Updated: 4/14 Need Help Buying A Used Bass Boat Off Cl 2024
skeletor6 reply :
I am going through craigslist and I am looking through different boats and have found a couple that I would like for you guys to review. I do not want to spend more than $2500 would like to spend closer to $1500 or $2000 tops. I figure this is a good time to try and get a really good deal.
My purposes are for small lake bass fishing. Could you please look at the following two boats and tell me if they are worth the money and what I should offer? Considering the time of year here...it is a good time to buy one because most people are not looking forward to having to store theirs all winter so they are going relatively cheap.
Boat #1 http://lansing.craigslist.org/boa/3332852871.html
This boat has a motor that the guy says is not working properly but he is "sure that it is a small problem". Also, the tongue on the trailer is bent and there is not a cover for it. The work that is done on it looks all custom and he will include the trolling motor that can be seen. I do not think it is worth $2500, but at what price would this boat be considered a good deal?
Boat #2 http://lansing.craigslist.org/boa/3272316051.html
Everything on this boat seems to work, it has many more features and a cover. Nothing is wrong with the trailer or boat according to the guy selling. He said he is firm on $2500. What do you guys think?
Thank you for all of your help!
jkarol24 reply :
These two boats are very hard to compare as they are very different.
Boat number one is going to be less comfy to fish from, obviously much slower and limited to small water, but easier to launch and cheaper on gas. However, the motor is a major concern and i wouldn't touch it without the advice of a well-respected mechanic. Most of the value is in that motor so this should be your main concern.
Boat number 2 is going to be faster, more comfy to fish from, access to big waters, and can be used to fish with multiple people or in a tourney. However, there is going to be more secondary cost due to a lot more gas consumption and more expensive motor repairs if a problem arises (again, have a mechanic give it a full sweep). From appearance, this boat could also use a new trolling motor. If everything passes inspection, the asking price is pretty fair (i would offer 2k cash).
NBR reply :
Because of the trailer tongue I wouldn't touch #1. #2 would be my choice after some due diligence on motor and transom condition.
slonezp reply :
Boat #1 without a working motor and damaged trailer is worth less than a grand. Boat #2, I agree with NBR. Have a shop take a look at the motor and structural integrity of the vessel.
J Francho reply :
Trailer tongue is a $35 part. The first boat is wildly over priced. In working condition, they go for $800 - 1200. The second boat might be a decent deal, but something that old scares me. Have a good boat mechanic do a full inspection.
Nitrofreak reply :
I agree here too.
Boat #1 I would not even enquire about, even if there were no issues, if you have ever fished from a V-hull you would not care for it as much after fishing from a platform flat bottom or even a glasser, but that is just my honest opinion, no matter the shape of everything, good or bad, not saying they are bad to have, just the one my daughter has is a 14' king fisher V-hull and after spending some time in that one, wide flat bottoms are the way to go, at least for me, the wider the better, so if you are thinking about aluminum boats, I would suggest looking into wide flat bottom boats, one other thing I noticed is there is no drain that I can see in the boat for water to drain into the hull area, a drain and a builge pump would have to be installed, I see no access to the hull to bail water should there need be.
Boat #2 I would say it looks to be taken care of but pictures do not do boats any justice, nothing beats looking at them in person, if the waters you plan on fishing allow good use of a glasser then I would have to think about this one as a possibility, especially if you are planning on expanding your water usage to larger bodies of water, one thing to keep in mind is the cost of owning a glasser, maintaining a glasser is a little more costly than a wide flat bottom, things like taxes etc... may have to be a factor as well, but the glasser is much more stable under conditions the flat bottom would be questionable in.
No matter what you decide make sure you have a reputable shop look everything over for you and also make sure you have the owner take you for a ride, don't buy it if the owner declines you for one or both, if at all possible fish from the boat for a few hours, that will most definately help you with a decision.
Good luck and be safe !!!
SAC2 reply :
being a small water fisherman (a lake in my state is probably a pond in yours) i look for a few things in a boat. i have been searching craigslist as well for stuff and have narrowed down my decisions on whats important. ease of launching on a small lake (<40 acres), stability, agility, and strength. I'm not out there trying to go 65+mph across the lake. my choice of motor size would be no greater than 60 probably. also, most of the lakes i fish are either shallow and rocky, or shallow and full of stumps. because of this, fiberglass isnt really an option for me. since im not fishing big lakes, maneuverability is also important. anything over around 17 feet it kind of unwieldy around here. so basically what im saying is take into consideration the waters you plan to fish, and your needs. for me the ideal boat is a 17 foot aluminum mod-v with a 40 horse on the back. for you, it may be very different
j.bruno reply :
Thats easy... Boat #1 in my eyes isnt even a bass boat. Plus that price is not even in the parking lot of the ball park. Id pick boat #2 probably. OR id go make this guy an offer.
http://centralmich.craigslist.org/boa/3319022495.html
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/15/2012 at 2:24 PM, jkarol24 said:These two boats are very hard to compare as they are very different.
Boat number one is going to be less comfy to fish from, obviously much slower and limited to small water, but easier to launch and cheaper on gas. However, the motor is a major concern and i wouldn't touch it without the advice of a well-respected mechanic. Most of the value is in that motor so this should be your main concern.
Boat number 2 is going to be faster, more comfy to fish from, access to big waters, and can be used to fish with multiple people or in a tourney. However, there is going to be more secondary cost due to a lot more gas consumption and more expensive motor repairs if a problem arises (again, have a mechanic give it a full sweep). From appearance, this boat could also use a new trolling motor. If everything passes inspection, the asking price is pretty fair (i would offer 2k cash).
Comment #1: That was what I was thinking. The guy saying "He's not a mechanic, but is sure it is an easy fix is troubling" I put it on the list due to reasons I will list at the end. I appreciate your evaluation of the comfort aspect. I have a girlfriend that I fish with and she appreciates being to chill while I fish.
Comment#2: The secondary costs are what is the major concern for me. From talking to the guy. He said everything is in perfect working order. I am not an expert on boat prices or what one should get for a certain amount of money, but it seemed like a decent deal since he said everything was working and obviously there is the asking price and the actual price. How fast it goes, is not a huge deal to me. Being able to keep it for a while and possibly upgrade to tourneys in the future is. I don't want something that is going to be a hassle. My mechanical knowledge of boats is very novice.
On 10/15/2012 at 11:09 PM, Nitrofreak said:I agree here too.
Boat #1 I would not even enquire about, even if there were no issues, if you have ever fished from a V-hull you would not care for it as much after fishing from a platform flat bottom or even a glasser, but that is just my honest opinion, no matter the shape of everything, good or bad, not saying they are bad to have, just the one my daughter has is a 14' king fisher V-hull and after spending some time in that one, wide flat bottoms are the way to go, at least for me, the wider the better, so if you are thinking about aluminum boats, I would suggest looking into wide flat bottom boats, one other thing I noticed is there is no drain that I can see in the boat for water to drain into the hull area, a drain and a builge pump would have to be installed, I see no access to the hull to bail water should there need be.
Boat #2 I would say it looks to be taken care of but pictures do not do boats any justice, nothing beats looking at them in person, if the waters you plan on fishing allow good use of a glasser then I would have to think about this one as a possibility, especially if you are planning on expanding your water usage to larger bodies of water, one thing to keep in mind is the cost of owning a glasser, maintaining a glasser is a little more costly than a wide flat bottom, things like taxes etc... may have to be a factor as well, but the glasser is much more stable under conditions the flat bottom would be questionable in.
No matter what you decide make sure you have a reputable shop look everything over for you and also make sure you have the owner take you for a ride, don't buy it if the owner declines you for one or both, if at all possible fish from the boat for a few hours, that will most definately help you with a decision.
Good luck and be safe !!!
Comment #1: Thank you for your comments as well about comfortability and needing a bilge! Yeah, I told the guy he was asking way too much. I inquired about it for reasons I'll post at the end. Thank you for pointing out the issues. Did not notice the ones you mentioned. It looked like it could be comfortable because of the decks and such and I could stand up and flip into places, but seemingly not so.
Comment #2: I do know a good mechanic who could look at it. Although he knows a lot about "Cars" and older motors, he is not a specialist in boat motors. I do not know how different the two motor types are. The guy is claiming flawlessness in every gauge and in both the big motor and the trolling motor. He states the price is "Firm". Being the time of year it is here, I feel it is more of a buyers market which is why I am looking right now.
On 10/15/2012 at 11:28 PM, SAC2 said:being a small water fisherman (a lake in my state is probably a pond in yours) i look for a few things in a boat. i have been searching craigslist as well for stuff and have narrowed down my decisions on whats important. ease of launching on a small lake (<40 acres), stability, agility, and strength. I'm not out there trying to go 65+mph across the lake. my choice of motor size would be no greater than 60 probably. also, most of the lakes i fish are either shallow and rocky, or shallow and full of stumps. because of this, fiberglass isnt really an option for me. since im not fishing big lakes, maneuverability is also important. anything over around 17 feet it kind of unwieldy around here. so basically what im saying is take into consideration the waters you plan to fish, and your needs. for me the ideal boat is a 17 foot aluminum mod-v with a 40 horse on the back. for you, it may be very different
I would say the average lake I fish are around 100 acres. I have not had the chance to fish lakes like you have mentioned where worrying about stumps, rocky bottoms etc. is a huge concern. That being said, we have ideas in common. At the time my main thing I am looking to do is a get a boat that I can fish for bass and fish reasonably well. Let this be known, I've been mainly fishing from a pontoon boat or a kayak and paddle boat. My main concern is having something comfortable and in my price range that I can troll around in and fish docks, cover, etc. Seeing that #2 was even in my price range was great. All of those additions (speed, body style, etc.) are added bonuses and if that is what I can get for my money. I would be happy. The lakes I fish are not very tough. I won't be taking it out to lake michigan mainly 100 acre lakes give or take. But I want to find new lakes to fish, so the flexibility in a bigger boat would be nice.
