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#1
posted to rec.boats
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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 |
#2
posted to rec.boats
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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 $$$$s to get it fixed up and running properly. |
#3
posted to rec.boats
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newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
Wayne.B wrote:
On 4 Jun 2006 20:12:06 -0700, "gprimerib" wrote: I come across a 1970 Sea Ray tri-hull with a 75HP merc. Floor will probably need replacing this year (starting to get soft) and it needs a new prop. But what else to check for? A search on googleNews says to check for rotting transom and stringers, but how do you check those? Anything else I should look for? Is the boat free or next to nothing? If not I'd keep looking. It is likely to be more expense and headache than it is worth. Even at "free" it may not be a good deal if it is going to cost serious $$$$s to get it fixed up and running properly. Tri-Hull were popular with new boat buyers in the 70's. It was sold as a stable boat for families. The problem is they beat the poor family to death in anything but flat water. I personally would not take a trihull for free, unless I knew I would only use it on a small pond. -- Reggie That's my story and I am sticking to it. |
#4
posted to rec.boats
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newbie wanting to buy first boat: what to check for?
Reginald P. Smithers wrote: Wayne.B wrote: On 4 Jun 2006 20:12:06 -0700, "gprimerib" wrote: I come across a 1970 Sea Ray tri-hull with a 75HP merc. Floor will probably need replacing this year (starting to get soft) and it needs a new prop. But what else to check for? A search on googleNews says to check for rotting transom and stringers, but how do you check those? Anything else I should look for? Is the boat free or next to nothing? If not I'd keep looking. It is likely to be more expense and headache than it is worth. Even at "free" it may not be a good deal if it is going to cost serious $$$$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. |
#5
posted to rec.boats
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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 |
#6
posted to rec.boats
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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. |
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