Help with Boat Purchase

[t951]

Pelicans,

The wife and I have decided to get a boat.

We both know the adages....

A boat is a hole in the water you throw money into..

The happiest days of a boat owner are when he gets it, and when he sells it...

That being said, we don't know squat about boats.

We have been looking at 25-39 foot cruisers. The wife loves the Carver brand ones because of the interiors. I like the look of the Sea Rays.

So, my questions are:

Any specific brands to avoid? ( I heard Bayliner was one).
Any things to look for?

We are getting a PPI (or a survey in boat-speak), and it will be docked at a marina year round. (We actually already picked the Marina....Halifax in Daytona Beach).

Mainly this will be used to cruise the inter-coastal, go to disappearing island, and maybe, if fuel goes down, going to Jax to watch a NFL game, or St Augistine. We want to be able to eat, cook, sleep and shower on the boat.

Hopefully, that's enough info.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

t.

[R K T]

My .02

The old adages are true!

I've owned two only because I wanted a bigger motor and it was cheaper to trade the first boat in on a new boat than to just get a bigger motor.
What you've heard about Bayliner is the same that I heard.
I am now boatless. I could have rented a boat many times for less money than what it cost to own, insure, winterize and the depreciation factor. I did have my own boatdock at my house so at least I didn't have to pay to store it.

[sammyg2]

Here's another:

If it flies, floats, or fornicates, yer better off renting it.

[gatotom]

I am pushing 6 yrs now since buying a boat, a 36' C&C sailboat, it was a happy day and you know what, still is. At my age 62, all my children are gone, boating is cheap.

Last yr my total diesel fuel bill was 40 gal and I motored alot last yr. I guess that is why alot of new boat owners get a boat after the kids are gone and not sucking the nipple anymore.

Have you looked at catamarans, tons of space, go anywhere and if you moor it on a ball, it doesn't matter. The slip fee might kill you, its usually double cuz of the width. The modern sailboat is alot of fun, you might not be going as fast as a power boat but you have more fun and you don't mind the fuel dock experience.

It is a buyers market right now, you can get alot of boat for your money and if you buy right, you won't lose. I would argue the fact that I could rent a simular sailboat for 2 wks and have more money in renting than what I spend a yr owning my boat.

I will admit, I got a screaming deal on mine, I bought it before Bush took away the donation writeoff deal. I paid less than half the appraised value, I was happy the donation co. was happy and the heart Doctor was happy with his writeoff and cash he got. The doc took very good care of the boat and was happy that I was happy with it, he put in a new oven and stove and washdown pump before I picked it up.

Yes, it is a good thing I work on it myself with the help of my slip neighbor, who are very dear friends, we do alot of rafting up, the women get along, makes me very happy.

[ODDJOB UNO]

well theres a hell of a difference btwn 25ft and 39ft for lots of reasons. 1st and formost if yer gonna TOW IT EVER! huge consideration. if no tow then skys the limit.


1) buy mercs...................BIG MERCS no 496's and no 575's or 600's or 700's they will eat you alive. BUY 525 EFI's and you will be happy as a clam.


diesels i havent a clue on so i have no input except they stink.


2) a/c and a generator and heat make it a 365/ 24/7 getaway. icemakers are just way cool here in sunny az.


3) full enclosure or fly bridge so you can get out of the sun.


4) BEER.............lots of and a blender for umbrella drinks


5) bar-b-que

6) (3) damn good anchors and lots of line(called anchor rode and line)

me? i like formulas,chaparrals,carvers, and the bigger bayliners to name a few.


the boat market is and will be on its azz for years to come. they are a dime a dozen and even cheaper. take yer time go to boat shows on the water. what looks cool landlocked may not be what works on the water where you are at. take 'em for a spin before ya buy.


take a USCG boating course with wifey. you will thank me.



arrghhh the parrot says "YES!"

[TimT]

First rule of boat buying:

Buy used, the depreciation is huge on boats..

I was spoiled growing up, as my dad had a Bertram, Crist-o-vich, then finally a Rybovich.

Carver, Bayliner, Silverton, Sea-Ray, Lurhs. all had reputations as being the economy cars of boats...

Bayliners were at the low end of desirability..

Having said that and sounded snobbish, the interiors of some of the boats you mentioned are nice..

Again look for a well maintained boat with a full suite of modern electronics.. Buying a new boat is just nuts..

[CarreraDan]

TK,
Come over and do some reading on Club Sea Ray - Club Sea Ray, it is much like Pelican. Most of my experience is with bow riders and ski boats but Sea Ray and Regal both build fine boats. I have had my Sea Ray for 7 years now and not had one single mechanical or other issue with it other than normal maintenance. The other great thing about it talking to other boaters is mine still looks like new--it is garage kept, but my vinyl is still like new, gel coat has 0 blemishes, everything was built with higher quality materials than some of the budget boats. The other week a Chaparral owner was showing me spider cracks on his 2008, he paid over $100k for it and it had less than 25 hours on it.

