What to look for in a low cost used boat?

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djmeaney

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

"I almost scored on my $1200 boat. Motor ran great and only had one little soft spot on the floor. Turned out it needed deck, stringers, transom. Did the work myself, but cost another$1700. If you truly don't have a reStore budget, get an aluminum hull."

Thanks for the post. I checked out the thread -- you did some amazing work! I was also surprised to see how much replacing the deck and stringers cost -- even with your own labor!
 
D

djmeaney

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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129
Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

Octopus said:
As someone said, you just have become familiar with the listings and be able to get over to the seller ASAP. I got an old 60's Glastron that had been redecked recently for $700 with a '70's 50 hp Mercury last year. Not the shiniest thing, but my family has a blast in it running around the rivers and beaching on islands where the kids play for hours. It moves pretty fast.

After becoming a Craigslist scientist and checking out a few, I started to get the hang of which listings were worth calling on. If I see the boat parked in weeds in the picture, No. If it's only one far away photo, No. If they say "needs a starter", No! That seems to be the universal mystery diagnosis- doesn't start, guess it needs a starter. What you want to hear them say is "I just had this out this weekend." And that it is titled. When I met the guy selling mine, he spent a lot of time showing me everything about the boat, and that's when I realized he was a responsible honest fellow and really, I've spent 700 bucks worse ways. As I hitched the trailer, two guys came roaring up in their truck so I got to see how close I was to literally Missing The Boat!

I see openbows for around your price, but yes, usually made in the 70's.
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Jeff thanks -- its good to know it can be done -- maybe not often though...
 
southkogs

southkogs

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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

So, your sailboat confirms the formula really: Cheap boat = lots of sweat equity. The more you add on the "cheap boat" side, the more you can remove from the "sweat equity" side.

My own story is that I bought my current boat REALLY cheap. The trade-off? Lots of under the hood time. We have actually not been on the water much this year because of it. However, I set a purchase budget of $3,000 and even with repairs, purchasing spare drives for parts and dealing with this years problems - I'm still not but about halfway into the original $3K budget. I've also found that I've come to enjoy working on it. It's not been a true restoration, but a light-grade one. We regularly get compliments on the ole' girl at the ramps when putting-in and yankin'-out. But, it's been as much garage time as water time.

So, it can be done. Just be careful and realistic.
 
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Home Cookin'

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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

"The wife and I had gotten to where we were not enjoying the trips because we were waiting for the next thing to go wrong, and having to paddle back to the trailer. It wasn't worth it. Gotta have something reliable or nothing at all."

This is so true and the voice of experience. I cringe when I read about people buying rock-bottom boats for family use. For the same reason you wouldn't take the family on an all-day road trip in that 1972 Impala you just pulled out of a barn, don't flirt with disaster in boats, either. They are worse than cars in that regard!

Alternatively, have 2 or better, 3, old boats; odds are one will be running at any given time.
 
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djmeaney

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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

I completely agree about the potential problems of buying a rock bottom and and the frustration of not having something reliable.

My thinking was to buy a solid boat for as little as possible. By solid I mean a boat that doesn't have fatal flaws, i.e. those where the cash cost to fix makes repair it a complete waste of time.

I wish I could spend $15,000 on a reliable, needs nothing boat, but that isn't going to happen. What I can do is buy a 'solid' boat and put sweat equity into and a hundred into here and a few hundred into there over a year or two until it is reliable and safe. If I waited until I had that $15k -- the kids would be grown and gone.

I appreciate all the advice that has been given and I will broaden my search to look for boats in the $2,000 to $3,000 range, and know I have a better idea what to look for and avoid.

Dan
 
Huron Angler

Huron Angler

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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

scooper77515 said:
Hate to be rude (blunt, maybe?), but you aren't ready for a boat.

Anything you buy for that price will need triple that cost to get it seaworthy and stay that way. Boats and boat maintenance are expensive, and ongoing expenses never stop.
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While that might be true some of the time...I did buy a 16' Starcraft with a 80hp Merc that was water ready for $1,000. I took it out the day I bought it twice and had no issues.

It just takes patience, and it doesn't hurt to buy a boat in Michigan, we have a real buyer's market here.:)
 
bonz_d

bonz_d

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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

I haven't read all the replies though my take on it is this.

Not being familiar with your market it's only guessing but I don't think it would be that hard to find a nice used boat for that kind of money. 1st think you need to realize that for that money you are not going to get a beauty. Be patient and look at alot of boats before you buy. An aluminum outboard model is your safest and best bet for the money. In my area there are many older 16-18' aluminum bowriders available if one looks hard. Mostly early to mid 1980s Starcrafts, Sylvans, and Smokercrafts.

On that budget I wouldn't hesitate in looking for a piecemeal boat either. Meaning finding one that has a blown outboard but is still structurally sound and then looking for a nice engine to hang on the back. That is how I did it with my Lund. Paid $400 for the boat and trailer and another $300 for the outboard. Both bought from ads on craigslist. Been running it for 3 years now.
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

It's ok guys, we're assimilating the OP into the Starcraft cult, I mean club. This one is under control :D
 
scooper77515

scooper77515

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Re: What to look for in a low cost used boat?

If I waited until I had that $15k -- the kids would be grown and gone.
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Yup. I was 38 before I could afford this boat. Had the beaters and fixer-uppers before that. Got LOTS of boat and seadoo repair experience on those freebies and hand-me-downs.
 
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