About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

[leglez]

Hi everyone I am a senior in high school and have been big into water sports my whole life but no one in my family ever has so I always have to go with friends to go wakeboarding or anything. Me and another one of my friends have been talking for the past month and have decided we want to purchase a cheap fixer upper boat for this summer to get started and then purchase a nicer boat in a summer or two. We are just wanting to spend around $500-$600 for the basic boat. Here is what we have found so far:

Our favorite one so far

We like this one but it is about a 7 hour drive to get it and also we talked the current owner down to $650


Least favorite but lowest price

The one we like the 1969 16 ft. Larson tri-hull is the one we are looking into the most. It is only about 45 minutes away and a good price in our eyes. The owner said it needs a new outboard coupler. Neither of us have ever worked on boat motors so we have no idea what this is. I have done some work on small engines and he is really good with car engines so I don't think it would be too much of a problem replacing it.

The owner said it is about $60-80 for this piece is that correct and is it pretty simple to install?

Would we need to replace anything else since it is so old?

Is that a good motor overall?

Would it be able to pull a tube skiis or a wakeboard?

And there is no carpet on the boat any estimates on how much it would cost to carpet a boat that size by ourselves?

Thanks for the help in advanced!

 

[jtexas]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

welcome to the forum!

When you start talking bout project boats, just about any hull that floats, with a motor that starts, is worth $500. (just my opinion)

I can't comment on inboard engines, others will be along who can. I can tell you that boat #3 is underpowered for what you want. Appears to be a 70's 2-cylinder, would make it 50 or 55hp; it would pull a skier (probably not 2), a tube with 175 lbs of teenager on it will yank the stern around like crazy. I could be wrong. Totally different answer if it's actually a 3-cyl 70 or 75hp. Boat #2 will fit your mission nicely, the motor is reliable, easy to work on, parts are available and not too expensive.

Carpeting - you'll have to measure your square footage and price out the carpet and glue.

Whatever you end up with, best case scenario is you take it on a test drive and have a qualified marine tech inspect it. Next best is the test drive and you do a compression test.

Under no circumstances should you buy a used boat motor without a compression test. If the lowest cylinder is not within 5% of the highest, walk away.

Count on, at a minimum, gear oil change, water pump kit and carb rebuild, couple or three hundred dollars if you DIY.

Check the transom for signs of rot. A transom replacement is a big job and should reduce the price by a huge margin.

Be aware that most states have separate titles for hull and outboard (if you go that route). In my state, it's a way bigger hassle to get a replacement title for boat/motor than for a car; if yours is like that, walk away if they don't have clear title in hand.

Don't forget to inspect the trailer for roadworthiness.

sounds like a total blast! good luck!

 

[marine4003]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Amigo... I would go with the above recommendation, #2, An outboard coupler is the U-Joint transferring power to the outdrive, to replace it you have to remove the outdrive, which may mean replacing some other parts as well..Bellows,cables, stuff you dont want to get into if you've never done it before. The Johnson is a great motor,as suggested have it checked by a mechanic,and No,a outboard and a car motor share the internal combustion part but other than that you wanna know what your doing prior to working on one, so get a manual.Prior to purchasing...with a ball peen hammer tap around the back/inside of the boat..especially the floor,what your looking for is soft spots,if you come across a soft spot,further investigate with an Awl ,rot is bad,and expensive.Good Luck.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

If this boat really needs a coupler then that means pulling the drive first and then pulling the engine as the coupler is bolted on to the rear. Who knows what else your going to find then? Also I've never heard of buying a coupler for $60-$80!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

#1 us going to be a slug, slow, hard to plane, too much boat, not enough motor. #2 is going to be a gas hog, the motor is in the 1960's range, and loves gas. # 3 you don't say the hp, and i cannot tell buy the picture.

1 & 2, are both tri hulls, which makes them harder to get out of the hole, #3 is a v hull, comes out of the hole better than 1 or 2, which is important in water sports. due to the hull shapes, #3 may be the best water sports boat of the 3. the motor is in the 1970's range. get model # of the motor. actually both motors and post them here, so we can better advise you on the motors.

seats and cosmetics are easy.

 

[MikDee]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

I agree with previous posters about boat #1, it is underpowered, a heavy sled to plane off, but stable side, to side, Also, a drive coupler is more like $100, and you hafta take the drive off, & the engine out to replace it.
Steer clear IMO

I agree with tashadaddy on the cons of the first 2 boats, actually the 3rd boat has possibilties, it appears lighter, sleeker, & more nimble, my choice for the $ if it has enough horsepower?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Of the 3 I like #2 by a mile. Not sure how long it is but it looks to be about 16' and a 75 will push that nicely. Parts are easy to find for Johnson's, even one that old. You will enjoy the open bow a lot if you're taking some friends out. There isn't anything on that boat that the great people here can't help you with. Welcome to the forum.

 

[leglez]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Ok thanks everyone for the replies! It looks like we will most likely be going with #2 then. But real quick I found this one it is actually in my town and I think we are going to look at it tonight. Just wanted to know what you guys thought of it:

#4

 

[ezmobee]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

#4 isn't bad. Very fair price. However, I think you'll be happier with the open bow #2. Plus I like the nice glass windshield on #2 versus the fogged up old plexiglass on on #4 which I can tell you from experience won't clean up.

As the owner of a closed bow, interested in the same type of water activities as you....trust me, get a bowrider now. You'll just be wanting one anyway

 

[leglez]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Haha the more I look the more I see that I want. I know this isn't capable of water sports but a pontoon wouldn't be bad especially since the ones I have been seeing on Craigslist are $1,000+. I just found this one it is 15 minutes from where I live. The posting doesn't give much info so I am waiting on the owner to call me back so I can get more information on it.

