Looking for good boat

[cdawley4]

Hi,

I just joined and am doing a little research on what type of boat to buy. I grew up around a pontoon boat when I was younger. I have been looking at either a pontoon or deck boat. I am open to suggestions. First, let me give you a little background. My wife and I have 3 children. The youngest is 5 and the oldest is turning 10. I would like to find a boat that is family friendly, as well as take a couple of guests out, say max 8-10 people. I will also be towing the boat with a 2003 Dodge Dakota 3.9L V6. According to Dodge's website, my truck can tow up to 4400lbs. The only boat that my wife and kids have been on is the ferry at Disney. I will be trailering the boat to and from the lake. I have been looking at both pontoon and deck boats. I like pontoon boats because they are cheap. I like deck boats because they look a little better than pontoons. Whichever boat I choose, I will probably get a tandem trailer with trailer brakes, being that the Dakota can only tow 4400lbs. I seen the Tahoe Sport Boats and based on my calculations, I could only tow the 195 I/O or OB. I like the idea of having an I/O because it would give me a place for the wife to lay out in the sun while the kids and I are fishing. As I said before, I am open to suggestions, because it will be about 3 years for me to save a little money to buy a used boat. I want to try to stay used because of the new boats depreciate quite a lot.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[QC]

Re: Looking for good boat

First off, welcome aboard!!

Used is a good plan and I have a suggestion that might shorten the time required to save up . . . You will not really know what your family wants and "needs" until you have one. Maybe you could set your sights a little lower, buy something sooner with the understanding that you can learn what is right and what is not with that particular boat and your family. You will make some mistakes early too, and why not make those mistakes on a boat that you may sell when you are ready for your dream boat?

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Looking for good boat

QC has a good suggestion.

You don't mention what your budget is or what you think you could save over 3 years. However, you could buy a cheap (<$2000) boat that may or may not be something like you are looking for long term just to try out boating with your family. There is a large number of boats on the market right now and prices are low.

Good Luck.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Looking for good boat

Chris, welcome.
A pontoon is probably the most versatile, comfortable and family friendly boat out there IMO.
What kinda water do you plan to boat on? Lake, River, Bay ?
How often would you use it?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Looking for good boat

where do you live? where would you be boating.
i have both a 20' pontoon 50 hp Johnson and a deck boat. the pontoon, will have more space, but unless you go "great" tri-toon big motor, poor performance for any water sports.

the ages of your childen they will get bored on a pontoon. other than fishing and swimming.

the deck boat has a nice lay out. great for faster cruising, and water sports. mine is a Chris Craft 230 with 5.7 Volvo Penta drive. water sports are great with 8 aboard, runs and handles like a bow rider.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Looking for good boat

Welcome aboard !

Deck boat is nice and most have a port- potti built into th helm or passenger,
windshield.

I strongly suggest going with a older model, and scratch and make the trailering mistakes with the older model.

You will want a bimini top. Keep the sun off you. Now me if i were you i would get nothing bigger then a 21' to start with just easier to tow and launch and learn on.

Power is another story, you can go with a ob or a i/o.

Ob will give you more room in the boat.

Towing a tube and all nothing less than a 4.3 21' i/o.
Nothing less then a 175-200 ob.

But this is my own inexpert opinion. For lake use you can't go wrong with the above.

 

[cdawley4]

Re: Looking for good boat

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I remembered last night that I had an old Tracker Marine Sun Tracker brochure (1999) that featured their pontoon boats and a deck boat. If I'm not mistaken, I think that was the first year they introduced the deck boat. The one in the brochure is a Party Deck that came equipped with a 90HP ELPT motor and could be upgraded to either a 3.0L I/O or 4.3L I/O. I live in McDonough, GA, so the nearest lake to me is Lake Jackson. I also have other lakes available such as Lake Oconee/Lake Sinclair. I would mainly be using it on lakes/rivers, as Lake Oconee & Sinclair looks like a huge river on the map. I did, however, see what looked like a 2000 Hurricane Deck boat on craigslist for like $1000. Not sure what kind of condition it was in or what kind of motor it had. I am also mechanically inclined, so finding a decent fixer-upper would be good as well. While I am on the subject, what brands of boats are good and which should I stay away from?

Thanks,

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Looking for good boat

tracker had some welding break problems on there fishing boats. corner braces at the transom. don't know the quality of the toons. Hurricane builds decent deckboat.

Buying a boat

1st you need to decide what you want to use it for, fishing, cruising, or water sports.

2nd how many people adults, children you want on board of the average outing.

3rd outboard, inboard-outboard, or inboard power plant.

4th Budget, what you want to pay, and what you are willing to pay, when you find
Exactly what you want.

You can hire a marine surveyor, to inspect the boat, or you can do it yourself.

You are mainly looking for soft spots in the deck, transom, cracks, all signs of a rotten, under frame. You walk all over the deck, that a mallot, or hammer with wooden handle, using handle, tap all over the transom, a shape rap is good solid base, a thud, is questionable base.

The motor should be clean, no spots where the paint is discolored, or pealing from heat, having run hot. (This part for outboard motors Compression should be atleast 100psi, and within 10% of each other,)
Spark on all cylinders, good pee stream, check lower unit for water in oil.

