Searching for Summer Fun

[TukTuk]

Hey there. THis is my first post...glad to be aboard.

Here is the skinny, I've convinced a few friends to pitch in for a boat to have some water fun. We are looking for wakeboarding, tubbin, skiing and fishin'. Basically everything. We are lookign for practical and reliable. We are in the 2 - 3K dollar range. Is that plausible?

Any suggestions? Here is one on craigslist that seems cool. A boom is not necessary but sure would be great to have.

http://denver.craigslist.org/boa/1030146457.html

Im fairely new to boating but confident at the same time. Spent summers years (many years that is: 15) ago taking out a friends dads 15 ft bayliner.

Any info is greatly appreciated? Im in the denver colorado area.

Thanks again
Tuk

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

he put x$ into to it. does not matter how much he put into it. it is what the boat is worth. which imho, not much. i has an OMC outdrive, which is no longer supported with replacement parts.

careful partnerships in boats don't usually work out.

Buying a boat

1st you need to decide what you want to use it for, fishing, cruising, or water sports.

2nd how many people adults, children you want on board of the average outing.

3rd outboard, inboard-outboard, or inboard power plant.

4th Budget, what you want to pay, and what you are willing to pay, when you find
Exactly what you want.

You can hire a marine surveyor, to inspect the boat, or you can do it yourself.

You are mainly looking for soft spots in the deck, transom, cracks, all signs of a rotten, under frame. You walk all over the deck, that a mallot, or hammer with wooden handle, using handle, tap all over the transom, a shape rap is good solid base, a thud, is questionable base.

The motor should be clean, no spots where the paint is discolored, or pealing from heat, having run hot. (This part for outboard motors Compression should be atleast 100psi, and within 10% of each other,)
Spark on all cylinders, good pee stream, check lower unit for water in oil.

The overall condition of the boat will tell you a lot, as to how it has been maintained.
boat motor combo, A 30 year old may be in better condition, than a 3 year old.

 

[Windykid]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

Welcome to I-Boats.

There are all kinds of boats at all kinds of prices. Best to figure what you want to do with a boat first, IE wake board, ski, cruise etc...

 

[TukTuk]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

understood about the dollar thing...i wanna make sure i dont put in 4 grand tho. i hear you on the gourp purchase too. normally wouldn't do it but they are good friends (at least prior to purchase....hahahha)

here goes:

under 3grand.
wakeboarding number one...probalby 6 person max.

i really want reliable. dont need a crazy fast boat or a crazy special boat for just boarding..all purpose i guess.

thanks

is there a particular make that i might go for? is the Mach One maker creditable?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

i hear you on the gourp purchase too. normally wouldn't do it but they are good friends (at least prior to purchase....

Ayuh,... And you'll be Ex-friends by the end of the 1st season...

3 grand is a minimal price,... Reliablity probably Won't come with a $3000. boat...
$3000. is about the price of good Project boats...

 

[ebear]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

I couln't agree more with bond-o. But if your still going to go in with friends think seriously about getting some kind of contract written up concerning; usage, maitenance, buyouts, ect. It may be the only thing that'll save the friendship. by the way isn't the resevoir the only place to go boating in the denver area? I lived there some years back and it was always full by 8 am on the weekends

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

For three grand it's pretty much a crapshoot. Hard telling what you may find, but maybe you might want to have someone around who knows a little bit about boats, trailers and motors. All three working together is needed to get you on the water.
Some things will be obvious, some things not. Don't take any ones word for anything. Get them to take you out and make sure it will do what you need it to do. $3k between four people is not a ton of money, but enough to get your feet wet and get you on the water.
By the way, my buddies son just got here form Denver and we were able to get him out on the water yesterday. He mentioned they are some time away from getting out back home.....
Anyway, welcome and let us know how things go. Good luck!

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

it has an OMC outdrive,, which is no longer supported with replacement parts.

Thats not true, I can get any part that i MIGHT need for my cobra's. . As for searching for Summer Fun i'm right here...

....

 

[haskindm]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

$3K is not going to buy much. Remember that a new 115 HP outboard sells for $10-$13K. The only ship that won't float is a partnerSHIP. How will maintenance expenses be divided? Who is responsible for maintenance? What happens when partner X is driving the boat and the engine fails? Did it fail because it is an old engine or did it fail because X did something stupid? At the end of the season there is a good chance that you will be without a boat and without friends and without your part of the investment. From someone that has been around for awhile - DON'T DO IT! There is nothing cheap about owning a boat. If you can't afford one on your own, rent one a few times per year until you can. You and your friends could go together for a rental without too much danger of ruining the friendship.

 

[dave11]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

Sounds like a little contradiction there. If he doesn't get his money this week, he will sell it for twice as much in a few months. Sure he will. Also he says he absolutely has to sell now. If that's true, why may he keep it until Summer?

I think I'd pass on this one.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Searching for Summer Fun

that is not enough money for the type of fun you are looking for. By experience I can tell you that buying a boat among friend is going to turn into a headache. Hopefully, we are wrong...