Recommend a small, OB, lake boat, please
 

Absolute requirements:

Used

16 to 19 feet

bowrider or deckboat

fiberglass construction

outboard powered

fiberglass cockpit liner (no carpet over plywood)

Less than $9,001

So far, the only boat I know that fit all these requirements is the Four Winns 170 Horizon of the early 2000s. Am I missing any others?

A quick search on Craigslist...
 

Dave

I did a quick search on craigslist with a min of 5K and a max of $9k.... some examples...

why the OB requirement? you thinking late season use? they make cheap engine block heaters for I/O's

http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/1341161776.html

http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/1339140636.html

http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/1338639448.html

http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/13361009

http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/1335435128.html96.html



Lots of boats for sale in that price range! GOOD LUCK! let us know what you end up with!

Woodsy

Plywood flooring
 

I think you will find the Four Winns have plywood flooring. They were a few years ago.

My best bet would be the Boston Whalers or Eastern boats. Rugged, durable, reliable. Very high resale value. You may have to settle for an old boat. But good!

My first question Dave, is what will the boat be used for?

Thank you for responding. The boat is not for me, I'm helping out a friend that wants to get into boating.

Woodsy,

The outboard requirement is for simplicity and ease of maintenance. He plans to keep the boat at his dock on a small lake and wants to use it for years to come. He does not want to go through the bellows/gimbal bearing/complex winterization/engine alignment hassle year after year. Outboards are just so easy to take care of, in comparison. I cannot blame him, I'd prefer an outboard or two on my current boat, and I am a consumate tinkerer.

Broadhopper,

AFAIK, Four Winns went to a fully lined glass cockpit in '97, at least on the 17 foot Horizon. It's a better way to build a boat, and highly desireable for one that will spend years at a dock.

I recommended a center console style boat, but his wife vetoed that. She likes the plush seats of a bow rider/deck boat.

Boston Whaler all the way. If I were to have only one boat and in his situation I would spend the extra dough on a used Whaler. You can't beat a 1980's-1990's Whaler. Look for Daunless, Montauk models. IMHO worth the extra dough in terms of the fact that none of the hull structure has a shred of wood in it. Also you never need worry about a bilge pump as the boat won't be sinking.

Boston Whalers are no doubt well built boats but speaking of Wives..mine Hates the small Whaler because it POUNDS in a chop..ie Uncomfortable.

A few years ago we rented one on Lake George w/a 50HP outboard for a week. One day we got "caught" at the south end of the lake when the breeze picked up from the north. Luckily and old Lyman inboard came along and we "Ducked In" behind him in his wake and followed until we "got off" near Bolton's Landing. NB

Mostly water sports from a shallow dock (inboard ski boat is not an option) and cruising around. He said he'd like to let his parents trailer it to Florida each Winter too.

Whalers are nice for sure, but still pretty pricey used. But I too like the plush seats and nice interiors of the more "lake" type boats. I have yet to find a walk around that I'd be comfortable in. For longevity on the lake and in the water, I'd look into the Four Wins, Cobalts, Bryants, Chaparrals, Sea Rays and a few other makes of the smallish bowriders, Larson being another.

I understand the outboard rec Dave, pros and cons there. The two negatives against outboards are their prices and the transom setup. But they have many advantages as well.

I keep looking on and off for a boat that is more friendly to people than fish :laugh: I looked at a nice Sea Swirl as well as a Sea Pro that had plenty of cabin room, but not as much in the cockpit as I'd like. I love the wrap around seating.

Dave...

Given the guys price range, I would not rule out I/O's.... his price range doesnt really allow for a modern 4 stroke outboard and older outboards can be just as cantankerous as a nun in a strip club! While you dont have alignment or gimbal issues, you can certainly have all of the fun issues related to older 2 stroke motors... 2 stroke smell, poor gas mileage, hard starting, carbuerator issues and the possibility of engine meltdown due to poor gas (ethanol) or oil pump failure.... and outboards still need to winterized properly even though they are self draining.

My advice is to have the chosen boat surveyed (by a licensed surveyor) prior to purchase. This should find any flaws in the boat and is a useful bargaining tool while haggling about the price. Make sure the surveyor conducts a compression test as part of the survey! A survey will also give you a heads up about other potential issues. It will be $300 or so well spent $$$!

If it were me, I would not rule out a nice 4cyl or 6 cyl I/O with a Merc Alpha 1 setup. The Volvo Penta setup is alot nicer and doesnt break as often, but it usually costs more up front and when/if it does break its typically more expensive to fix.

The proper yearly maintenance on a typical small bowrider should only cost $300 or so a year, less if you do it yourself... Winterize, Engine oil change, outdrive oil change, grease fittings, check alignment, gimbal bearing and bellows. This should take most marinas no more than 1.5 hours... 2 hours tops! I would do it all in the fall so in the spring its gas & go!

Woodsy

I have a Sea Swirl in FL and use it for cruising. It’s a comfortable ride.
I have a 150 Yamaha 2 stroke fuel injection that runs well,
<O:pburns reasonable gas with minimum smoke.

We bought a 1997 17' Searay with a 115 on it...Runs great and is perfect for getting to the island and back

Not sure if you are still looking but this seems to be a great deal.

http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/1354201402.html

The friend of mine that is looking for a boat had already emailed on that one. Thanks for pointing it out though, I appreciate the thought.

Grady White.
Used ones are a bit higher than the 9K target but they are the cats meow. Comfortable, stable, seaworthey boats, no wooden floor to contend with, and they retain their value more than most brands. I wouldn't part with mine for love nor money
Throbbin Rods

I like tin. Easier to maintian than f/g.

My parents had two Grady Whites when I was growing up. I recommended a dual console Grady, but they are outside of my friend's budget.

Update. My buddy found a nice 2001 FW 170 LE with a Johnson Oceanpro 90 and a trailer on craigslist. It fits every criteria from my original post. I inspected it and sea-trialed it for him. The boat is a "cream puff". He is picking it up this weekend.

You're a great friend to have Dave.

Should be a great boat for him.

Thanks. I was on a business trip in north Jersey and he found the boat on NJ craigslist at Lake Hopatcong. A couple of phone calls, a 30 minute drive from my hotel, 30 minutes of inspection, 30 minutes of sea-trial, a little cash to hold the boat, and a quick handshake was all it took. It was a pleasant diversion for me on an otherwise dull Wednesday aftenoon.