Update 2: BOUGHT IT!

[ezmobee]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

How much is it? Gotta say I'm not a fan. Looks pretty rough, looks like a major repaired crack in the lower unit, and most of all, that's a flats boat. It's built to run real shallow for fishing flats. That's going to ride AWFUL on anything other than glassy water. Not a lot of freeboard so it's definitely no safer than some of the shorter (but probably deeper) boats you've looked at previously.

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Well - I'm glad it's a flats boat--- it's really it's primary use! We're planning on using it (mostly) for fishing the flats @ horseshoe beach- weekend boating on a big lake- possibly up the thicker parts of the Suwannee River. Not planning any offshore ventures in this puppy... I'm never going more than 7-10 mi out, even on a really calm day. My wife wanted room to move around with the kids, and high enough gunnels that have bars to hang onto, it was a choice between this one and a 18' of equal depth. Mind you, I took pictures of 'all' the poor spots that I saw, and those are really the roughest areas. As for the repaired hull, in person I saw no repairs- some significant scratches on the undersides where it stratched some rock or oysterbars- but overall I saw 0 repaired areas- The yellow coloring on the left side of the hull looks to some sort of water/weather stain, I was able to touch it with a finger and it left a clean white spot.

As for how much - he's asking 6200 in it's current condition, 8400 restored with electronics, seats, and wet-sanded.

I did find the NADA quote;

Boat- 6760
Trailer - 1360
Motor - 3370
$11,490 NADA total


I'd rather not say exactly what he wants for it, because it's what I consider a good buy and don't want to see it yanked away ( lol )- we'll say we are in the 6-9k haggling range.

It's all fiberglass, and from what I can tell - it looks like 99% of it is upper sun damage and from being stored uncovered.

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

How much? Where is everyone going to ride?

As stated in the above post, we're looking between 6-9k trailer included; the back covers flip up into seats, wife will ride with the smaller kid in the front of the console, I'll be in the captains bench/chairs, with my older daughter. We might switch up the kids every now and then--- any additional adults can chill in the back flip-up seats.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

The repair I mentioned was on the motor's lower unit.

 

[emoney]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Polar Bay is a good flats boat and the hull will serve you well for where you plan to spend most of your time, I'd imagine. What ez is talking about is in the picture your took of the prop. There's a semi-circular "sratch" in the pics that looks almost like someone tried to piece part of the lower unit back on. Get a much closer look at that area and if that's the case, you've got a bigger issue to consider than how that will ride. Yamaha's are great motors, but that doesn't mean this one's had a great owner. This pic;

If that is indeed a repaired crack, I'd be considering a much lower offer, or a new lower unit. If it's not, then that looks like a cool boat, especially for your first one.

Having said all that, I'd think 7-10miles out is probably being very adventurous. With the slightest amount of chop, the freeboard is gonna allow alot of water onboard. The skinny water is where this thing will shine. Bring it over to my side of the state and you'll love it (Gulf)!

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Polar Bay is a good flats boat and the hull will serve you well for where you plan to spend most of your time, I'd imagine. What ez is talking about is in the picture your took of the prop. There's a semi-circular "sratch" in the pics that looks almost like someone tried to piece part of the lower unit back on. Get a much closer look at that area and if that's the case, you've got a bigger issue to consider than how that will ride. Yamaha's are great motors, but that doesn't mean this one's had a great owner. If that is indeed a repaired crack, I'd be considering a much lower offer, or a new lower unit. If it's not, then that looks like a cool boat, especially for your first one.

Having said all that, I'd think 7-10miles out is probably being very adventurous. With the slightest amount of chop, the freeboard is gonna allow alot of water onboard. The skinny water is where this thing will shine. Bring it over to my side of the state and you'll love it (Gulf)!

Thanks, I completely missed that! I'm going to have to take a REAL close look at it--- if it was indeed a repair, I mean- you see the new prop on it, it's possible they ran it into some rocks or aground- if so, what is the real risk in that being an actual repair? Are we worried it's going to give and fall apart in the water, or would there be internal damage that runs up to the motor itself.