On 10/16/2012 at 3:48 AM, j.bruno said:Thats easy... Boat #1 in my eyes isnt even a bass boat. Plus that price is not even in the parking lot of the ball park. Id pick boat #2 probably. OR id go make this guy an offer.
http://centralmich.c...3319022495.html
Thanks for your inquiry Bruno. Let me try to explain my situation a little better so you can better understand where I am coming from. I do not have a lot of money to put into this investment. I said $2500 as being the absolute max. This needs to include the taxes I have to pay, and any fixes or additions to the boat in particular that I will have to do. I would like to get on the water more. I only get to fish half the weekends in a month and that is because I do not have a boat of my own. I am using friends/families equipment.
If I could do it right and get something impressive I certainly would. At this point, I am a college student who is fishing as a hobby. I do not make money from fishing I do it as tradition passed down to me from my family and I simply enjoy it. I feel I would enjoy it much more if I made an investment and got something that would allow me to troll around and find proper fish holding environments, meanwhile being able to be much more suitable than a kayak etc. Gas money I am not particularly worried about, I do not plan to go flying around in the boat just for fun, my main goal is fishing. A 100 horsepower motor eats gas regardless and so does hauling the boat I understand that, but I can make adjustments there. Having to buy a new motor, having to fix a broken trailer are the types of events that are very problematic.
That being said I will try to make this clearer. $2500 is the absolute max I can put into this. I put boat #1 and #2 up because they each had nice casting platforms and I feel I could utilizing the trolling motor to troll around in. Plus they are examples of two different styles that I have seen come up from my searches. I mentioned boat #1 not in equivalent comparison to boat #2. The second boat is much nicer and much more capable. Also, it is more expensive. I figure if I could get boat #1 for really cheap this may be the way I want to go (or a similar boat). Also, if I could get boat #2 without it being ridiculously expensive then I would be gracious to have a boat like that. The boat you listed Bruno from Central Michigan does look like a nice boat. It is listed at $3500, that means if he has trouble selling it he may entertain a much lower offer if he needs it gone. The time of year here in michigan is not great if your a looking to sell a boat. The lakes water levels are dropping and people are beginning to think about storing these boats. I have the ability to store and pull, I just need the right boat.
Thank you all and I look forward to hearing your comments and recommendations with the added insight that was given. I appreciate everyone's input and the time given to help. Thank you.
j.bruno reply :
I hear ya man. I recently bought a 1989 Ranger. He was asking $3500... I got it for $2500... Maybe that guy needs to buy pampers and enfamil. The guy i bought mine from did LOL. Id try to talk the guy on boat #2 down. The guy selling boat #1 is living in a dream world trying to sell that for that price.
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/16/2012 at 5:10 AM, j.bruno said:I hear ya man. I recently bought a 1989 Ranger. He was asking $3500... I got it for $2500... Maybe that guy needs to buy pampers and enfamil. The guy i bought mine from did LOL. Id try to talk the guy on boat #2 down. The guy selling boat #1 is living in a dream world trying to sell that for that price.
I agree lol. That's interesting with the pamper's. Don't think I wanna get into that discussion. I'll make an offer on boat #2 and see what he says, if he entertains I'll go down there and look at it myself with my "mechanic" friend. I wish I had a more reliable motor expert, but that's all I got.
What are the main questions I should be asking the guy who is selling boat #2. And what should I be looking at specifically to tell the integrity of the ride. Also, boat #2 does not have a trailer title, what does that mean?
BKeith reply :
A couple of words of advise. As a minimun, DO A COMPRESSION CHECK ON THE MOTOR!!! there should be no more than five pounds difference between the four cylinders.
Take a couple of 3/4" wrenches and try to tighten the bolts holding the motor on the boat. If they tighten and pull start pulling down into the transome, walk away from it.
Get in it and walk around on the floor, if it's soft and gives way in places, again, walk away
Take a large screw driver and take the bottom plug out of the lower unit, let and little oil drain an make sure it's black and no drops of water come out first.
Turn the steering wheel from stop to stop and make sure it turns easily. Steering cables are expensive and a pain to replace
Take it to the lake and test drive it. No test drive, no buy.
If you buy it, replace the water pump impeller and change the lube in the lower unit, and pack the wheel bearing on the trailer the very first thing
On boat #1, see how much the guy is willing to pay you to dispose of it for him. You couldn't give me that piece of crap.
Nitrofreak reply :
Comment #1: Thank you for your comments as well about comfortability and needing a bilge! Yeah, I told the guy he was asking way too much. I inquired about it for reasons I'll post at the end. Thank you for pointing out the issues. Did not notice the ones you mentioned. It looked like it could be comfortable because of the decks and such and I could stand up and flip into places, but seemingly not so.
Comment #2: I do know a good mechanic who could look at it. Although he knows a lot about "Cars" and older motors, he is not a specialist in boat motors. I do not know how different the two motor types are. The guy is claiming flawlessness in every gauge and in both the big motor and the trolling motor. He states the price is "Firm". Being the time of year it is here, I feel it is more of a buyers market which is why I am looking right now.
I have been an automotive tech for 39 years, his opinion is better than none at all, take what he has to say under great consideration, all he has to keep in mind is that this is a giant weedeater, it's still a 2 stroke engine no mater how you look at it, boat engines are not all that different than car/truck engines, they still need air fuel and spark to run, the electronics on the other hand is where some get confused, make sure the amount of corrosion he see's is not accessive in areas, some will be normal, check around the master panel, console areas and guages, batteries as well along with areas under the engine cover.
Steering, look for accessive play up and down left and right on the colum itself, as you start to turn the wheel, note the amount of free travel before the engine assembly starts to move in one direction or the other, a small amount is normal, make sure it turns free as well, have your friend hold a small amount of pressure on the engine assy as you rotate the steering wheel left and right, if the steering binds or becomes very difficult to turn there is a issue in the steering.
One of the most important things you need to check is the transom, as stated above in BKeith's post, just drawing on the bolts will tell you a lot about the shape the trasnsom is in, one more check that will help aid in this is to push down on the bottom of the trans assy while the engine/trans assy is at a 45 degree angle , if the transom does not move or the engine assy does not move then the transom should be ok, small movement in the engine/trans assy may be noticed while you are performing this check, it could be from a small amount of play in the bushings on the engine mount bracket that is mounted on the transom, this is normal, regaurdless the transom should not move.
Lay down under the boat and look at the hull, there should be no damage, any repairs that are obvious could be a major concern while on the water.
BKeith's post above is a very good post, do everything he has suggested if you are going to consider this glasser, as for the price he is asking, IF everything is as he says it is and all of the checks are made and pass, the price seems fair to me, but your not done until he takes you out in the boat, drive it before you buy it, fish a cove or two with it and see if you are comfortable on the front of the boat.
It's not the only boat that will be on the market, be open minded and take your time, you want your first boat to be as hassel free as possible, this one at least looks like it may have potential.
Good luck and be safe !!!
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/16/2012 at 4:05 PM, BKeith said:A couple of words of advise. As a minimun, DO A COMPRESSION CHECK ON THE MOTOR!!! there should be no more than five pounds difference between the four cylinders.
Take a couple of 3/4" wrenches and try to tighten the bolts holding the motor on the boat. If they tighten and pull start pulling down into the transome, walk away from it.
Get in it and walk around on the floor, if it's soft and gives way in places, again, walk away
Take a large screw driver and take the bottom plug out of the lower unit, let and little oil drain an make sure it's black and no drops of water come out first.
Turn the steering wheel from stop to stop and make sure it turns easily. Steering cables are expensive and a pain to replace
Take it to the lake and test drive it. No test drive, no buy.
If you buy it, replace the water pump impeller and change the lube in the lower unit, and pack the wheel bearing on the trailer the very first thing
On boat #1, see how much the guy is willing to pay you to dispose of it for him. You couldn't give me that piece of crap.
Thank you for your comments. These are all things that I would not have checked and/or things that I do not believe my mechanic would have looked for specifically. I really appreciate you taking the time to go over the details with me, it is much appreciated. I see the issues that could come about from the failing of these tests.
Could you explain what exactly this process is and accomplishes? "If you buy it, replace the water pump impeller and change the lube in the lower unit, and pack the wheel bearing on the trailer the very first thing"
By changing the lube do you mean giving it an oil change? What is the water pump impeller? What is packing the wheel bearing on a trailer? What exactly should I look for to know the integrity of the trailer is there?
On 10/16/2012 at 9:02 PM, Nitrofreak said:Comment #1: Thank you for your comments as well about comfortability and needing a bilge! Yeah, I told the guy he was asking way too much. I inquired about it for reasons I'll post at the end. Thank you for pointing out the issues. Did not notice the ones you mentioned. It looked like it could be comfortable because of the decks and such and I could stand up and flip into places, but seemingly not so.
