Should I buy this boat? a 97 proline cuddy.

[capecodtodd]

I have owned freshwater type power boats for near 30 years now. I have owned a 98 Stingray 19 RS I/O bowrider for 16 years now and it has been a great boat for the lake and occasional venture into the bay. This past Winter a racoon got into it and wrecked the interior and I'm considering selling it. I have been looking at a bigger boat to be used in the ocean and I checked out a 1997 Proline 211 walk around cuddy hard top, trim tabs with a 1996 200 HP 2 stroke Johnson OB.
The boat needs a lot of elbow grease to bring it back and the trim/tilt is not working. The owner that is a friend of my uncles said that he got a quote of $1500 to fix it. The thing that has me considering it is my wife is tired of the lake and wants a bigger boat with a cabin and loo plus the owner wants $3000 for the boat.

I figure at $3000 as it sits it is a deal. The boat is solid and the hull is in very good shape for the age, the trailer is so so, not a tandem and the motor looks good but we did not start it. He said it was running a bit rough last year and didn't use it much. He used to keep it in a slip but gave that up. Being a friend of my uncles I don't think the guy is trying to stick me with a load of problems.

I have seen ads for similar boats all fixed up going for $15,000 to $20,000. I have seen basket cases going for near $9,000.

I'm teetering on the fence with this possible purchase. I have read that this year of Proline is like a tank that was built very well but it is a heavy boat which is good for the chop. I have also read that the engine is a solid one but is a gas hog. There is a separate tank for the 2 stroke engine oil. I have never had that with the outboards I have owned, mixing the oil into the portable gas tanks directly instead.

I'm thinking that buying this for $3000, put another $3000 into it, I can do lots of work myself but the trim tilt might be a bit too much, we could have a nice ocean going boat for cruising and fishing next year on the bay.

What do you think?

 

[alldodge]

Check the transom down low real good with a phillips screw driver to see if its soft, push hard, it should not move. Check compression on the motor. The boat weights 3500 so it needs a tandem trailer, but if your not going far it could be good. You should go for a ride

 

[southkogs]

It's worth a look. And I don't have a lot to add except this: Make sure the Admiral takes a look at the cabin to see if that suits what she's thinking. The cuddy on a walk around ... and my Admiral's idea of a "cabin" with a bathroom would not match up sight unseen

 

[capecodtodd]

Would this boat have a soft spot in the transom? I thought by 97 Proline had moved away from using any wood in their hulls?
The single axle trailer bugs me because it is a large heavy boat. The guy used to have a slip and when he gave that up the boat came to his house which is on a lake and the boat is too big for the lake and that is part of the reason he is selling it. He didn't trailer it much but I will be about 25 miles round trip to the ramp. If I buy it I will have to start looking now for a better trailer.
Going for a ride would be great but the closest ramp that could handle the boat is many miles away from where the boat is now. I have calls to 2 boat service places that are nearby to the boat but they are probably flat out with work since they haven't called back yet. I was thinking that they could give the engine the once over and if it was good I would then buy the boat and have them repair the trim tilt.

The admiral and this first mate were both all over the boat the other day inspecting it and asking questions. Yes the "bathroom" is more for an emergency only situation but still she told me she would be more inclined to spend the day out on the boat if she didn't have to "wee" in a pail. She really likes the idea of going somewhere and staying overnight on the boat. She already has plans for redecorating the interior. My job will be to scrub and power wash the exterior and get everything else up to specs.

 

[dingbat]

The boat weights 3500 so it needs a tandem trailer,

Remember, outboard boat weight don’t include the motor, fuel, or anything. Fully loaded that boat will push #4500

 

[dingbat]

Very familiar with both the boat and motor.

You’ve either won the lottery or you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.

Lets start with the motor. In tip top running condition your looking at 2 - 2.1 miles per gallon at cruise in good condition. It goes down hill from there. Getting 1 mile per gallon isn’t uncommon.

I noticed the guy said it was running rough when he last ran it. Getting it back to good running condition could make make your $1,500 trim and tilt job sound like a deal.

Since new, I’ve replaced the timer base, all six carbs, starter, voltage regular, fuel pump, a coil, and two power packs and every hose on the motor.

Get used used to buying 2 stroke oil in gallons. You either have a 2 or 3 gallon oil tank to fill. One gallon of oil for every 50 gallons of gas.

Hull wise...if it has plastic thru hulls plan on replacing all of them. All hoses on the boat will have dry rotted by now. Plan on replacing all fuel and oil hoses as well.

