New or really used...

[eeboater]

Many on this forum (Especially the cellar dwellers) know that I do not have a boat even though I spend the majority of my Internet time on this website. I am in the process of saving the Moola for a new EEboater vessel... <br /><br />Here's the question of the hour... which way do you think I should go? <br /><br />Option 1: Purchase a "worry-free" boat, circa 2000 or newer. This would obviously come with the "brandy-new" look as well as theoretically have less problems than a used boat. But as everyone knows, this would cost considerably more than a used vessel.<br /><br />Option 2: Purchase a boat that I have to put time and money into, to restore it. I'm thinking the reward I get out of this option will greatly out-weigh Option 1.<br /><br />This will be my first boat, but I have been around boats all my life. So, it is not like I am a beginner, per se. If I go with Option 2, I will be a beginner when it comes to dealing with fiberglass, engine work, and all the other niceties that are involved with boat restoration. I'm not afraid of learning, just afraid of getting in over my head.<br /><br />What are your thoughts, opinions, criticizms and comments? I'd like to hear them and your experiences. As a first time boat buyer, is it a bad move to go with Option 2? If you have gone with Option 2, how much did the Misses hate it?<br /><br />Thx,<br />Sean

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: New or really used...

Sean,<br /><br />I've done both. The peace of mind that comes from a late model used boat made boating vastly more fun for us. We had a great time in our old rebuilt boat, but always worried that something would break (often, things did break). The two late model boats we have owned were always quite reliable.<br /><br />That said, the experience I gained by rebuilding an old boat made me a far more knowlegeable boater/boat mechanic and gave me the confidence to do any task on my boats. If you want a project, boats are quite pleasant to work on and you can save a ton of money by doing it all yourself. <br /><br />Our first boat, a 17 foot bowrider, cost $1400 to buy, another $2000 or so to "rebuild", and gave us 3 fun seasons before I sold it for $1500, so it cost us $1900. Our next boat, a 21 foot bowrider, cost us $18,000, gave us 3 fun seasons and was sold for $16,500, costing us only $1500. We paid more for insurance on the second boat but also used it vastly more than the first boat becuase it ALWAYS worked. <br /><br />The obvious "problem" is that we had $18,000 tied up in a boat instead of invested. It's not that big a deal if you have the $18,000 in cash like we did, but if you have to make payments on a loan, this can be substantially more expensive. <br /><br />I do not expect to have such a cheap ownership experience with my current boat, a 25 foot performance cruiser. We paid closer to "top dollar" for it because it had rare options we really desired, and is a total cream puff. We also make payments on it... That said, we use it even more than the second boat because we can sleep aboard it and because it has a fully encloseable cockpit which really extends the boating season here in the northeast.<br /><br />My missus is quite wonderful and has always supported boating no matter what it was in. Our wedding gift to eachother, long ago, was a canoe...

 

[alden135]

Re: New or really used...

Option 1 will only be worry free for a couple years, then it becomes option 2.<br /><br />First boat being a fixer upper gets all the education out of the way early on.<br /><br />Unless you're rich, then who cares.

 

[Surffx]

Re: New or really used...

Alden: I politely disagree about the statement “Option 1 will only be worry free for a couple years, then it becomes option 2” and here’s why.<br /><br />A boat’s reliability greatly depends on how well it is taken care of. <br /><br />Eeboater: you could purchase a year 2000 boat that has not been properly cared for in the last six years. In that case you WOULD end up with an unreliable boat even choosing option 1. <br />On the other hand you could choose option 2 and purchase a 15-20 year old boat from an original owner who took excellent care of it. If you were to continue caring for it you would have a more reliable boat than option one.<br /><br />The first boat we owned was a 16ft 1962 Glaspar. It was taken excellent care of and gave us three seasons of TROUBLE FREE fun before we out grew it. A 40 year old boat with almost zero problems (I think we snapped a throttle cable once). We moved up to a 2005 that I am trying to take good care of so it will last a long time. I do think having an old boat first was a great experience for us and a huge learning tool.<br /><br />All that being said I just wanted to point out that whether you choose option 1 or option 2 make sure that the boat was well cared for by the previous owner or it won’t be very reliable no matter what age it is. <br /><br />Sorry for being long winded <br />

 

[Tufan]

Re: New or really used...

I'd go with option one.<br />New is new.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: New or really used...

Interesting question.<br /><br />I have never bought a new or even newer boat, I have never really had the money to take that kind of a plunge. I am very handy as far as mechanics, bodywork and wiring, so I have allways been able to repair almost anything myself. Takes lots of time though. If you enjoy doing such things, its very rewarding looking at your boat after you have rebuilt it and when someone says to you, "Nice boat"!!<br /><br />It is much more fun in the long run, especially for the family to go boating than to watch you work on it.<br /><br />For instance, I need to take about two days before the boating season starts again and tear down the induction system on my boat and replace the reeds, fuel and vacume lines etc. Im just not looking forward to it.<br /><br />This decision will ultimatly be up to you.

 

[tommays]

Re: New or really used...

haveing owned 3 new boats 2 sail and the current merc outdrive cuddy cabin boat<br /><br />i can say that at 10 years other than lacking a littel shine the current boat is good as new <br /><br />it really only required routine PM to keep it this way and the big item is keeping it stored dry and out of the sun when its not in use<br /><br />on long island most people dont take very good care of there boats many dont even cover them in the winter and only service them when they get towed in <br /><br />there are so many FUBAR used boats you could lose your mind trying to find a well kept one<br /><br />from what i have read here used Wisconsin boats seem to go for top dollar anyway <br /><br />tommays

 

[bayman]

Re: New or really used...