Comment #2: I do know a good mechanic who could look at it. Although he knows a lot about "Cars" and older motors, he is not a specialist in boat motors. I do not know how different the two motor types are. The guy is claiming flawlessness in every gauge and in both the big motor and the trolling motor. He states the price is "Firm". Being the time of year it is here, I feel it is more of a buyers market which is why I am looking right now.
I have been an automotive tech for 39 years, his opinion is better than none at all, take what he has to say under great consideration, all he has to keep in mind is that this is a giant weedeater, it's still a 2 stroke engine no mater how you look at it, boat engines are not all that different than car/truck engines, they still need air fuel and spark to run, the electronics on the other hand is where some get confused, make sure the amount of corrosion he see's is not accessive in areas, some will be normal, check around the master panel, console areas and guages, batteries as well along with areas under the engine cover.
Steering, look for accessive play up and down left and right on the colum itself, as you start to turn the wheel, note the amount of free travel before the engine assembly starts to move in one direction or the other, a small amount is normal, make sure it turns free as well, have your friend hold a small amount of pressure on the engine assy as you rotate the steering wheel left and right, if the steering binds or becomes very difficult to turn there is a issue in the steering.
One of the most important things you need to check is the transom, as stated above in BKeith's post, just drawing on the bolts will tell you a lot about the shape the trasnsom is in, one more check that will help aid in this is to push down on the bottom of the trans assy while the engine/trans assy is at a 45 degree angle , if the transom does not move or the engine assy does not move then the transom should be ok, small movement in the engine/trans assy may be noticed while you are performing this check, it could be from a small amount of play in the bushings on the engine mount bracket that is mounted on the transom, this is normal, regaurdless the transom should not move.
Lay down under the boat and look at the hull, there should be no damage, any repairs that are obvious could be a major concern while on the water.
BKeith's post above is a very good post, do everything he has suggested if you are going to consider this glasser, as for the price he is asking, IF everything is as he says it is and all of the checks are made and pass, the price seems fair to me, but your not done until he takes you out in the boat, drive it before you buy it, fish a cove or two with it and see if you are comfortable on the front of the boat.
It's not the only boat that will be on the market, be open minded and take your time, you want your first boat to be as hassel free as possible, this one at least looks like it may have potential.
Good luck and be safe !!!
Your last statement I completely agree with you. I should not be in a hurry that is where mistakes are made. I have seen this happen many times with people buying cars.
In regards to your descriptive details as for what to look for your. You and Keith did an excellent job describing what I need to do. I will pass all this information along to my mechanic. Although I am not familiar with all the terms you guys used, a quick diagram search will surely clear those issues.
To basically summarize what I feel you guys are making sure I check.
1.) I do not know how to do a compression check, but I feel that basically has to do with the fluidity of how the motor runs. I feel confident that my mechanic will be able to diagnose the motor pretty well.
2.) The boat specific parts where you guys are talking about the 'transom' and is new terminology to me. Is the process of checking those bolts, basically a way of making sure the motor is securely attached to the boat. If it did give, does that speak to problems with the motor, or the frame that holds the motor? Basically Should I just be checking to make sure there is no play in the motor at all during all operations? Such as the 45 degree angle trans pressure, and the tightening of the bolts?
3.) Walking around the boat makes sense, soft spots speak to rotted out/broken materials. As well as checking he integrity of the hull. How noticeable would fixes to the hull be?
4.) As far as the steering, basically as I steer left and right, it should move with consistent pressure each direction without any stoppage until it reaches its max turn?
5.) Should I ask the guy to basically take me out for a ride on the lake with it? I am not sure I will be able to do this, due to geographical concerns. Is it a terrible decision to buy a boat without test driving it on the water first? Or can one judge integrity from starting the engine on land and judging based off of those conditions?
My last questions surrounds if I do encounter any of these issues? Should any failure of any of these tests immediately result in a search for a different boat?
Do you guys feel with my mechanical knowledge that a glasser would be the best fit for the situation I am in? The idea of having one sounds like a dream to fish in, but it could also turn into a nightmare potentially. If all the checks pass, am I likely to be receiving a boat that will not cause many problems? (I am going off of probability here, obviously there isn't certainty)
Thank you guys very much! I was not going to do any of these checks before buying, WOW
skeletor6 reply :
What do you guys think about this boat? http://cgi.ebay.com/...9#ht_2144wt_754
It does not have a motor, but seems like I could maybe put a cheap one in. Why would a boat not have a motor? That is confusing. If I could get that for ~$2500 it seems like it has future potential and value. What do you think?
And this one http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/16-1990-Procraft-w-trailer-60HP-Mariner-Minkota-elec-motor-2-fishfind-MORE-/271081553777?pt=Fishing_Boats&hash=item3f1db83f71#ht_500wt_1182
J Francho reply :
Repowering that boat will not be cheap. The hull does look pretty clean. Personally, I'd get something turnkey.
slonezp reply :
On 10/17/2012 at 3:36 PM, skeletor6 said:What do you guys think about this boat? http://cgi.ebay.com/...9#ht_2144wt_754
It does not have a motor, but seems like I could maybe put a cheap one in. Why would a boat not have a motor? That is confusing. If I could get that for ~$2500 it seems like it has future potential and value. What do you think?
And this one http://cgi.ebay.com/...1#ht_500wt_1182
First boat will cost you more to put a decent motor and controls on it. Probably a minimum 150hp. Probably cost more than the boat. 2nd one looks decent. Make sure you have the motor/hull checked out. If everything is in working order, that's less money you will have to spend to fix it up.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 10/17/2012 at 3:00 PM, skeletor6 said:Thank you for your comments. These are all things that I would not have checked and/or things that I do not believe my mechanic would have looked for specifically. I really appreciate you taking the time to go over the details with me, it is much appreciated. I see the issues that could come about from the failing of these tests.
Could you explain what exactly this process is and accomplishes? "If you buy it, replace the water pump impeller and change the lube in the lower unit, and pack the wheel bearing on the trailer the very first thing"
By changing the lube do you mean giving it an oil change? What is the water pump impeller? What is packing the wheel bearing on a trailer? What exactly should I look for to know the integrity of the trailer is there?
Your last statement I completely agree with you. I should not be in a hurry that is where mistakes are made. I have seen this happen many times with people buying cars.
In regards to your descriptive details as for what to look for your. You and Keith did an excellent job describing what I need to do. I will pass all this information along to my mechanic. Although I am not familiar with all the terms you guys used, a quick diagram search will surely clear those issues.
To basically summarize what I feel you guys are making sure I check.
1.) I do not know how to do a compression check, but I feel that basically has to do with the fluidity of how the motor runs. I feel confident that my mechanic will be able to diagnose the motor pretty well.
2.) The boat specific parts where you guys are talking about the 'transom' and is new terminology to me. Is the process of checking those bolts, basically a way of making sure the motor is securely attached to the boat. If it did give, does that speak to problems with the motor, or the frame that holds the motor? Basically Should I just be checking to make sure there is no play in the motor at all during all operations? Such as the 45 degree angle trans pressure, and the tightening of the bolts?
3.) Walking around the boat makes sense, soft spots speak to rotted out/broken materials. As well as checking he integrity of the hull. How noticeable would fixes to the hull be?
4.) As far as the steering, basically as I steer left and right, it should move with consistent pressure each direction without any stoppage until it reaches its max turn?
5.) Should I ask the guy to basically take me out for a ride on the lake with it? I am not sure I will be able to do this, due to geographical concerns. Is it a terrible decision to buy a boat without test driving it on the water first? Or can one judge integrity from starting the engine on land and judging based off of those conditions?
My last questions surrounds if I do encounter any of these issues? Should any failure of any of these tests immediately result in a search for a different boat?
Do you guys feel with my mechanical knowledge that a glasser would be the best fit for the situation I am in? The idea of having one sounds like a dream to fish in, but it could also turn into a nightmare potentially. If all the checks pass, am I likely to be receiving a boat that will not cause many problems? (I am going off of probability here, obviously there isn't certainty)
Thank you guys very much! I was not going to do any of these checks before buying, WOW
Lets take it one question at a time.
Q 1) A compression test will let you know what kind of shape the engine is in internally, mechanical issues that can be revealed by performing this test is very important, any weak cylinder will tell you that the engine will need some major work performed, this could be a result of carbon build up or internal damage, yes, your mechanic will be able to perform this test, make sure the compression is no less than 125 psi in each cylinder.
Q 2) The transom is the rear panel going across the rear of the boat or what we refer to as the STERN,(back of the boat) the tightening of the bolts you were refering to is checking the transom for ROT, the wood panel that runs across the back will rot away and it can be difficult to see, the bolts should not tighten if the wood in the transom is solid, the check that I suggested checks the joining areas of the transom to the rear of the boat at each side and at the bottom.
Q 3) It depends on who did the work, most owners will take it upon themselves to repair a hull by using shortcuts, if a pro repaired it you really should not see any damage, one give away will be that the jell coat on the bottom will look new, if the owner took a shortcut, most likely there will be a noticeable patch of some sort, it is normal to see some scratches or even a scrape or two, just make sure there is no exposed wood anywhere under there and no patches.
