Trading my motorcycle for a boat

[dwh4784]

Looking for some advice since I'm looking at boats I've never had any experience with before here. Previously I owned a 17' fiberglass bass boat and am looking to downsize to something that can be towed by a smaller car. 1500lb towing weight is the absolute max, hoping to come in shy of 1000lbs if possible.

I have an ad on the local craigslist hoping to trade for something around the $1500 mark since that's what I would look to sell the bike for outright. So far I have two serious offers. One is this boat;
http://spokane.craigslist.org/boa/1870400129.html
the other is this boat;
http://spokane.craigslist.org/bar/1853257597.html

I haven't looked at the first one yet and he hasn't sent any pics, but I'm assuming it's a standard v-hull type. The second interests me with the wide stance and floor area since I'm a bass fisherman at heart and that's mainly what the boat will be used for. He said to even up the trade he would include two working outboards, one 5hp Johnson and a 6hp Evinrude. I'm more concerned about the weight with this one since it is larger and has the wood floor. Any guesses what these kinds of boats tip the scales at? And would a 5 or 6hp motor be able to get it moving very well?

So, is this about what I can expect to get for that kind of a trade? Or should I hold out for something nicer. Thanks!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

It's a personal choice but I (personally ) have no interest in anything less than 14'. My dad picked up this little 14' guy with a running 5HP Merc for $600 last fall http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/DSCF2577.jpg Great little boat but I wouldn't want to go smaller.

That first one you posted I wouldn't want any parts of due to it being a 12' and those Briggs motors are noisy and not very powerful. A decent 2-stroke Merc/JohnRude would run circles around it.

The second one is interesting. I bet that tri-hull shape is pretty stable and probably makes up for it only being 12'. Looks kinda cool. My only concern would be if he used pressure treated lumber for the new deck. The new PT eats aluminum.

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

Don't know for sure, but I bet the second one would want more than a 5 or 6 HP motor. My 12' home made boat tips the scales at 160 lbs (with out motor, gear, people) and my 6 HP merc is decent, but not blazing. I'm looking for a 7.5 to try on it next. It is an interesting hull, though, and I'd love to have it as a stable fishing/hunting platform. Find a 9.9 motor and I think you'd be cookin'!

As stated before, the briggs motors aren't that great. Heavy, noisy, can't lay them down or oil will run out of them. Find an older nice running 2 smoker - I paid $150 and $200 for my 3.9 and 6 hp Merc's and all they needed was impellers.

Also, after doing several trades over the years, I'm pretty confident in saying you'll get more for you money if you sell the bike outright, then buy the boat with cash. Good luck and happy boat hunting.

 

[Chaparralboater]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

hold out. I traded a 01 r1 (yamaha) super sexy bike. and got a boat worth 3 k if that..the bike was worth 5k..I was impatient..

 

[convergent]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

I never got the idea of advertising trades. I suppose its possible to find someone that has the exact thing you want and who is looking for the exact thing you have, but the odds of that are extremely low. It would seem that you are way better off just selling outright and then looking for what you want with cash in hand. You have a much better negotiating position and orders of magnitude more buyers and sellers than you could ever find who were interested in a trade. You are greatly limiting yourself by doing a trade.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

Agree about not limiting yourself to a direct trade.
12-14' boats are easy to find and almost no risk as to condition (that isn't visible or fixable). Trailers are no brainers, too.
The aluminum boat in the ad has an ancient motor. You don't want that.
Look for a 12-14' Polarcraft or wide Lowe, jon-boat style (square bow). Way more stable and more room inside than a V.
If you get lucky and can grab a 13' Whaler hull you are in business. It is as good as a 14' Jon. A little heavier, though, but you can tow it with anything.
In the 12-14' range you can buy the boat and motor seperate; not so for large rigs, generally speaking. You might steal the hull and invest in a new or newer motor, instead of an old one plus a pair of oars.
Also look at the Carolina Skiff J series 12's and 14's. Very light and run great on small motors for the length. Look at them new on line, and then see if there is a similar design being sold out there, if they don't sell them in the Pac NW. Actually a Chincoteague scow would be the best but no hopes of findnig one there, I wouldn't think!

 

[dwh4784]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

Thanks for all the replies. The reason for advertising a trade is that not a lot of people have money to burn right now. Listing it for sale I get more offers of trades(and ridiculous trades at that) than anything near my asking price in cash. Exactly the opposite of when I sold my bass boat. Tons of people were interested and the first guy to look at it paid my asking price without any haggling.

I do agree I'd be better off to sell it, grab that tri-hull boat or something larger and look for a better motor. I primarily only fish one lake, and don't have to motor too far to get to where the fish are. But I'd at least like it to be able to get on plane and go 15mph or so. I am concerned a 6hp wouldn't cut it with that type of boat, two fishermen and gear.

Heres my ad(this isn't an R1)http://spokane.craigslist.org/bar/1921099561.html

 

[ziggy]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

at least like it to be able to get on plane and go 15mph or so. I am concerned a 6hp wouldn't cut it with that type of boat, two fishermen and gear.

i'd think that likely would be true.

 

[clarkbre]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

I primarily only fish one lake, and don't have to motor too far to get to where the fish are. But I'd at least like it to be able to get on plane and go 15mph or so. I am concerned a 6hp wouldn't cut it with that type of boat, two fishermen and gear.

Don?t limit where you fish to what your boat ?can?t? do. That 6hp will be struggling at best with a boat that size. I?d say for a minimum set up for 2 people to fish would be a 12? tinny with a 9.9hp on it. That size set up is tried and true and is great for 2 fishermen. I know my 12? v-hull with a 9.9, 2 guys, and gear would go 17mph.

As far as weight goes, if your car has a tow limit of 1500#, a 12? or 14? aluminum tub will be fine. I have a 16? Lund with a 15hp 2 stroke that I tow with a Subaru Legacy sedan. Sure it looks funny but the whole set up is really light weight.

Let us know what you end up with. I?d just try to go as big as possible and not limit yourself to one fishing hole or an underpowered boat.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

I am concerned a 6hp wouldn't cut it with that type of boat, two fishermen and gear.

Depends on your definition of "not cutting it." Sure it won't plane it but it will still move along just fine, but not fast. My dad and myself and my toddler son have run around all over the lake in our little 14' with only a 4HP. Check out the videos on this page http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/First Day Out 2010/?start=all it should be similar to the performance you'd get. We had 2 adults and 2 kids with in the boat.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

Not a bad ad for your bike, but I agree with those who said forget the trade and just get cash for the bike.

I know the economy sux right now, but there just HAVE to be more people in either of these categories:

Want a bike and have cash.​

Have a boat for sale meeting all your requirements.​

Than there are people in this category:

Want a bike and just happen to have a boat meeting all your requirements that they are looking to trade for that bike.​

 

[dwh4784]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

Not a bad ad for your bike, but I agree with those who said forget the trade and just get cash for the bike.

I know the economy sux right now, but there just HAVE to be more people in either of these categories:

Want a bike and have cash.​

Have a boat for sale meeting all your requirements.​

Than there are people in this category:

Want a bike and just happen to have a boat meeting all your requirements that they are looking to trade for that bike.​

Probably right, and being that it's the end of the season for bikes/boats anyway I'm in no rush. Hence asking for advice here rather than jumping on the first offer that came by.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Trading my motorcycle for a boat

I feel the same way. I've been looking to trade my '87 S-10 Pro Street for a 20' CC. I sold my last one and I miss it too much. I thought I might stumble on a seller who might just be looking for something different.

Got a few calls and emails, but nothing concrete. It's a tough market out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaSIioEVsc