Somewhat Noobie To Boating

[SkiSprinkle686]

Hello All! I've been checking out iBoats for a while now and finally decided to join. I am somewhat new to boating and I am looking to buy my first boat. I have rented plenty of boats for a weekend with the family and used my dad's SeaSwirl for many years. Finally considering buying my first boat. I've got a checklist from this site on what to look for but my question is which boat do I choose? I have narrowed it down to the boats below:

1995 Caravelle 19' w/ Mercruiser 4.3 (Well maintained, owned by marina owner)
1997 Caravelle 18' w/ Mercruiser 3.0 (Pretty good shape)
1999 Monterery 18' w/ Mercruiser 3.0 (Immaculate condition)
2000 Bayliner 18' w/ Mercruiser 3.0 (Excellent condition)

All 4 boats are within $1000 of each other on price and all but one comes with a trailer. What advice can you guys give me?

Thanks!

 

[JASinIL2006]

There is a very helpful sticky at the top of this forum; you might check it out if you haven't already.

In used boats, I think the condition of the boat rules. A well kept boat is more desirable than a poorly-maintained one, regardless of brand.

One consideration is that of the engine; personally, I don't think I'd be interested in an 18-19' boat with a 3.0; I think that would be a bit underpowered, especially if you plan on towing skiers or riders on a tube. (It can be done, but it's certainly not optimal). What sort of uses do you see for your boat?

 

[444]

I would be leery of the one that doesn't come with a trailer. To buy a trailer, they are expensive so you better be getting a wicked deal on it. Also I don't like boats that sit in the water all summer at a slip, which is what I would expect for one that doesn't come with a trailer. Mine is garaged and stays dry unless I'm running it. I/O's have a big hole in the transom and you're looking at 20 year old boats, that's a lot of time for water to penetrate and rot the transom, especially one that sits in the water all summer.

Personally, I don't care for the 3.0's. They are good running engines but too underpowered for me, however they do get the job done and they do go for cheaper than their 4.3 or v8 counterparts.

 

[SkiSprinkle686]

I will be using the boat for multiple things. My kids will want to tube but not go over 20 mph, want to do a little fishing from it and just cruising the lake with my wife. Right now, I am leaning towards the 1999 Monterey. It is the boat in the best condition and has been dry stored its entire life. He also has all the paperwork needed.

 

[ahicks]

Step one is to define your mission. The more time spent here, the easier it is to whittle down the "wants" and focus on the "needs". Then buy a boat that meets your needs.

If you are skiing, and that is the, or one of the primary purposes of the boat, you want enough power to get the person on the end of that rope on top right now. Being dragged 100yds because the boat is too heavy, has too little power, or whatever, is NO FUN!

Keep storage in mind, and towing ability of the family vehicle.

 

[Maclin]

Which one does not come with the trailer? Have to add $1500 or more to that one's price.

 

[jkust]

My take....the 95 is too old and unless the engine has been replaced, it will have the old style mercruiser 4.3 that doesn't have vortec heads. That is non starter.

1995 Caravelle 19' w/ Mercruiser 4.3 (Well maintained, owned by marina owner) too old and pre 96 technology


1997 Caravelle 18' w/ Mercruiser 3.0 (Pretty good shape) Too old and wouldn't accept a 3.0 even if they paid me to take it.

1999 Monterery 18' w/ Mercruiser 3.0 (Immaculate condition) This to me is the best of the bunch but again a 3.0 is a non starter. I like these older Monterey's as they were ahead of their time but a 4.3 is the bare minimum.

2000 Bayliner 18' w/ Mercruiser 3.0 (Excellent condition) I won't even mention that I own a bayliner in my fleet. Condition is obviously key but if I was forced to have to settle for a 3.0....I would consider the 99 Monterey.

 

[southkogs]

My 2¢:

If you like the '99 Monterey, have used the checklist and find it in immaculate condition ... and it has a trailer ... that's probably your boat.

Ever the iBoats resident weirdo, I've got an '02 Bayliner with the 3.0 and rather like it. It's not going to break any speed records, but it does fine for most ordinary uses. The 3.0 is a boisterous little engine, but other than that pretty reliable and efficient. I learned to slalom ski behind a 65HP Evinrude, so the 3.0 is a luxury even at 200# (me, not the boat). It's not going to be the right engine for competitive or even skilled amateur skiing. But for "just for fun" skiing and tubing, it's sufficient.

... but then again, I've also owned and liked the Ford Pinto

:welcome:

 

[444]

If the Monterey has been stored dry, it might be a good choice. To me dry storage means inside a garage, not outside under a tarp holding in moisture. Sounds like the 3.0 will do what you need it to. I towed some young kids on a tube behind a friend's 3.0 bayliner. It felt like a gutless wonder compared to what I was used to but it got the job done and ran smoothly.

