Buying a boat

[althoff112]

I am looking to buy a new boat, I really don't want to spend over 5 thousand dollars... im just looking for something plain and simple with a steering column and a 50 -100 horse motor that I could fish with and maybe pull a tube here and there. anyone have any ideas what to look for?

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Buying a boat

I hope you mean new to you. If you mean brand new, 5k should get either a nice hull or motor. You can get a new entry level package for under 10K, but nowhere near 5k for your stated requirements. You can pick up a nice used set-up for 5k though.

 

[althoff112]

Re: Buying a boat

well where do you think i should look? think I could get anything that is a year 2000-2004?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Buying a boat

well where do you think i should look?

ya could start by looking at the boat classifieds here on iboats....
got my boat from them listings.....
under 5k too.....
pretty old boat, but it floats and runs and has a slideing hardtop that works......

5k for an '00-'04 seems a shade optomistic to me. never know though. the economy is sliding, ( being the buyer, that would be good for your dollar)... look at old boats too. ya just gotta be picky.... old boats can be in fine shape if taken care of..... ya just gotta give them a real good going over prior to purchase.... good luck on yer hunt....

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Buying a boat

Where are you located and what type of water? I see set-ups like small (17') center consoles occasionally that meet that criteria. If 5k is your limit, I swear I would look for something a little older though.

 

[cbavier]

Re: Buying a boat

well where do you think i should look? think I could get anything that is a year 2000-2004?

Not much for $5,000

$5,000 will barely buy a new 100 Hp Motor. Start by going to marina's and watching the newspapers want ads. Take your time and look, you will soon get a feel for what $5,000 will buy. When you find something your interested in. You can get an idea of the Value by going to nadaguides.com and then click on boats and follow instruction. Also you might get some Ideas on craiglist.com of what $5,000 will buy.

A new 18 ft Bayliner (an entry level boat good for first timers) with a 3.0 135 Hp will run you about $13,000. You can buy a better boat if your patient buying used.

Just look around, take your time and let us know what you find before you buy. Remember TRY before you buy!

take a Boaters Safety course and after you get your Boat ask for a Coast Guard Inspection or Power Squadron Inspection.

Remember you will have Sales Tax, Registration, Trailer License and Insurance to pay for too .


Welcome to I Boats

 

[ebry710]

Re: Buying a boat

$4999 will buy you a rebuilt 75 hp Merc on iboats. You can gets a good boat for $5000, but you can also get someone's nightmare. Just have it checked out before you buy it and find a good boat mechanic.

 

[althoff112]

Re: Buying a boat

I live in Illinois and would probably be taking it on the kaskaskia river, carlyle lake, or rend lake.
I've been looking at a sylvan 14 foot with a 25 horse engine, i know it won't be able to pull a tube but for 3200 dollars it looked pretty reasonable, it was a 1999 with a 25 johnson. how does that sound?

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Buying a boat

Sound good IF it checks out. You really need to take someone who is boat savy (nothing personal) with you on a test run and at minimum do a compression check on the motor. It sounds like your going down the right road price wise now, but you really do not want to buy a crapper for what sounds like your first boat. Study up, ask questions and take it slow. When I am looking at a particular set-up, I go to boattrader.com and search nationwide for that exact model to get an idea what they are going for and how they are outfitted.

 

[rndn]

Re: Buying a boat

The boat in my signature cost $3600 last April 2007. It had less than 20 hours on it and had not been registered since 1997. It sat in someones garage for 10 years. They are around but you need to be patient.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Buying a boat

I live in Illinois and would probably be taking it on the kaskaskia river, carlyle lake, or rend lake.
I've been looking at a sylvan 14 foot with a 25 horse engine, i know it won't be able to pull a tube but for 3200 dollars it looked pretty reasonable, it was a 1999 with a 25 johnson. how does that sound?

You'd be surprised what a 25 hp engine will tow with a light boat. You'll put a tube and on a smaller boat things seem faster. Have fun.

 

[Wassachu]

Re: Buying a boat

One rule to remmeber, "boats alway look bigger out of the water, put them in the water and they seem to shrink". Test any boat in the water before you buy.

 

[Wassachu]

Re: Buying a boat

Usually when buying a boat it's a good idea to hire a Marine Surveyor. They will come in and thuroughly go through the boat and check for any defends. Sometime this will save you from buying a huge problem. In the case of small boats, it would depend on how much your spending, the kind of boat and motor and how much of a gambler you are. I'm not sure how much a Marine Surveyor charges but it must be according to boat size and time spent. A Marine Surveyor saved my Brother-in-Law about $8000 several years ago and charged him $300. That was on a 22 foot SeaRay that had a rotted keel and stringers.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Buying a boat

Usually when buying a boat it's a good idea to hire a Marine Surveyor. They will come in and thuroughly go through the boat and check for any defends. Sometime this will save you from buying a huge problem. In the case of small boats, it would depend on how much your spending, the kind of boat and motor and how much of a gambler you are. I'm not sure how much a Marine Surveyor charges but it must be according to boat size and time spent. A Marine Surveyor saved my Brother-in-Law about $8000 several years ago and charged him $300. That was on a 22 foot SeaRay that had a rotted keel and stringers.

I use to work with a marine surveyor. I have never known a person with such knowledge of boats and boat structure (except for the collective knowledge of iboat people). He actually only worked with yachts. It is good to know they could work with small boat......kinda like a termite inspector when you buy a house.