard to fish with all four of us in the boat. By the way, I sold the old boat to a friend, and it still runs like a dream....remember, it was a 1976.<br /> I could go on and on, but my post is getting pretty long, I will check back later. Anyway, be careful, and welcome to the boating fraternity.
 
roscoe

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,799
Re: Rookie needs advice.

See if there is a dealer, or marina that rents boats by the day. That way you can try some out and see what you like.<br /><br />I know some people that rented occasionally for a few years because it was cheaper and easier than buying a boat, motor, trailer, tow vehicle, storage, maintenance, insurance, etc.
 
M

mattttt25

Commander
Joined
Sep 29, 2002
Messages
2,661
Re: Rookie needs advice.

i like you honesty. i'd go with a 13-15', with 25hp. as long as the engine runs well and the boat looks solid and floats, you can't really go wrong. make and model doesn't really matter at this point, although i prefer center consoles. make sure you have all the coast guard gear required, and enjoy-
 
N

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
Re: Rookie needs advice.

If your not sure that you like boating, why dont you rent one first, before your spend a whole bunch of money on a boat? That way if it turns out that you dont like it, you dont have to worry about trying to sell it.
 
C

chuche69

Recruit
Joined
Apr 28, 2003
Messages
2
Re: Rookie needs advice.

I would go with the idea of renting first, but from experience, if you are going to buy, I would go with something around 16-18'. Reason being, they tend to be more stable than smaller ones, room for 4 people on some models, big enough to handle moderate HP to get where ya want to go without being to much to handle-115-135hp, and if ya like boating and go to small, you'll just want bigger. I know that first hand, and it gets pretty pricey playing that game. Try a fish & ski, they are pretty sufficient at handling a variety of activities, I've skied off one, fished, kicked back and relaxed and so on. Plus, they aren't as popular as alot of other vessels, so you should be able to find one at a good price, whether new or used.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top