need advice on buying used boat

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

Make sure you check out the floors. Read some of threads on the "boat restoration forum" lots of major floor repair threads going on. and check it out good. if its what your looking for, Only you can answer that, We can only advise. look it over with the thought of What do I need to do and what do I need to fix, NOT like a kid looking at a cupcake licking his lips LOL >>PAT

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

I looked at the boat, it has a 70 horse force outboard, the boat is flawless, no sun fading or anything, the engine looks new, and the floor is rock solid, I tried to call the lady when I was looking at the boat and her phone has been off the hook since I called her the first time, so I still don't have the boat but will keep trying, for the year and as clean as it is, it's got to be worth 500 bucks, I'm a little nervous about th force engines, but for 500 bucks, think it might be ok? the boat is really clean and really nice

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

Cool, $500 is a whole lot better than being out $4000, do what you think is best, If you buy it and have fun the rest of the season, hey it just might be worth it. But it's what you think is the bottom line here. If you do it and some thing happens ,I could live with $500 loss. And it gives you a chance to learn too. And if some thing did happen to the engine you could still get most of your money back even with the engine not running.

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

I got ahold of the woman that advertised the boat, she said her phone has been ringing off the hook, and the ad was a typo, it should have read $5,000, not $500, dang it, I was sooo close to!

Ok, the search continues,

Talk about getting frustrated, I'll keep at it, sooner or later, something is going to show up that gets my attention, now what about that boat that I listed in post number 59? That guy called me back, he said the boat had always been stored in a garage, and it's pretty clean for a boat that's as old as I am.

The engine that's on it is a 70 horse Johnson, but it doesn't look as old as the boat, I never did get to ask many questions about that old boat, I was to busy being in hot pursuit of that 500 dollar bayliner, I had three boat calls when I was going after that thing, and I cut every one of them off ....

Is what I'm going through pretty typical of what it's like when looking to buy a used boat, this thread might come in handy for future reference next time someone shows up here asking for advice on buying a used boat, holly cow, I'm about ready to pull hair out of my head, and trust me, I ain't got that much to pull out!!

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

Welcome to the wonderful world of boating !!

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

Welcome to the wonderful world of boating !!

hey, thanks for the welcome, and I ain't even got a boat yet, I'm getting close to one though, I can feel it, my arthrites in my right leg starts acting up everytime I get close to a good deal, and it's hurting something aweful today, might be a false alarm, but I don't think so, I can feel a boat coming, I can dang near smell the two stroke oil now ...

day number 13, and the search continues .........

hey, I've graduated up to a seaman!! ...I'd say that's pretty good for a guy that don't own a boat yet

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

how about something like this?

=====================================================
23' bayliner flybridge $3,850

Big Bayliner with easy load trailer. 305 engine with Volvo 280. Excellent shape! Won't last. Non Smoker, bathroom and kitchen with dinnette set, and a sleeper area! Nice fabric, like new interior. Asking $4,325 but will take $3,850 now!
=====================================================

what's the volvo 280 outdrive like? is that good bad or ugly? might be to big for a first time boat buyer, might be more then I can handle don't really know, just my thoughts, are this bigger boats any harder to handle or deal with then the smaller ones? if I'm looking around for a 20 or 21 footer, is the extra couple of feet of this 23 footer make much difference?

 

[DufferJim]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

I'm hardly an expert, but during my boat hunt the oldest johnson 70hp outboard I saw was vintage 1975. I'm sure there we 70hp outboards in '62 though, as that was the year mercury introduced the first 100hp outboard if I'm not mistaken.

That bayliner looks like an awesome boat, but sounds like a project at $3,850. As far as the Volvo, I've only heard good things, but have no personal experience.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

Hows the engine ? Looks sharp, I wish I could buy it. I prob would to modernize it and bring it up to code over the winter. maybe make some money on in the spring then buy a boat I want. It's a heavier boat but you would learn how to handle her, You'd learn just as you would any other boat.

 

[MikDee]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

IMO, any Cabin boat, with an I/O engine make for a cramped boat up to about 24' especially with kids, they can't ride on the front deck with the boat in motion I think you're better off with an outboard bowrider, 17-20', Plus, they're lighter, easier to drive, handle, & trailer. The I/O's are heavier, more complex, & expensive to maintain, & repair, then an outboard. The first boat I owned, was a 1962 -16' Larson All American, red, & white, with a 70hp -6cyl. Merc, it was a nightmare, worn out, and beat! It rode ok, but the seats were pulling away from the sides, and I had to rebuild the engine almost immediately. That boat was a bit too small for a family. An 18' or bigger, Bayliner, or Maxum (it's clone) outboard bowrider is a good choice for a beginner.

