Re: 1973 17.5ft Sea Star 85hp Merc
Looks to me like Seastar/Glastex stopped producing boats in 1980. You can go to nadaguides.com to search around and get some idea of the price for the boat alone.<br /><br />If you're new to boating, take your time. Familiarize yourself with the boat thoroughly, and take one of the online boating courses, like the one at
www.boatsafe.com. Even better is a live boating safety class.<br /><br />Equip your boat well. Flotation devices for all hands. Fire extinguisher, signaling device...all that stuff. Get a good bow rope and a good anchor, especially if you're going to be doing a lot of fishing. As you'll soon find out, the initial cost of a boat is just the beginning.<br /><br />The first time you take the boat on the water, try to take an experienced boater with you. It will do wonders to get you started off right. Nothing will spoil your first trip like a botched launch.<br /><br />On the water, take your time again. Learn the waters you'll be using. Get topo maps of the waters and familiarize yourself with shoal areas, etc. All too often these are poorly marked on the lake, and there's nothing that will spoil your fun like whacking a rock with your outboard. It happens a lot. In fact, it's probably happened to most folks here.<br /><br />Don't immediately blast off at full throttle. Take it easy and learn how your boat handles at lower speeds, then do some fast runs, maneuvering gently at the beginning to get the feel of your boat. Watch the other boaters. Many lakes have a set circulation pattern. Don't buck that pattern.<br /><br />If you're unfamiliar with backing a trailer, take yourself to a big school parking lot on a weekend and practice, practice, practice. Backing trailers is NOT intuitive, and the place to learn is not at your local launch ramp, where wise guys will be more than happy to comment on your skills or lack thereof.<br /><br />It won't take long until you are a practiced boater. It's complicated, though, so take your time and have fun as you learn.