#5

 

[ezmobee]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

That's not a pontoon and would be capable of watersports. That one would be worth looking at. Hurricanes were the first deck boats. I think they did have some serious rot issues though so you'd have to figure out what it would take to address that. Again, very fair price. And although I'm biased, that's a fine motor on the back of that one

 

[jtexas]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Don't forget my
Top Ten Reasons Why Outboards Are Better:
10. Engine doesn't take up valuable space better utilized for livewell/baitwell/fishing gear/beer.
9. Doesn't require a contortionist to work on the engine.
8. High power-to-weight ratio.
7. Repower? Easy.
6. Winterize? No need.
5. Navigating shallow water or stumpfield? Parking on the beach? Spur of the moment prop change? No problem - engine tilts completely out of the water.
4. No bellows.
3. Trim meter broke? Who cares!
2. Dead battery? You did save that little rope with the handle that comes with all outboards, right?

And the number one reason why outboards are better:
1. Everyone can see how big it is.

 

[bhammer]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

All the previous comments on the baots are good so I wont go there. However, you need to think twice about going into it with a buddy. The entry strategy is easy but the exit can be difficult. Here are a couple thoughts:

1. What happens when it needs gas, who pays for it. What if you took it out only with a g/f?
2. What happens if 1 of you take it out and it's broken the next use. Who pays?
3. What happens if your buddy moves away and can't use the boat anymore.
4. What happens when you are not buddies anymore.
5. Who pays for the upkeep? Or if somehting does break, and one doesn't have money to fix it.

Trust me on this, the better way would be for one of you to own the boat and loan it whenever it needs to be. Maybe borrow the money from your buddy and pay him back over time. I have tried buddies and toys and they always seem to work at the first but there are hiccups along the way. I did a motercycle with a buddy right out of highschool and it was always an issue over beer, dates, and upkeep on the bike. When we went to sell it, we got less and then there was an argument over who should get how much even though we went even to start with. I didn't use it as much as you did, so I should get more of the money for it kind of argument.

I wouldn't want your frindship ruined over a boat.

Oh, and welcome to the forum. Lots of good folks here!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Good subject bhammer.

I was a partner in my friend's boat and it worked out great with our arrangement. He owned it and I was the mechanic. We both shared in the cleaning and expenses, but I took care of all the mechanical work, engine, outdrive, trailer,,, etc. He hated mechanical work and was more than happy to let me use it for keeping the boat in running condition, if he broke something he paid and I fixed it, it I broke it I paid and fixed it.

Our arrangement worked out perfect for both of us, but I could see how 2 other people in this same situation could have conflicts.

 

[Jerico]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

My input for what its worth:

1 - Pulling drive & motor is a big task + might as well do gimbal, boots, etc. Gonna run $$$ and a lot of work. Do you have a hoist to pull the motor? Also warped floor is going to = needs a floor. A bunch more work and $$$.

2 - Possibilities. Make sure modifications didn't compromise the floor integrity or let water under the floor. Compression tests & check for solid transom and floor.

3 - Gone

4 - Possible. Same checks as 2. 32 mph makes me wonder, water under the floor?

5 - Possible. Sounds like its gonna need a floor as addressed in #1. A lot of work, but you're young.

IMHO it comes down to 2, 5, 4 in that order depending on what your intentions are for use and your abilities to rebuild/redo stuff.

 

[leglez]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Ok I think I have my mind set on what I want. I found a guy that is willing to trade a boat plus trailer for 2 pocket rockets that I own that I could sell for $150 each. So this seems like the best deal to me.

It is a '76 Sea Star with a '74 Johnson 85HP Motor. The only problem with it is it needs the lower unit put on the motor. He said the lower unit(propeller and stuff) need put on. Does anyone have any idea how much this would cost and how easy it would be to do it yourself? He said last time he checked it would be $300 in a shop.

Here are some pictures:

picture 1
picture 2
picture 3

Edit:

Here is what the guy said:

"The kid I got it from took it out when he got it, backed into the water. It would not go into foward. Someone told hom the lower unit was bad(I've been told there is a spring that if put in backward or brakes will cause this) so he toke the lower unit(Shaft and propeller, not actually part of the motor) off. it is in the boat. I haven't actually tried to start it(no way to get water to it with it apart). I would think this is a deal if you have to replace the motor totally(but I'm sure it is usable)."

 

[ezmobee]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Removing and replacing the lower unit is a do-it-yourself job. However, it sounds like the existing unit may be bad. You can probably pick up a used one on eBay or you can take yours to a mechanic to be checked out. That looks like a fun boat and that's definitely a good motor if running. As usual, check for a solid floor and transom before taking it out on the water. I have a '73 Johnson 85 and it's been a reliable motor for us since we bought the boat 4 years ago.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

ok on this one you have a questionable power plant. you need to test it as much as possible. lower units can be rebuilt, or a donor lower. then check out the boat. it has to be safe, not pretty. you can actually connect a hose to the water tube to start the motor, then find a lower unit.


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.

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.

A 30 year old boat motor combo, may be in better condition, than a 3 year old.

 

[medic502]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

Hello i am new to this web site but i live in virginia an i am getting ready to buy my first boat but i am not sure if i should. Its a 1988 Glassstream Bass boat. one time owner it has a 115 horsepower it has 2 livewells on it,trolling motor, the owner has also replaced the carpet in the boat. the boat is in really good shape the only thing that i afraid of when i went an look at it. started right up the first time but it was not moving water thru the motor in which he said that he would take care of that. He also said that he has not every had to do any work to it other that replacing the wiring. the owner is asking $1800.00 so if any would could please give me some advice on it thanks.

 

[jtexas]

Re: About to purchase my first boat is this a good deal?

welcome iboats, medic!

please start a new thread for your question - otherwise it gets too confusing.