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

I'm starting to lean towards a bow rider, and I have to agree, it seems to me that an outboard might be a better way to go, I'm hitting the ads hard again, but still not seeing anything, that 23 foot bayliner looks nice, and the price seems right, but yeah, at that price and I walking into a project boat? and being a cabin cruiser like it is, and it's size, it just kind of makes me nervous, so maybe it is to much boat, I still have to remember, the only boating experence I have is in a 12 foot wood row boat with a 7 horse evinrude that my dad used to rent when we were kids, so other then that, the only boating experence I've had lately, is in a cheap gi-joes raft with a 3 horse minn kota, and I don't think that hardly counts for anything, so going into a 23 foot cabnin cruiser as my first "real" boat, kind of scares me a little.

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

here's a reinell cuddy that belongs to my gf's co-worker, it's a 21 footer, this is the kind of boat I wanted, but finding one in my price range seems to be not so easy, I'm trying to get more info on this one, it is forsale, and is exceptionally clean, but the one draw back, the oudrive is an OMC, I can get more info on it and run it past you guys, I['m just not to sure about buying something with an OMC outdrive after everything you people have shared here.

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

here's some more pictures of it, this thing is really clean

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

the guy just told my gf, "oh I don't know what to ask for it, maybe 5000 or so, how much have you got?, if you guys want it, we can probably work something out"

look at the picture of the outdrive on the thing, it's about as clean as anyything I've seen yet

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

uh, looking close at those posts, that's two different boats, the seats arn't the same, need to find out what my gf is sending me, something isn't quite right here

 

[seven up]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

The layout of that bayliner makes for alot of room in 23ft. The flybridge gives you the "birds-eye-view" and privacy away from distractions while maneuvering...if necessary.

The mechanicals ?

Rot ?

Hull Codition ?

How about a sea trial ?






Enjoy

 

[Mr.Stuarts Girl]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

Hi there all. I think you can tell who I am by my user name. Me and the Mr. have been looking at so many boats that I think we are both getting confused. I will be brief in here. The boat that belongs to my co-worker is the 2nd set of pictures (post #73) that Stu posted, but only the last 3 pics, not the first 2 in that post. The other is one I found on CL. My co-workers boat is a 1986 19' Reinell Magnum Cuddy Cabin. It is in great shape and he is willing to talk price on it. I think it is worth a look. When he told me it was an OMC outdrive I totally deflated because I knew that Stu has been listening to every word you guys tell him, and he has said no OMC. But my friend says that he has grown up on the water and that his Dad was the same way and wouldn't buy an OMC unless it was mid to late 80's or newer. This is an 86. He even admits that when he was looking for a boat he was looking for a Merc or Volvo, but that when he saw this one he couldn't pass it up. So have at it, I think we are going to set up a time on Monday to look at it. He says that it is not going to be available this weekend because he is going to be out catching Tuna with it.

 

[Mr.Stuarts Girl]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

My co-worker is also telling me that when he bought the boat it was listed at $5500 on CL. He didn't say what he paid for it, but said that he has done quite a bit of work on the boat just cleaning it up in general. Says he has re-done all the wood and cleaned loads of grime from inside (he strikes me as a very meticulous person), he has replaced belts, and sanded a few spots on the trailer and repainted it. He says that the outdrive doesn't have a spot of oil on it, and when he bought it all the oil in the outdrive and motor was very clean and smooth. He's only had the boat a couple of months and is getting rid of it because he needs the money as he is going into FireFighter Training soon and isn't going to be raking in the big bucks for awhile. I think he is wanting to be more firm on $5000 for it than I like, but it is still worth talking to him about. I totally understand him wanting to get his money's worth out of it.

 

[tmh]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

$5k is a lot for a 1986 19' boat, especially with an OMC drive. Floor would have to be perfect and upholstery in VG condition AND running perfect.

What engine is it? How many hours on the engine (if it has a meter)?

 

[Mr.Stuarts Girl]

Re: need advice on buying used boat

It has a 5.7 liter 350 chevy with OMC stern drive. Has a depth/fish finder, compass, vhf, cb. Trolling plate. Has a full camper canvas that is weathered but not torn and still works. The interior is in magnificient shape from what I can see from the photos. He doesn't have a hobbs meter on it so doesn't know how many hours are on the engine, but he says that (I know I know) that the engine sounds fantastic. He had it out in the Ocean last weekend and is taking it Tuna fishing again this weekend.