Q 4) Turn the steering left and right first with no given pressure to the engine, it should be free and smooth, then apply resistance to the engine by having your friend hold in the opposite direction you are turning the wheel, this checks for worn teeth in the steering rack assy located at the bottom of the steering wheel, it also checks the free play from the rack to the engine, a small amount will be normal, but anything more than an 1/8 of a turn before the engine starts to rotate left or right is showing signs of wear.
Q 5) Since this is your first boat, I would suggest that a test drive is not an option, without that I would definatly walk away from it, show him you are a serious buyer and he/she should have no issues taking you for a ride, I would be serious about fishing a cove or two with it as well to ensure the trolling motor, live wells etc... function as stated, make sure the nav lights and everything works while on the water.
The last question you have asked is about if any of these tests fail should you walk away, well since you have said you only have X amount of dollars to spend, looking at the price of the boat really puts you right there at your max dollar amount you are willing to spend, I would suggest that if any issues come up that you do walk away, it really depends on what you find wrong and how severe the issue is, obviously, if it fails the compression test, you don't want to purchace the boat but if you have a nav light or something simular to that small issue, that really should not be hard to fix, but what if it runs into a wire repair? well a wire repair is not that expensive either since your friend is a mechanic he should be able to assist you with getting that resolved.
As far as a glasser goes, I feel you will be glad you have one, one of two things come to mind when choosing a boat, 1st is where are you fishing with it, along with that question comes a host of others, will you ever travel to places that you wish you had one, open waters a glasser is much more stable in rougher waters, wind induced or boat traffic induced, storage for just about anything you have can be kept on a glasser, not quite as much as with a flat bottom.
2nd thing is knowing the waters you fish or eventually want to fish, can you do the same thing with a flat bottom boat? you can do anything with a flat bottom boat you can do with a glasser and then some, with a flat bottom you can get into some really shallow waters and manoeuvre it in some really tight areas, they are much more forgiving in cases such as banging a rock than a glasser would be, another thing is you have less to go wrong with a flat bottom, less wireing etc...
They both have their up's and down's you just need to decide how and where each will better suit you.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 10/17/2012 at 3:36 PM, skeletor6 said:What do you guys think about this boat? http://cgi.ebay.com/...9#ht_2144wt_754
It does not have a motor, but seems like I could maybe put a cheap one in. Why would a boat not have a motor? That is confusing. If I could get that for ~$2500 it seems like it has future potential and value. What do you think?
And this one http://cgi.ebay.com/...1#ht_500wt_1182
Boat #1) Unless you have an extra few thousand laying around somewhere, thats a no, and there is no such thing as finding a cheap replacement engine, it's just not gonna happen, I will say it is a pretty good looking ride though !!!
Boat #2) Keep looking !!!
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/17/2012 at 9:17 PM, J Francho said:Repowering that boat will not be cheap. The hull does look pretty clean. Personally, I'd get something turnkey.
You are right, I am seeing a common theme here. I can't afford the boat #1 listed on the second set of boats.
On 10/17/2012 at 9:42 PM, slonezp said:First boat will cost you more to put a decent motor and controls on it. Probably a minimum 150hp. Probably cost more than the boat. 2nd one looks decent. Make sure you have the motor/hull checked out. If everything is in working order, that's less money you will have to spend to fix it up.
Yeah the second boat I am actually really interested in unless there is a reason I shouldn't be. I spoke with the guy and he is willing to let me test drive and has answered all of the questions you guys told me to inspect. So, I will have to inspect these in person for myself and with my mechanic, but he says they all are in working order and without nay problems in all aspects mentioned.
Him willing to test drive is a +++
How much do you think that boat is worth? He has it listed for $1900, is that considered a flat bottom boat? I'm guessing its not a glasser.
On 10/18/2012 at 12:39 AM, Nitrofreak said:Boat #1) Unless you have an extra few thousand laying around somewhere, thats a no, and there is no such thing as finding a cheap replacement engine, it's just not gonna happen, I will say it is a pretty good looking ride though !!!
Boat #2) Keep looking !!!
Yeah you are right about boat #1. It would cost way too much and is out of reach.
Why should I not consider boat #2? It seems pretty decent.
On 10/18/2012 at 12:24 AM, Nitrofreak said:Lets take it one question at a time.
Q 1) A compression test will let you know what kind of shape the engine is in internally, mechanical issues that can be revealed by performing this test is very important, any weak cylinder will tell you that the engine will need some major work performed, this could be a result of carbon build up or internal damage, yes, your mechanic will be able to perform this test, make sure the compression is no less than 125 psi in each cylinder.
Q 2) The transom is the rear panel going across the rear of the boat or what we refer to as the STERN,(back of the boat) the tightening of the bolts you were refering to is checking the transom for ROT, the wood panel that runs across the back will rot away and it can be difficult to see, the bolts should not tighten if the wood in the transom is solid, the check that I suggested checks the joining areas of the transom to the rear of the boat at each side and at the bottom.
Q 3) It depends on who did the work, most owners will take it upon themselves to repair a hull by using shortcuts, if a pro repaired it you really should not see any damage, one give away will be that the jell coat on the bottom will look new, if the owner took a shortcut, most likely there will be a noticeable patch of some sort, it is normal to see some scratches or even a scrape or two, just make sure there is no exposed wood anywhere under there and no patches.
Q 4) Turn the steering left and right first with no given pressure to the engine, it should be free and smooth, then apply resistance to the engine by having your friend hold in the opposite direction you are turning the wheel, this checks for worn teeth in the steering rack assy located at the bottom of the steering wheel, it also checks the free play from the rack to the engine, a small amount will be normal, but anything more than an 1/8 of a turn before the engine starts to rotate left or right is showing signs of wear.
Q 5) Since this is your first boat, I would suggest that a test drive is not an option, without that I would definatly walk away from it, show him you are a serious buyer and he/she should have no issues taking you for a ride, I would be serious about fishing a cove or two with it as well to ensure the trolling motor, live wells etc... function as stated, make sure the nav lights and everything works while on the water.
The last question you have asked is about if any of these tests fail should you walk away, well since you have said you only have X amount of dollars to spend, looking at the price of the boat really puts you right there at your max dollar amount you are willing to spend, I would suggest that if any issues come up that you do walk away, it really depends on what you find wrong and how severe the issue is, obviously, if it fails the compression test, you don't want to purchace the boat but if you have a nav light or something simular to that small issue, that really should not be hard to fix, but what if it runs into a wire repair? well a wire repair is not that expensive either since your friend is a mechanic he should be able to assist you with getting that resolved.
As far as a glasser goes, I feel you will be glad you have one, one of two things come to mind when choosing a boat, 1st is where are you fishing with it, along with that question comes a host of others, will you ever travel to places that you wish you had one, open waters a glasser is much more stable in rougher waters, wind induced or boat traffic induced, storage for just about anything you have can be kept on a glasser, not quite as much as with a flat bottom.
2nd thing is knowing the waters you fish or eventually want to fish, can you do the same thing with a flat bottom boat? you can do anything with a flat bottom boat you can do with a glasser and then some, with a flat bottom you can get into some really shallow waters and manoeuvre it in some really tight areas, they are much more forgiving in cases such as banging a rock than a glasser would be, another thing is you have less to go wrong with a flat bottom, less wireing etc...
They both have their up's and down's you just need to decide how and where each will better suit you.
Thank you for the greatly informative post. I have saved these comments as a document and a printout that I will bring to all inspections. Thank you for writing it in a way that I can understand, since I am new to the terminology. Everything you mention makes since and your philosophy is consistent and in line with the philosophy I need for this purchase
Just curious, since I will be mostly fishing 100 acre lakes and I will not be taking it out on lake michigan or any 9 mile lake....would it be better to get a flatbottom? Getting into those tight areas I feel is great for catching fish. The only thing I encounter is going into shallow weedy areas. I have not encountered going through rocky bottomed, or having any wood obstructions. The glacier lakes here in michigan are pretty safe boat wise.
Look forward to hearing your comments on boat #2 posted on ebay. I'll quote the guys response.
"Mike
The engine runs fine I welcome you to put it in the water and check out all systems. You are also welcome to have a compression check or any other diagnostic done as well.
The hull is in excellent condition and the deck is solid no dry rot what so ever. It has all been inspected. I do not have a cover so the seats are the only questionable area.
These are easily replaced for a nominal cost if you would choose to do that. The trolling motor is perfect and the steering is excellent as I maintain all the greasable fittings regularly,
as well as the bearings on the trailer.
My reason for selling is that the transmission went out on my truck and it is $1800 to replace with a rebuilt one and due to family employment issues I find myself financially unable to come up with the funds otherwise in a timely manner."
Nitrofreak reply :
Well, what I was looking at is that it looks like a sun dried tomato, sun scortching can reek havoc on fiberglass and plastic parts, but if the owner is that coopertive it may be worth the trip, for me though 1900.00 is pretty steep for a boat that old and needing new interior.
I purchaced a 17 foot Nitro that needed a complete resoration, I first saw the boat I thought no way, the thing was black with dirt from sitting near a gravel road, he was asking the same price as this one, the trailer was even rusted with metal patch work he tried to hide with new paint, the engine ran but not well, compression was good so I thought carbs or electrical, ended up being both, I told the guy 500 was all I was willing to go, he cursed me and I gave him my phone number anyway just incase he were to reconsider, I have had the boat for a long time now but it has taken a lot of work, I knew what I was getting into and I am thinking there are better deals.
