I’m a boater. Have a 29 foot Cobalt. This is easy. Go get a battery charger and charge the battery and start it. See how it runs. It’s just a battery. Batteries in boats are always dead if you don’t take them out for the winter. Mine has two engines and thus two batteries. Don’t be lazy with the battery if you buy it. Take it out and keep it inside.
Boat Buying Advice???
- Thread starter Macloney
- Start date
That's a pretty good situation and the boathouse is cheap. If you can be sure the boat is sound I would give it a try. You can always change your mind without much financial loss.
Also, I've established a ton of new friendships over the years boating. I can also say I've had more fun on our boat than I ever could on a golf course if you know what I mean.
Similar here. Always wanted a wakesurfing boat and started looking at 20 year old boats but even those are still expensive as they hold their value very good. Decided didn’t want to worry about a risk of getting a boat with issues as people run them pretty hard, so got a new one couple years ago and love every moment on the water. Especially sharing it with family and friends.
I agree about getting a battery and running it. Need to get it on the water and make sure it run right and there are no leaks or funny sounds.
As far as the guy ripping him off, that could be the case or it could be that something happened to the boat in storage that he is not aware of, like a cracked head.
The only people I know that use their boat on a regular basis are avid fisherman. Everyone else I know that own boats to cruise around on the lake and tube/ski complain about how little they use their boat. My inlaws right now have a boat they keep in the marina for the whole family to use and they were just complaining about how little use it gets.
When buying any used boat, it is always money well spent to have a reputable boat mechanic go over the boat and report any issues.
First step I would suggest is find out who winterized the boat and who did any mechanical repairs to the boat and then give them a call.
You will need some way to tow the boat. Even if it is just to borrow a pickup to take it to a mechanic every year to get it winterized.
If you have never driven a boat, find someone to teach you how. It's nothing like driving a car. No breaks and you are always dealing with momentum, current, waves, wakes, and wind.
Spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos on driving and maintaining a boat.
Highly recommended taking a boating safety course and it may even get you a discount on your insurance.
If you are willing to put in the time and money to properly maintain and operate your boat safely, boating can be a very enjoyable pastime.
Great family time.
Good luck.
First step I would suggest is find out who winterized the boat and who did any mechanical repairs to the boat and then give them a call.
You will need some way to tow the boat. Even if it is just to borrow a pickup to take it to a mechanic every year to get it winterized.
If you have never driven a boat, find someone to teach you how. It's nothing like driving a car. No breaks and you are always dealing with momentum, current, waves, wakes, and wind.
Spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos on driving and maintaining a boat.
Highly recommended taking a boating safety course and it may even get you a discount on your insurance.
If you are willing to put in the time and money to properly maintain and operate your boat safely, boating can be a very enjoyable pastime.
Great family time.
Good luck.
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Took the parents pontoon from Lansing through the lock to Brownsville, MN last summer. Great trip had not gone that far north before.
We just had flatbed fishing boats growing up but now with 5 grandkids under 5, the parents decided to get pontoon.
Did the math on buying vs renting at Saylorville and it was about 35 days worth of rental cost to buy. Took it out at least 8 days last year. Anticipate that being more in years to come.
Also have the benefit of being a boat family so my dad does most the work himself.
We just had flatbed fishing boats growing up but now with 5 grandkids under 5, the parents decided to get pontoon.
Did the math on buying vs renting at Saylorville and it was about 35 days worth of rental cost to buy. Took it out at least 8 days last year. Anticipate that being more in years to come.
Also have the benefit of being a boat family so my dad does most the work himself.
The other thing is this on boats. I have a lake home. I am at it all the time. The boat is running every weekend or every other weekend. Boats need to be ran to stay in good shape. Much like every other thing. If you use a car two or three times a year you will have problems just by it sitting around. So make sure you use the boat if you get it. The good thing is that it's only 4k. Now that may seem like a lot to some people but with a trailer, that's a good starter boat even if it ends up sucking you can cut your loses. A trailer at minimum usually runs 1500 to 2k. So you could easily resell it pretty fast.
Guys at the golf league at work used to give me **** about showing up in my Boxster because it was a "Porsche". Same guys drove big new mothership pickups that cost more than my used Boxster had. They used their motherships to tow their big ass fishing boats that also cost more than my used Boxster.
I just thought it was kinda high for a boat that he wanted to putz around in. Can usually find one of those for 10k or less with a trailer.
Talked to the guy and he is very receptive to something like I pay a mechanic for a tune-up of up to $500 and he covers anything over that. This should cover anything that isn't major and I was going to have it tuned anyway. If it is something major we will reevaluate. This way I'm not completely on the hook.
There just isn't a lot available at this price and nothing in this condition at this price point up here and there are almost no outboards available.
There just isn't a lot available at this price and nothing in this condition at this price point up here and there are almost no outboards available.
That looks super clean. In this Covid environment, with demand still spiking for water rec (jet skis, boats) this will not be around long if you choose not to buy it. Supply for new is tight. So the used market is tight. But that won't last forever. There will be a GLUT of used 2019, 2020, 2021 watercraft a few years out. Great buying opportunity ahead for used.
The guy wants to sell you a broke down boat? Tell him to get it running first and then you'll buy it. Or think about buying it.
That sounds like a great location, access to big lakes AND rivers.
That sounds reasonable. Pay for battery, tune up, oil change, outdrive service, and anything else his. Outdrive service would not include tearing down and rebuild due to dry seals. I had one sit for 2 years that needed it.
Looks nice. You’ll need a white suit with a pink t shirt, boat shoes, and a 3 day beard. Chicks will think you’re Don Johnson and you’ll have to carry around a stick to keep them away.
