On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 18:32:22 +0000, BooBoo12321 wrote:

(Donno about the partnership thing - sounds like a Bad Idea to me)

For now, we are looking at 19-22 foot Bowrider. Basically to lounge
around on for a few hours at a time...Maybe try some water-skiing.

Also, we aren't that boat savvy, and all fairly busy with careers, so we
don't want a repair lemon... Is it better to pay more up front, and get a
nicer, newer boat, rather than find a perceived deal, and start pouring
money into some old boat (and end up spending just as much , if not more)


New boats are rarely more reliable than older boats. You can get Nice ones
or Lemons both ways (older boats usually have the "bugs" worked out of
them. New boats have warranties, but you still have to get them towed in
and get them to the dealer)

I was told by an avid boatman to avoid mass produced boats, such as
Bayliner, SeaRay, Maxum, etc...

These are the style of boats you should be looking at.

He said these boats are not well built, and
the mechanics he spoke to are always fixing these.... Instead , he said to
find a boat like: Grady White, Boston Whaler, Pursuit, HydraSport, ProSport,
Edgewater.... What do you think of this?

Nice boats, but not for putting around a lake or water-skiing.

As someone else said, it's the engine, not the hull, that needs to be
reliable, and chances are these boats use the same engines as the
Bayliner/Searay/Maxxim

Also, he said it is MUCH better
to get a fully outboard motor. Much easier to service. Do not get I/O or
inboard. They are much more troublesome....He also said try to get a Jap.
motor, like Yamaha, Honda, Nissan....


Disagree. The actual I/O part (the "outdrive") can be troublesome, but I
feel the engines of an I/O are at least as reliable as an outboard,
probably more so. I have the same engine as the Mercruiser V6 in my van,
and it has 230,000 km and going strong. And they're easier to work on on
the water! Best option is a true inboard, but hard to find in a boat that
small.
Also, at 19-22ft you're getting to the upper limit of outboards. You'll
want close to 200hp, and the 200hp outboards are new, expensive and heavy.
I/O engines pretty much start at 200hp and go up from there. Get at least
a V6 (200-230hp) or a small V8 (around 250hp or so).

Lloyd