Anyone into boating?

[Mark B]

Hey everyone,

I want to get a boat. I have never owned one before and I know nothing about them. Before I buy anything, I would like to get some information on different types of boats, sizes, and boating in general. Anyone know of any websites I could visit that would give me good information? The boat is going to be used primarily for pulling skis, tubes and some fishing.


Thanks in advance, Mark B

[LTb1ow]

Sure, whatchu wanna know?

[Mark B]

Is "everything" too vague? haha

I guess a good start would be the costs and upkeep that come with getting a boat. I plan on keeping it on a trailer at a local storage unit. The storage place charges $50 a month to keep it there. What kind of maintenence & upkeep do boats require? If found a 21' Larson Bow Rider that I am interested in. Is this a good choice?

[LTb1ow]

Outboard or sterrndrive?

[Mark B]

"Mercruiser V-6, Inboard/Outboard, New Outdrive Installed At The End Of Last Season,"

I guess that means inboard?

[LTb1ow]

Sterndrive. And thats not to bad at all if you do all your labor.
Oil change, cap/rotor, block drain plugs, its prob salt water cooled so you may wanna ask when the riser/manifold was last changed. Spark plugs etc, simple stuff. Thermostat. Shift cable/throttle cable depending on how stiff they are.

The O/D is 6 bolts, for an Alpha make sure you put it in forward when you pull it.

Basically, a boat is a black hole. No way around it. If you do your own labor its not so bad.

[LTb1ow]

And of course, make sure all the DC works, I doubt a boat that size has AC but check for it. Check the battery charger etc. Go over the boat with a real fine comb. Nav lights/anchor light. Radio. GPS. Depth finder. Etc etc.

[LTb1ow]

And try to find out why the O/D was replaced. They are not like optis, and they more often than not need operator error to kill them.

[Teds89IROC]

That would be a good size for what you're looking to do, we have a 20' pursuit and its the perfect size for fishing down the shore and some watersports.

[LTb1ow]

The V6 will struggle a bit with towing anyone. But agreed, nice little boat to have. If you plan on towing a lot, find out what prop it has, you can get a 4 blade to help it get up on plane by sacrificing a little top end that a three blade would give you.

[Mark B]

The O/D is 6 bolts, for an Alpha make sure you put it in forward when you pull it.


I didnt understand that entire line. ahah

[bobb1589]

The V6 will struggle a bit with towing anyone. But agreed, nice little boat to have. If you plan on towing a lot, find out what prop it has, you can get a 4 blade to help it get up on plane by sacrificing a little top end that a three blade would give you.

no way... we have a 150 hp yamaha and it pulls fine

[mtg6486]

did you take a boaters safty coarse yet because you need that before you can even drive 1

[Mark B]

did you take a boaters safty coarse yet because you need that before you can even drive 1

No, where can I find one.

[mtg6486]

theres usually adds at boating stores for classes where are you located

[sweetbmxrider]

doesn't the MVC carry the handbook? i think they have info about it too.

[Mark B]

Im in Martlon. Also, what is required as far as registration, titles, and licences?

[mc73nova]

My friend recently took the course, Ill ask him for the info. I got mine when I was 14, so I didnt have to worry. A Larson is a good boat. We had a 236 LXi Bowrider with a 350 Magnum MPI with a Bravo Three outdrive (special ordered 1 of 1 in '97) it went 66 MPH! My father sold it 2 years ago :sad:

Anyway, a v6 I/O with an alpha drive is a great starting point. Boats require a decent amount of attention, the better you take care of it, the longer it will last. Saltwater requires more upkeep than freshwater. It is also extremely fun. We started with an 18' Century with a v6 OMC, which was great because it was older an gave us experience on a beginner lever without being nervous about any mishaps(skeg/prop). We spent 90% of the time in lakes, about 10% in the bay/ocean.

If you need anymore specific info, just let me know. If I cant answer, my father will definitely know.

[LTb1ow]

no way... we have a 150 hp yamaha and it pulls fine


V6 outboard is much more powerful than a merc V6 inboard.

And the O/D is connected to the stern of the boat by six bolts. You can remove them pretty easy, just remeber to put the shifter into foward. And you should change that oil every season too.

[LTb1ow]

A V6 OMC eh? Thats a classic.... lol

[mc73nova]

Im in Martlon. Also, what is required as far as registration, titles, and licences?

