-Boat Thread-

[Kawasaki STX-R 10+ year member]

Heh, its usually the small stuff that many of us don't bat an eye at that makes it all add up:
- is there additional licensing/registration needed for the boat or trailer?

- accessories such as life jackets, paddles (that sometimes break), rope, etc.

- if he's into fishing, there's all the supplies that go along with that

you are right about all that, i just wouldn't consider that as part of a boat being "expensive to maintain"... i would hope that is understood in the original quest to purchase a boat many of the necessary items should be obtained prior to or in the begining of ownership, not continually. heck, if hes buying the boat used as he mentioned, i would expect a lot of the accessories and such to be included in the purchase of the boat. i dunno, i'm not tryin to start anything, maybe i am being too technical with the idea... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

- after time, you start dealing with the wear and tear of the boat and trailer (scratches, scuffs, wheel bearings, rollers, broken tail lights, crappy safety chain, ripped seats, ripped canopy, cleaning supplies, etc.)

- then of course there's the tune-ups, replacement of worn parts, maybe the odd dead battery, damaged prop and impeller

- then of course there's the unforeseen issues like a cracked block because temps dropped below freezing overnight, or the rock you didn't see...

- don't know about you guys, but gas always seems to be much higher at a marina verses the gas station too..

i can definately agree these items can add up to big bucks, but i dont see it as much of a problem over the entire length of ownership as long as the owner continues proper care of the vessel. if someone is too worried about the cost of an occasional unforseen issue and the price of gas to even use the boat, i don't think it's the liesure activity they need. i think it will only drain them down. you can surely fish from solid ground. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Kawasaki STX-R, just curious, what kind of boat do you own?

i have 4 Class A motorboats (meaning under 16' in length) //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

~op~

i dont believe you ever mentioned how much money you are looking to spend.

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

BTW what is a 'John Boat'? Is that like a boat you go around picking up hookers in?

No , a john boat is a flat bottom boat made for running in shallow water

Mine is titled as a john boat, but it's technically a modified v //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[sqhertz 5,000+ posts]

ill be boating in calm-ER waters, but i may take it out in the bay on a nice morning. i would be buying used , so probably a few grand.

not exactly sure when i will be buying one but i will be moving to North carolina in a year or so so 'winterizing' may be an issue if/when i do move.

i have most the fishing gear i will need. i do see what you guys are getting at saying it is an expencive hobby. im thinking i may go with one of those modfied v john boats. i just wont be doing any swimming off it untill i can afford and maintain some larger. i do loooove those bass boats though. pimp shit.

but the point of this thread was so i can get a general idea on what kind of boats will be best suited for me, and to see what you guys have. thanks to everyone who has helped.

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

you are right about all that, i just wouldn't consider that as part of a boat being "expensive to maintain"... i would hope that is understood in the original quest to purchase a boat many of the necessary items should be obtained prior to or in the begining of ownership, not continually. heck, if hes buying the boat used as he mentioned, i would expect a lot of the accessories and such to be included in the purchase of the boat. i dunno, i'm not tryin to start anything, maybe i am being too technical with the idea... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif


i can definately agree these items can add up to big bucks, but i dont see it as much of a problem over the entire length of ownership as long as the owner continues proper care of the vessel. if someone is too worried about the cost of an occasional unforseen issue and the price of gas to even use the boat, i don't think it's the liesure activity they need. i think it will only drain them down. you can surely fish from solid ground. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

i have 4 Class A motorboats (meaning under 16' in length) //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

~op~

i dont believe you ever mentioned how much money you are looking to spend.

Yeah, didn't want to scare folks to the point of dropping the whole boat idea. This stuff does happen, and boat owners deal with it as it comes. As with all leisure-based activities we take the good with the bad..

 

[96TL 10+ year member]

While money might not be an issue for certain people, it can be for others. We should give him the heads up that boating CAN be an expensive hobby. You don’t know his financial situation. What is “not much of a problem over the entire length of ownership” for you, might be a problem for him, or anyone for that matter.

And for a couple of thousand, he’s looking at something older. A lot of boats in that price range can be a total nightmare. There are rotted transoms/decks to worry about, bad gas tanks (especially with E10), motors barely hanging on by a thread, etc.

I wasn't trying to scare him away, I just want to be honest with him. Boating is an awesome hobby, but it can easily nickel and dime you to the floor. Some people aren't effected by it, others are. You're only spending a couple of thousand, so it’s not much to lose anyway. You can always just sell it and start over with something else.

Boating is a big part of my life, and I enjoy every minute being out on the water. I just bought this boat new last year, and I'm on the verge of upgrading to a 28 footer with twin motors already. It's very easy to get hooked!!!

Good luck!

 

[96TL 10+ year member]

BTW, sqhertz, go to http://www.thehulltruth.com and post the same question there. You'll get a lot of feedback.

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

Don't get a bass boat if you plan to drive on anything but a lake, because thats what bass boats were designed for- calm lakes. The sides of the boat are hardly as high as the waterline, so if you take one into choppy waters, the boat can take on water easily.

One thing about bass boats, though, is that they will FLY. I see like 20ft bass boats with 250 horse engines screaming along the lake at like 70mph... its nuts.

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

My dad and I had a boat for a while... a 19-foot 1989 Angler center console with a 150hp Suzuki 2-stroke. We bought it for 6 grand and kept it for about 3 years. All the while, we made minor improvements to the boat, and never really had to do any major maintenance. We kept it in some unused space in his dealership. The service manager took a liking to it, and had connections everywhere... he got us a new radio, new antennas, he got the fuel tank re-sealed, he put a whale-tail on the motor.... all for free. We made little improvements along the way, like a stereo, new rodholders, and we refinished the teak. We sold it for $7.5k.

I miss it.

 

[Kawasaki STX-R 10+ year member]

you're right, i am sorry if it sounded like i was saying that boating is not an expensive hobby. it can be at times.

sqhertz - it sounds like a boat like ramos posted would be perfect for you. the hull design should handle chop failry well and you can probably find a boat with a large enough motor to scoot around pretty nice as well as pull a tuber or something if you wanted to.

i certainly recommend a boaters saftey course to get you acquainted with the marine laws and many proper procedures. i obtained my boaters license when i was 11 and have been enjoying the water ever since. it might also be a law for you in your area to have a boating license.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

We currently own a 1970s lund, IMO its nice for what it is. Has small leaks, but nothing major, its got a 35hp 2 stroke Mercury on it (POS IMO) we've had troubles since we got it. It sometimes doen't start, sometimes just randomly shuts off, and we have to pump the primer to get it to run again. We also put in a new water pump impeller and a new primer bulb, and the **** pump still wont work right, now it blows out steam and sprinkles and splurts water out.

Other than that i love boating and fishing. Only part i really dont like is launching, just because a few years back my dad was launching and he didn't push the parking brake in enough and the truck rolled backwards. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/hide.gif.2d479cfd917eedfe201353b91522ceab.gif

 

[sqhertz 5,000+ posts]

i will probably get something like the one ramos posted untill i get the hang of the whole boating thing. then work my way up to something nice. not sure of my local laws though , id have to check into that.

i know i couldnt get far in a bass boat in the bay , i just like to look of them. ive been watching too many bass tournaments in the morning lol. but when i do move to NC i will probably get one cause i wont be near any saltwater.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

The cool thing about getting an older boat is you have the choice to drive it till it drops and you invested minimal in it. If you can find that diamond in the rough (like I did) then you can look into a newer unit without the maintenance stigma attached.