Melandre wrote:
OK, I know it is easy to say 'take it' when you are not the one
having to cough up the dough so keep in mind that these expenditures
are considered quite significant for my budget and I am not sure I can
afford all of them... Having said that...

I have been looking for a used boat (but newer in the 1998 to 2003
range) but got fed up with the search and ended up purchasing a brand
new 2006 Bayliner 175 (nothing spectacular, just a basic bowrider
17.5' made for the entry level market). Although this boat is
manufactured with the intent of creating a dent in the newer used boat
market, I still had to spend a little more dollars than originally
planned.

Now, I am told that I should consider the following options. I am not
sure that I can afford all of them (at least not right at this moment)
so I would like to know which you would purchase first, and second...or
not at all. Typical scenario : the boat is stored in the garage during
the winter months (Nov to March) and the boat is moored (and rarely
taken out of the water) from April to September. Ran almost
exclusively in sal****er and used almost every weekends.

OPTION A : Current warranty on the Mercruiser Alpha 1 3.0L 135hp is 2
years. For approx. $950 canadian ($800 US), I can extend this warranty
from 2 to 6 years (4 additional years)

OPTION B : install a fresh water cooling system. Estimate : $1200
canadian. Is this something I could do in a couple of years if I am
not swimming in cash at the moment?

OPTION C : have an antifoul coating job done (I am not even sure I
understand what this is). Estimate : around $900 canadian. Again.
Something I could do later or not?

Sure I'd like to have all of this done if I could. But given that I
already stretch my budget to go after the brand new boat, I may have to
make choices with the possible option of doing some of these things
next summer or the summer after next if I get feedback that these are
=AB must do =BB.
Looking forward to the boating community feedback on these hard
choices... Cheers! Andre

I'm not a fan of extended warranties: BUT....if you can get an
additional 4 years of comprehensive coverage for a total of $800, you'd
be nuts not to go for it. Which is precisely why I'm somewhat skeptical
about the warranty provider or the coverage- the company is betting
that they will pay out less than $200 a year in repair claims after the
boat gets to be 3 years old. Actually a lot less, as the dealer will be
making a couple of hundred bucks commission out of your $800 if you
take this option. Make sure it's a FACTORY product, not something put
together by FLY-HIGH underwriters operating out of a boilerroom "claims
center" someplace. Seen that goofy TV ad for credit card/frequent flier
miles with an office full of people trained to say, "NO" to everything?
I think they modeled that on after-market warranty companies. If it is
a factory warranty, read the darn thing really, really carefully. It
sounds too good to be true, so look at it with a high powered light and
a magnifying glass.

Fresh water cooling? Absolutely. And up front. Are you financing the
boat?
See if you can roll it into the payments if need be.

Bottom paint? You bet. That shouldn't be though of as an "option" on
any boat moored in salt water.

While you're getting the boat rigged, make sure you include a VHF
radio.
Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.