s o wrote:
hi all,

I'm looking at two boats and would like your comments/opinions. This
is my first bigger boat although I've a little dingy with a small
outboard.

1. 1987 Bayliner capri 1950 open bow with 5.0 v8 omc (with 414 hours).
The current owner(2nd owner) has had it for the past 15 years and has
meticulously maintained it and has almost all records from the same
boat shop. he also redid the floor and stringer 2 years ago (the wood
was treated with fiberglass). a tune up was done every year.
interior/exterio is in fair condition. boat was used for skiing in
fresh water. comes with galvanized trailer.

2. 1987 sea ray 17 ft seville open bow with a 1992 120 hp evinrude. i
don't have much details on it yet. will go see it tomor. comes with
gavalized trailer and ad says well maintained.

the sea ray is about several hurndres $ more, both are under $4000.

I will use it mostly for family cruising in protected water and
sometimes close to shore cruising, no more than a few hours each time.
I live in Southern CA.

thanks in advance.

s o


Maybe the best advice is to point out that you're looking at
20-year-old boats.

All you can go by at that age is present condition. Forget the brand
names. I'll bet there's a 20 year old Bayliner out there, somewhere,
that is in fantastic shape, but that wouldn't mean that all of them are
by any means. At the same time, 20 years is enough time to take
something from originally premium grade to a hunka-junk if it's "rode
hard and put away wet." If you fall in lust with either of these boats,
try to resist consumating the deal until they get a clean bill of
health (or you at least know what the remaining problems are) from a
local expert able to examine them specifically.

They both sound like trouble to me. Figure out which boat you like the
most and offer the seller $1000. Maybe flex up to $1500 if you need to,
but put the other $2500 of your budget away for repairs. You will need
it- and maybe almost right away. Don't worry about the low offer, you
will probably be making the only offer either seller has ever seen at
any sort of price.

A lot of people discover they could be using and enjoying a new or
nearly new boat for the price of keeping a tired old wheezer afloat.
Take a look at your own case. Assume you'll spend $200-250 per month,
on average, trying to keep up with the mechanical breakdowns and
structural repairs. (new boats need things too, of course, so let's say
that's $200-$250 per month *more* than you'd spend with a new boat).
What sort of boat could you buy with the same $4000 "down" and payments
of $200-$250 per month? If you could dig deep into the mind of either
one of these sellers, you just might find a thought that reads "Hmm, I
ought to sell this old tub. With the money I get from selling it and
the same amount per month that it takes to keep it going, I could be
making payments on a new boat with a warranty......"