Thinking of buying a used boat for family use.. fishing, tubing/skiiing/leisure

[Texgirl]

I grew up boating and fishing both salt and fresh water with my family. I am now just turned 50 and we have a 12 year old son and are seriously considering getting a boat.

My husband did not grow up boating at all and knows nothing about them.. but is on board with considering just is not as comfortable with the idea as I am.

I have always thought if I ever got a boat I would want a deck boat, non pontoon like a hurricane or Chaparral Sunesta to be comforable an all around boat.

We will want to fish... I am really interested in a 2004 Sunesta 232 24 feet I found that looks to be in great shape, really well taken care of.. he thinks the engine is 5.3.. would have dig into that more and he is asking 20.500.

I also found a 2012 hurricane sundeck sport 202 IO 20 feet .. but I need more info on engine to make sure of the tubing/skiing aspect of it but it has 2 chairs that sit on front for fishing and live well on board. Asking 17,500. Inquired about engine have not heard back yet....

Looking for general advice on if I am going in the right direction for what we want to use it for? Any advice on Chaparral vs Hurricane.. why is 2004 still 20k vs. 2012 hurricane 17K. The sunesta is a nicer boat for sure... but that much nicer?

Any and all advice appreciated.

 

[briangcc]

When comparing boat prices, length plays a considerable role. You're looking at a difference of 4' so that's part of the disparity.

Provided both are in the same condition, for me, it would come down to towability OR having a slip available IF I couldn't tow the boat. The other thing I'd look at is the engine. Should be a 5.0L or 5.7L...I don't believe they offered a 5.3L and the most common would be a 4.3L which I would avoid like the plague in that size of boat.

IF its a 4.3L in the Hurricane it should be OK.

The only knock on the Chap is that its coming up on the end of its design life - usually 15-20 years tops before needing a major overhaul.It *may* not be an issue if the boat was babied since it was delivered to the owner. Just something to consider.

 

[ahicks]

2 thoughts, well, 3.
First, I would want an outboard. They're lighter, and I believe less expensive over the lifetime of the boat - for a lot of reasons.

Second, I second the thought regarding how you plan on towing this new boat. Glass deck boats are heavy! before you buy one, you would want to check on your ability to tow it. -OR- there are marinas that offer dry storage. That might be an option for you as well. You call them an hour ahead of time and the boat is sitting in a slip waiting for you when you get there.

Third, a center console deck boat is a floor plan you really need to see when shopping, but they're kinda new yet. If there were money in the budget, that's how I would go. That would be my dream boat....

 

[Texgirl]

Thank you both for responding... we have a f350 and nissan armada... we do have 5th wheel so was hoping to pull short distances with armada during times we are camping as well. We just came home from a dealership just looking and learning and he also suggested an outboard but those seem to be hard to find used!! Both boats I am interested in are I/O.... so now my husband is all set on outboard due to what the sales guy said, lower mait, cheaper to fix etc. How big of a deal is this? I think it will be harder to find what we want used...

We looked at Hurricane line and crownline.. CL super nice and expensive!!

 

[oba97]

I bought a new deck boat in 2017. It’s a 20’ Starcraft Limited with a 150 mercury outboard. I am glad that I went with the outboard. I’m not sure where you live, but here in Michigan winterizing is much easier. I can easily tow my kids and even pulled my 240lb brother-in-law skiing without issue. I like the open space and ability to easily socialize with other families we bring along.

I spend 99% of the time on an inland lake. In fact, we started renting a slip in 2018. I have gone out on the Great Lakes (Huron) a couple of times but if there is much wave action it’s not much fun. I think you can buy deck boats for bigger water? I would look into that if you plan on going out on big water.

I don’t have experience with the brands you are looking at but in general I like our deck boat. Just wish I could go out on the big lakes.

good luck with you purchase!

 

[oba97]

I should have paid more attention to your name....my guess is your in Texas.

 

[ahicks]

Rough water and deck boats don't mix well as a rule. Anything over about an 18" chop will have you wishing you had made different plans for the day in my experience....

That same feature that makes them great ski boats makes for a pretty rough ride in the chop. Bay type fishing boats are nearly identical below the waterline if you have any experience there. Some newer designs are much better, but they're going to be expensive - if you can find one.

Internal corrosion issues absolutely haunt I/O boats. Can be not just expensive to repair, but very difficult to predict. Buying one that's several years old could be really expensive.

