# resident boat expert



## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Between now and Spring I plan to buy a boat, do we have anyone in or close to Davis county that knows the ins and outs of boats and what to look for when shopping?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

BOAT=Break Out Another Thousand
New or old there always seems to be something that needs repair.

Are you purchasing a new boat? Or used?
My advice when looking at purchasing a used boat is have the owner take you out on the lake and run the heck out of it. Have the owner show you everything about the boat, and how to operate all of the equipment.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Fowlmouth said:


> BOAT=Break Out Another Thousand
> New or old there always seems to be something that needs repair.
> 
> Are you purchasing a new boat? Or used?
> My advice when looking at purchasing a used boat is have the owner take you out on the lake and run the heck out of it. Have the owner show you everything about the boat, and how to operate all of the equipment.


I will definitely be buying used, it isn't fiscally responsible to spend $30-40k on something that sits most of the time. My research says that an outboard is cheaper and easier to maintain, but the motor itself is more expensive to replace than the I/O setups, I'm very mechanically competent so working on the motor wont be an issue when needed. I want to set the boat up for fishing mostly but still pull a tube or get a skier up for family activities, 19-21 foot hull length seems about perfect for weight and storage capacity. I spent a few days over the summer on both a Reinell I/O ski boat that was set up for fishing and also a Tracker fishing boat that can pull skiers, both were smooth and could cruise at 35 mph across FG. If I could find a good deal on one, a nice 4 stroke outboard setup would have the power and is more efficient than the older 2 stroke motors.


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## SlapShot (Sep 25, 2007)

Will you be fishing more or water sporting more? I fish out of mine and for what I do a I/O 21 foot run-a-bout would not be the best platform for me. Those types of boats draft deeper and are more difficult to control, even with an electric trolling motor on the bow. On the flipside a bass boat is not the best for water sports. I thought I would get a Fish-n-Ski but it wasn't great for either and after my modifications it was way more Fish than Ski. I have a 21 Foot bass boat and it's great for everything I do, shallow draft, decent outboard, good electronics. It's older but it's all paid for.

I know the saying goes you're happiest when you buy a boat and when you sell your boat, but I would devastated if I didn't have a boat. The occasional costs and expenses are totaly worth it to me.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

outboard vs. I/O = when do you want to use it?

If you want to use your boat during the fall, winter, and spring (when temps will be reaching below freezing), then go with the outboard. You pull your boat out of the water, lower the trim and drain the water out -- winterization is done! With an I/O, you'll be running antifreeze through the engine everytime you pull it out of the water.

There is a reason fishing boats have outboards. It's because fishermen don't always wait for summer to run their boats.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

PBH said:


> outboard vs. I/O = when do you want to use it?
> 
> If you want to use your boat during the fall, winter, and spring (when temps will be reaching below freezing), then go with the outboard. You pull your boat out of the water, lower the trim and drain the water out -- winterization is done! With an I/O, you'll be running antifreeze through the engine everytime you pull it out of the water.
> 
> There is a reason fishing boats have outboards. It's because fishermen don't always wait for summer to run their boats.


That's what I'm leaning towards, it will definitely be used more for early and late season fishing than pulling skiers or tubes in the summer.

Is a 4 stroke worth the extra dough, or would a 2 stroke work just fine? I would imagine the couple extra grand for the 4 stroke would take awhile to reach with a 2 stroke as far as money spent on gas. And when did the outboards start getting efi over carb setups?


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## BROWN BAGGER (Sep 13, 2007)

You want that EFI motor. Why mess with carbs. I have a yamaha 200 four stroke. There is still alot of maintenance with it. Changing the oil is messy business. I would go with a big 2 stroke for main( way more power than comp 4 stroke. Go four stroke for trolling. You use it alot 
more than your main motor. Two stroke has more pick up for your towing a tube.
As said test drive is a must, but before that look for signs , condition of skeg, tools the owner has to maintain, or reciepts of work that has been done.