Assuming it's a horrible repair, what damage could be done to the upper part of the engine? Is that section of the lower motor going to be highly stressed and snap off if the prop hits 'something else'.

Here's a close-up:

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

a friend of mine has that boat and loves it. Takes his wife and 2 daughters (started young now teens) + friends tubing, etc. inshore. He runs off Hatteras on the right days and all over the Sound. Covers the lower Chesapeake Bay including night fishing for stripers--fly rod. Fishes the barrier island flats all day long. Since it's on a trailer he may trailer across the bay instead of running, to get to the skinny water.

yes a bay/flats boat is a trade off for a V with higher gunwales but if you teach your children to be boaters it isn't a problem (a boat is not a floating playpen). My "babies" grew up in a 17' bay boat; my sisters and I grew up in a 13' whaler. But if it's an issue, the Carolina Skiff is perfect for flats and has super high sides. It's good to be able to go anywhere; I don't even take my 21' V to the barrier islands and find I have some access restrictions around home in our flats. On the "flats" I use a 17' bay boat design and a 19' Carolina Skiff.

If flats and bay boats' rides were "awful" they wouldn't be around. Don't make it a deal breaker. Captain's skills can compensate; a little bumpier ride never killed anyone. Your family, sounds like, will never know the difference. SHhhhhhh.

 

[emoney]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

The biggest key to that repair, first, is a de-valuing of the whole package. I've never priced lower units on those motors, but I'd imagine, since it seems fairly new, they're going to be very, very expensive. Personally, I'd enter into this "deal" assuming it needs replaced immediately. You've got to assume that the motor hit something very, very hard. The drawback to stainless steel props is they don't flex when you hit a rock. I'd say someone had to hit a rock going pretty darn fast to do that kind of damage. Next, if it was in saltwater, then you've got a possible corrosive issue inside the lower unit's gears. If the owner is trying to get your attention away from that area, he knows there's a problem, and do NOT even consider this boat if he isn't prepared to take you on a very long sea trial. You've got to engage that thing several times both forward and reverse and make sure it shifts smoothly, operatres without vibration, etc. when running. Don't let him/her give you the old "runs great on the muffs" thing because he/she knows there's an issue that way.

I'd take that thing to a Yamaha Dealer, if I was absolutely dead set on buying it, AFTER i've had a flawless sea trial, and get them to tell me what I'm looking at, and only THEN would I be prepared to negotiate a price. To give you an idea, I'd imagine the lower unit to be somewhere in the $2500.00 price range?? Again, I don't know for sure, so let one of these other guys give you a real answer. There's nothing worse than taking momma and the kids out for a day on the water, and the boat lays down on you 3 miles from the ramp. At the very least, make sure you join BoatUSTow or SeaTow.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

An SEI lower unit for Yamahas is $850.

 

[emoney]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Wow, that's a lot cheaper that I thought it would be. What's the going rate to put one on?
How much would you consider this thing to be discounted with that repair, ez?

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

I'm a bit concerned about the fuel consumption--- then again, I guess there's no magic #... He said he was getting 150 miles on a tank... Which, in today's gas prices... 55 gallons means about $200 in gas for every fill-up.

We'll probably go around 10-50 miles (moving around) per fishing trip- keeping it ~4k rpm and under. Being I've never directly owned a boat, I'm not sure how this is going to work financially- as mentioned above we're in ethanol country, so I can't really let the gas sit for months - even with additive - we'll probably take it out one or two weekends a month. Topping the tank off before every launch.

Those of you with 55 gallon tanks, fishing from 8am - 4pm ; how much do you move around? Do you usually have a full tank when you leave and have 1/3 when you get back? Just curious if it's really $200 a trip, or am I just looking at topping off 15-20 gal a trip...

Also, do you leave leftover gas in the tank when stored for a few weeks?

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

An SEI lower unit for Yamahas is $850.

I called and checked with him on the prop repair. The owner is a certified mechanic and runs an outboard shop, he has another lower unit 'shell' that he can move the "guts" into if I do the full price restore. He said he was planning on doing that before the test run on Saturday anyways...