Registration for boat and trailer, boats do have titles, the lisence(certificate) will be given to you at the end of the boating course, then you go to the DMV with it so they can put it on your actual license.

[mc73nova]

Boat Insurance is also something I would strongly recommend. It is relatively inexpensive and worth every penny.

[35thls1ss19]

go for a v8! :) I have a big block and love the sound and power! But not a great fishing boat. It loves to pull tubes and party lol. Where are you planning on boating? First thing i am goign to tell you and i was told and didnt believe it. BOAT stands for break out another thousand! And dam do they cost money. I might be looking to sell mine this spring due to just that. Looking for a 223ls Formula with a 454?

Also check out speedwake.com if your into speed boats very good site.

[LTb1ow]

What year is that formula? When did they make one with a 454?

[35thls1ss19]

87 which was also the last year with the alpha 454 combo :( figures. 88+ they went to bravos on all big blocks. I did a high rise intake and some heads got the boat up to 58 gps. Its a heavy boat. This year i want to try and dump it, 1 bc of the economy and me having no work 2. eventually get into a 22 cat type boat. I am just worried about sacrificing the cabin, i've had alot of fun in there but i think i rather be doing 70mph+

[LTb1ow]

I have an 87 too! Mine has a 305 though :(

And 454 + alpha, you sure? I doubt that combo....

[35thls1ss19]

haha yes positive. I have had it on and off a fewww times ;) Blew it once and wrecked a impeller once. As long as i dotn push the stick to hard out of the hole its good and back off when it gets out of the water.

what year and size formula you have?

[35thls1ss19]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/cjbarbour19/cp1_0902081744.jpg
Bottom is a little dirty here before i got to clean it when it went away
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/cjbarbour19/0921081055.jpg

[LTb1ow]

1987 22 foot I think, 305 with an MR1.

Old school alpha. :)

And cabin cruiser, no speed boat.

[JL8Jeff]

First thing is to decide if you want a boat with an outboard or inboard. And then what size and how many people you plan to put in the boat. Where do you plan on using it the most? River, lake or salt water will make a big difference with what you will want to get. I've got about a foot of water at my dock in the summer. Trailering a boat will take some of the fun out of it because it adds extra time to the whole process. I've always had smaller boats in the 13-16' range due to where I use it on the river. Don't forget about the cost of fuel since boats don't get good gas mileage.

[Mark B]

Well I went and looked at the Larson I had mentioned earlier. It needs some work. I will list the things I saw and you guys tell me how big of a deal each is... OK?

-Outside needs paint. Just cosmetic, but the existing paint doesnt look as good as I had hoped.
-Lots of things on the inside are... loose I guess is the word. Nothing seems to be securely mounted like it should be.
-Floor seems weak and there are definitly some holes in it. (I assume its a plywood deck?)
-The driver & passenger seats have been recently redone, but all of the other fabric needs to be replaced. Its cracked and faded.

Im not opposed to getting a fixer upper. I would like to save some money on it and I have time to get it all fixed up before the new season starts. But I dont know what is involved in fixing these items. He is asking $1800, I am confident I can get him down to probably $1500 or less. What do you think? Keep looking or see how low I can get him?

Also, is it possible to start a I/O engine out of the water? I would like to hear it run before I buy it.

[paul100]

The AC boat show is coming up at the beginning of Feb. You might want to check that out. There are a lot of used boat dealers there. They wont have any used boats there but they do have pics and info on them. Also there are many vendors there, you can get an idea of prices for the parts. Here is thier web site.
http://www.acboatshow.com/

[JL8Jeff]

The way the economy is right now, I think there will be a lot of decent boats popping up for sale. Don't rush into something. That boat sounds like it might need a lot of work and money put into it. Also look at the condition of the trailer, the bigger the boat the stronger the trailer needs to be and in good/safe condition.

[LTb1ow]

Yes, you need a pair of ear muffs and you can run the engine on land. Or follow the main coolant line and pull it off the inside where the engine is attached to the stern. Then just stick a garden hose in it. Don't try and seal it though, let the engine pull what it wants.

And if you do it through the O/D make sure it picks up water quickly. Although easy, impellers on a alpha take about an hour to do properly.

[35thls1ss19]

yes impellers on alphas suck! just make sure its getting enough water before you start it.

I also wouldn't recommend starting it now. I no you want to see how it runs but your going to have to re-winterize it. Unless your going to store it inside a heated garage. but you def dont want to risk the block cracking!