 

[SkiSprinkle686]

My kids thought the pontoon we rented last year was plenty fast and that only had a 60HP. They definitely don't like to go fast. The 99 Monterey looks the best and seems to be in the best shape all around. Recently replaced the water pump and the prop is stainless and only 2 years old. Trailer is pretty solid as well. The Bayliner is really nice too but I have read so many negative things about owning a Bayliner that I am not sure what to think.

 

[jkust]

My kids thought the pontoon we rented last year was plenty fast and that only had a 60HP. They definitely don't like to go fast. The 99 Monterey looks the best and seems to be in the best shape all around. Recently replaced the water pump and the prop is stainless and only 2 years old. Trailer is pretty solid as well. The Bayliner is really nice too but I have read so many negative things about owning a Bayliner that I am not sure what to think.

A little context behind my comments, two of my vacation homes are on large lakes and I spend a ton of time on the water boating. We eat, sleep and live boating all summer long. It's all lake boats, all the time so we know our boats inside and out. We are enthusiasts, not just boaters. I like to say that we enjoy recreating as living on the water is much more than boating as well.

The bayliner while is sounds like a boat in good condition according to your statements, is just a very low end boat. Low end materials abound in a world where even a Hyundai is a very nice car because people demand even nice mid sized cars. The bayliner is just very budget minded to get you out on the water cheaply and thus tended to be sold to beginner boater to learn how not to be beginner boaters and have your trials and tribulations on a 20k bowrider versus a 95k bowrider. Even my low income boating friends expect nicer than what Bayliner offers, right, wrong of indifferent, it's the world we live in and that leads to people bayliner bashing for different reasons.

If you are the kind of person who just wants to get out on the water and put smiles on the kids' faces and don't need any niceties, the Bayliner will do the job. Just be sure that the former owners didn't use it to learn how to not be beginning boaters and miss the maintenance schedule, etc.

As for the 3.0....look it's 2018, there's a million boats with 4.3's out there used for sale right now and the upgrade to the 4.3 is free or very minimal when you are looking at boats as old as you are. It's likely not just going to fall in your lap as there are two million people doing what you are doing at this very second. It's almost a 50% increase in horsepower and a gigantic increase in torque over the 3.0. Why not get more for the same or less with negotiation is my motto.

I was brought up back in the 80's and 90's where we'd kneeboard all day behind a 9.9 hp engine and when we got to use the 'big boat' it was a whopping 85hp. Can't compare now to then expectations wise otherwise you set them too low.

 

[JimS123]

I have been running a 3.0 for 34 years now. IMHO it s the best motor ever invented for a 19 footer. It has awesome power for anything you want to do, provided that its propped for the job at hand. Mine runs smoother than my son's 4.3, and fuel mileage isn't even in the ballpark.

If you want to beat the joneses, buy a V8. If even that isn't good enough buy a bigger boat with twin 454's. If you want to go boating with the family and have a lot of fun, the 3.0 will exceed your requirements.

As far as old used boats are concerned, its all about how well the PO maintained it.

 

[poconojoe]

We bought our 2003 (185) Bayliner used in 2013 (two previous owners). It has the 4.3L. Bayliners may be "low end " boats but maybe we were lucky, because it has been a very reliable. Aside from normal maintenance, bellows, gumball, impeller, etc.
so, as stated, it's all about how well the previous owner(s) treated the boat.

 

[SkiSprinkle686]

jkust Thank you for the honest opinion. Definitely puts things into perspective. I am still trying to decide between the Bayliner and Monterey so I'm not sure. I have a feeling both boats will do what we want them to do and will introduce us to owning our own boat. It will be better than the pontoon we used to rent but not up there with the boat my dad used to own (SeaSwirl w/ Volvo V8 I think). I greatly appreciate all the input and I will keep everyone posted.

 

[jkust]

jkust Thank you for the honest opinion. Definitely puts things into perspective. I am still trying to decide between the Bayliner and Monterey so I'm not sure. I have a feeling both boats will do what we want them to do and will introduce us to owning our own boat. It will be better than the pontoon we used to rent but not up there with the boat my dad used to own (SeaSwirl w/ Volvo V8 I think). I greatly appreciate all the input and I will keep everyone posted.

Just looking out for a fellow boater. The Monterey is a league above the Bayliner product-wise. A cursory glance in person will show that is the case. Everybody has different expectations in life. Some are fine with a 3.0 for decades and some aren't. Being venerable is not the same as being the 'most'. We want the most for the least $ in life whereby the least is generally reached by negotiation and patience and perseverance. A 3.0 does not represent the most part of the equation for the run of the mill lake boats we are discussing.

The problem with so many opinion posts is that everyone comes from a different economic background and there are several different generations represented here as well, two things that sway opinions dramatically. It is as though someone is asking me do you want a larger engine or a smaller engine, whereby both are the same price and also just so you know, the 4.3 gets the same, nearly the same or better mileage as a 3.0 due to it working less. Lots of charts and graphs out there that show this to be the case.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

The kids may be fine with only going 20MPH now but as they get a bit older I am positive they will have a greater need for speed. I'd bet on it. Good luck shopping, those can't be the only boats available to you.