Never owned a boat before questions.......

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crankbait09

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Dec 28, 2011
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Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
As the title says, I have never owned a boat before but am looking for one. I found this boat on Craigslist and was wondering if there are any key questions that I should be asking or if there is anything I should be prewarned about if I were to buy this boat? Other than leaks)

https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/boa/2749803086.html

what do you all think?
 
Looks like a good deal to me. Looks pretty clean for a 36 year old boat. As long as the motor has good compression I would pull the trigger on that one.
 
I would be surprised if a boat that old doesn’t need something redone. Walk around in it and see if the floor is soft at all, if it is it will need to be redone. Tap on the transom does it sound solid or hollow? Was it stored inside or outside? Can you go for a test ride?
 
thank you for the feedback.
say there are no problems. Would this be a better boat than getting an aluminum jon boat? Or is it nothing but preference?
 
That all really depends on where and how you are going to use it. Lakes or rivers, pleasure or fishing, drift, anchor or troll. What do you have for a tow vehicle?
 
I will be fishing a small lake, a lot of coves. 95% fishing and then when the fam decides to come and complain how fishing is boring, we'll be using it to put around on the water. I am thinking I will mainly drift/anchor. no trolling.

I have a pick up truck to move it about.
 
That boat looks ideal for what you are doing then. You will have plenty of power to pull tubes and other toys. The top will keep you in the shade on hot days. Plenty of seating for the whole family. Looks like a win-win to me!
 
Seems a decent deal. I was A bit scared of getting into a bigger boat like that because the problems can be bigger and more expensive. It's a lot easier and a lot cheaper to fix an issue with a tin boat.

I guess it depends how much cushion you have in your pockets should you find something needing done. Marine repair adds up...even on my little 14' I have spent more than I thought I would have to.

I remember a couple people here giving advice to the effect of "buy the smallest boat you are comfortable on, not the biggest you can afford" and it rang true with me.
 
Thank you JD...that would fit me perfectly. I DON'T have the extra money to fix the bigger boats. Maybe I should stick with my first choice, which was a V or flat bottom Jon boat. Thats what I first had my eyes on......

Gut instinct huh? It would be lighter too. I can still find a jon boat that fits my needs........

Thank you for that........
 
Not a fan of tri hulls but looks like a nice boat for the price.

I notice that tri hulls are harder to sell at least the ones I've seen for sale. You're either going to keep and maintain or sell for what ever reason later. Something to keep in mind. My first boat was a 14 foot V bottom fiberglass that I bought for $1100. I eventually sold it for $500 after buying a little larger boat. I had no problem selling it as there is always someone wanting a cheap boat that runs. That was three boats ago.

Have fun and be safe!
 
I'd go with something like this...
https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/boa/2790756219.html

And this...
https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/boa/2786143198.html

It looks like you are in a good area to pick up a Jon or V at a good price.

If a small motor ever kicks the bucket on you it is going to be a heck of a lot cheaper to replace than a 70hp...as you can see from cruising Craigslist. I agree with the previous poster about trihulls...

I almost pulled the trigger on one with a 50 hp motor for $800 but I decided it was just too great a risk to take for me. I didn't want to be stuck with a boat I couldn't afford to keep in use. They do tend to be the slowest selling in my area as well. An aluminum is a good bet for resale.
 
I saw that one too. :)

Did you see this one? These guys also have outboards for sale as well.
https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/boa/2762516558.html
 
Generally in a boat half your investment if not more is in the motor. If possable always try and test it on the water.

A motor under load will tell more about itself than one running on a hose or in a bucket

Also rember glass rigs kept in the weather will rot from the inside out

When I'm looking at a rig I pay special attention to the wear on bolts to get an idear if how many times its been worked on. Tug on that motor good to make sure there is no give in the transom

Last but not least do not ever beleave what anybody tells you when they are trying to sell a boat.


Those jons on that last cl list would go for double the price down here
 
Make sure if you are going to buy it to check the lower unit oil on that motor, check to see if its milky looking or if there is any in there at all. If its milky there is water in it and the seal is bad thats the number one thing i check when i get an outboard. Has it been sittin for a long time or does the guy use it regularly?
 
crankbait09 said:
I will be fishing a small lake, a lot of coves. 95% fishing and then when the fam decides to come and complain how fishing is boring, we'll be using it to put around on the water. I am thinking I will mainly drift/anchor. no trolling.

I have a pick up truck to move it about.

When you say family, I hear-"I need lots of room"

Check out my build thread.
https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=16904


A boat like this has plenty of room for the family.


If I were you, I would be looking for an aluminum boat. Old boats have wood rot, aluminum or glass. Only thing is, aluminum boats are exponentially easier to repair when they have rotten wood, as compared to a glass boat.
 
Never never ever buy a used boat without doing - or getting someone to do - a compression test on the motor.

Voice of experience.
 
The boat looks good. I started out with an early 70's tri-hull that needed some work. It ended up needing a transom, floor and stringers. The floatation foam was saturated and probably added a couple hundred extra pounds to the weight of the boat. I trashed the boat and started over with an aluminum hull. I just started a post titled new member with 79 sylvan rebuild. You can't see wood rot behind fiberglass.
 

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