 

[achris]

...First, I would want an outboard. They're lighter, and I believe less expensive over the lifetime of the boat - for a lot of reasons.....

And I would want an inboard. With an outboard, for spare parts and service you are locked into the manufacturer. An inboard, mostly are GM engines, and heaps of places sell GM parts. The drive have bearings and seals that can be 'second sourced', and the maintenance isn't too hard if you stay on top of it.

As a 'first' boat (I know you have childhood experience, but your husband doesn't) I would look at something smaller and easier to handle, around the 5 to 5.5m range. And for this size range, an outboard is a much better option. Plenty of boats for a lot less money, and great for gaining experience. I have seen too many people buying 'bigger' boats and without the knowledge and skills that only owning a smaller boat can develop, they get into trouble very quickly. My first boat was a 4.5m, and we had a lot of fun in it. Even though I had grown up with boats, my father built his first 4 himself, I still felt the knowledge and skills I learnt in that boat were invaluable. I was able to update to a 6m cabin cruiser with the confidence to be able to get the most out of the boat, without putting myself or my family in harm's way. And because I had the knowledge of what we were looking for in a boat, we have owned the 6m for 36 years now, and I don't see us selling it any time soon.

Chris..........

 

[CaptainSteveo]

Thank you both for responding... we have a f350 and nissan armada... we do have 5th wheel so was hoping to pull short distances with armada during times we are camping as well. We just came home from a dealership just looking and learning and he also suggested an outboard but those seem to be hard to find used!! Both boats I am interested in are I/O.... so now my husband is all set on outboard due to what the sales guy said, lower mait, cheaper to fix etc. How big of a deal is this? I think it will be harder to find what we want used...

We looked at Hurricane line and crownline.. CL super nice and expensive!!

Really depends on how you plan to use it. If you will be on salt water the majority of the time you definitely will have an easier time with an outboard. However as someone that had an older outboard, and had friends with older outboards, on fresh water they really where not easier. Now the new ones are a different story, but very expensive.

If you are on fresh water the vast majority of the time an inboard or inboard/outboard will do fine. They are way easier to find and less expensive. Just be prepared if you get a boat much over 10 years old that has not been well maintained you will have issues. With used boats it's really about how well they have been taken care of.

 

[Texgirl]

I should have paid more attention to your name....my guess is your in Texas.

LOL.. yes I am... we are in the Houston area.. so access to both lakes and the gulf but plan to do mostly lakes. how many people can you comfortably fit on your 20 foot boat? We went today looking just for fun and saw one we really liked except for the price and it was 20.4 and I loved it except for price and I think 22 would be better.. so glad you like your boat! The boat I liked was a crownline 205xs with fishing package.. super cool as we want to fish.. has rod holders built into the boat, cool fishing chairs... really liked it.. but its very expensive!!! Really want to buy used.

 

[Texgirl]

Really depends on how you plan to use it. If you will be on salt water the majority of the time you definitely will have an easier time with an outboard. However as someone that had an older outboard, and had friends with older outboards, on fresh water they really where not easier. Now the new ones are a different story, but very expensive.

If you are on fresh water the vast majority of the time an inboard or inboard/outboard will do fine. They are way easier to find and less expensive. Just be prepared if you get a boat much over 10 years old that has not been well maintained you will have issues. With used boats it's really about how well they have been taken care of.

thanks for the advice... we will be using in mostly fresh water.. now my husband has the outboard in his head... maybe once we visit some more places we can get some different opinions...

 

[Texgirl]

And I would want an inboard. With an outboard, for spare parts and service you are locked into the manufacturer. An inboard, mostly are GM engines, and heaps of places sell GM parts. The drive have bearings and seals that can be 'second sourced', and the maintenance isn't too hard if you stay on top of it.

As a 'first' boat (I know you have childhood experience, but your husband doesn't) I would look at something smaller and easier to handle, around the 5 to 5.5m range. And for this size range, an outboard is a much better option. Plenty of boats for a lot less money, and great for gaining experience. I have seen too many people buying 'bigger' boats and without the knowledge and skills that only owning a smaller boat can develop, they get into trouble very quickly. My first boat was a 4.5m, and we had a lot of fun in it. Even though I had grown up with boats, my father built his first 4 himself, I still felt the knowledge and skills I learnt in that boat were invaluable. I was able to update to a 6m cabin cruiser with the confidence to be able to get the most out of the boat, without putting myself or my family in harm's way. And because I had the knowledge of what we were looking for in a boat, we have owned the 6m for 36 years now, and I don't see us selling it any time soon.