Check scuppers on transom for rot. Pretty common problem.

When all is said and done, a 21’ boat is rather small for open waters. Even smaller once you over night with two people.

Make sure all the windows screens are intact in the cubby. Warm evening, no breeze, saltwater mosquitoes and two people sharing the cubby make for a evening you will not soon forget.....lol

i don’t mean to scare you but this is reality. Been there, done that with a boat half it’s age.

 

[tpenfield]

Where on Cape Cod capecodtodd ?

We will let you buy it, but take off the rose colored glasses and realize that $3000 may just be admission fee into the 'fun' house. I would expect that you will have to fix a few things, else the guy would have sold it already for more $$$$.

Plan of spending another $3K all said and done. Are you a good wrench turner? If so, that will be a plus.

 

[capecodtodd]

Thanks for all the tips and no I did not win the lottery and yes I do know what I'm potentially in for and that is why I'm asking questions and doing research. HA! My wife just got home and I asked her if I could have $15,000 and take a trip to NH.. There is a 2000 24' Wellcraft cuddy up there that is really clean, ready to go and doesn't need a thing but it is $18,000. It has everything and then some and it has a 2 stroke Yamaha. When did they start making 4 stroke outboards?

I'm shocked at the prices of boats today. I bought my Stingray 16 years ago and it has been a great boat that only costs me maybe $300 plus gas per year. I have been thinking about upgrading for a few years now and thought I could spend under $10,000 and maybe get something that is 5-6 years old like I did back then but wow even what I would call a lake boat is $20,000 plus.
I know a guy with an older mastercraft ski boat and he says a new one, base model is $60,000! I know another guy that bought a brand new whaler type 18' center console last year and it was $30,000 with trailer.
I am hesitant to get into this Proline boat. I am very handy and can do my own maintenance, wiring and plumbing and I'm pretty competent on the outside of engines but I'm no mechanic that would tackle rebuilding an engine.

In my research on this boat and engine I read that the boat is a tank and the engine is a a gas guzzler which is not a good combination to have.
Now I'm thinking maybe I could get it, clean it up, get it going, use it for a season and then move up again.


Decisions decisions?

 

[Maclin]

"My wife just got home and I asked her if I could have $15,000 and take a trip to NH.. There is a 2000 24' Wellcraft cuddy up there that is really clean, ready to go and doesn't need a thing but it is $18,000. It has everything and then some and it has a 2 stroke Yamaha..."

Well, what did the wife say?

 

[b.gagnon]

A 90's 21' Proline will never sell for 20+k in New England....... I know someone with a 27 CC in very good shape with twins that can't seem to sell it in the low 20k Range! (it is a beast of a boat for a 27). I have never liked the ride of the Proline boats and I have been on many..... I boat in Buzzards bay and my Cobia 21 easily beats the ride of my other friends 25 Proline WA... By the time your done you will be in the 10k range and there are many options at that point...

 

[capecodtodd]

"My wife just got home and I asked her if I could have $15,000 and take a trip to NH.. There is a 2000 24' Wellcraft cuddy up there that is really clean, ready to go and doesn't need a thing but it is $18,000. It has everything and then some and it has a 2 stroke Yamaha..."

Well, what did the wife say?

She didn't say yes but she didn't say no either. We were ready to spend $3000 on the Proline plus $1500 for the tilt repair and then I would sell my Stingray for say $2000 so suddenly that $18,000 Wellcraft that is a Beauty is down to $11,500.. Do you like my thinking?
But then again the house needs new windows. LOL

 

[capecodtodd]

You guys have been so helpful thanks.
I have been teetering on the fence about this "deal" of a boat but there are too many unknowns with it.
I had a boat with a lousy trailer before and that was when I had a mooring in a lake so I didn't have to trailer much. The Stingray has a nice trailer and it makes all the difference. This Proline should have a tandem so that would mean finding one somewhere sometime and at what cost.

Cleaning the boat up is a fun chore that I don't mind.
The engine is a huge variable. I had an old boat before that I bought cheap, ran it for the Summer and near the end the clutch dog started kicking. The cost of the repair was nearly what I had spent for the boat. The last thing I need is a giant chunk of fiberglass sitting in my yard waiting on an expensive engine repair.

B Gagnon is right that by the time this boat gets "right" I will be in the $10,000 range and at that price I could almost step onto a newer boat that doesn't need much.

I'm going to pass on this Proline project and turn my attentions back to my Stingray. I had it running yesterday in the yard and it was sounding pretty good.

Thanks again guys.