The main thing is what is your local dealer network like, having a cruiser you are going to have a relationship with them and you want something convenient for you. I will admit there is nothing better than spending the day at the lake after a hard week of work. Bayliners are not bad, they just are not the greatest boat and built to a price point, much like Cobalt is built to a much higher price point. You should definitely sea trial different boats you are interested in to see how different brands handle--make sure to pick a normal day too, don't go out when it is dead calm you won't learn as much. Enjoy the hunt as it is a buyers market.

[crustychief]

Yacht Survey Online: David Pascoe, Marine Surveyor

I wanted to get a boat when I retired. I did a lot of research but finally gave up when my current 911 found me. I learned a lot from the above site.

[enzo1]

Originally Posted by crustychief

Yacht Survey Online: David Pascoe, Marine Surveyor

I wanted to get a boat when I retired. I did a lot of research but finally gave up when my current 911 found me. I learned a lot from the above site.

I lost this sight, thanks.... he goes to places after big storms, hurricanes and such so he can see how boats are made, the lay up. Only time you can tell is when a big hole is punched in the side. 1 story he has is when a Bertram was slammed through a restaurant and 100 ft? down a road with not too much damage to the boat. He has a lot to say about Sea Rays and carvers.....

[nota]

really depends on where and when and for what the boat is used

offshore sport fish a bertram 31 is the best dollar value
but not much of a party boat for the inter coastal or overnighter
for that I would pick a houseboat with a cat hull and outboards

I donot know about newer searays
but I never liked the older ones

penyan made some neat shoal draft inboards

[Vipergrün]

If you want the best bang for your buck, solid quality, amenities, layout, etc, you should look at the Chaparral Signature series. Sea Ray are ok, but I don't like the layout. They feel top heavy to me. I'd stay away from Bayliner/Maxum. I've heard decent things about Monterey's.

BTW, myself, family or friends have had Sea Ray, Bayliner, Larson, and Chaparral, so there is some experience there.

I'd recommend at least a 9'6" beam if not 10'+ for comfort on the water.

I'd vote for Volvo over Mercruiser, however STAY AWAY from the composite XDP drives. Go with the SX or DuoProp. You'll want at least 5.0 liter EFI motors, 5.7 may be better. 4.3's probably wont cut it. If you go with Mercruiser, look into Bravo3 outdrive issues.

You'll want generator and A/C for sure. You should look into fresh water cooling if you are keeping her in salt.

It's a huge buyers market out there. I'm currently under contract on a 2006 Chaparral Signature 290.

Look into www.boatered.com, www.thehulltruth.com, etc.

Good luck and have fun!

[Bill Douglas]

Whatever you get it sounds like fun!

And living in Florida you will have the weather and conditions to enjoy it. Just remmember, like a 911, get a good engineers inspection done on the boat first.

[t951]

Wow, great answers!

So...in no particular order:

I have been on The Hull Truth Forum reading, I read the Pascoe review on the carver, which was scary.

I will check out Club SeaRay.

Almost every boat we looked at had Mercruiser 5.0 or 5.7s. (Basically a Chevy 305/350 I guess).
We wanted diesel, but it's hard to find in this size/price range.

Wide beam is definitely best.

Are there certain electronic items to look for? Most of the boats had Raymarine. (GPS, Radar, Auto-pilot, etc).

We won't look at a boat without AC or a generator. (I was hoping for a gererator, for unlimited free-power....but there is no such thing as a perpetual power machine.. )

We were told to make sure the risers were fairly new and that the fresh water heat exchangers were better.

A friend mentioned a boat club last night, so we are going to look into that. Basically, you pay a fee and get access to boats...not sure if it's the right fit though.

We did see a lovely Sunseeker Predator 64....the guy wanted over a mil. I did offer him 60k though.....sadly, he said no.

[esample]

+1 on Sea Ray. Nice boats, good value. Bertram if you want to go a bit upscale. Bayliner is to be avoided. (Learned most of what I know about boats from captains and guides in the Keys.)

-e.

[ODDJOB UNO]

well this is from someone that was in the USCG and owned a 26ft 4 winns w/a big block and an OMC outdrive. no matter how much bucks ya got..................after a few days of nasty azz weather....................you WILL want to get the HELL OFF OF THAT boat onto dry land and stable terra firma. unless of course ya own a heavy cruiser(aegis class) or a aircraft carrier.


i have never gotten seasick EVAR! but i have been sunburned as hell, beat to snot from 4-6ft waves, and at lake powell one year we were bobbing and weaving like drunks down the hallway of the bullfrog marina. and we hadnt drank a drop.


you will want to get the hell off of that damn thing after being exposed. so with that in mind, living on a boat for any extended time will drive you up the freeking wall from being claustrophic. ie. measure out how much actual walking room you have stem to stern.


