Buying a used boat

Slip Away

Lieutenant
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
1,431
Re: Buying a used boat

Maxum = Bayliner - not out of business, they just stopped painting bayliners a different color and putting a different sticker on them ;) The parts are as available as any other old boat.

I know what you mean but try and source a port side glove box door for a 1996 Maxum 1900. Salvage yard is about your only hope.
 

stingray165ss

Seaman
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
53
Re: Buying a used boat

Thanks for all the responses, I am going to check out the celebrity this evening and the maxum Saturday. I don't have muh of a story on the celebrity, the guy said he has keep it in a shop up until about 2 months ago. The maxum the fellow has owned it since 1996 and said it has been garage keep since he has had it. Both appear to have the original upholstery so maybe there is no rot. I plan on doing a compression test on both boats what kind of pressure should I be looking for on theses engines? And I plan on checking the lower unit oil for any gray milky oil. I will check the bellows condition. Is there any thing else I should look for on the engine/lower unit
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: Buying a used boat

Bayliner=searay right and searay sold more boats than any last year

Sea Ray = Bose...sold to people who don't know any better, got them cheap or succumbed to good marketing. (small Sea Ray...since large one are nice)
 

oldjeep

Admiral
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May 17, 2010
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6,455
Re: Buying a used boat

Sea Ray = Bose...sold to people who don't know any better, got them cheap or succumbed to good marketing. (small Sea Ray...since large one are nice)

The small Searays have been nothing special for a long time. Looked at one in 2005 when I bought my Bayliner and the Searay had worse upholstry and same powertrain for more $$$
 

Dawg'sLife93

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 4, 2013
Messages
245
Re: Buying a used boat

StingRay,

They should be close to 140 psi or better across the board. Should also be within 10 psi of each cyl.
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: Buying a used boat

The small Searays have been nothing special for a long time. Looked at one in 2005 when I bought my Bayliner and the Searay had worse upholstry and same powertrain for more $$$

Agreed. They've cheapend the brand so much over the last 8 or 9 years but not the price. All boats already have the same power so you had better put in a little effort to charge a premium price.
 

sickwilly

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
1,089
Re: Buying a used boat

1983 Mastercraft went all fiberglass. If the layout does not work for you, see if you can find a late 80s mastercraft tri star.
 

scb1712

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 25, 2011
Messages
105
Re: Buying a used boat

To my knowledge the late 90's and early 2000's Glastrons / Four Winn's were all glass as part of their now discontinued VEC construction.
 

JoLin

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
5,146
Re: Buying a used boat

Try to find one for a 1996 anything ;)

Yup. OP shouldn't be overly concerned about whether or not a manufacturer is still in business. I'd hate to have to find ANY 'trim' pieces for my Four Winns.

Be concerned about the condition of the boat and obsolete drivetrains, i.e., OMC sterndrives, Ford motors, etc.

My .02
 

81_chapparel194

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
341
Re: Buying a used boat

I like that chap. It just looks like a heavy boat and all I have to pull it is a 2002 jeep wrangler or nissan murano. What do y'all think of the maxum?

well my "81 19.4 ft open bow with a 90 hp ob is on a singe axle trailer and i tow with a 08 dodge ram 1500 and it squats my truck. actual pulling is no problem. i closely estimate my empty hull weighing aprox 2k pounds and boat with engine and gear is tipping the 3500 pound scale. plus trailer weight. chaps are heavy but that just means more ridgidly built. i really dont think the murano would handle it. maybe the jeep if it is the 4 door (longer wheel base.) if it has at least a 6 cylinder standard shift tranny. however i have pulled this boat with a 4 cylinder ford ranger for about 10 miles round trip and it barely got it out of the water. check your tow ratng on the murano. it might by chance pull it. if i remember correctly the chap in your pic was a tandem axle which distributes weight a little better.
 

Dawg'sLife93

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 4, 2013
Messages
245
Re: Buying a used boat

02 Wrangler 4.0 5spd is 2k#, Murano is 3500#. The Chap 20' is 2800# dry.
 

stingray165ss

Seaman
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
53
Re: Buying a used boat

yea i think i am going to have to find something a little lighter than the chap. I would really be pushing the murano. I went and looked at teh Celebrity today and it wasn't quite what i was expecting, it was a nice boat but had alot of chalking on the hull and it was huge that boat would sit so deep in the water. It looked huge to be only 19'. I was scheduled to go look at the Maxum sat. but the guy sold it today. So now I am on the hunt again. I love the master Craft Stars and Stripes but i can't sell my wife on it. she wants something with bow seating. Is it better to go with a V drive like the mastercraft are they more reliable as far as the engine and i guess the gear box ( not sure what is called on those boats).
 

Dawg'sLife93

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 4, 2013
Messages
245
Re: Buying a used boat

Would you like me to get you some more info on that 178XL? it's 1500#. It is very nice, I will be more than happy to stop, get the info and a few pics for you. Just say the word.
 

stingray165ss

Seaman
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
53
Re: Buying a used boat

dawgslife that would be awesome if you would, i am hoping to do alot of shopping this weekend so maybe it will work out. boaterinsd that looks like a nice boatit is just far away.
 

boaterinsd

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Messages
276
Re: Buying a used boat

ok so the chap said "full restoration, new upholstery" hmmmm last i checked resto meant more than new upholstery. that would be sprucing up in my opinion. but it looked like a nice boat and had the 5.0 vs 4.3 either is a good engine but the 5.0 has more ponies also a thirstier engine.
I just looked at the pics and see in pic #2 the NICE new seats sitting on the two square carpet covered boards.....red flag. and in pic #5 I see under the ign key therte is a couple of rusting screws in the carpet for what reason??????
not to mention the rusty trailer its sitting on.
just saying ........
 
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