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## Charina (Aug 16, 2011)

Spend some time reading on the iboats.com boat restoration forum to get an idea of what to look for in regards to structural integrity. Many of the older boats you will come across are rotten inside, and unsound. In the early '90's some of the manufactures moved to all fiberglass stringers and decks, but there are still a lot of used boats out there with wood components improperly sealed to last.

Unless you want a very labor intensive project, and 1,000-4,000 of expenses, don't buy a boat that has been stored outside, uncovered, for any part of it's life. Once rot starts, it spreads like cancer through the floor and stringers. Same with the transom. One improperly drilled/sealed hole, and given enough time, the transom will be shot and unsafe. 

Unfortunately, it is not very easy to evaluate a transom without taking drill samples of the wood, and I don't think most sellers are going to take kindly to you pulling out your drill, even if you do have epoxy to seal it back up. Look for any signs of stress cracks in the gell coat on the outside. They may be right at the transom plate, or off to the side. Anything less than perfect indicates that the transom wood is shot, causing the fiberglass to flex, and that is a BAD deal. Needs removal and replacement.

Rent a compression tester from an auto parts store. Test the compression on every motor. I weeded out a lot that I didn't want that way. 

Any soft spots in the decking - don't even think of paying more than $800 and be prepared for a year-long very intensive project to make it right. Any holes in the transom, or doesn't sound completely solid when tapped inside or out, don't pay what they are asking - immediately take at least $750 to $1,000 off of any consideration price for the cost of a DIY R&R. On an O/B, you will need to split the cap from the hull to get at the transom in most cases. It's a lot of dirty work, but doable. And on an I/O, the motor will have to be pulled to get the transom R&R.

That's my $0.02, but I'm not sure it's worth that. PM me if you have anything more specific. I rarely (if ever) visit this portion of the site.


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## Perry01 (Jul 12, 2014)

I own a 19 foot boat with a 150 HP 4 stroke and it is easy to trailer and launch and gets relatively good fuel economy. When you buy a boat that's bigger than 19 feet it's gets a bit more difficult to trailer and launch and you need to power it with a V6 motor which costs more to operate. 

4 stroke outboards are the way to go but the Evinrude ETEC is also a good option.

Good luck with your search.


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## dank80 (Oct 31, 2007)

I bought my first boat this past spring. I'm a total boating novice. I had the same dilemma as you trying to decide what style of boat would be best for my family's needs. I decided on a deck boat that's made by smokercraft. 200 hp merc outboard. I've really enjoyed it. Rated for 12 people so there's plenty of room. 21 ft hull. Gets up to the low 50's on smooth water. You can stand on the front deck and cast off it. I'd like to put a chair on the deck next spring. It's been a great combo of fishing/tubing for the kids/cruising and lounging on Lake Powell. 

They're not super common but it's a style that might be worth looking into.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Charina said:


> Spend some time reading on the iboats.com boat restoration forum to get an idea of what to look for in regards to structural integrity. Many of the older boats you will come across are rotten inside, and unsound. In the early '90's some of the manufactures moved to all fiberglass stringers and decks, but there are still a lot of used boats out there with wood components improperly sealed to last.
> 
> Unless you want a very labor intensive project, and 1,000-4,000 of expenses, don't buy a boat that has been stored outside, uncovered, for any part of it's life. Once rot starts, it spreads like cancer through the floor and stringers. Same with the transom. One improperly drilled/sealed hole, and given enough time, the transom will be shot and unsafe.
> 
> ...


The two boats I have actually called on have been one and two owner boats with great interiors and a clear history that have been garage stored. Although I am very mechanically inclined I plan to buy the nicest boat I can afford to avoid any projects. Mostly looking at outboards but may consider an inboard with a closed cooling system.


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## hondodawg (Mar 13, 2013)

Stay with an outboard. Much easier to maintain. And be sure it fits in the garage before you buy it.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Still shopping and have a question, should I even look at anything under 17 feet in length? Seems that anything smaller would be cramped with 4-5 adults and a 17-20 footer would be more stable on bigger lakes in a storm.


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