Anyone know anything about boats?

[00Bolt]

my wifes dad lives down in mexia texas (ya real craphole) anyway... she went downthere to visit him this past weekend and they got to talking and she said how we would like to get a boat soon... well to make this short, he knows a guy selling a boat for real cheap. he doesnt know much about the boat, so him and my wife went and looked at it.

the guy wasnt home, but here is what I was told. Its a 1990 something model Sea Ray Mercury outboard. Dont know the engine size, but supposidly like 2 years ago had some work done on the engine, but since that 2 years ago the boat has sat out in the texas heat uncovered and never started up since.

wife and her dad say it looks like a really nice boat, needs cleaned up obviously and all the seats are now cracked... but other than that they say it looks REAL promising...

now here is the kicker... my father in law can get this thing for $2k because they are old friends and the guy just wants to get it out of his yard, been sittin there for 2 years now...

i dont know much about boats either, but i looked on ebay and sea ray mercury look to go for $8-10k in good condition.... so this COULD be a steal...

we are going down there again next weekend, and plan to drain oil, gas, etc and try and take it out for a spin.. if it runs and doesnt sink to bottom on lake we are going to take it home.....

so my question is... what should I look for? the 3 of us know nothing.... this is what my wife says it looks like, but white/maroon color and also she said it has a row of seats in rear and not fishing gear boxes....

ohh and here is the best part, her dad said if we want it, he will buy it for us for her bday present, her bday is tomorrow....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4557010449&category=26451&sspagename=WDVW

[SILVER2000SVT]

From what you described, for $2K that doesn't sound like anything I would consider a good deal. I'm always interested in buying a "fixer-upper" and can do most things myself but I would consider that out of my investment range for the amount of work. Would need to see pics of this though, if it's just the seats and everything else is perfect it may be worth it. Most boats depreciate extremely fast. There was one last year I was looking at, 95 with a 350 I/O with everything working and seats in perfect condition for $5000. Being that seats alone would probably be in the $2000-$3000 neighborhood and thats before you even get to the expensive stuff like motor issues.

To buy a used boat you have to be mechanically inclined and willing to give a lot of time and money to the cause, and that's assuming you get one in decent condition and it doesn't sound like the one you are looking at is in that great of condition.

[00Bolt]

like i said, i personally havent seen nor have I got much information at all really. father in law said that 2 years ago before it sat, the engine was either replaced or rebuilt... BUT it has sat for past 2 years untouched....

as for the seats, that seems to be only problem, but i didnt know they cost $2-3k... if thats the case, then you are right it will cost more in repairs than the boat itself... i dont know if engine is good, prop, all that stuff... thats why i wanted to know what to look for when i go down there next weekend

[98Cobra]

Yea, I dont know that it is such a great deal. You need pictures, and lots of them.

[Beaudee]

The big money in boats is the motor and the lower end.Make sure prop shaft has no play,good seal and serviced.I would deff. do a compression test on the motor and if its good you might have something.If its been sitting that long you might have to do some carb. work just to get it running.Def check the hull for cracks, and the transom.When will it be ready for the party cove? :d :beer:

[liteitup]

A few years ago my sister asked my advice on selecting a boat. While not exactly on point for your application, it does cover some of the things to look for.
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I have been out of the boating world for some time now, so this information is out of date, especially in reference to particular brands. Also, I am going to make the assumption that the primary use will be watersking and tubing and that the girls will usually want to take at least one friend. That means you will need seating for at least 6 people. Boats have a rating placard that tells you the seating and weight capacity. Use that as a guideline, but remember that you will need room to move around. You also need to keep in mind room for ski and vest storage as well as room for a cooler if one is not built in. Ski storage is usually in the floor and should be big enough to hold at least 3 skis, if not more. Built in coolers are nice, but unless they have improved are not very well insulated. Vests and ropes typically store under the seats

I recommend 18 feet as a minimum. You can get by w/less, but it will be cramped. As far as style, I recommend a bowrider w/walk thru windshield or a deckboat type. Probably the best boat for what I have been on for what I think you are wanting to do was (name deleted)’ boat. It had lots of room and seating was almost continuous around the edge of the boat. It was built by Glastron, but I’m not sure if they are still in business. Even if they are, I am pretty sure they have been bought out since then.

This assumes that you don’t want a true ski boat like a Nautique. These have the best wakes and power for skiing, but they have a few things I don’t like. Because they are true inboards, the propeller is stationary and steering is done w/ a rudder. This makes backing much more difficult. Another concern is you must be extremely careful in shallow water. Again, because the driveshaft and propeller is fixed under the boat, major damage can be done if it goes aground.