[35thls1ss19]

o and do not run that alpha without ear muffs. since the impeller is in the drive not like bravos you will kill the impeller if its not getting water

[LTb1ow]

Oh yea, oops, even if you do run the motor off a house, you will still need ear muffs on the O/D.

Other than that, check the oil make sure it has good compression etc.

[BigRocsFirebird]

http://i518.photobucket.com/albums/u350/RockyV911/boat.jpg

my old baja outlaw wish i still had her=/ also had a smaller baja islander and a scarab II and my dad had another before i was born so i dont know that one hah. wish i had more photos to show you guys. theres so many types of boats out there and all deppends what you want to use it for. has anyone done poker runs?

[LTb1ow]

Did you read the interesting history of Bajas?

[sweetbmxrider]

with that many things visibly wrong with the boat, i would be concerned with what i can't see. seems like it wasn't kept up as much as it should have been. i would wait around, there are alot better deals to be found. i would also think about everything that goes along with the boat before buying one. you want to enjoy your boat so the extra time and effort you put into researching will only pay off with smiles, a tan, and maybe some fish!

[LTb1ow]

Not that I would want to do it, but talk to local marinas, this year has seen a lot of boats getting "new" owners due to bills not being paid. The marina will want to cut its losses ASAP. So you can usually get a really good deal.

[BigRocsFirebird]

Did you read the interesting history of Bajas?

nope my dad gets all into that he reserches anything we get like that but i have no idea. but our scarab II we cracked the stringers they are known for that. down in cape may a storm was coming. right on the cape may point the the currents all meet and that made it even worse. huge swells like 6-8 foot and we had it timed out with speed and the waves. around 35MPH and we would launch off the swell and land on the other perfect and then a bad wave came in and we were airborn way out of the water and landed ontop of next wave cracking the stringers. but we had no problems with the baja besides the swim platform over the winter had cracked one of the welds.

[LTb1ow]

Bajas had a lovely tendency to just disintegrate at will. lol.

[BigRocsFirebird]

hahah well we sold her so we don't have to worrie about that. but i do miss the boat it was so much fun and i had my boating license too. not that i didnt drive or anything without one.

[Mark B]

May have found another one. Here are the details...

1988 citation lazer inboard outboard
350 merc cruiser
all new interior and cover
trim tabs
stainless prop
trailer included

Hes looking for 3k for it. I havent seen a pic of it yet. Anyone know what this boat looks like?

[LTb1ow]

No idea what that looks like.

[rscamaro73]

Hey everyone,

I want to get a boat. I have never owned one before and I know nothing about them. Before I buy anything, I would like to get some information on different types of boats, sizes, and boating in general. Anyone know of any websites I could visit that would give me good information? The boat is going to be used primarily for pulling skis, tubes and some fishing.


Thanks in advance, Mark B

Start off small....costs are relative to complexity of the vehicle....

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11157514/Grumman_Square_Stern_19_Foot_Canoe.jpg

Above is great for learning the way they handle on the water, great for fishing, and just overall water enjoyment. Plus they can be a bit romantic when you want to ;)

Not being an ass, but do you have the extra income to spend on boat maintenance and all the 'associated' costs ?? You're better off with a drag car honestly....:mrgreen:

[Mark B]

Not being an ass, but do you have the extra income to spend on boat maintenance and all the 'associated' costs ?? You're better off with a drag car honestly....:mrgreen:

I would much rather get a drag/project car. But without a garage and a condo association that loves nothing more than fining me for working on my car in the parking lot, that is out of the question. As far as the boat, I know the bigger the toy the bigger the bills. Thats why I am getting a used boat that I can work on myself. Plus with only a 2k investment in the boat... I can limit how big my mistakes might be in the future.

[LTb1ow]

Boat and investment do NOT belong in the same sentence. A boat will lose value faster than almost anything else.

How big is the citation?

[Mark B]

21 Feet

[LTb1ow]

If you can swing it, get it surveyed. Prob overkill for a boat that small, but you sure don't wanna get a lemon.

[JL8Jeff]

Boat and investment do NOT belong in the same sentence. A boat will lose value faster than almost anything else.

Unless you buy a used Boston Whaler, I've gotten all my money back on them and actually made a little on a couple as well.

[BigRocsFirebird]

http://i518.photobucket.com/albums/u350/RockyV911/bigboat.jpg

Just start out with some small like whats above. get the feel of it and the upgrade larger.

[rscamaro73]

http://www.toymania.com/334archives/love/logo.jpg