Hello Everyone,
I'm glad I came across a site like this in my research to buy a boat. First a little back round on myself. I am one year out a of college and have been working since graduation and have some money saved up (not much) and have always wanted to buy a boat. I, nor has my family ever owned a boat, but every summer I grew up on them, either out with friends families or our cousins at various lakes in Michigan and Wisconsin and know that I absolutely love them. I have been searching for a boat for about 4 month now, and a few I feel have slipped away because I have been so hesitant and I did not want to buy a boat without a test drive. I figured I wouldn't buy a car without driving it first, why should there be a difference with a boat. Now that the weather is nice, test drives are possible. I plan on using this boat for cruising and having a good time. I'm not very concerned about pulling a skier or anything like that, but I want it to move a little bit. The boat I have come across most recently is a 1989 17ft Bayliner Capri with a Force 85 HP outboard motor. I have looked at the boat once, but never gave it through inspection. The interior was great, the hull had no scratches, dents, or blisters, the carpet was fresh, and the motor looked clean.
After doing a lot of reading from this site and a few others, I have discovered there are many mixed felling about Bayliners form the 80's and 90's. I was first wondering if anyone out there can offer advice as to how to inspect the boat beofore purchasing for rot and things such as that. Must the floor be ripped up to look for that sort of thing? I am supposed to meet with the guy tomorrow and test the boat, so I want to know what I should be looking for, and what sort of questions to ask while I testing it out. I am very excited about buying my first boat, so I know that I am going to want to just see it works and say okay here's my money, but I don't want to do that. I've heard of people finding these boats in great condition and heard with the proper care and maintenance they are wonderful boats. I am hoping this boat is going to be a diamond in the ruff, becasue the exterior and the interior of the boat are in excellent shape.
I want to know what I should be looking for, What questions I should be asking, and basically anything anyone out there can offer me in terms of advice while searching for my first boat. I appreciate all the help in advance and look forward to hearing from people. This site seems great and the people seem helpful, so I'm excited to start this process and continue to use iboats as I enter into the world of boating.
Jim
I'm glad I came across a site like this in my research to buy a boat. First a little back round on myself. I am one year out a of college and have been working since graduation and have some money saved up (not much) and have always wanted to buy a boat. I, nor has my family ever owned a boat, but every summer I grew up on them, either out with friends families or our cousins at various lakes in Michigan and Wisconsin and know that I absolutely love them. I have been searching for a boat for about 4 month now, and a few I feel have slipped away because I have been so hesitant and I did not want to buy a boat without a test drive. I figured I wouldn't buy a car without driving it first, why should there be a difference with a boat. Now that the weather is nice, test drives are possible. I plan on using this boat for cruising and having a good time. I'm not very concerned about pulling a skier or anything like that, but I want it to move a little bit. The boat I have come across most recently is a 1989 17ft Bayliner Capri with a Force 85 HP outboard motor. I have looked at the boat once, but never gave it through inspection. The interior was great, the hull had no scratches, dents, or blisters, the carpet was fresh, and the motor looked clean.
After doing a lot of reading from this site and a few others, I have discovered there are many mixed felling about Bayliners form the 80's and 90's. I was first wondering if anyone out there can offer advice as to how to inspect the boat beofore purchasing for rot and things such as that. Must the floor be ripped up to look for that sort of thing? I am supposed to meet with the guy tomorrow and test the boat, so I want to know what I should be looking for, and what sort of questions to ask while I testing it out. I am very excited about buying my first boat, so I know that I am going to want to just see it works and say okay here's my money, but I don't want to do that. I've heard of people finding these boats in great condition and heard with the proper care and maintenance they are wonderful boats. I am hoping this boat is going to be a diamond in the ruff, becasue the exterior and the interior of the boat are in excellent shape.
I want to know what I should be looking for, What questions I should be asking, and basically anything anyone out there can offer me in terms of advice while searching for my first boat. I appreciate all the help in advance and look forward to hearing from people. This site seems great and the people seem helpful, so I'm excited to start this process and continue to use iboats as I enter into the world of boating.
Jim
