Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

[fishnfiend]

I'm looking at used bowrider type boats. Main use will be day trips to local lake for cruising, skiing, wakeboarding. Have 15 year old son with several football buddies over 200 lbs apiece. Many have never skied or wakeboarded and want to learn.<br /><br />Anyway, I'm torn between spending about $2000 for a 1983 19' Bayliner with Volvo/penta in "good condition" versus more like $4000 for a slightly newer 19' Sea Ray, Wellcraft, or Four Winns, also advertised in "good condition" all with MercCruisers. Some of the Merc's seem to have up to about 160 hp, while the Volvo (if it's the one I think it is) has 125. I'm a little concerned whether the 125 is enough motor to pull up some of the beef we'll be towing, but have several Volvo cars, and love the bulletproof B230F. <br /><br />We'll likely own and use the boat for about 4 or 5 years, then sell it once son moves away (have my 16' Lund for fishing - never get rid of that one!)<br /><br />Anyone care to offer some advice?

 

[klopfelter]

Re: Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

Dont get the Bayliner. I just sold mine because it was way underpowered.

 

[fishnfiend]

Re: Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

Jon, thanks for the opinion. Did your boat have the Volvo 4-banger?

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

Volvo cars and volvo outdrives are totally different things. Volvo powered boats generally have Chevy based engines, just like Mercruisers.<br /><br />As for which boat is better? With the price range you're looking at, condition alone will answer that question. I'd much rather pay $4,000 for a 20 year old boat in good condition than $2,000 for an 8 year old boat that is rotted.<br /><br />In used boats, the most important things to assess are all the things that are invisible...transom structure, stringers, engine mounts, gimbal bearings and housing, engine compression, bellows, all steering and tilt/trim mechanisms, engine alignment, impeller and water pump, runout of various shafts in the drive.<br /><br />If all those things check out good, it's a good boat, even if it has ripped seats, scratches, and faded gelcoat. If it looks cosmetically beautiful sitting on the trailer but a few of the above items need work, you better have a few extra $1,000 bills laying around to pay for the repairs.<br /><br />You'll DEFINITELY want to pay a marina mechanic or boat surveyor to check out any boat you will be considering. You risk maybe a couple hundred bucks if he says "don't buy," but the potential savings are far more than you spend on the boat itself. It is MUCH harder to buy a good used boat than a good used car. And MUCH more expensive when you buy a bad one. So pay someone for their expertise.<br /><br />As for power, you'll probably want more umph than what you're considering. Get a boat with a V-6 at a minimum. A 19 footer with a small 4 cylinder will definitely struggle to get several 200 pounders on plane.

 

[whblaylock]

Re: Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

Many people have bought with what they thought was enough hp but when put to use the're underpowered. With an I/O you can't do much but with an O/B they can upgrade. Generally the same HP in an O/B will give you better all round performance than that of an I/O of the same HP because of weight. The problem comes with getting the boat on plane quick enough. You see alot people out trying to pull someone up on a slalom with 5 or 6 onboard and even with a good size I/O they are having a hard time. Shifting weight forward helps get the bow down so the boat can "take off" but sometimes that isn't enough. I have always had inboards for this type of boating because of these issues. Yrs ago they came out with the whale tail that you mount to the cavitation plate that did nothing but push the bow down quicker and would help alleviate some of this problem. You could possibly take the 160 or is it 165 mercruiser put a tail on it and get adequate pulling power for your crew. I would look for a good used tournament inboard, late 80's that may be open or closed in the bow that possibly that could be bought in the $6000 to $8000 range. I have a 88 supreme that I bought new and has less than a 1000hrs on it with no trailer. If I were to sell it would go in that range, the upper end with a trailer. I can put 7 people in the boat with a skier and still pull the arms out of their sockets. Drawback of course is storage, low freeboard, harsh ride in choppy or rolly water, pluses come when it comes to doing what you are there to do as nothing beats it. On resale you will not lose $ if you keep it as nice as when you bought it or make improvements. wh

 

[KCook]

Re: Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

Wut craze1cars already said about condition. With a $4k budget I would expect to find more Four Winns and Wellcrafts in decent shape than Sea Ray. By the time the SR value has sunk to that level, it may be junk. Condition, condition, condition!<br /><br />Kelly Cook

 

[murphini]

Re: Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

I went through similar process last year:<br /><br />1. Need torque to pull up skiiers/wakeboarders with a fully loaded boat of teenagers. That means v8<br /><br />2. Will want a Coast Guard rating of 1500 lbs/8-10 people. Parents, son, 200lb friends will soon get you to the max of a 19' boat. It seems we never go out with less than 8 people. 2 sets of parents, 2 kids with a friend each. More weight limit the better.<br /><br />3. You can find some gems in the 6-10 range that match that. Things I've seen around $4k have been there for a reason--underpowered, rotted or ---wince---Bayliners. I would be wary of an older inexpensive Bayliner.<br /><br />4. I'd vote for an 20-22' open bow sterndrive I/O v8 in the late 80's/early 90s to give more space and ability for the 200lb boys to move upfront to help distribution. Inboard ski boats are great for skiing, but don't have enough usable room to hang around in.<br /><br />5. Spend an extra $1100 on a wakeboard tower. It will probably increase the value of a boat you buy to what you spend--because everyone is looking for a torquey-versitale-aged but well cared for runabout to do just what you said.<br /><br />In 2004 I found a 1989 20' VIP with 302v8 with 445 hrs on engine for $6,000. I put a monster tower on it for wakeboarding and we use it all the time and my kids wakeboard like crazy. The really totally helps. Only bad thing is it's an OMC so while everything has been great so far--I feel like I'm running on borrowed time for the inevitable service.<br /><br />They are out there, be patient and realize you may have to spend more than $4000, but hopefully you can sell it in the few years for about what you bought it for.

 

[fishnfiend]

Re: Request opinions on bowrider purchase...

Gentlemen, thanks for the insightful responses - every opinion has added to my knowledge. I've been around boats always, but outboards...<br /><br />Looks like I'm going to have to justify coming up with a few more bones for a toy. Hate to, but you gotta do what you gotta do.<br /><br />Murphini - the weight capacity issue is important in my case also. Sounds like you are having a blast with your boat - good for you.