Lowe boat

[chads]

Need some advice. I'm looking for a 16-18 ft boat for my 7 year old daughter, wife and myself to fish from and just play around with. I've realized all that I wanted out of a boat is going to be hard to achieve with just one boat. I've been looking for an old Starcraft as to fix up with the daughter but they seem hard to find. I found a Lowe 1600 with an 50hp evenrude I think on it. It's been sitting outside uncovered for probably about 3 months. I think the guy wants too much at $1900. I have not looked at it very well but did notice silicone around rivets on the transom and around the power tilt. I pushed on the motor and nothing seemed to flex. It needs a lot of clean up work due to being uncovered. Is this a good boat the has fairly good stability for us to fish out of? If live to tear it down over winter and make more room inside. I don't need casting decks like it currently has. I was surprised to see the motor cowling off also. I would do a compression check on it at the mall minimum but anything else I should look at or for? Price too high? Any advice is greatly appriceated.

 

[MTboatguy]

Lowe makes a good boat, but of course anything will go to hell without the proper care. Around my area a 16 footer with a running 50 on it will go for $2K easily, so it really does not sound like he is asking to much. As far as the silicone, this rivets were probably leaking an he didn't know how to repair them correctly. I have seen that quite a few times over the year, of course those in the know, that silicone is never good on a boat, depending on your perspetive.

But for what I see around here, I don't think he is asking to much, he is probably at the higher end, but not out of line.

 

[ricohman]

I just bought a Lowe 1605. Johnson 40, and in excellent shape.
$6000 in Canada!
I may head south to buy a cheaper boat next year if the dollar improves. A boat like I bought is $3500 in the U.S.

 

[chads]

I know it's been a while but I looked at the boat a little closer. The floor seems a little soft. It could be used the way it is but will need fixed. What bothered me is the water, leaves and junk laying in the bottom. Looks like the drain plug hole is plugged up. The owner told me to make an offer. I was thinking given the condition and the unknowns of offering him $500. Is that too low? Being new to any kind of real boat I don't want to buy something that has poor stability on the water. Like I said it will be me, my wife and our 7 year old in it. Primarily used on smaller inland lakes for fishing and just puttering around. We actually will spend a lot of time on an electric only lake 2 miles from our house. Any opinions on the price and if this boat will fill our needs? I just want to be able to have fun on it and not be paranoid about it being too unstable to have the daughter in. Thanks

 

[steelespike]

For years we had a 18 ft Crestliner bare bones utility with a tiller Evinrude 50.Often my 300 lb friend and his 2 250 lb brothers would borrow it for a
day of fishing.They loved it.
The boat also did really well with a old 25 hp Gale.
the 25 planed easily with 6 adults.That light 375 lb 18 footer was amazing.We did ski with the 25 with a 100 lb adult spotter.
New in 1977 it cost me 1000.I wonder if you could find one for 2500 now.
By a used 25 for now throw it on and go. no complications or extras. Just a big very stable boat for the whole family.Maybe not much more that that
$1900 money pit.