Both outboards and inboard/outboards are acceptable powerplants. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. As long as an outboard has built in oil injection(all the newer ones do), this is pretty much a tossup. Inboard/ outboards are quieter because they are enclosed in the motor compartment. This usually is covered by the motor hatch, which makes a good sunning deck.
Make sure you get enough power to pull the boat and skier(s) out of the water and go at least 30-35 mph. You won’t need that speed at first, but as the girls get better at skiing you will

As far as hull design, as a rule, the flatter the hull is the smaller the wake will be for skiing. The downside to a flat hull is rough water ride. The flatter the hull, the rougher the ride….especially for those in the front

Things to look for, especially in a used boat
1) Wood rots in water. Look at the seat bottoms, especially in older boats. Most newer boats will have little or no wood. Older boats have wooden floors that are carpeted and may rot over time
2) A built in ladder is almost a requirement and a swim deck is best but not absolutely necessary. You want the built in ladder because that’s just one more thing you don’t have to store and fight whenever someone wants back in the boat. A swim platform is a little safer and makes entry even easier(if it’s well designed)
3) A ski tow makes rope tending much easier than using the eyelets on the back of the boat. It also helps keep the rope out of the propeller. I highly recommend one, your back will thank you at the end of the day
4) All fittings(ski eyes, cleats, etc.) should be through bolted and have backing plates to prevent them from pulling through the hull under stress
5) A stainless steel prop will take more abuse than an aluminum one but costs more. If you plan on ever beaching the boat, I highly recommend stainless


As far as brands, I have been away from boating too long to make any recommendations. At one time Bayliner had a really bad quality control reputation, but that changed and actually they became a pretty nice entry level boat.
You mentioned Mariah. These were really nice boats when I was boating, but I have no idea how they are now. At the time they were well built and more expensive than your typical entry level boat.
I would check the boat trader to get an idea on prices. In my experience, the price on used boats is highly negotiable especially for cash. Another plus with used boats is they usually come w/a lot of the accessories like vests, skis, ropes, etc.

One thing most people forget is the trailer. A boat spends most of its time on the trailer. The proper fit will prevent damage to the hull from uneven pressure on the bottom of the boat. If the boat is hard to load/unload it really hurts the whole outing. Most boats come w/decent trailers these days. With a good trailer you just drive the boat on and strap it down w/little or no winching. Just make sure the trailer is well built and was built for that boat. Check the bunks (carpeted wooden runners the boat sits on) for rotting. Check the lights, wheel bearings, winch, etc. Brakes are always good to have but not absolutely necessary in this size range
----------------------------------------------------------


Hope this helps.

[Beaudee]

Since we are on the boat subject, anyone gone to be @ the Lewisv. party cove Sat.How about the Hawian Tropic bikini contest @ Sneeky Petes tommorrow night.I will be @ both. :beer:

[Ivanhoe_Farms]

The definition of a boat is "A HOLE IN THE WATER INTO WHICH YOU THROW MONEY".

I let my bass boat sit for a couple of years and it took about $2800 to get it started.

Uh --- it has been sitting 9 months since it was fixed too :(

If you don't know how to work on them yourself or if it is fuel injected and been sitting ------- be afraid Master Will, be very very afraid:rolleyes:

[Silver_2000]

Since we are on the boat subject, anyone gone to be @ the Lewisv. party cove Sat.How about the Hawian Tropic bikini contest @ Sneeky Petes tommorrow night.I will be @ both. :beer:

I heard it was a KLLI Live 105.3 party at sneaky petes Fri - didnt know hawian girls would be there

Im going to be on lake fri afternoon and perhaps again sunday

Doug

[BC Lightning]

I personally would not get an outboard motor for skiing/wakeboarding/tubing.

My parents own a 1979 Ski Supreme with an inboard Ford 450 Big Block that they used when they skied in the amatuer slalom class. It is a true ski/slalom/ tube boat, you can wake board behind it, but it doesnt throw the wake up high enough to do any really good tricks.

if it rolls, floats, or flies lease it because it will get to be a money pit real fast, since ours is a 79 we had new seats, deck, and motor mounts and ended up being around $8,000 and the boat isn't even worth that much. Another problem is that you will have to carry insurance on the boat, unless it is 20 years or older :D

Just be careful about what you are getting into with a used boat

[skalywags]

make sure it floats! if the engine is crap you can still use it as a really heavy canoe

[Beaudee]

The definition of a boat is "A HOLE IN THE WATER INTO WHICH YOU THROW MONEY".

I let my bass boat sit for a couple of years and it took about $2800 to get it started.

Uh --- it has been sitting 9 months since it was fixed too :(

If you don't know how to work on them yourself or if it is fuel injected and been sitting ------- be afraid Master Will, be very very afraid:rolleyes:
:eek2: http://www.hetehumor.net/westvillage/2005/01juni2005/html/weird.html