www.iFourWinns.com

Hello,

I'm looking at buying (trading for actually) a 1994 18' Horizon. It will be my first boat. It has the 4.3L I/O engine. The seller said most of the wood was replaced and some seats have new upholstery. I'm hoping to get some better pics soon. What are some things I should look out for when inspecting the boat? Are there any normal problem areas to be aware of? I'm really hoping this ends up being a nice family boat for us, but I don't want to buy something that has problems. I know it's not a new boat or anything, so I'm mainly interested in the major items. Any advice for a newbie?

Thanks,

Scott

If they replaced the deck you have to really check it carefully for soft spots, springiness in the floor, dark areas on the transom and other fiber glassed areas such as engine stringers and engine mount pads (look for cracks in the fiber glass under the engine mounts). Also look inside the ski locker and use a bright flashlight and mirror to look for rot (dark soft areas). In my opinion these boats are prone to wood rot in any damp climate where they are not stored inside in the off season.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Take some time and read through the buying threads here....and decide what you want out of the boat. (Lou C. is a great resource and has most of the right answers...but if I listened to him I wouldn't have my boat today : ) )


I went in on my 98, I read ALL the right things to look for from this board and did about 25% of them. I let emotion creep in and got the boat. 4 years later I am happy with the decision, I have had the floor done and some upholstery work but the engine has been rock solid and every season she starts and stops on command and allows for a summer full of memories with the kids. I like the fact that its already dinged, scratched and faded so I don't have to yell at the kids too much nor feel bad when I do something other than go boating....something I would have problems with if I just spend 50k on a new boat.

There are lots of warning signs on a 20 + year old boat....but if you can get the right deal if might make for a few fun years.....caveat emptor

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Jon Miller
1998 four Winns Horizon H200
Volvo Penta 4.3 GL
Newtown, CT

untitled-545 by millerjont, on Flickr

I think anyone new to older fiberglass boats is surprised by how much structural wood is actually in them. The problem with these boats is that they were not designed to be left outside, uncovered AT ALL. The carpet covered decks absorb water like a sponge and it gets into the wood core because there is only a thin skim coat of 'glass on the deck and they never seal any of the holes drilled. So after about 10 years even, many are starting to rot, by 20 is a virtual certainty. Salt water boats like center consoles and walk arounds are designed to be left out in the open. That's why they cost more. But they last much longer with much less work.

My personal recommendation is if you want a boat of this style, keep saving money till you can get a later model one past the time when they stopped using structural wood in the cores. Trust me that deck replacement is not a job you want to do. Been there, done that, and will not do it again.To have it done right (or a transom even worse since the engine must be pulled) gets into the thousands.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e316zo94sig9y ... r.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dya1kwrl180vx ... unting.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g1rnp0kl1gqpz ... itting.jpg


https://www.dropbox.com/s/ds48pon6ov5tz ... Boat+1.jpg


Save up & go much newer.....

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Considering you are trading something for the boat and not laying out any cash, you could consider buying a 22-year-old boat but just know that you'll likely sink a fair amount of money into it. You have to weigh that with the notion of buying a newer boat and (hopefully) having fewer costly issues.

I was shopping for a used boat for about a year and then came across a really low interest rate at my bank, which motivated me to buy a new boat. Yes, I had to scrounge up a down payment and I'll have boat payments for several years, but there is major peace of mind having a new boat, warranties and recourse if something goes wrong. I'm not Mr. Fix It, so a new boat was a good fit for us.

If you do decide to get the '94 and you're not qualified to inspect it thoroughly, hire an inspector to do it right. It could save you thousands of dollars and years of grief.

I think the other question you have to ask yourself is would you buy or trade for a 22-year-old car? If the answer is no, walk away from this deal.

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2015 H180 OB + 2015 Evinrude 135 HO

Thanks for the advice guys. I don't think I'll ever be able to afford a new boat, so I'm going to have to compromise on some things. This definitely gives me something to think about though.

Not sure I'd want to 22 year old car, but I'd definitely take a 50 year old car, if that makes sense. I'm an automotive tech, so I like to think I'm somewhat capable, but I definitely plan to get an experienced set of eyes on it before I pull the trigger. I'm also planning to ask for a water test. I'm glad I posted here though, you guys are giving me a dose of reality and that's what I need.

The mechanical tech part of these boats is the easy part because the older boats were very simple tech wise. The wood/fiberglass part is the challenging part. Take someone along with you who is familiar with this type of construction.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks for the advice guys. I received some pictures from the seller, turns out it isn't even a horizon, it's a freedom. I guessing the same rules apply. There are a couple of questionable areas as far as the wood is concerned, particularly behind the back seat. Long story short, I'm going to pass on this one.

I have agree with what the others have said. When we were shopping for our first boat a couple years ago we were originally looking in the $5-$8K range. Then I found out that my bank will do 10+ year loans with lower interest rates when you spend over $10K (differs between banks). We were paying less per month for a ~$12,000 boat than we would if we bought a $8,000 boat and financed it over 5 years. There was only a $4,000 difference in price but the boat we bought was newer, had a fuel injected VP V8, was in better condition, had fiberglass floors had lower hours and required ZERO repairs.

I detailed the process in the H180 link in my signature below.

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NEW - 2000 Cobalt 246 w/454 Magnum 385HP | SOLD - 2000 FW Horizon 180 LS w/5.0Gi 250HP Volvo Penta