Ah... you have convinced your wife or yourself that a boat is in the midst. As a 1st time prospective boat owner, you can use this guide to answer a few of your questions and which features are important. I trust that this guide will help you appear experienced when setting out to purchase a boat as well as give you confidence that you made a good choice for the money.
Q1:Which Brand to Purchase? (Top of the line, Good, Repair)
Top of line: Mastercraft, Sea Ray
Nice: Baja, Crownline, FourWinns, Rinker
Not recommended: Maxxum, Bayliner, Starcraft
There are more than 150 brands of boats. Make sure the manufacturer is still building boats (parts availability) by checking the NADA website
Q2: How much should I pay?
A2: Go to the NADA website and choose used boat values, note if the value includes the trailer or not. Expect to pay $8K for a 10 year old boat in the "Nice" category. Stay 7-10 years for a value boat; do not buy anything over 10 years old.
Q3: What size do I buy for general waterskiing/pull behinds/etc?
A3: 16-17' = pretty small for waterskiing, 18' (good) 20' starting to get large for a beginner, 22 is now a double axle trailer and larger than your garage/shed by far. 24 ' for Great Lakes (e.g. Lake Michigan, etc)
Q4: What size engine do I need?
A4: For an 18 or 20' boat, go with a Mercury 4.3L(190HP) or the 4.3LMPI (220HP) with a Mercruiser out drive.
Not as well thought of are the OMC or Volvo Penta outdrives
You can pull a skier with a 3.0L V6 (120HP) but it will not be the same experience.
Boats with a 4.3L will sell well when you go to upgrade.
Q5: How do I know how to judge the condition of the boat?
A5: Find one that was stored on a covered lift, on a trailer in a building, or on a rack at a marina. There are hundreds of boats with less than 40 hours per model year. There are many 8 year old boats with less than 200 hrs, without any damage. Upholstery repair will cost about $200/seat if it is cracked from use. Weather cracking is an indication the boat was not covered and you should pass and go to the next boat. Inspect the hull for chips or scratches.
Test drive the boat and listen for clunking when put in reverse or forward (loose shifter cable). See how well the engine starts, inspect the oil, and look for fluid leaks. Every boat will have a paint worn off the prop, possibly a bent prop blade, and nicks on the transom (blade below the prop). If you get a chance to put a white cloth in front of the engine exhaust.... it should not have oil stains on it.
Inspect the lights (trailer & boat), fuel gauge & depth gauge for eratic or nonworking condition. Deduct $200 for new trailer tires, $10 for trailer lights, and call a boat dealer for the repair value of any other parts that need repair.
Lastly, look at the rub rail on the boat and it will indicate how well the person handled the boat when coming up to a dock. Do not worry about yellow stains on the hull 'scum line'. Go to Meijer/Walmart and buy some fiberglass/boat cleaner with 'xxxxx ACID' as the main ingredient. If it doesn't make your eyes water, it will not remove the water spots/yellow stains.
Q6: Questions to ask:
- How many hours did the boat have on it when you bought it? (If they had it for most of the hours ---that is a good thing)
- Where what is stored in the winter? Who did the winterization? (Listen for the answer... "the dealer", "winterized every year", and "stored inside at ________")
- Do you have a spare prop? (worth $150 new, $65 if rebuilt/repaired). How many times have the props (the one on the boat & spare) been rebuilt? Propellors can only be rebuilt 4 or 5 times and then you have to replace it).
- Where was the boat operated at? (if the answer is the _____ river, look for damage to the hull/outdrive from stumps, rocks )
- Why are you selling it? (it is a good sign if the answer is 'buying a bigger boat')
Final Thoughts:
Consider an "open bow" boat where the windshield flips up and your little people can sit in the front. This allows seating area so that you can have one of your favorite couples go with you. The adults will sit in the rear seating area and a few kids can make it in the front.
Find a bimi top (code for: canvas or vinyl umbrella that fits over the seating area to shield you from the sun). It provides shade for a relaxing lunch on the boat while the kids play on the sandbar.
Expect to pay $150-200 for a new towable that seats 2 or three people. While expensive.. this toy will get more use than the wakeboard or water skis you dream about using. Most folks over the age of 30 do not have the wear-with-all to take more than a couple 'face plants'/spills on the skis or wakeboard. The towable provides mom/dad a place to be with the little people at any speed. It also provides extra room in the boat while you pull a couple teens around the lake. Leave it to the towable to wear-out those sassy little people. They earn a new respect for you after being at the other end of a 65' rope.
If unsure of your long-term commitment to boating.. start with an 18' boat ($8-9K investment) that is in good condition. If it is 'clean' as they say, you will be able to sell it between May & July 4th in less than a week. On the showroom floor, the same boat/trailer would cost $24K new and it will depreciate 1/3 of its value in the first 2 or 3 years.
Add a vote if you found this guide helpful.
Orignal From: Guide for buying your 1st family Boat (ski
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