As for what you will be doing with the boat, I would think about either, and keep looking for either, try fishing from them both and get a feel for what you would like better, for what you will be doing you should enjoy both, fishing from them will make your decision much, much easier on you.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 10/18/2012 at 1:13 AM, skeletor6 said:is that considered a flat bottom boat? I'm guessing its not a glasser.
The boat in question is a glasser or what we call a fiberglass boat, there are two types that are most common V-hull although some boats have more than one V but we wont get into that stuff we may do more harm than help, and there is also a flat bottom glasser, most of those are on show boats where you can look down through the bottom of the boat and see under the boat, some are pure glass others are a fiberglass mix, or fiberglass just as this one is and used for other commercial fishing etc...
V hull gets its name from the way the hull looks up front, in this case look at the boat hull it looks like a V, flat bottom boats that I was talking about was actually an aluminum flat bottom boat, much like the one in the first picture but instead of the V hull it has a flat bottom almost all the way toward the front or bow of the boat.
Aluminum flat bottom boats are much lighter and can be dressed up with storage lockers, live wells, fishing platforms, etc... if you can find a good deal on one you can make it what you want it to be and make it fit your needs, just make sure it's a wide one not a long skinny one, like posted before the wider the better and more stable it will be for you.
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/18/2012 at 2:58 AM, Nitrofreak said:Well, what I was looking at is that it looks like a sun dried tomato, sun scortching can reek havoc on fiberglass and plastic parts, but if the owner is that coopertive it may be worth the trip, for me though 1900.00 is pretty steep for a boat that old and needing new interior.
I purchaced a 17 foot Nitro that needed a complete resoration, I first saw the boat I thought no way, the thing was black with dirt from sitting near a gravel road, he was asking the same price as this one, the trailer was even rusted with metal patch work he tried to hide with new paint, the engine ran but not well, compression was good so I thought carbs or electrical, ended up being both, I told the guy 500 was all I was willing to go, he cursed me and I gave him my phone number anyway just incase he were to reconsider, I have had the boat for a long time now but it has taken a lot of work, I knew what I was getting into and I am thinking there are better deals.
As for what you will be doing with the boat, I would think about either, and keep looking for either, try fishing from them both and get a feel for what you would like better, for what you will be doing you should enjoy both, fishing from them will make your decision much, much easier on you.
Very nice boat Nitro! I know you put some time into it, but I would take it off your hands for $500 
The shape of the interior is not a huge concern for me. I know it is ridiculously expensive to have to replace all the carpeting and give it a new paint job, but ergonomics is my #1 concern. I just want to fish!! and I feel the condition of the interior is a good way to barter the price down. What do you think this boat is ultimately worth? "http://cgi.ebay.com/...1#ht_500wt_1182"
Are those fish finders any good? The Hummingbird 160 and 540? And how about the trolling motor with the new battery, any comments on that?
The boat seems like it could be a good fit for the right price. Or is the shape of this boat not going to be comfortable to fish from? Also, I do not see a great place for my girlfriend to lay out and tan..... 
Okay I am going to make an assumption about your post right about mine. The boat I am questioning is considered a "glasser" and is 'v-hull' because of that shape in the front?
Sam reply :
What Jason Karol wrote X2.
Have a marine tech check out the boat, motor and trailer for hidden defects and problems.
Good luck.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 10/18/2012 at 12:59 PM, skeletor6 said:Very nice boat Nitro! I know you put some time into it, but I would take it off your hands for $500
The shape of the interior is not a huge concern for me. I know it is ridiculously expensive to have to replace all the carpeting and give it a new paint job, but ergonomics is my #1 concern. I just want to fish!! and I feel the condition of the interior is a good way to barter the price down. What do you think this boat is ultimately worth? "http://cgi.ebay.com/...1#ht_500wt_1182"
Are those fish finders any good? The Hummingbird 160 and 540? And how about the trolling motor with the new battery, any comments on that?
The boat seems like it could be a good fit for the right price. Or is the shape of this boat not going to be comfortable to fish from? Also, I do not see a great place for my girlfriend to lay out and tan.....
Okay I am going to make an assumption about your post right about mine. The boat I am questioning is considered a "glasser" and is 'v-hull' because of that shape in the front?
First, Thanx, it means a lot !!!, and No thanx it's not for sale LOL , especially for 500 bucks Ha Ha, I still have too much fun with her anyway.
As for the price, it's really not how much it's worth to me, how much would it be worth for you? I have a sentimental side that plays with prices, this cat needs the money it seems for financial reasons and I feel his pain, that is if his story is true, so I would be willing to go as high as what the boat actually blue books at, maybe a touch more to help the guy out, see what the actual value of the boat is worth and go from there would be my suggestion, it sounds like he is willing to do anything to get rid of this boat so be careful with these kind of situations.
As for the sonar units, I have no opinion, I have not ever seen nor used any of them to give you an honest answer, but on your test drive you can check them out, as long as they work and show good detail of the structure below the boat, they will be good units.
The trolling motor should be ok, I personally do not like cable drives for the simple fact of, I am old LOL !!
I like to stand the whole time I am fishing and having one leg propped up on a pedal wears me out, but you have a good chair on the front so it should be a comfortable fit.
Your assumption is correct, it is a V-Hull glasser.
As for you girl not having any room to lay out and tan, no comment LOL !!
Once you take everything into concideration, one thing that I would suggest is to have someone with you that has operated a boat or that owns a boat that you trust to tell you the truth and let them drive the boat, since this is your first one the more feedback you can get the better.
As a last opinion I would suggest the same as Sam and Jason, if there is a boat shop somewhere that you trust, no one will be able to tell you more than they can, an honest opinion from them is worth more than the price of the boat, your safety is second to nothing when it comes to purchacing a boat, especially your first one.
Let us know what you decide !!!
Good luck and be safe !!!
shady oaks reply :
On 10/17/2012 at 3:36 PM, skeletor6 said:What do you guys think about this boat? http://cgi.ebay.com/...9#ht_2144wt_754
It does not have a motor, but seems like I could maybe put a cheap one in. Why would a boat not have a motor? That is confusing. If I could get that for ~$2500 it seems like it has future potential and value. What do you think?
And this one http://cgi.ebay.com/...1#ht_500wt_1182
I found boat 2 on Kalamazoo's CL. He listed it there at 1600 last week. And on that note, be diligent and check all CL cities within the distance you are willing to travel. And if you have a smartphone the CL app is awesome. When you search "bass boat" or "fishing boat" it will search what ever distance you put in.
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/18/2012 at 6:08 PM, Sam said:What Jason Karol wrote X2.
Have a marine tech check out the boat, motor and trailer for hidden defects and problems.
Good luck.
I will see if I can find one willing to go down with me. Thanks Sam and Jason.
On 10/18/2012 at 9:34 PM, Nitrofreak said:First, Thanx, it means a lot !!!, and No thanx it's not for sale LOL , especially for 500 bucks Ha Ha, I still have too much fun with her anyway.
As for the price, it's really not how much it's worth to me, how much would it be worth for you? I have a sentimental side that plays with prices, this cat needs the money it seems for financial reasons and I feel his pain, that is if his story is true, so I would be willing to go as high as what the boat actually blue books at, maybe a touch more to help the guy out, see what the actual value of the boat is worth and go from there would be my suggestion, it sounds like he is willing to do anything to get rid of this boat so be careful with these kind of situations.
As for the sonar units, I have no opinion, I have not ever seen nor used any of them to give you an honest answer, but on your test drive you can check them out, as long as they work and show good detail of the structure below the boat, they will be good units.
The trolling motor should be ok, I personally do not like cable drives for the simple fact of, I am old LOL !!
I like to stand the whole time I am fishing and having one leg propped up on a pedal wears me out, but you have a good chair on the front so it should be a comfortable fit.
Your assumption is correct, it is a V-Hull glasser.
As for you girl not having any room to lay out and tan, no comment LOL !!
Once you take everything into concideration, one thing that I would suggest is to have someone with you that has operated a boat or that owns a boat that you trust to tell you the truth and let them drive the boat, since this is your first one the more feedback you can get the better.
As a last opinion I would suggest the same as Sam and Jason, if there is a boat shop somewhere that you trust, no one will be able to tell you more than they can, an honest opinion from them is worth more than the price of the boat, your safety is second to nothing when it comes to purchacing a boat, especially your first one.
Let us know what you decide !!!
Good luck and be safe !!!
Well the cheapest I can get it for is obviously the best for me. If the guys financial situation is not well, I feel his pain, but that might allow me to get a good deal on the boat too. I was more asking the price to see how low a reasonable offer would be on the boat.
So this style trolling motor has to be used while sitting down on the front chair? What style do you use and how does it differ as far as ergonomics and use? It is not a deal-breaker, but I would prefer to stand while casting and fishing. Like standing and moving close to a dock or some cover and skipping underneath it or into it and multiple points.
On 10/19/2012 at 4:46 AM, shady oaks said:I found boat 2 on Kalamazoo's CL. He listed it there at 1600 last week. And on that note, be diligent and check all CL cities within the distance you are willing to travel. And if you have a smartphone the CL app is awesome. When you search "bass boat" or "fishing boat" it will search what ever distance you put in.
Thanks Shady!....That is very interesting, he must have trouble selling it at some point. Having it listed for 300 more is strange. I can certainly use the information you provided and point that out to haggle with the price.
