Advice for a Newbie

[MTribe08]

Hello, great site you have going here. Looking to pick up a medium sized bowrider for the family. I've been around water and boats my whole life but this will be my first boat I've personally owned. Had jetski's in the past but a boat will be better for us now.

Anyway..I'm not looking to buy anything new, but I would like some advice as to how I should refine my search. I want to stay in the 5-6k range, and given the current market and things I've seen on craigslist I'm confident I'll be able to find something pretty nice.

The brands I've been searching for are:
Sea Ray, Four Winns, Maxum, Bayliner, and Stingray

I recently missed out on an opportunity at an extremely clean 1998 18ft Stingray..3.0/Bravo 1. Went for $5500 before i could get to it.


I just saw this boat come up online and I'm wanting to get your opinion of its make and quality.Its a BayLiner with a Vortech V6(is that Merc?). Will I be much happier with that setup over a 3.0 Merc 4 cylinder? I'm looking to do wakeboarding, and may do so with another family in the boat, and want to make sure it will still pull somebody out of the water. You always here Bayliner and think of it like a KB Home. Up till now I've been stearing away from them, but this looks pretty nice..with a tower. Would you wait for a different brand, or if I find a clean Bayliner, will I be ok?
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/boa/892368825.html


Sorry for the long post..I see you guys have been great to many other people, so thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

I found this article in "Waterski magazine" about this actual boat. Maybe you could tell me if its full of hot air, or faily accurate. If it reads accurate, its actually exactly what I'm looking for, and even has a wakeboard tower.
http://www.waterskimag.com/article/Reviews/US-MarineBayliner-1850-Capri-SS

Thanks.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

Bayliners of that vintage were good boats, that is an excellant set up. Bayliner got the bad rap, do to bad owners, lack of maintenance. there is one drawback and is what exhaust manifolds the engine has. one type is extremely expensive, to replace. the following picture has the bad manifolds, called bat wings, and have to be converted to standard exhaust.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

Bayliner got the bad rap, do to bad owners, lack of maintenance.

Thank you for the response. I was wondering this myself, if it wasn't the "people" buying the boat that gave them the steriotype or if it was just a nice shade of lipstick on a pig.

Regardless of what I find, should I try and stick with a Merc engine/Bravo drive? Also, will I be much happier with the v6 rather than the 4 cylinder? Much difference in gas milage?

there is one drawback and is what exhaust manifolds the engine has. one type is extremely expensive, to replace. the following picture has the bad manifolds, called bat wings, and have to be converted to standard exhaust.

Thank you, I will know now to be heads up for that.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

much happier with the 4.3 v6, also the volvo penta drive, in other brand boats. the mercruiser 4.3 does not need the bravo drive, bravo is usually for much larger engine and boat.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

much happier with the 4.3 v6, also the volvo penta drive, in other brand boats. the mercruiser 4.3 does not need the bravo drive, bravo is usually for much larger engine and boat.

Interesting..I was under the impression the alpha/bravo drives were more popular than the Penta. What do you think, should I stear toward a Regal, 4 winns, rather than the Bayliner. I'm going to try to stay within the 10yr old range of boat. Thanks for your help.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

the best drive imho, is the volvo penta. 4 winns is a great boat, not that familar with regal, we don't have many here. i have a 5.7 with a VP drive, 11 years old, never any problem, just usual service. both systems are using the General Motors engines. the 4.3 is a marinized GMC truck engine.

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

 

[MTribe08]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

the best drive imho, is the volvo penta. 4 winns is a great boat, not that familar with regal, we don't have many here. i have a 5.7 with a VP drive, 11 years old, never any problem, just usual service. both systems are using the General Motors engines. the 4.3 is a marinized GMC truck engine.

Ok, I will def take that into consideration when looking.

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

I would say water sports, curising, then fishing in that order.

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

2-4 Adults, 2-4 children.

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

I/O

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

$5-5500

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

I just read that thread on the kid in Dallas looking for a boat. Sounds like the inspection saved him big time..I will follow that lead if I feel the need.

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.

What are Stringers? How do you check them?

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.

No need to check compression on inboard/outboards?

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

ok.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

stringers are the frame work under the floor. always check compression on anything, even a used car. take a tour thru here, you will learn a lot.
http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=407

 

[MTribe08]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

stringers are the frame work under the floor. always check compression on anything, even a used car. take a tour thru here, you will learn a lot.
http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=407

Great..I will spend some time checking that out.

What do you think about this boat and the price?http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/boa/885737826.html The average retail on nada.com is $3,700 more. I'm surprised its not gone yet. I beleive its got the 6 cylinder and a wakeboard tower.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Advice for a Newbie

it is worth looking at. find out when the manifolds and outdrives were last serviced.