What do I need to know to buy a boat?
 

I finally talked the wife into let me look into a boat. What do I need to know? I want something that is fish and ski ready. I have been looking into the new bayliner fish-n-ski boats.


I saw this boat on ebay. Is it a decent deal? How hard is it to get a lost title? Here's the link

How about this one?

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How about this one? http://www.bayliner.com/brochure.asp...qtype=1,4,9,23

i like the second one needs work, but it dont look that bad and the price looks good, the out drive there not too bad i got one on ebay for a friend for 1500

Those two ebay boats a scary, run don't walk away from those.... Personally you have to get any boat you are seriously thinking about buyin in the water! If you can afford 20k for that new one which is setup perfect for what you want, that'd be the way I would go. My bud bout a used boat 4 yrs ago that was in great condition and every year the thing nickle and dimes him, to the tune of $1000 this year alone... :D

here's all you need to know about boats: they are money pits! you will always be spending money on them for the only purpose of personal pleasure, you will never see that money back, even if you do upgrades.

As far as the ebay boat, don't do it. Back then those boats were churned out the assembly line as fast as they could for cheap money, and they always had hull issues. The Bayliner boats are better quality than back in the '80's. Before buying any boat get it in the water, like Rattler said. You wouldn't buy a car with out test driving it, unless you planned on taking it apart anyway.

The two happiest days of owning a boat are the day you buy it and the other is the day you sell it. :D

Stay away from Bayliner...they use the cheapest of everything.

I have two boats and love to use them every summer. They do need some routine wrenching but not a grand a year.
One is a 17' Alumicraft Fish and ski and the other is a 16' Mahogany runabout with a 25 horse Evinrude of the same vintage (1958).

Thanks for the info guys. I didn't figure the ebay boats should even be considered, but thought I'd throw them out there. I keep telling the wife to get calling the bank to start the process, but she is dragging her feet, so tonight I told her no boat.
I really want one so I can "get away", but my biggest hangup has been the extra payment. I may think about it for a couple of more week to a month and go from there. decisions, decisions.

Like DPR said Bayliners are the Kia of the boat world, thats why you see so many of them around since they are cheaper. You get what you pay for...

Would a 1988 Maxum (more or less the same as a bayliner?) with trailer and smaller inboard for $200 be decent. He said the motor is locked up, and the seats all need recovered. I really don't mind tinkering with stuff. And I figure if it ends up worse than I anticipate, I could always give the boat away and use the trailer for something else.
It is similar to this one.
Maxum SR1800 Bowrider

BOAT= Break out another thousand

I had a 40 work boat for 3 years. I made 120,000 dollars with it, it cost me 130,000 to keep it in running shape :argh:

I like boston whalers personally for fun tho