Many good points here. All I have to say is that if you go for used and it needs to be fixed up, make sure it doesn't need so much work that you miss out on too much of the season by the time it gets fixed up. One can think that it will be easy to fix a few things but life often gets busy.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: New or really used...

Buy a sound old hull. Install new steering, battery, bilge pump and wiring. Then hang a new motor of your choise, take care of it and you will get years of reliable pleasure. Dont be to involved with shinny gel coats and stainless fittings. regards fred p.s. that was HANG a new motor not an i/o.

 

[arks]

Re: New or really used...

IMO an older boat in great condition can be a better buy and give you more satisfaction than a newer boat in average shape. The hard part is finding the boat you want in great condition.

 

[wvit100]

Re: New or really used...

I've never owned a new boat. But all the boats I've bought I bought from people I knew and they had been taken good care of. My lastest boat is a '95 Stingray. I bought it from my cousin who had gotten it new. He is a mechanic and had worked at a shop restoring old camero's in Atlanta. He hurt his back and his doctor told him that he shouldn't be riding around in boat's anymore. He was sorry to see it go but was glad that it stayed in the family. I try and keep it up in the same shape and haven't had any problems with it.<br /><br />I would be a little scared of buying something I hadn't seen maintained.<br /><br />I'd say that if you find an older boat that you were sure about go ahead and buy it. But having your boating season go by with your boat in the shop is no fun and spending a bunch of money on repairs isn't any fun either.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: New or really used...

Originally posted by Surffx:<br /> A boat’s reliability greatly depends on how well it is taken care of.

I beg to disagree (to some extent). No one takes better care of their 'stuff' than I do. Yet there was nothing I could have done to deter the underfloor rot on my 20 footer. And I daresay that my boat was built a lot better than at least some of the later model ones.

 

[Emtypckts]

Re: New or really used...

Ok with all these great posts it is hard to add anything but MHO I have never owned a new boat and have found that most times the items that do need to be repaired only take a couple of days to fix provided you dont mind doing them yourself and if you really watch and search you can find great buys on used boats and come out much cheaper even with the parts for the repairs. Keep in mind there may be a lot of special tools needed for differant jobs and sometimes you will need extra hands to help. and the one thing i HATE about boats is climbing up a ladder to get in them when on a trailer to work on them, seems everytime you get in you remember you need something else and have to climb back out then back in but aside from that its great pleasure fixing my own stuff then taking it out and going WOT.<br />Best of luck what ever you do and if ya move this way and need a hand just ask

 

[eeboater]

Re: New or really used...

So, what I'm kinda thinking about doing is combining the two options... Get a gently used boat, one that is from maybe the early 90's? Then I can walk away spending ~3500-5000 and be able to put some work into myself.<br /><br />Sean

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: New or really used...

Yep, that little Sea Ray looks like a good candidate....That's a good price on the trailer & it looks clean.... Something in the 17-21 would be a good starter boat.....You should also consider what its main use will be before choosing........JK

 

[gonefishie]

Re: New or really used...

<br /><br />So, what I'm kinda thinking about doing is combining the two options... Get a gently used boat, one that is from maybe the early 90's? Then I can walk away spending ~3500-5000 and be able to put some work into myself.<br />

There ya go! I knew you had some sense in you. If you looks hard enough you can get one for that kind of money and you might find one that's really trouble free. The best part about it is since you're not experience with boat, if you happen to mess up the boat, it wouldn't be so bad. We won't have to see you're ready to kill someone on the stupid human trick forum. Once you get some experience, know how to cares for boat better then get yourself a nice new one.

 

[iron21]

Re: New or really used...

whatever aged boat you do decide to buy, be sure to thoroughly check the underside of the floor and stringers for rot.looks and appearance can be decieving, and it doesnt matter how much someone took care of the boat, rot can still happen and does. its not any fun to have to replace the floor/stringers..i would sort of lean towards "newer" IMO

 

[DJ]

Re: New or really used...

I've had several new and many used, some complete rebuilds.<br /><br />One of the new rigs was a complete disaster.<br />One of the new rigs was perfect.<br /><br />Almost all the used were just what they were and only got better the more I did to them.<br /><br />The total rebuilds were completely reliable and I knew EXACTLY what I had.<br /><br />BTW, I coined the term "cellar dwellers". Royalty checks can be sent to:<br /><br />

 

[CN Spots]

Re: New or really used...

Do you have the facilities to work on a boat if need be? I don't and it's caused me to rethink my choices in the type of boat I want and when I'll be able to purchase one. Hopefully we'll be in a larger house soon with some type of shop/garage where I could work on a fixer-upper, if not, I'll have to spend more money on a newer (not new)boat. Personally, I like working on stuff and would see "needs work" as a serious negotiating tool, but only if I had somewhere to work on it.<br /><br />I don't know if your boat will generate revenue or not but if it won't, it's a toy. NEVER FINANCE TOYS!!<br /><br />Murphy'll git ya! <br /><br />spots

 

[jastacey]

Re: New or really used...

I've owned 4 boats at differant times in my life, and only one has been new, alota good advise has been given, but if your going to buy a trailerable boat, pay attention to the trailer, go over it carefully ( take someone who knows what to look for ), most boats life's are on a trailer, and if you get a boat, and you are using a tow vechile with an automatic transmissiom, get a transmission cooler installed.I've always done my own repair work, and with shop manuals & this message board, you'll have any, if most issues solved, how to pay for them .... well thats another story!