New member, boater, and possibly boat

[Shadowdrifter]

Hello my name is Tony and as the title says I'm new to a lot of this including the forum itself your help would be greatly appreciated

I have the opportunity to snatch up the fallowing.... Motor is 1988 125 HP force with stainless prop boat is a 89 cajun 17" fish and ski with new floor new decks an lids carpet on lids but not floor 43 lb motor guide runs good needs carpet in floor an seats reworked or replaced, guy says boat will do about 50 he is valuing the package at 2500... Does all this seem accurate I'm going to try and look at it on my way home from work is there anything else I should ask beyond the mechanics interigation of a used car?? I have pics I will post them when I figure out how

Heres a pic
http://instagr.am/p/M2Q6QaSv8H/

 

[444]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

The force motor drops the value over a comparable mercury, johnnyrude or similar. 2500 is a premium price for that boat, it better be in real good shape. Check the transom for rot. Are the bolts that hold the outboard on squishing the wood thinner in that area? Like torqing a bolt down on a piece of sponge. Transom shouldn't flex if you jump up and down on the engine. Check this out thoroughly, if the floor was rotten enough to replace, how bad is the transom? And you have no way of knowing if the stringers are rotten. Hopefully when the floor was done the (possibly water logged) floatation foam was removed or replaced. The engine should start up pretty easily. Trim the engine down, pump up the fuel bulb and the owner should be able to get it started quickly. He should have a pair of "ear muff" adapters to run the engine on the garden hose so you can see it start, idle and shift into forward/reverse.

 

[Shadowdrifter]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

Thanks for the input I'll make sure to check the transom didn't even thing about that. The guys wanting a truck I have for sale, he also mentioned having a 9mm I might tell him to throw it in for me to consider the trade, that is if the rest of the boat checks out

 

[southkogs]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

Welcome aboard, Shadowdrifter.

I agree with 444 - another $1,000 in two months you'll be able to buy a relatively nice lake ready boat. This one sounds like it fits in the "rode hard & put up wet" category. The fish-n-ski types seem to be abused in a lot of cases to me - from the ones I see. From the description I would be VERY inclined to believe this one has not been well cared for either. I'd be surprised if the floor was done well - and that would suggest rot in all sorts of other places too.

Try it on the water before you buy it. Muffs won't tell you quite enough about how the boat is truly running. The outboard needs to function under load. It should start pretty easily, idle fine, and shut off easily. Underway, you should be able to power up nice and easy ... and completely drop the hammer. You want to boat to come out of the hole without hesitation or coughing and get up on plane pretty easily. Don't break it, but drive it a little harder than you normally would. Watch the steering too.

I hope you have a crumby truck and he's got a Glock 9mm

 

[Shadowdrifter]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

Its not a pretty truck to look at but it's far from crumby starting to sound like the trucks motor is worth more then the rest of the guys stuff.... Here is the truck

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/3105571986.html

Here's a pic
http://instagr.am/p/M3ZJAySvzJ/

Update: nope not a glock :-( its a Hi point retail MSRP $155

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

If you are new to boating, you should pay for reliability. Buying a 1988 force is asking for an unpleasant start to a new activity/sport/hobby.

Think about your use and objectives. Is speed that important? Appearance? roominess? function for more than riding up and down the lake? Figure out the type of boat you want and then go get that type; don't start with a random boat and make it fit.

The purchase price of a cheap old boat is merely the down payment. The cheaper the boat, the more money you need in reserve.

Finally, focus on the boat and not the trading. that will only distract you from the deal.

 

[Shadowdrifter]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

Thank you Home Cookin' you made very good and helpful points. the things you stated are principles i apply when dealing with cars, which i do a lot with, but i get excited easily when getting into a new area/hobby, thank you for the slap of reality its much appreciated.

When it comes down to it my fiance and i want reliability, we have a 3 almost 4 year old, speed is not so much an issue, we do want something that will pull a skier or a tube though and carry 3-4 160 lb adults and maybe 2-3 50 lb kids (i averaged the weights and accounted for the kids growing the next couple year) and appearance wise something that looks halfway descent but doesn't have to be like new.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

well there you go. That 17' boat would not have worked for you. But if the $2500 was your price range, your requirements listed above won't work. You may need to throw a couple people overboard.

 

[southkogs]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

Update: nope not a glock :-( its a Hi point retail MSRP $155

The truck is fine ... you don't want that Hi Point (Mixed reviews on 'em, but I think they have a component in the slide mechanism that is prone to failure - and you don't want a 9mm action blasting back at you during auto loading)

If you can hold out - September will bring boat prices down and you can get a LOT more boat for a lower budget.

 

[m.qualls89]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

I gotta chime in my 2 cents. Im new to boats as well and as most of us newbies do i got took a little bit. Right off the bat the guy had the wrong prop so i replaced that. Next the steering cable and helm. Now i took it out and ive found i may have a leak, although when i pulled it out of the water it had water dripping from around the plug so im gonna replace that and hope it was my leak. Always water test i didnt and found out the hard way. Good luck. And by the way stay away from that hi point i had one that the bullet didnt seat right when i cocked it and blew the side of the gun out. Lucky ive still got fingers lol.

 

[southkogs]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

...And by the way stay away from that hi point i had one that the bullet didnt seat right when i cocked it and blew the side of the gun out. Lucky ive still got fingers lol.

So, tell the dude with the boat that you'll take the Hi Point off his hands for $150 but the boat gets thrown in with the deal as payment for disposal of the gun. That's a deal that could work

Bummer on that gun Qualls. Glad you're okay.

 

[m.qualls89]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

Ya me too. Thats been a few years ago but i will never have a cheap gun again.

 

[Shadowdrifter]

Re: New member, boater, and possibly boat

Ya me too. Thats been a few years ago but i will never have a cheap gun again.

I am proud to be able to say i learned that lessen pleanty early from my father, friend is a single owner Glock

So, tell the dude with the boat that you'll take the Hi Point off his hands for $150 but the boat gets thrown in with the deal as payment for disposal of the gun. That's a deal that could work

Bummer on that gun Qualls. Glad you're okay.

i had honestly never heard of hi point before the guy mentioned them. but after crusing their web sight and finding the offered piece with a MSRP of $155 i laughed histarically and removed his messages and number from my phone i think he got the picture as i havent heard from him in a day and a half.

Update- Thank you all for your help after some more perusing both here and other forums "not to doubt my Elder Boaters" but the consensus is all the same i wouldnt use a force to attempt to mix my margaritas let alone let me paddle my family around a lake. i have however well i think at least narrowed down what i am looking for, what is everyones opinion on 80's-early 90's cobalts nothing shorter than 19 ft. from what i have seen they have a fairly open "roomy" layout and all the people i know that own/have owned cobalts are beyond pleased. and in my area they seem to be well maintained.