Jdpber wrote:
Do not buy the cheapest boat for the sake of buying the cheapest boat because that 3-5k savings could have put you a large step ahead in quality and features that in the long run will cost you less as that more expensive boat was better maintained in its life.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
also their is nothing worse than an under powered boat that cannot move its own ass.
Ha, my mom and stepdad found that out the hard way about 5 years ago. They bought a ~1987 Chris-Craft bowrider for about $3,500. They found the boat on craigslist after doing exactly zero research and only going by a well-known brand name my mom remembered from growing up in Michigan. They bought it from a young guy who "refurbished" the boat with his "master mechanic dad" after the boat was found in some guy's muddy yard. This "master mechanic dad" was also telling my mom and stepdad to never pay for ANY marine parts as they are all exactly the same as the auto parts (starter, alternator, etc).
The $3,500 boat soon became a $7,000 to $8,000 boat after the engine had to be replaced soon after buying it. They should have just cut their losses and moved on but whatever. Worst of all, it is a 4-cylinder. At least my stepdad listened to me when I told him it would be a good idea to remove the spray paint from the anodes after he painted the outdrive.
I bet they could get $2,000 for it now, even after all that money they dropped into it. Think about how much better of a boat they could have had if they would have just expanded their initial budget to $8,000?
I learned from their lesson and did my research when we were ready to buy our first boat (see the H180 link in my signature).
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