The overall condition of the boat will tell you a lot, as to how it has been maintained.
boat motor combo, A 30 year old may be in better condition, than a 3 year old

 

[cdawley4]

Re: Looking for good boat

I have been doing a little more research and going to different manufacturers websites to look at weight as well, as I am kind of limited. I looked at the deck boats on Hurricane's site and noticed that the I/O was much heavier than the OB. I was looking at the I/O for the main purpose of having a sunpad or sundeck, for the wife to lay out on. I am not sure if earlier OB models came with that feature, as most are built to cover the I/O. By the way it looks right now, I may have to get an OB due to the fact that weight is going to play an issue.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Looking for good boat

I did, however, see what looked like a 2000 Hurricane Deck boat on craigslist for like $1000.

They either forgot a zero or it is a scam. It is possible it was simply being sold as salvage also. In which case you would probably never get the boat back on the water again.

Hurricane is a top line brand. They are great boats. Without any more info. I would guess that it should have been $10,000.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Looking for good boat

I looked at the deck boats on Hurricane's site and noticed that the I/O was much heavier than the OB.

Keep in mind that the published weight for the OB model probably doesn't include the weight of the motor. That is pretty typical unless they specifically call out a particular motor. Regardless the OB/Boat package is almost always several hundred pound lighter than the I/O equivalent.

 

[Fu-Inator]

Re: Looking for good boat

Welcome to Iboats! Actually you have another option; if you?re not in a hurry, why not rent some different boats and see what works for your family? In the interest of full disclosure, I bought my first boat last year and didn?t try renting. However, it is a viable option for someone that isn?t sure what is best. A Google search reveals that there are boat rentals on the lakes you are looking at.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=boat+rental+on+lake+oconee

Used is a great idea, most of the time you can snag a bunch of equipment (vests, ropes, tubes, skies, safty equipment) as part of the deal. That extra stuff can add up quick when you buy it.

Good Luck!

 

[cdawley4]

Re: Looking for good boat

Fu-Inator,

You have a good point. Since the wife and kids have never been on a boat other than a ferry, it would be wise to rent one. If I were to buy a boat and they don't like being on a boat, it would be a waste of money. During that time, I could also test out different motors (I/O & OB) & different boat setups. How much does renting a boat usually cost? I have seen one marina rent for a full 8 hours. Do they rent for say 2-4 hours? The pontoon boat may not be a problem, as our friends parents just bought a pontoon boat. I'm sure they would let us go out with them a time or two to see if we would like it.

 

[Fu-Inator]

Re: Looking for good boat

I not sure, I think every marina has different pricing. I would check out some of those links when you have the time. However, follow up any pricing with a quick phone call; some places do not update their websites very often.

From my limited peruse of this sites, it looks like most places on Lake Oconee rent pontoons. If you can?t find what you?re looking for on that lake, maybe check out some other GA lakes within a couple of hours drive.

 

[cdawley4]

Re: Looking for good boat

One question I forgot to ask in regards to the I/O & O.B. motors. I have heard that some boats whether it be pontoon or deck boats equipped with an Outboard, will have a sunpad near the rear of the boat. I know that sunpads are popular with the I/O because it helps cover the I/O. Are there any boats equipped with outboards and a sunpad?

Thanks,

 

[cdawley4]

Re: Looking for good boat

Hi,

I made a mistake earlier about a boat that I found on craigslist. I went back to email the seller and ask some questions about it and found out that it is an 88 for $1000. It has a 4cyl engine and they claim it will do 35mph. I'm guessing that is an I/O. Anyway, sorry to mislead everyone by saying it was a 2000.

 

[KCook]

Re: Looking for good boat

"Are there any boats equipped with outboards and a sunpad?"

For the most part, no! Some fish-n-ski boats with OB will have a pad to cover the rear deck. However, the outline and dimensions of that pad do not match up to a proper sunpad. The big exception is pontoons. A fair number of those offer an optional sunpad that simple extends across the top of the OB. They get away with that because 'toons make no effort to be low and sleek in the first place.

Kelly Cook

 

[Fu-Inator]

Re: Looking for good boat

It has a 4cyl engine and they claim it will do 35mph.

The easiest way to confirm this is to have the seller take you out on the boat before you buy. If the seller refuses, I would be a little suspicious.

 

[danfrompgh]

Re: Looking for good boat

Since you will most likely always have at least 5 people on your boat size will make a huge difference between an enjoyable day and a crowded day. A family of 5 I think will be crowded in a 17',better in a 19' and probably very comfortable in a 21' open bow or sundeck. Towing weight is not that much different from 17' to the 21' but the floor space is huge. Don't forget everything that comes with your day on the water ie tubes,cooler,clothes life jackets.....A 17' gets small really quick. People we boat with that have I/Os vs O/B's either lovem or wish they had the other. Personally I like the I/O's because they free up floor space and there is less "stuff" hanging off the back for the kids to be near. If you stick with a V6 or V8 you will never be wishing for just alittle more power from that 4cyl.
Renting is a great option if its available to you,try a few.
One important thing to remember is many of the boats with the I/Os are running the same motor packages,some just have more bling and shine more than others. My buddies SeaRay looks identicle under the hood and runs just as fast as my Bayliner. The biggest difference is mines paid for so I get to use it more!

 

[Tabes117]

Re: Looking for good boat

I would stick with at least a 20 foot deck boat. I recommend going alittle bigger, you will not be disappointed. Your kids will want to tube ski etc.... Also they will want to invite friends!! Consider adding a aux transmission cooler to the truck. It would cost you around $135 installed. My first boat was a 20foot VIP bowrider, which I pulled with a v6 blazer. I added a aux trans cooler and never had a problem towing from Chicago to Lake of the Ozarks. I am now on my third boat!!!!!!!! Till I retire