my idea of a dream boat and its numero uno on the bucket list is a 382 FORMULA FASTECH! twin 525EFI's w/genset a/c and heat, refrig,icemaker,potty , shower and transom shower,micro wave.



you are at the max limit for towing with a duallie weight wise. 55mph uppy downey any hills. 120 gallons of go go juice and ya can buzz around, cruise,ski,tube,eat,sleep,go potty,etc.

when beat to snot, beach it or dock it and have a decent tent,if ya beach it. i promise you no matter how big or how much bucks ya got......................it will be gawd damn HUGE on the trailer and a freeking POSTAGE STAMP once ya drop it in the drink!


i have spent 3 weeks straight on my last one at lake powell. dont let anyone fool ya its JUST a fresh water lake. nasty azz storms that will make yer sphincter pucker 10! saw a 70 ft houseboat with jet skies on upper deck and a crane sunk in bullfrog bay!


now just put yerself at the OCEANS MERCY and you will quickly find out how small YOU ARE and HOW BIG MUTHA NATURE IS!



the bigger the boat..............the more crew ya need. i could single hand my 26ft on and off the trailer myself. but with any wind, it was a suicide mission. so with that in mind, ya better find some damn good crew that KNOW what the hell is going on when it gets sloppy out. dont just drag someone thats a moron off the street and say "hey ya wanna go boating?"


the time you take instructing your crew no matter how many or few can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE!


every time you take that damn thing out and come back in safely, you have cheated mutha nature. this comes from someone who has gone thru many a nasty storm with boats. just wait til ya have 60-70knot winds blowing sideways and 6ft waves and lightning all around!


arrrrgggg the "PARROT SAYS YES!"

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by ODDJOB UNO

1) buy mercs...................BIG MERCS no 496's and no 575's or 600's or 700's they will eat you alive. BUY 525 EFI's and you will be happy as a clam.

Killjoy!

[ODDJOB UNO]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Killjoy!

yeah i know vinnie. but homey wants RELIABILITY! got enough crap to wrench on already. who the hell wants to wrench at the lake or ocean.


i was told by my amigo phil bergeron of bergeron marine here this:


if ya wanna go fast...................buy a fountain.


if ya wanna have creature comforts and a better ride..............buy a formula.


dont buy anything with a 496,575SC 600 or 700's. if ya do.................dont bring it here!



dont be a jerk.........................BUY A MERC!



by the way phil wrenched on the formula team boats(all of them) and has been heavily involved in IHBA top fuel CAPSULE BOATS!



525EFI's are plug and play baby. com-putter read out everything ya wanna know about history of engines. hottest temps, over -rev's, hours blah blah blah.



my time is so damn limited when i finally spring for mine, i dont wanna wrench. i wanna cruise putt putt haul azz ski/tube,fish drink excessive amounts of beers,bar-b-que and RELAX!



and ........................get a 10 day weather forecast, read the clouds, and not EVAR be out in a freeking monsoon storm with lightning blasting everywhere around us. and sometimes as much as ya try like hell no matter how fast yer boat is............ya just cant race a storm quick enough to either beach it or dock it.



oh yeah.................it really pays in spades to own all of yer scuba gear and be a certified diver, be it ocean or fresh water, so in the event of any hull damage or a prop strike or fouling yer props on crap and being able to clear them or repair damage. comes in damn handy cleaning the hull of crap at the dock and when ya drop yer wifes wedding ring or her rolex overboard!



ARRRGGGGH THE PARROT says "YES"!

[gatotom]

speaking of electronics, the big players Furuno and Raymarine are all good stuff, tryed and true but Simrad is coming on like gangbusters in the market for one reason only but its a good one.

Simrad has a new radar technology called broadband, its not the radiation type but wave tech which now you can't fry an egg on your radome, in fact they say its 10 times safer than a cell phone plus it gives better resolution near your boat where you need it.

I just removed my old furuno radar unit for a simrad broadband and it is amazing the difference. My wife who could care less can now see the object on the screen before you had to interpret what you saw. Its very good 16 miles out but awesome at 6 miles in. With AIS, I already know where that 60' or larger boat is, know its speed, name, course.

On nice clear days you can boat by sight but when the weather turns foggy and or with pouring rain or you are in the night, radar and AIS is a must.

[Neilk]

How about a used Grady White. They make great boats, a little spendy, but the used market should be ok.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by t951

A friend mentioned a boat club last night, so we are going to look into that. Basically, you pay a fee and get access to boats...not sure if it's the right fit though.

Hug your friend...it is the right fit, perhaps not in your current state of mind (you really, really want to own a boat: I've been there) but you will profusely thank him later.

I live on the Potomac, own my own boat ramp, I get the allure. The best advice I can give is either join the boat club for a year or rent the first 15 times you want to get out on the water. If you still want to buy after that, happy hunting.