If you do that and the boat has a live well, make sure to check that, too.
If you do that and the boat has a live well, make sure to check that, too.
unless you are flush with cash, just find a buddy with a boat and go fishing with him
Fiberglass boats suck - go metal.
Keep in mind that a compression check doesn't always show damaged cylinders. IMHO the best way to really check out an outboard is to check it on a cold start and a 30 minute lake test. For glass boats the main areas you want to look at is the transom and stringers. Any easy way to check for a soft transom is to tilt the motor up and push up and down on the lower unit. If the transom moves at all there is probably an issue. Transoms can be repaired but to do it correctly it is time and money consuming. If the transom is in good shape there is a good chance the stringers are fine too.
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+1.
heard horror stories of fiberglass boats getting sheered off from sand bars and logs, made sure i went with a strong metal boat.
been very happy with my little boat over the last 1.5 yrs. it'll go through a foot and a half of water & runs forever with a 30hp.
lotta good used aluminum bottom bass trackers out there.
The downside to aluminum boats is that they typically sit higher in the water so if you fish windy lakes (anywhere in Oklahoma) you can really get pushed around. Also a lot of the older designed aluminum hulls don't really get up on plane so they ride very rough. Each has its pros and cons.
About a year ago I too was looking for a "good" used boat. Seemed that a 20-25 year old boat and motor shouldn't cost as much as some people wanted or maybe I'm just too cheap to think that old of a boat is worth $$. Anyway, I looked at a lot of used boats mostly fiberglass. Then I started crunching the numbers. For me...again for me, I was going to need a bank loan. So I ended up getting the basspro 175 txw on 10 year note...crazy I know...but I don't have to worry what's been done to it or not done. I get a new engine, 5 year warranty. Yes, the wind does blow it around more than it would a fiberglass but I have no complaints. No I don't work for basspro or tracker. If you have the $$ to pay for a used boat outright, I would go that direction. I couldn't do that.
I have had many boats mostly for fishing..i have built many boat engines..I will say i hate the oil injected ones.
Mercury does not have faith in the oil injection either..Factory repair manual states: during breakin for a rebuilt engine run the engine for 10 hours with a 50:1 mix of gas oil and with the oil injection hooked up and full...
Really!!! no faith...take one apart and notice the plastic drive gears for the pump...HATE THEM.
My old 1975 bayliner closed bow mosquito is one tough fiberglass boat...close enough to the water to run trotlines.
Tall enough to keep you dry in rough swells...50HP merc starts like a new car every time..knock on wood.
Now it is light and easy to pull and not a gas guzzler...bigger engines suck some fuel.
Transom rotted fix is cheap less than 200 bucks if you do it yourself..floor rot little more $ I did a 4'x8' section with A-B foam and that cost right at $300 doing it myself.
I do like the aluminum bass trackers...excellent boats.
My bayliner has never had an issue with the glass..and i dock it on the ripraps and run it up on the sandy shores ...hit plenty of logs and trees in the rivers and lakes...But it is old and light and thick..Maybe the newer stuff is thinner...
I do not like tilt and trim for trash water fishing..fact i do not like the to have the outboard locked down either.
If i run up on a sand bar in the river i want the engine to tilt up instead of bury it'self ,
Same goes for logs and stumps in the lakes and rivers..if i run one over my engine tilts up..instead of hangin' and breaking on it.
Yes i fish some nasty places..
Mercury does not have faith in the oil injection either..Factory repair manual states: during breakin for a rebuilt engine run the engine for 10 hours with a 50:1 mix of gas oil and with the oil injection hooked up and full...
Really!!! no faith...take one apart and notice the plastic drive gears for the pump...HATE THEM.
My old 1975 bayliner closed bow mosquito is one tough fiberglass boat...close enough to the water to run trotlines.
Tall enough to keep you dry in rough swells...50HP merc starts like a new car every time..knock on wood.
Now it is light and easy to pull and not a gas guzzler...bigger engines suck some fuel.
Transom rotted fix is cheap less than 200 bucks if you do it yourself..floor rot little more $ I did a 4'x8' section with A-B foam and that cost right at $300 doing it myself.
I do like the aluminum bass trackers...excellent boats.
My bayliner has never had an issue with the glass..and i dock it on the ripraps and run it up on the sandy shores ...hit plenty of logs and trees in the rivers and lakes...But it is old and light and thick..Maybe the newer stuff is thinner...
I do not like tilt and trim for trash water fishing..fact i do not like the to have the outboard locked down either.
If i run up on a sand bar in the river i want the engine to tilt up instead of bury it'self ,
Same goes for logs and stumps in the lakes and rivers..if i run one over my engine tilts up..instead of hangin' and breaking on it.
Yes i fish some nasty places..
Man, a lot of boat haters...
I bought a brand new boat in 1998, $22K, we've had some incredible times on the boat, lots of memories, now we are taking our grandkids out for more fun and memories. 15 years later it is still in great shape, and worth about 1/2 of what I paid for it, not a bad residual value IMO. The issue is most boats get neglected so buying used is a crap shoot, for me buying new was the way to go. And as others stated, make sure you figure in all of the other expenses, storage, winterizing, maintenance, covers, tops, toys, etc...
Our boat last summer, 1998 Fourwinns 20'.
I bought a brand new boat in 1998, $22K, we've had some incredible times on the boat, lots of memories, now we are taking our grandkids out for more fun and memories. 15 years later it is still in great shape, and worth about 1/2 of what I paid for it, not a bad residual value IMO. The issue is most boats get neglected so buying used is a crap shoot, for me buying new was the way to go. And as others stated, make sure you figure in all of the other expenses, storage, winterizing, maintenance, covers, tops, toys, etc...
Our boat last summer, 1998 Fourwinns 20'.
