Re: How long to wait for new lund.
Hello fellow Lunder and welcome to iboats!
Haha, now the fun starts . . . . . The waiting
. . . Worst part of ordering a boat new is the waiting as the days get warmer and the sun gets stronger.
I wanted to get the Rebel model too, but I could not find one used so I went new. In 2007 they eliminated the Rebel and replaced it with the Classic. They brought the Rebel back 2 years later again. I tow with a Saab 9-5, so I had to stay below 1000 lbs in total weight, trailer, motor etc.
Good thing you upgraded the HP's of outboard. Most dealers tend to under power each rig so it lowers the package price. Then they can get you to add on accessories on which they make big margins on.
Many experienced boaters will say to always get an outboard for at least 75% of the boat's max HP rating.
When buyers order a new rig many dealers purposely under power them way short of the boats max rating. Then the buyer gets their first surprise after they load their gear, coolers etc and then load on 3 more passengers and wonder why their brand new boat won't get up on plane for like 100 yards. Then another boat cuts in front of you and you get to start that whole process all over again
The first outboard I ordered with my rig, the dealer swore up and down if I took his left over 2006 brand new 30 hp off him that with say 3 people on board this boat will jump right up on plane. After my first trip out it took 100 yards with me having to walk towards the bow each time.
So I immediately went back to the dealer and had him order the max for my boat which was the 40. It only cost me $500 more, but the best part was the 2007 40 Merc was a new design and was something like 20 lbs lighter than the 2006 30! The boat jumped onto plane in about 3 feet after they swapped the 30 for the 40 hp.
I ordered my rig on 3/22/07 and it finally arrived around early July. Sometimes your order can get caught up in the middle of layoffs, parts shortages, strikes ect. I heard placing an order around the boat shows can sometimes slow your order down because of a big influx of orders from all over the country coming in all at once. I tried to put my order in ahead of the shows. Even with an early order, mine sadly still took about 12-13 weeks! But we have no control of this. It could come in 6-8 weeks, but I'd plan on at least 8 weeks!
After it came in they called me to tell me the trailer which I had from my last boat which I left at the dealer was too small for my new rig.
So they sold me a new $1,200 trailer that they had in stock for $600. When I went to pick up the rig they said their new trailer had defective tires. I had to run around to several trailer shops that sold tires and brought them back to the dealers shop because I was not about to wait another week for their replacement tires to come in. They paid for the new tires though.
So sometimes buying a new boat can go very smooth or very frustrating. But at least you get exactly what you want in a new rig!
Re: breaking in a new outboard. Just take the motors manual with you and follow it it exactly with your watch. You can down load a manual for your exact motor off the web so you can pre-plan what you have to do. I'm lucky enough to live 10 minutes from the Hudson River. I wanted to get the break-in in period out of the way, so I just pointed my boat South and traveled for 1/2 the hours and then headed back North the 2nd 1/2. This way I could enjoy my rig on my second trip out without having to vary the speeds all day.
This is a little harder to do on a small lake or a windy day!
Document the break-in each step on one of the blank pages in the manual. Do the same when you change the the oil, lower unit fluid, filters and plugs for warranty purposes.
This way when you go to sell your rig someday, the buyer can really see you took care of the maintenance. That manual with the proper documentation can get you a higher re-sale price if someone is comparing several used boats.
Tip: these new boats really look cool but be aware that many come with great looking paint work on their sides. Most are just decals which scratch real easy when rubbing up against a dock. Most docks are designed for bigger boats so don't skimp on small fenders. Look for bigger fenders then you think you need. Those decals cost like $150 each to replace.
Don't let others hold or move your boat against a dock. They will scratch the hell out of it. If you trailer, once it slides into the water run out and move it to the end of the dock yourself and tie it down.
Don't yell at your Wife or other at the docks
They won't want to go with you again. Or name your boat 'Smells like Fish" they won't go with you with that name either . . . . Hahahaha!
Congrats on your new Lund. Lunds have a certain hull design that which makes them ride and handle like a bigger rig, your's might be a 16 footer, but it will feel like a 17-18 footer!