I do have a smartphone, I will download the CL App and see how it works for me. There are often deals on CL for many different items so I check it often.
Yeah I found the other listing right here http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/boa/3271847751.html
He said its a 3 day price? Whatever that means, if he was willing to sell it at 1600 at one time a week ago, I feel it would be legitimate at lower than $1600 now that it has been up for close to two weeks and has yet to sell. As mentioned earlier, it is not a good time to sell boats in Michigan right now due to the upcoming winter. So I would have the upper hand on the negotiation especially if he is desperate.
How much would it cost to get a cover for a boat like this? I dont think there is one.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 10/19/2012 at 5:35 AM, skeletor6 said:I will see if I can find one willing to go down with me. Thanks Sam and Jason.
Well the cheapest I can get it for is obviously the best for me. If the guys financial situation is not well, I feel his pain, but that might allow me to get a good deal on the boat too. I was more asking the price to see how low a reasonable offer would be on the boat.
So this style trolling motor has to be used while sitting down on the front chair? What style do you use and how does it differ as far as ergonomics and use? It is not a deal-breaker, but I would prefer to stand while casting and fishing. Like standing and moving close to a dock or some cover and skipping underneath it or into it and multiple points.
Thanks Shady!....That is very interesting, he must have trouble selling it at some point. Having it listed for 300 more is strange. I can certainly use the information you provided and point that out to haggle with the price.
I do have a smartphone, I will download the CL App and see how it works for me. There are often deals on CL for many different items so I check it often.
Yeah I found the other listing right here http://kalamazoo.cra...3271847751.html
He said its a 3 day price? Whatever that means, if he was willing to sell it at 1600 at one time a week ago, I feel it would be legitimate at lower than $1600 now that it has been up for close to two weeks and has yet to sell. As mentioned earlier, it is not a good time to sell boats in Michigan right now due to the upcoming winter. So I would have the upper hand on the negotiation especially if he is desperate.
How much would it cost to get a cover for a boat like this? I dont think there is one.
See what we were saying LOL !!!
I would feel comfortable at 800 to 1,200 range, if everything worked, get the numbers off the boat and run a check for its actual value then deduct for carpet and sun damage, start on the low end of the scale and work your way up if you really are interested, that would be my suggestion or since this deal seams a little shady I would most likely just keep looking, again unless you are really interested in this boat.
A cover for this boat is around 40 bucks at Wal-Mart in my area, but they are what you pay for, the better the cover the more it costs.
As for the cable drive, the answer is no, you do not have to sit down to use this system, I was simply talking about being old or older LOL !!
I personally do not like to sit down and fish, my job requires me to be up all day on a concrete floor, sitting too long will make it hard for me to get up and down, therefor I am much more comfortable standing
For me I can still use that cable system but it makes my legs tired on windy days when you have to stand and be on top of the trolling motor all day with one leg higher than the other, the waters I fish are too deep for a power pole to be used and a lot of times I will just toss an anchor out.
The cable drives are awesome systems, what I have switched to is a flat foot pedal that is electronic, for me it works better and is much more comfortable to use, you may like the cable drive trolling motor control, so don't be discouraged by my opinion.
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/19/2012 at 7:07 PM, Nitrofreak said:See what we were saying LOL !!!
I would feel comfortable at 800 to 1,200 range, if everything worked, get the numbers off the boat and run a check for its actual value then deduct for carpet and sun damage, start on the low end of the scale and work your way up if you really are interested, that would be my suggestion or since this deal seams a little shady I would most likely just keep looking, again unless you are really interested in this boat.
A cover for this boat is around 40 bucks at Wal-Mart in my area, but they are what you pay for, the better the cover the more it costs.
As for the cable drive, the answer is no, you do not have to sit down to use this system, I was simply talking about being old or older LOL !!
I personally do not like to sit down and fish, my job requires me to be up all day on a concrete floor, sitting too long will make it hard for me to get up and down, therefor I am much more comfortable standing
For me I can still use that cable system but it makes my legs tired on windy days when you have to stand and be on top of the trolling motor all day with one leg higher than the other, the waters I fish are too deep for a power pole to be used and a lot of times I will just toss an anchor out.
The cable drives are awesome systems, what I have switched to is a flat foot pedal that is electronic, for me it works better and is much more comfortable to use, you may like the cable drive trolling motor control, so don't be discouraged by my opinion.
I do see you preference for the electronic system. That does seem nice for trolling, I am young enough to not be picky I guess. Sounds like you got a tough job. I am with you, I would rather be standing up and fishing I feel more can be accomplished this way and I would be more ready.
The owner contacted me again after me not responding to him for a couple days. I am trying to figure out if it is a shady deal, or if this guy just needs the money for other purposes and a boat isn't priority right now. The latter of the two is my hopeful scenario.
I am not in love with the boat by any means, but if I can get a "glasser" for $800-$1000 that doesn't end up being a money-pit I would be thoroughly satisfied. Since all I am really looking to do is get out there and fish effectively and to be able to do so on a consistent basis.
I get jealous of you guys who make it out there 50+ days a year. I went fishing maybe 20, and not with good results that I see many of the people onhere having. A boat like this should be able to allow me to get out more and practice and get better and more importantly have fun. Having to sit in a spot anchored down sucks. Trolling around with freedom at many different lakes sounds enjoyable and is enviable at the moment. 
Nitrofreak reply :
On 10/20/2012 at 12:52 PM, skeletor6 said:I do see you preference for the electronic system. That does seem nice for trolling, I am young enough to not be picky I guess. Sounds like you got a tough job. I am with you, I would rather be standing up and fishing I feel more can be accomplished this way and I would be more ready.
The owner contacted me again after me not responding to him for a couple days. I am trying to figure out if it is a shady deal, or if this guy just needs the money for other purposes and a boat isn't priority right now. The latter of the two is my hopeful scenario.
I am not in love with the boat by any means, but if I can get a "glasser" for $800-$1000 that doesn't end up being a money-pit I would be thoroughly satisfied. Since all I am really looking to do is get out there and fish effectively and to be able to do so on a consistent basis.
I get jealous of you guys who make it out there 50+ days a year. I went fishing maybe 20, and not with good results that I see many of the people onhere having. A boat like this should be able to allow me to get out more and practice and get better and more importantly have fun. Having to sit in a spot anchored down sucks. Trolling around with freedom at many different lakes sounds enjoyable and is enviable at the moment.
I am jealous of those who do as well, family and bills that have all but doubled on a lot of us this past presidential term have not let me get anywhere near the water but once this past year and only a handfull of times in the past 3 years.
A boat to troll around in is going to give you a lot of different things, I know you are excited about the prospect of being a new boat owner as we all are/were for the first time, but take your time and find the right match for you, get the best deal you can and the best fit for you and your girl.
The more you save the better the boat you will be able to purchace, or if you choose to you can upgrade some things on your purchace.
You stated you are not in love with the boat by any means, with that being said I would trust myself and keep looking for something that peaks your interest, if you are interested in something you wont mind doing your homework before you buy and taking good care of your purchace in the long run will come much more satisfying to you.
No matter what you decide we wish you the best of luck and we are looking forward to seeing what you get here in the future.
Good luck and be safe !!!
Sun Fish reply :
Here's my experince buying my first bass boat. This spring I purchased a 1980 HydraSport 158vee powered by a 1980 90hp Mercury on a whim not knowing anything about boats. The guy was asking for $2,900 and himself didn't know much about boats. He told me he got it on a whim at an estate auction for $1,200 with the soul purpose of selling it for a profit. When I bought the boat the seats were torn, the carpet was pretty ratty and the trailer needed new tires but I knew I could easily replace those things for not to much money. He started the outboard for me and it sounded alright, I liked the look and shape of the boat and was excited so we negotiated for $2,500 and I took home my first bass boat.
Here's a pic of it in his driveway from the craigslist listing.
I bought new trailer tires, carpet and seats shortly after I brought her home for roughly $450. I noticed a ding under the bow that was down to wood so I patched it myself with a typical fiberglass kit. I used the boat quite often over the early summer on an electric only lake and I was quite happy. I deicided it was time to prep it for bigger waters and took it to my local Marine mechanic to service my lower end only to find out that my lower unit is bone dry and my prop shaft is bent. I got scared that I might have bought a complete lemon, did a compression test on the motor and thanked god all the cylinders were over 120.
The mechanic recommended I look for a used lower unit which I found on ebay for around $250. He explained to me how to install it while he put on a new water pump for me in his shop. I did so and now my outboard is running great. So aside from the initial cost the boat ended up costing me about $3200 not including the other stuff I've upgraded like fish finders etc that wasnt necessary to get it fishing.
Here she is today, sorry for lack of a better picture I have yet to take one lol.
Now my thought's on my experiences on buying my first bass boat thus far. I've only had her out on a river where I can use the outboard but only for short distances 3 times and damaged my prop on the 2nd outing hitting a rock. That was another $100 to replace lol. Anyhow I have been having some trouble keeping the boat from porpoising after getting it up on plane but I think that's due to my inexperience driving it and also being over weight capacity by about 100lbs w/ 2 people on board. The boat has a 3 person 300lb max capacity which I didn't really put into much consideration until after I bought it and discovered my porpoising issue. I plan to take her out on much bigger waters next year and get more comfortable driving it to see if the porposing is truly an issue or just user error. All in all I love my boat but the more I fish from it and see other boats I wish I had a larger front deck, a rod locker and overall more storeage and plan to upgrade to a larger boat that meets FLW requirements in the future and will definately spend more time in my search.