/phew... Looking good.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Also, do you leave leftover gas in the tank when stored for a few weeks?

Yes. I've never had any issues doing so and I think community consensus would agree. If you want to be extra careful you can use Stabil, Star Tron, or other such additive, but generally if you're just talking about a couple or three weeks you shouldn't have any problems. I do usually add treatment before letting mine sit for longer periods, although I forgot to last fall and haven't experienced any negative consequences of my neglect so far.

 

[emoney]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

And you'll burn more than you think, especially the first few trips out. That's when the "fun factor" is deepest and there's no sense in having a boat if you can't drive it, lol. Eventually, a little of the awe will wear off and you won't be burning AS much fuel, but that's part of being a boat owner. This time of the year, that fuel won't sit for too long. But, if you're parking it for the winter, then you want to prepare for that and don't "top it off" during those last few trips.

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Alrighty, going through with the test drive on Saturday- bank said OK to proceed.

We're under 9k with the following- anything I should add/remove?

Work Performed and Services Rendered:
o Wet sanding boat and restoring as to not damage gel coating.
o Properly fuse, mount and connect a new functioning GPS / Depth/Fish Finder - Make: Hummingbird Model: 788ci HD Combo w/ Transducer
o Add new or ?like new? condition matching cooler seat. This should be stable and allow sufficient vision and room standing or seated while navigating.
o Insure trailer has adequate brakes and tire tread.
o Reconnect marine compass backlight wiring.
o Test and insure VHF radio is in good working condition.
o Insure all fuses, lights, batteries, and wiring is in good working condition.
o Clean, wax, and detail boat to a presentable condition.
o Maintain motor and repair damages / cracked exhaust.
o Add waterproof caps submerged sections of outboard.
o Replace welded lower section of outboard motor shell and replace bent prop.
o Repair all locking mechanisms on boat to working order.
o Repair rear seating weight wires.
o Replace capacity sticker with an accurate USCG capacity plate/sticker.
o Boat must pass the ?free? US coast guard inspection.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

That is a pretty tempting deal, but I would get an independent survey with that much money and that little history on the boat involved.

If you are unsure of the year of the boat, check the HIN: the last two digits are the model year (i.e. it should end in "00" if it's a 2000).

See the link in my signature to get that free vessel safety check. Be advised that the VSC is NOT a replacement for a survey by any means.

 

[emoney]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

I'm assuming now, so please forgive me if I'm incorrect, but it looks as if you're purchasing this boat from a dealer. Having said that, I'd ask for a "warranty" of some type to insure that the repair(s) he's going to do to the boat aren't temporary in nature. In this price range, you have a lot more options than you think, so you hold all the leverage here. The "survey" is a good idea, but at the very least, find another outboard mechanic shop to look everything over. Obviously, someone that's independent from the place you're making the purchase. Most shops will have a set fee to inspect a pre-purchase and will be giving you an honest, non-affected party assessment of what you're getting. You are right now, at a very delicate time in a "soon-to-be-boater's" cycle and the thrill of owning your first boat will overcome logic. I speak from experience, as do others that will weigh in. Convince yourself that you WILL own a boat within the next few weeks and get the pressure off of making a "bad decision". Not saying that this is a bad one, but confirm that it's not and don't assume anything. Do you happen to have an itemized list of the "extras" he's adding on as it comes to how much each thing is? I ask because you may be able to do a lot of this yourself for a LOT less money. Often times, when sellers feel like they've short-sold a boat, they try to make it up in "extras".

Good luck it's an awesome looking boat and seems perfect for a young family. Yamaha has, probably, the best service record of all the outboards and this is coming from an Evinrude owner! Make sure to take pics of the "test drive" and update us on the process. You'll want to read all the threads you can inside the forum here as there's tons of tips when it comes to not just boating, but trailering, launching, maintanence, etc. etc.