Chris..........

thank you for that advice... I am sure a smaller boat will be easier to handle.. we will take that into consideration Also thank you for the info on the parts issue on the outboards.. there are always pros and cons to everything... thanks so much!!

 

[Texgirl]

Rough water and deck boats don't mix well as a rule. Anything over about an 18" chop will have you wishing you had made different plans for the day in my experience....

That same feature that makes them great ski boats makes for a pretty rough ride in the chop. Bay type fishing boats are nearly identical below the waterline if you have any experience there. Some newer designs are much better, but they're going to be expensive - if you can find one.

Internal corrosion issues absolutely haunt I/O boats. Can be not just expensive to repair, but very difficult to predict. Buying one that's several years old could be really expensive.

I hear ya on the deck boat flat bottom issue... we are looking to go with a version that is not so flat... hurricane has some versions that have more of a V, southwind, crownline.. I am sure there are others... sunesta... who knows where we will end up but we would like to find something more like that. We are learning so much from you guys.. thanks so much!!

 

[southkogs]

I'll echo Chris on boat size ...

For first boat, trailer boat, owners the difference between a 20' boat and a 24' boat are actually surprising. Maybe keep yourselves under 22' and let that be the learning ground. I do agree that I think outboards are gaining popularity again, and I'll also say that (for some reason) I think they're easier to learn to operate. BUT, I would disagree with the sales dude. Nothing too difficult about I/O comparative, and for a new boater the engine part of it will seem much more familiar while you're learning about taking care of 'em. - - personally, I wouldn't let it effect my first boat purchase that much.

Have y'all rented anything to give it a try? Sometimes a day out on a boat will change your perspective on what you want. I would think there's lots of places to rent around Houston, and you could even try a few of the boats out on the Gulf.

 

[Texgirl]

I'll echo Chris on boat size ...

For first boat, trailer boat, owners the difference between a 20' boat and a 24' boat are actually surprising. Maybe keep yourselves under 22' and let that be the learning ground. I do agree that I think outboards are gaining popularity again, and I'll also say that (for some reason) I think they're easier to learn to operate. BUT, I would disagree with the sales dude. Nothing too difficult about I/O comparative, and for a new boater the engine part of it will seem much more familiar while you're learning about taking care of 'em. - - personally, I wouldn't let it effect my first boat purchase that much.

Have y'all rented anything to give it a try? Sometimes a day out on a boat will change your perspective on what you want. I would think there's lots of places to rent around Houston, and you could even try a few of the boats out on the Gulf.

Thank you for your 2 cents.. really appreciate it... It so crazy how there are so many different opinions... there are trade offs with everything... right now my biggest issue is finding the right balance between fish and ski... we may even consider new possibly... would love to find used newer boat of course. going to try and not get too excited and take our time... I think renting is good idea.. I am going to look at options to see if I can find something similar to what we are considering.

 

[Texgirl]

Right now biggest issue is finding that balance between fishability and leisure/ski.. seating space etc. Chaparral has the h20 fish and ski boat but I am not in love with the seating/lounging aspect but the fishing aspect is awesome. UGH... I know you CAN fish on any boat but there are certain things that make it way more enjoyable.. rod holders.... chair up front or in back or both... I don't care so much about the bait tank... but I guess nice.. we always just used a bucket with aerator. I have always wanted a deck type boat with space for seating etc.. but they don't have any rod holders and only one fish seat area up front on the hurricanes we are looking at... Also, can anyone tell me what its like to drive a deck boat with pretty much no real windshield? Is this an issue?

 

[CaptainSteveo]

Right now biggest issue is finding that balance between fishability and leisure/ski.. seating space etc. Chaparral has the h20 fish and ski boat but I am not in love with the seating/lounging aspect but the fishing aspect is awesome. UGH... I know you CAN fish on any boat but there are certain things that make it way more enjoyable.. rod holders.... chair up front or in back or both... I don't care so much about the bait tank... but I guess nice.. we always just used a bucket with aerator. I have always wanted a deck type boat with space for seating etc.. but they don't have any rod holders and only one fish seat area up front on the hurricanes we are looking at... Also, can anyone tell me what its like to drive a deck boat with pretty much no real windshield? Is this an issue?

This is truly the hardest part. You really need to determine what is most important to your family and how you will be using the boat the majority of the time. Also remember that in many cases it's very possible to customize and add some of the features you want. I have seen many a bowrider or pontoon boat with rod holders, fishing chairs, and even bait tanks nicely added. Some were removable to, so the boat could be setup for either function.

In my opinion it's probably most important to find a boat with the setup you really love and then you can see it's possible to add the nice little things you want.

I have not drove a deck boat, but driving others without windshield is akin to hanging your head out a car window. Not bad at all at 30 mph, but kinda annoying at 50. At 90 you better you have tight goggles because most glasses with fly off and will need to throttle down because you can't see. lol

 

[Texgirl]

This is truly the hardest part. You really need to determine what is most important to your family and how you will be using the boat the majority of the time. Also remember that in many cases it's very possible to customize and add some of the features you want. I have seen many a bowrider or pontoon boat with rod holders, fishing chairs, and even bait tanks nicely added. Some were removable to, so the boat could be setup for either function.

In my opinion it's probably most important to find a boat with the setup you really love and then you can see it's possible to add the nice little things you want.

I have not drove a deck boat, but driving others without windshield is akin to hanging your head out a car window. Not bad at all at 30 mph, but kinda annoying at 50. At 90 you better you have tight goggles because most glasses with fly off and will need to throttle down because you can't see. lol

yes! thank you... I was wondering how we could add fishing items.. really appreciate it.. I think you are right about the windshield issue... I think I need a windshield... starting to remember times when I was ducking behind windshield during drives across the lake to block the wind!! thanks so much, this is so tough.. at first it was like anything to get on water will make me happy, now I am in the weeds!!

 

[Texgirl]

When comparing boat prices, length plays a considerable role. You're looking at a difference of 4' so that's part of the disparity.

Provided both are in the same condition, for me, it would come down to towability OR having a slip available IF I couldn't tow the boat. The other thing I'd look at is the engine. Should be a 5.0L or 5.7L...I don't believe they offered a 5.3L and the most common would be a 4.3L which I would avoid like the plague in that size of boat.

IF its a 4.3L in the Hurricane it should be OK.

The only knock on the Chap is that its coming up on the end of its design life - usually 15-20 years tops before needing a major overhaul.It *may* not be an issue if the boat was babied since it was delivered to the owner. Just something to consider.

I just saw you have the fish and ski chaparral... we are considering that now... it seems more fish than ski/leisure to me and I am not wild about the seating... but I am interested in your thoughts.. how many people are comfortable? The back seating just does not look comfortable to me.. please let me know.. thanks so much. KIM

 

[briangcc]

The rear jump seats convert to fishing pedestals for front and back - although I have NEVER used them that way. Anyone who's ridden in my boat hasn't complained about the comfort of the seats, they are plush. I have (3) boys - 7, 5, 2 - and we as a family all fit just fine. This coming from a bowrider - my FourWinns I bought new before I met my wife. **I have had my BIL and his girlfriend out with our family and that's probably the max I would take out. I used the livewell as a cooler to free up some floor space.


For me, It fits our family just fine for now. As my boys get older, I'll need the space so eventually I'll probably move up a size. My wife and I like the Chap features and fit/finish. IF buying new, I wouldn't get the extra mat for the swim platform direct from Chap. I would instead get it from SeaDek with my own color/thickness/color options. This is a personal preference. **I'm biased as I bought a custom made SeaDek mat for my swim platform and it is THE best purchase we have made hands down.

The other thing I do not like is the size/features of the depthfinder/GPS. I AM replacing this...probably this year. It doesn't have a base map/contour lines and the size is laughable. This is high on my list.

Low on my list is the built in radio - bluetooth syncing is a joke. This is low on my list as we rarely use the radio right now. Eventually I'll replace it with a Rockford Fosgate unit.

I would spring for the pop up cleats as opposed to the traditional ones. This is something my wife likes - less things to poke her in the legs getting in/out of the boat. Low on the list as these aren't nearly as bad as my former boat.


In terms of performance....holy heck. It turns on a dime and can hold that corner. Does 50mph GPS with the engine I have with my family onboard - 2 adults, 3 kiddos, and gear for the day. First boat I've owned that acts this way. Best way I could describe it was that my FourWinns was a station wagon....it got there with a bit of a slide. The Chap is like a performance car on rails.


I have used it for very limited tubing - It'll do just fine in that department as well.