The moral of the story, I don't feel like I got a good deal but I'm satisfied with my purchase and use it a hell of a lot wihch personally justifies my expense. I know it's a very exciting purchase but DONT RUSH into any boat, maybe save a little more money, you will eventually find a great deal that is everything that your looking for and absolutely follow the advice that has been given to you on checking out everything on the boat before purchasing.
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/22/2012 at 7:23 PM, Nitrofreak said:I am jealous of those who do as well, family and bills that have all but doubled on a lot of us this past presidential term have not let me get anywhere near the water but once this past year and only a handfull of times in the past 3 years.
A boat to troll around in is going to give you a lot of different things, I know you are excited about the prospect of being a new boat owner as we all are/were for the first time, but take your time and find the right match for you, get the best deal you can and the best fit for you and your girl.
The more you save the better the boat you will be able to purchace, or if you choose to you can upgrade some things on your purchace.
You stated you are not in love with the boat by any means, with that being said I would trust myself and keep looking for something that peaks your interest, if you are interested in something you wont mind doing your homework before you buy and taking good care of your purchace in the long run will come much more satisfying to you.
No matter what you decide we wish you the best of luck and we are looking forward to seeing what you get here in the future.
Good luck and be safe !!!
You could not have been more helpful. I thank you so much for all of your responses and efforts to get me to the intellectual point where I should be on this purchase. Furthermore, I would also like to thank all others for their contributions and experiences as well, I had no idea of the different items to look at or the horror stories that could result from buying the wrong way.
On 10/23/2012 at 8:06 AM, Sun Fish said:Here's my experince buying my first bass boat. This spring I purchased a 1980 HydraSport 158vee powered by a 1980 90hp Mercury on a whim not knowing anything about boats. The guy was asking for $2,900 and himself didn't know much about boats. He told me he got it on a whim at an estate auction for $1,200 with the soul purpose of selling it for a profit. When I bought the boat the seats were torn, the carpet was pretty ratty and the trailer needed new tires but I knew I could easily replace those things for not to much money. He started the outboard for me and it sounded alright, I liked the look and shape of the boat and was excited so we negotiated for $2,500 and I took home my first bass boat.
Here's a pic of it in his driveway from the craigslist listing.
I bought new trailer tires, carpet and seats shortly after I brought her home for roughly $450. I noticed a ding under the bow that was down to wood so I patched it myself with a typical fiberglass kit. I used the boat quite often over the early summer on an electric only lake and I was quite happy. I deicided it was time to prep it for bigger waters and took it to my local Marine mechanic to service my lower end only to find out that my lower unit is bone dry and my prop shaft is bent. I got scared that I might have bought a complete lemon, did a compression test on the motor and thanked god all the cylinders were over 120.
The mechanic recommended I look for a used lower unit which I found on ebay for around $250. He explained to me how to install it while he put on a new water pump for me in his shop. I did so and now my outboard is running great. So aside from the initial cost the boat ended up costing me about $3200 not including the other stuff I've upgraded like fish finders etc that wasnt necessary to get it fishing.
Here she is today, sorry for lack of a better picture I have yet to take one lol.
Now my thought's on my experiences on buying my first bass boat thus far. I've only had her out on a river where I can use the outboard but only for short distances 3 times and damaged my prop on the 2nd outing hitting a rock. That was another $100 to replace lol. Anyhow I have been having some trouble keeping the boat from porpoising after getting it up on plane but I think that's due to my inexperience driving it and also being over weight capacity by about 100lbs w/ 2 people on board. The boat has a 3 person 300lb max capacity which I didn't really put into much consideration until after I bought it and discovered my porpoising issue. I plan to take her out on much bigger waters next year and get more comfortable driving it to see if the porposing is truly an issue or just user error. All in all I love my boat but the more I fish from it and see other boats I wish I had a larger front deck, a rod locker and overall more storeage and plan to upgrade to a larger boat that meets FLW requirements in the future and will definately spend more time in my search.
The moral of the story, I don't feel like I got a good deal but I'm satisfied with my purchase and use it a hell of a lot wihch personally justifies my expense. I know it's a very exciting purchase but DONT RUSH into any boat, maybe save a little more money, you will eventually find a great deal that is everything that your looking for and absolutely follow the advice that has been given to you on checking out everything on the boat before purchasing.
Wow, thank you for the detailed response about your own personal experience. It sounds like you were in a very similar situation that I am in right now. I am very sorry to here about the unfortunate problems you encountered. The boat looks great though. The story of what you went through is something that I am hoping to avoid if possible. I am glad that it did not turn out to be a lemon. After hearing about what you went through, it definitely makes sense to me why I was directed to check all of these different properties of the boat for its integrities. I had no clue that so many problems could arise in a boat.
I'll take your advice and not rush into it. I really appreciate you sharing your story with me, that definitely sheds light on what everyone has preached about in this thread. Thank you
Nitrofreak reply :
You did a heck of a nice job there Sun Fish !!!!!
Your porpoising can be from having the trim too far up while the boat is trying to plane, if I may offer a suggestion, tuck your engine all the way down or in before you take off, once the boat starts to plane and the nose flattens out then start your trim up until the boat starts to ride smooth, once you get the hang of knowing where the boat is most comfortable it will be easy to get it on plane.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 10/23/2012 at 11:25 AM, skeletor6 said:You could not have been more helpful. I thank you so much for all of your responses and efforts to get me to the intellectual point where I should be on this purchase. Furthermore, I would also like to thank all others for their contributions and experiences as well, I had no idea of the different items to look at or the horror stories that could result from buying the wrong way.
Wow, thank you for the detailed response about your own personal experience. It sounds like you were in a very similar situation that I am in right now. I am very sorry to here about the unfortunate problems you encountered. The boat looks great though. The story of what you went through is something that I am hoping to avoid if possible. I am glad that it did not turn out to be a lemon. After hearing about what you went through, it definitely makes sense to me why I was directed to check all of these different properties of the boat for its integrities. I had no clue that so many problems could arise in a boat.
I'll take your advice and not rush into it. I really appreciate you sharing your story with me, that definitely sheds light on what everyone has preached about in this thread. Thank you
All we can do is give you our suggestions and as much info as we can from our own personal experiences, we appreciate you taking them into consideration and we hope it helps you make the best decision you can.
I would also like to say good job all, I too learned something with the app you can get for you cell phone LOL thats pretty cool to know !!!
skeletor6 reply :
That's right I'm using that now too. lol
They shut down some cool websites that would do a good job too. Now I use this one for mass searching. http://www.searchtempest.com/
They used to have a site called crazedlist.org and it was awesome. It would search all databases that you wanted it too and display it in a nice way. These other ones aren't too bad.
Sun Fish reply :
Also check out the marina's within reasonable distance from you. I find some of them near me have some nice used inventory with some decent prices and that also makes financing an option on something SLIGHTLY more expensive 
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/23/2012 at 12:18 PM, Sun Fish said:Also check out the marina's within reasonable distance from you. I find some of them near me have some nice used inventory with some decent prices and that also makes financing an option on something SLIGHTLY more expensive
Unfortunately I am not looking to finance a boat, but thank you for the alternate idea.
What do you guys think of this boat?
http://holland.craig...3244359232.html
"Cables and steering wheel are brand new. Transom is good also I have a plate in there to keep it good. I checked compression this spring and its perfect. The engine runs good and goes fast. " Quote from seller to me.
Also, what style boat is this? It looks different from the other glasser boats and is older, but seems fairly wide. How much would it be worth considering all the questions I am supposed to ask and assess check out:?
Sun Fish reply :
http://lansing.craigslist.org/boa/3355797434.html
skeletor6 reply :
Thanks SunFish, that's actually the same boat I posted in the OP I believe. I spoke with the guy and he said he was one $2500 firm and negotiations ended from there. I noticed he reposted a few days ago. It sounds like that he is saying "We're looking to sell" seems like maybe his wife is pushing him too lol. Maybe he'll come down with some time he's had this going for almost a month at that price.
sarcazmo reply :
In my experience cash is king.
I got my boat for 700 less than the guy was asking by showing up with cash. He was 'firm' on his price too.
skeletor6 reply :
On 10/30/2012 at 6:11 AM, sarcazmo said:In my experience cash is king.
I got my boat for 700 less than the guy was asking by showing up with cash. He was 'firm' on his price too.
You are probably right.
How about this boat you guys?
http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/boa/3380612750.html
j.bruno reply :
How about this one... http://kalamazoo.cra...3320949245.html buy it with out the motor for $1500 and worry about it down the road. That is a sweet rig.
This could be a good project for $700, Its similiar year and model to my boat.
http://sanother site.craigslist.org/boa/3379658539.html
skeletor6 reply :
On 11/3/2012 at 5:15 AM, j.bruno said:How about this one... http://kalamazoo.cra...3320949245.html buy it with out the motor for $1500 and worry about it down the road. That is a sweet rig.
