Big boat advice

[Eodman]

Steven feel free to move this to the most appropiate spot!

With the boating season half over in NJ my wife has agreed to begin the search for a big boat!

Deck boat/Cruiser ... 23 - 27 foot range .... Used not abused so I'm looking for advice on what to look out for! I will have be paying a marine mechanic to inspect the mechanicals once we have it identified but want to the leg work and research myself.

My wife saw a Bayliner Cierra she liked --- but when I was young Bayliner was not a very well thought of builder has this changed?

I assume that salt water will take its toll on mechinals more than fresh water -- but we will be using it in the Raritan Bay/Sandy Hook area of NJ! Not adverse to looking at boats on the larger lakes of NJ and Pennslyvannia for a fresh water boat!

Are I/O's more fuel effeicient than Outboards assuming weight and length are the same?

Help me -- please someone help me!

[sailr]

I used to be a boat dealer. STAY AWAY FROM BAYLINERS! They were pretty but otherwise total crap! The Cierra was one of the worst ones. I know they were bought out a few years back. They MAY be better now but can't guarantee it. I do know they now go by model numbers rather than names so the Cierra was probably one of the 'bad ole boats'.

If you are looking at boats that have been run in Salt Water, look for engines that are fresh water cooled. If you can't find that, you will need to examine closely and be prepared to replace soon, the exhaust manifolds. Salt water also takes it toll on outdrives! Boats that have been run in salt but stored on land and flushed out after each use are just fine.

Try to find a boat at a high n dry marina where the boat has been stored since new. Ask the marina operator how often it was used and if it was ever left in the water.

I/O's are not as efficient fuel and power wise as the newer 4 stroke Honda, etc. outboards. The most fuel efficient is straight traditional inboard.

[Eodman]

Thanks Sailr, I'm old school when it comes to outboards ... nothing like a Merc at full song.

Anyone know which if any outboards are made stateside?

[sailr]

Stick with the Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki. Trust me! The Honda is awesome

[Meniscus]

From personal experience, whatever your budget is, you shouldn't pay more than half of that budget for the boat to get it on the water. As unfortunate as it sounds, if you are unfamiliar or not fixing/rebuilding yourself, you'll get 3 years out of your original budget if you go with 1/2.

I'm not discouraging you, but rather preparing you, coming from someone that has always owned various full-sized boats in the past and currently own a 33' Searay, 22' Center Console, and a 24' Pontoon.

Depending on what you want to do on the water, sailboats are super cheap right now, especially if you drive south a little. You can have a lot of fun on a sail boat that goes on a trailer, but you can't run wakeboards off the back. It just depends what you're into. All I know is I've been tempted to pickup a couple sail boats in the last couple years since the market is so soft.

[Rumdog]

the sea rays are fantastic. Four winns are made locally here in cadillac, and are also high quality rigs. They use vovlo/penta outdrives with with counter rotating duo props. I'd go for an I/O merc, or gm block. Deck boats are great, lots of room. For me, i stay away from cabin cruiser types. It's just a lot of wasted space on smaller boats.

[Eodman]

The missus and I are not in sailboats! She doesn't like the leaning! I anticipate a budget of around 50,000.00 so the boats that we have been looking at are in the $25 - 30 thousand dollar range! Anything over much $30 and we have to look at a monthly payment! Realistically we are probably looking at a 6 or 7 year old boat!

[Eodman]

I would like a deckboat with a head and a small berth --- don't know how easy that will be to find though!

[Rumdog]

if you are gonna spend that much, buy a mastercraft or malibu. Highest quality boats you can buy. Check out mastercraft's website, and tell me they arent the sexiest boats ever! They sit a ton of peeps too. Generally, they run vette motors.

[Meniscus]

The missus and I are not in sailboats! She doesn't like the leaning!...

Understood. It's not for everyone. Don't forget about catamarans though

Also consider whether or not the boat is trailerable. If it's not, then dock fees could eat you alive.

[Eodman]

It has to be trailerable - we have a nice wide driveway and two boat launchs nearby! As a vet the one costs next to nothing to use for the season!

Ideally I would like to keep the cost at or below 25 grand! That way I have the money for yearly maintenance and any unforseen problems set aside already!

[Eodman]

Rumdog they are sexy boats, but for our intended purpose sexy is needed any longer!

[Brushless01]

How about a Donzi 27 ZR with a 496 Mag good for 70 mph.

[befu]

Sunsation

If looking for something with some speed and rough water handling, a mid cabin might be your ticket. Look at a sunsation, 28' mcob (mid cabin open bow) made in Michigan also. that price range you are of course looking at used, but you already said that. Solid boats.

[sailr]

Just remember, "The best days of your life are the day you buy a boat and the day you sell it"