Thinking of buying a boat

[Seahawk]

Mark,

Sorry to be so negative earlier...I love boats.

If you have room, I would recommend buying any number of great outboard powered boats that can be trailered...you can keep it at the marina during the season and not have to pay lift costs. You also save on storage costs, which are calculated per boat foot.

There are even really fine designs that you can over-night on. Another added bonus of a this class of boat is that the draft is often much less than a cabin cruiser, giving you access to parts of the river you may want.

Most of the folks I know that have this class of boat also have a small spare engine to limp home should you have a prop strike, engine failure, etc. Inboards are great, but on a river the ability to raise the prop in shallow water is a real bonus.

I would never have a single screw on a river, there is to much junk in the water to foul or strike your prop.

Should you decide to go large, my Father owned a 29' Marrinette cabin cruiser...aluminum design, light and twin engined, twin screws (which I think is essential for slow speed maneuvers). The boat was light and got great gas mileage compared to heavier fiberglass or wooden boats.

Lastly, I have shore to boat power cords, phone cords and cable TV cords...if you buy a boat they are yours for the price of shipping.

BTW, get a survey (a boat PPI) on any boat you are considering...there are still pirates on the waterfront

[Seahawk]

A few more thoughts:

- No teak...looks nice hard to keep looking nice.
- Whatever you get, make sure that you can do a simple fresh water wash down with ease.
- You may not like fishing but your friends might. Look at multipurpose boats that include some fish and bait wells, etc.
- Take a Coast Guard course in boating. The course can help with boating and nav (essential to know nav and rules of the road on a river) skills. When my Dad bought his boat many years ago I made sure he went.
- Make sure your hull form is suited to the water you'll be on. A deep V hull may work in a particular water area but will be inefficient in another. Ask around.
- If possible, invest in a boat cover. My Dad has an 18' cuddy cabin now that he keeps at a marina in TN...at the end of the day we can snap the cover over all exposed boats surfaces which really cuts down on sun and weather damage to the boat. Also helps should the sump pump fail in heavy rain.

If I get another boat, it will be this one. Best of both worlds:

http://www.macgregorsailboats.com/macgregor-26-powering.html

[Drdogface]

Interesting that you posted this today. I have been looking also but not for one as large. I would suggest, personally, that you consider a Boston Whaler. For the size and price you want to pay you can likely get a nice one but doubt there will be any cabin for a potty....as was previously posted, tell her to pee in the water

They are the Porsche of boats and have great resale. Be sure to get a marine survey done like on any boat. CraigsList is a good place to get ideas of what's out there but CL folks can be really flakey. I just lost two deals when sellers decided to keep the boat at literally the last minute.

Most Whaler owners tend to take really good care of their boats.

You can see many sizes and models at the BW web site: www.bostonwhaler.com but buying new is like buying a car new...lose a lot the first year.

Good luck with the search and let us know what you get and/or your top picks..

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by austin552

It's better to have a friend with a boat than to have a boat.

LOL, it's cheaper to buy a friend who has a boat than it is to buy a boat

[crustychief]

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatreviews/BertramYacht.htm
I agree with David Pascoe. be very leery of Bayliner and Sea Ray. Had one of each and the stringers and keel tend to rot. Whatever you decide get a Survey ( PPI for us) And enjoy the heck out of it. Sounds like the time and money things aren't an issue so just get the best boat you can afford not necessarily the biggest. Good luck!

[JeremyD]

My step father has a 28 bertram in great shape FS= I'd buy it but I have three boats and a 911 so I must be the biggest idiot on this thread.

Of course, I spend time with my family EVERY weekend on one of the boats - not many people do that either.

I would not have a sailboat on the river. but a nice cruiser - with your family and friends is awesome.

Ironic how some of the same folks sporting multiple porsches talk about how expensive a boat is. I've had my pursuit for exactly 8 years last month - the one repair I have had is last month when I had to replace my oil injection pump. $344 and the guy came to my house to repair it. I'd care to say that I've spent a little more on the Porsche.

[dmcummins]

Thanks guys, Im definatly just in the looking and learning phase now. When I had my sailboat the slip fees were $1,000 a year regardless of size. I'll have to check out the cost of a covered slip, I believe they use to run around $1,400 a year.

As far as the wife peeing in the water, she has never said anything about me buying old Porsches, motorcyles, boats and other toys. So if she wants a toliet, she can have one. I also wouldn't want to jump into the river on purpose.

[dmcummins]

I wonder how big a boat I could trailer with my Avalanche? There is a public boat ramp 2 miles from my house. That would save me the slip fees. The Avalanche is 2 wheel drive.