newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
 

Okay, so I want to ditch my old small aluminum fishing boat and it's
little O/B merc and get something I can carry all the family in and
pull a tube or ski. I come across a 1970 Sea Ray tri-hull with a 75HP
merc. Floor will probably need replacing this year (starting to get
soft) and it needs a new prop.

But what else to check for? A search on googleNews says to check for
rotting transom and stringers, but how do you check those? Anything
else I should look for?

DM

newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
 

On 4 Jun 2006 20:12:06 -0700, "gprimerib"
wrote:

I come across a 1970 Sea Ray tri-hull with a 75HP
merc. Floor will probably need replacing this year (starting to get
soft) and it needs a new prop.

But what else to check for? A search on googleNews says to check for
rotting transom and stringers, but how do you check those? Anything
else I should look for?

Is the boat free or next to nothing? If not I'd keep looking. It is
likely to be more expense and headache than it is worth. Even at
"free" it may not be a good deal if it is going to cost serious $$$$s
to get it fixed up and running properly.

newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On 4 Jun 2006 20:12:06 -0700, "gprimerib"
wrote:

I come across a 1970 Sea Ray tri-hull with a 75HP
merc. Floor will probably need replacing this year (starting to get
soft) and it needs a new prop.

But what else to check for? A search on googleNews says to check for
rotting transom and stringers, but how do you check those? Anything
else I should look for?

Is the boat free or next to nothing? If not I'd keep looking. It is
likely to be more expense and headache than it is worth. Even at
"free" it may not be a good deal if it is going to cost serious $$$$s
to get it fixed up and running properly.

Tri-Hull were popular with new boat buyers in the 70's. It was sold as
a stable boat for families. The problem is they beat the poor family
to death in anything but flat water.

I personally would not take a trihull for free, unless I knew I would
only use it on a small pond.

--
Reggie

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
 

Reginald P. Smithers wrote:
Wayne.B wrote:
On 4 Jun 2006 20:12:06 -0700, "gprimerib"
wrote:

I come across a 1970 Sea Ray tri-hull with a 75HP
merc. Floor will probably need replacing this year (starting to get
soft) and it needs a new prop.

But what else to check for? A search on googleNews says to check for
rotting transom and stringers, but how do you check those? Anything
else I should look for?

Is the boat free or next to nothing? If not I'd keep looking. It is
likely to be more expense and headache than it is worth. Even at
"free" it may not be a good deal if it is going to cost serious $$$$s
to get it fixed up and running properly.

Tri-Hull were popular with new boat buyers in the 70's. It was sold as
a stable boat for families. The problem is they beat the poor family
to death in anything but flat water.

I personally would not take a trihull for free, unless I knew I would
only use it on a small pond.

--
Reggie

That's my story and I am sticking to it.


It's not free, it's $1000 with a late '80s 75HP merc. But I think you
guys are on to something, I should probably spend a couple grand more
and get something a bit more 'modern' in a used boat. Thanks for the
info folks.

newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
 

"gprimerib" wrote in message It's not free, it's
$1000 with a late '80s 75HP merc. But I think you
guys are on to something, I should probably spend a couple grand more
and get something a bit more 'modern' in a used boat. Thanks for the
info folks.



Hi gp,

Think you will find that $1000 is "free" in the boating world. I have done
something similar to that, and repaired / upgraded an I/O leg, transom,
stringers, repaires & repainted the hull, and only have the top left to do.
Engine does not need work.

Net result? A virtually new boat that will cost about 50% of retail. Will I
ever get my money out of it? No. Woul;d I do it again? Possibly.

But I do have a boat of a design and hull construction that I like.
Condition of hull and mechanicals is now AOK. learned a lot more about boats
than I knew before. And I was able to stage outlays of cash over a period of
years to match my ability to pay.

BUT, buying an almost free boat does not save money, unless you just drive
it until it craps out.

surfnturf

newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
 

"gprimerib" wrote in message

.....I come across a 1970 Sea Ray tri-hull with a 75HP
merc. Floor will probably need replacing this year (starting to get
soft) and it needs a new prop.

...It's not free, it's $1000 with a late '80s 75HP merc.

Summary: a 36 y/o SeaRay with a 20 y/o O/B.

No bargain, never will be. Keep looking.