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Not a dealer, just a local outboard mechanic - I believe he's selling it privately and not through his company--- I told him to keep his Saturday open to test run it on Saturday, which ruined some weekend plans, but no biggie as this was more important than some beach fishing, etc... but fails to answer his phone that morning and then tells me some 'other guy' was insisting he finish rebuilding an engine so he could have it the next day and asks me to reschedule--- crap happens right, I figured it sounded legit enough and let him have the day and told him to call me when he was free after his church got out on Sunday--- I get a call at 9am telling me his wife threw a fit over him doing business on his 'birthday' and apparently she had some plans for him--- so we're going to try it out Monday (tomorrow).

Being I see his work ethic and his knack for 'canceling/delaying', and the amount of work I've asked him to do and paying him up-front, I've decided if it all goes well, I'm just going to do the trolling motor, gps/fishfinder, etc etc myself- and not pay him the extra $2k in work- all I'm asking of him at the purchase is to swap out the motor bottom / exhaust shell and do some wetsanding on the sides to make it pop a little. I'll save a little and do the rest of the work myself, I'm quite handy with electrical work- and although my boat electrical experience is minimal - it seems like the only difference is using proper marine grade materials. Worse case scenario I pay him after the fact if I can't figure it out.

Here's my after-purchase plans...

Reconnect existing marine compass backlight wiring.
Repair all latches to working order.
Repair 2 rear seats to function ? (replace cables and hinges, add safety button strap)
Capacity Plate Replacement
Replacement Horn Switch
Fire Extinguisher
First Aid Kit
Basic Marine Tool Kit
4 Adult Type 1 to keep on board, PFD for Daughter (son already has one) and 1 Type 5 PFD for boat
Gas Additive / Stabil / Oil / Fluids
Spare Marine Lights
Garmin Fish Finder + Transducer + GPS UNIT 441s
Lots O' Rope
Chain leader for Anchor
Cable Ties
Multi-Tool
Decals (boat name)
Goo-Gone existing stickers
Muffs
Insurance
Sea Tow
12v Spot Light
Binoculars
Marine Speakers


Am I missing anything for the maiden voyage? I want to get some experience out on the water before taking it to the St. Johns for the fireworks display. Night time navigating should be interesting enough. LOL

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Tested it out today and it ran very well, we agreed on $6200; which I think is more than fair considering how much personal work and $ I'm going to have to put into it immediately. I'm having the hardest time finding a good parts dealer to find original "Polar" parts, I'd like to find a website catalog of parts for this boat--- operating manuals, wiring diagrams, etc...

He said he'd have it ready for pick up by Friday.

 

[tekmunki]

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Re: Yet another noob thread- what boat to buy?

Tested it out today and it ran very well, we agreed on $6200; which I think is more than fair considering how much personal work and $ I'm going to have to put into it immediately. I'm having the hardest time finding a good parts dealer to find original "Polar" parts, I'd like to find a website catalog of parts for this boat--- operating manuals, wiring diagrams, etc...

He said he'd have it ready for pick up by Friday.

Zomg... done... $6200 of boat is sitting in my backyard, registered and legally in my name! $350 in Safety/USCG supplies, I need to change the nav lights out, add GPS/fish finder and it will be sea-worthy! Bought the insurance + Sea Tow coverage --- may or may not get a chance to get her wet tomorrow... "Sea Munki" is the vessel name... fear not, it was not previously named from what I can tell.

I need to do some MAJOR clean up work and I'll get some photos up. I just took some more photos, I'll get them up soon-

I have some minor questions regarding the boat I'll post up later with the photos - if I can't find the info via googling.



BTW- HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to the several posters above that lead me in the right direction- I could not have done it without you, using this site as a mass reference in making my selection along with this thread, and experienced boating friends, made the decision much easier than it could have been...




edit:

Photos I took tonight:
http://imageshack.us/g/690/img20110615205312.jpg/



Just to clarify;
http://imageshack.us/f/690/img20110615205312.jpg/

when rocker-up in the nav position, red/green/all-around/console should be lit, correct? Red/Green are not--- is it possible i need to start the motor to get those powered on?