This could be a good project for $700, Its similiar year and model to my boat.
http://sanother site.craigsli...3379658539.html
For the first one you listed. What could I do with it without a motor and steering? How much would it cost to get a motor and steering and have someone install it for me? It said something about HYD steering....I dont know what that is. Furthermore, it does not come with a trolling motor or fish finder. Those would be two things I need to buy to get the boat even on the water. Would I be able to fish with just a trolling motor trolling me around? Would it be hard to get it on and off the trailer without an engine? Thanks and I sent an email to the guy.
The second boat you posted is a lot like yours. Although it is cheap, I texted the guy to see if he could tell me more about it. He said it is a complete mess in the ad and does look like it would require a lot of work. This is work that I would not be able to do myself. How much $ of work do you think it would take on that boat.
How about this one though guys, it seems pretty nice, or is there a reason that I should not consider it. http://kalamazoo.cra...3380612750.html
Here is what the guy said when I asked him the questions you all told me to ask....
"Hi there. Let me just start off by saying I am a professional marine mechanic and you know all the right questions to ask! Engine runs great and haven't had any issues. The transom is very solid and no movement. I did a compression check on it this spring and have no problem doing it again to show you. Steering cables are in good shape. No damage to the hull and never had any repairs done to it. The gel coat is a little faded but very normal for something this year. I do not have a rear seat, but they are still available and aren't expensive. Don't know much about the trolling motor, it is factory installed so no ratings but it is very strong and moves the boat with no problems. Battery is 2 years old I believe. Never had to charge it this year but that may be different depending on how much you use it. I do not have a cover for it any longer, I've been keeping it in the garage. The trailer tires work but would probably need replacing at some point. All the gauges on the dash work and so does the stereo. The radio doesn't work but I was using a cassette adaptor with an iPod and it worked great. Any more questions just let me know. Or if you want to come take a look at it. Thanks"
What do you guys think? It is listed at $2900 and it seems to have everything. Or is this boat not a good fishing boat and too much like a ski boat? Need some input from the expert (you guys) on this. I appreciate the help!
j.bruno reply :
Yea i feel ya man. I didnt realize that boat didnt have a trolling motor til u mentioned it. Hell the last couple times i was out this year on a small 1 mile long lake, I didnt turn my gas engine on once. Just used the trolling motor. I just used the winch to get it back on the trailer when i was done and wasnt bad at all really. That Fish n Ski boat would probably work fine. Thats all up to you if it would fit your "style" so to say. Lol, and if you get bored fishing you and your buddies can go skiing. Bring some chicks out on the water you know the deal 
skeletor6 reply :
On 11/3/2012 at 5:57 AM, j.bruno said:Yea i feel ya man. I didnt realize that boat didnt have a trolling motor til u mentioned it. Hell the last couple times i was out this year on a small 1 mile long lake, I didnt turn my gas engine on once. Just used the trolling motor. I just used the winch to get it back on the trailer when i was done and wasnt bad at all really. That Fish n Ski boat would probably work fine. Thats all up to you if it would fit your "style" so to say. Lol, and if you get bored fishing you and your buddies can go skiing. Bring some chicks out on the water you know the deal
Lol, that is true. But what about it in terms of a fishing boat? I am more concerned about fishing at the moment. I like the style of the smaller boats that glide on the water, but is this one a good deal if I could get it for like $2000 perhaps, or should I keep looking? It almost looks like a speed boat and I do not want a speed boat. I want a boat for fishing, it just seems like it may be a good fishing boat, what do you think in terms of fishing. Everything else seems to check out?
j.bruno reply :
How much tackle and rods do you gotta store in it?
skeletor6 reply :
Probably about 6 rods tops. Not a whole lot of tackle, I keep my plastics and jigs in bags right now, dont have many tackle boxes.
j.bruno reply :
I was looking on craigslist in your area earlier. You got a pretty good selection out your way.
skeletor6 reply :
On 11/3/2012 at 7:46 AM, j.bruno said:I was looking on craigslist in your area earlier. You got a pretty good selection out your way.
Yeah, there are many cities I can travel too and it is getting really cold out and moving towards winter. Not very many more fishing days left. People are looking to sell for the winter, I want to buy while the prices are lowe. Hoping I can get a nice boat that would be unaffordable this spring.
I noticed people who post nice deals are having trouble selling their boats as well. I am hoping I can find one that fits the criteria you guys have gave me so I am prepared for next spring.
skeletor6 reply :
Update: Hey guys I am back at it. No luck last year, I am back at it this year for the season. I still would like to sit at the range mentioned in the title. And most philosophies stand true. I would like opinions on the following stretch-my-budget boat. http://centralmich.craigslist.org/boa/3717511423.html
Furthermore, the bass tracker aluminum boats with decks on front and back seem to fit the bill. I missed out on one a couple days a go. Just looking for some input.
Thanks all.
~Skel
rcr1959 reply :
I bought this boat on CL. $800 for boat and trailer, bought a used Johnson motor and had it rebuilt. Under $3k invested.
rcr1959 reply :
On 4/15/2013 at 1:45 AM, skeletor6 said:Update: Hey guys I am back at it. No luck last year, I am back at it this year for the season. I still would like to sit at the range mentioned in the title. And most philosophies stand true. I would like opinions on the following stretch-my-budget boat. http://centralmich.craigslist.org/boa/3717511423.html
Furthermore, the bass tracker aluminum boats with decks on front and back seem to fit the bill. I missed out on one a couple days a go. Just looking for some input.
Thanks all.
~Skel
Nice looking! Run a compression test on that motor! Those older mercs also seem to have elec. problems and are hard to get parts. Good luck.
skeletor6 reply :
On 4/15/2013 at 2:08 AM, rcr1959 said:I bought this boat on CL. $800 for boat and trailer, bought a used Johnson motor and had it rebuilt. Under $3k invested.
Sounds like a nice deal you got!. Thanks for the input.
Before the phone call we had a text message And I quote from that "I just put $700 into the motor last year to rebuild carb and tune up. It's a beast, runs great will reach 50mph everything works great except the fish finders. Not willing to go much lower on the price."
I talked to the guy on the phone.(I am paraphrasing)... He bought the boat 4 years ago at an auction (800 bid or something like that). He said he had the motor looked at after he bought it by a boat mechanic and everything checked out good. The mechanic I guess said the motor was in great like new condition. He said this after I was asking about the compression check. I don't know if this was before or after the rebuilding of the carburetor and tuning. Said there was no soft spots in the deck or any repairs made to the hull. He actually was no sure if the boat is a 1980 Scalper because the logo or what not is not visible. He said he did research and that is the closest he could find. Any idea what this boat might be or how I could find out?
Also, he mentioned that some of the clear coat on the fiberglass has/is peeling off and the looks of the boat looks better in the picture than it does in person. The fish finders he said are no good. He thinks they are fried from being left out, which sounded strange, but nonetheless useless. All of the gauges, work except for the speedometer. The trim works, but he said after a long period of sitting it will go down. Any idea if this is a precursor to failure, or reason for? Also, the livewell's work and they are in good condition and many of the compartments are plastic or polymer based. The steering also is smooth without any hitches and there is not any play in the transom. Also, it does include a cover and was stored inside last year, but was stored outside with the cover on the previous 3 years as he moved a year ago to the place that has a pole-barn currently.
I talked to a trusted friend of mine who said he did not enjoy fishing out of of these style boats because he felt like there was little storage space and could fish at most 2 people. Does anyone have any idea of how wide the back deck is on this boat? (I guess that is hard to say w/o knowing the make/model/year).
Anyways, he lives fairly close and is willing to let me test-drive it and all of that. Definitely I am going to give it a compression check and the testing indicated earlier in this thread. What would be a fair price for this boat? And is it worth checking into or should I keep searching for something different?
Thanks!
rcr1959 reply :
If the trim bleeds down it may have a problem. Personally, I would run from the old "Tower of Power" mercs. But that 's IMO. It may be just fine. You will have to test it out and run it. See if it "sputters" on acc. I am not familier with the brand of boat. Any way best of luck. Only you will know if it fits YOUR needs. Old boats are that. OLD. somethings will work and some not. Based on what you told me I would not go over $3000 +/-
ck out this one in your area. http://lansing.craigslist.org/boa/3711109878.html
skeletor6 reply :
Anybody got any advice on this boat http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/boa/3744589699.html
It needs a new trim motor as it clicks, but does not move up and down. I can get it $2500 OBO It is a 1989 Astro Quickfire 17sc
Any opinions appreciated. I am going to check it out tomorrow.
Also My price range is now $4000 max
slonezp reply :
For and older boat, visually it looks to be in good shape. Merc carbureted motors are notorious for cold start frustrations. 40mph is accurate for a 90hp on a 17ft boat. If 4k is your max, keep a running tab in your head what repairs and upgrades will cost.
J Francho reply :
Definitely check for stringer and transom rot.
skeletor6 reply :
On 4/23/2013 at 9:26 PM, J Francho said:Definitely check for stringer and transom rot.
What is stringer rot?
slonezp reply :
The stringers are the supports in the hull
skeletor6 reply :
On 4/24/2013 at 4:30 AM, slonezp said:The stringers are the supports in the hull
Thank you
dyerfish reply :
Be careful ,I just traded my Harley Davidson for a 1988 stratos boat,and found water under the floor where the batteries are in the bilge area ,he claimed there is nothing wrong with the boat,at least I can fix it myself,also do a compression test first ,if you can ,but I should of wondered why he had to get rid of it brfore spring, now im afraid to trust anyone anymore
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