Boat options, help me buy a boat for summer! [Archive]

View Full Version : Boat options, help me buy a boat for summer!

hoodride

04-20-2011, 12:03 PM

New to the forum here, and have been looking for a sunsport/saltare/marauder for the past 3-4 months with a pretty limited budget. I have found a few, and wanted to get you guys' advice. I would prefer to find a boat with some of the things already done to it (stereo, tower, racks etc. maybe come with some wakeboards/ropes/fat sacks) because you lose money on those things in the sale and I'll get more for my coin.

http://austin.craigslist.org/boa/2323328446.html
I love this boat, it's gorgeous, already has a tower and a couple fat sacks, but it has +1,000 hours on it which makes me very nervous. It does look to be well maintained though which is why it's still in the running

http://austin.craigslist.org/boa/2328488462.html
This one just seems fun, already had floors/stringers done, very low hours, but has a storage trunk instead of a back seat, no open bow, and I would be afraid resale would be difficult with that wild tower (even though it would be sweet!). Also, just because I'm sure many of you will comment, the substructure has been reinforced to high heavens to support two 200 pound guys up there.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/boa/2332318270.html
I posted about this a few days ago, seems to not have the heighth necessary for surfing, but would probably put out a decent enough wake and seems to be a great deal.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/boa/2286495099.html
Don't love the seating arrangement on this one, but it's inexpensive enough to add a tower and some sacs to get going.

I'm not set on any of these, but thought it was a good start. I'm in Dallas, but wouldn't mind driving up to 10 hours to get a sweet boat for the summer. I've been in CA for the last 6 years and had a rockcrawler for my toy, and sold it to get a boat. I just want to get out on the water, rock out to some good tunes, and surf all day with some friends. Looks to be about the only outdoor activity i'll be able to do with this heat. Thanks for your help in advance, and love the forum

Grant

Ptownkid

04-20-2011, 12:57 PM

First one...1000 hours is nothing to be scared of, but no mention of stringer condition at all...for the price I'd more than likely steer clear of that one.

Second one...redone stringers = great news! I personally think the tower is ridiculous in both looks and function, but that's just a personal opinion. You are right though, resale might be tough.

Third one...if you are ok with the lower freeboard, this one is the best deal by far and looks very nice. Many people get a great wake with their comps so I can't see how this would be any different. Maybe you can't get as big a wake as a sunsport or saltare, but the real question is, how much do you care? Lots of guys on here surf their lower freeboard models. Also, this one would probably be the easiest to resell for good money.

Last one...might be a great deal IF the stringers are sound...could be a great investment if they have plenty of life left in them and seating would not be that hard to alter.

Hope that helps!

jet

04-20-2011, 01:18 PM

#1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ptownkid

04-20-2011, 01:31 PM

#1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9K with no mention of stringers (which definitely amounts to not redone...) ju crazy mang!

asmodeus2112

04-20-2011, 02:39 PM

9K with no mention of stringers (which definitely amounts to not redone...) ju crazy mang!

I agree, any older boat without stringers needs to be priced accordingly. Too much risk. I've heard too many people say it's not IF, but WHEN.

asmodeus2112

04-20-2011, 02:47 PM

I wish you would buy #2 so the guy could take his 4 posts off CL. I would say it would take a special person to buy that boat. But, I have to admit it must be fun riding in the tower. Legal?

Actually, it looks pretty ok without the stickers on the side...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_QZaj8AJZDTk/Ta8q4ibFtUI/AAAAAAAAATc/Kr30dWO1eBA/White%20Blue%20Marauder.jpg

Can't be too hard to put a back seat back in.

Ptownkid

04-20-2011, 02:54 PM

Hell...when even Columbia doesn't want it in their country I'd be concerned...

Tackleberry

04-20-2011, 03:10 PM

Because it's uglier than whale dung. LOL The owner definitely put function over cosmetics on that build. Oh, and that's a ticket waiting to happen by Marine Police. Well, in Alabama anyway.

Salty87

04-20-2011, 04:08 PM

hoodride

04-20-2011, 04:20 PM

the boat with the tower seating used to live in my neighborhood. i've talked with the guy before. he stopped by and chatted when i had my saltare in pieces all over my yard.

i've seen that boat on lake austin many times. i haven't poked around to examine the rebuild but i bet it was done right. the tower can be replaced. the backseat can be fixed too. the stereo is a bit excessive :)

I spoke with him for a while, and it sounds like there has been a ton of effort put into this boat, and should last for a VERY long time. It's not the prettiest, and i'm unsure about that tower seating (although, could be pretty fun) but it seems to be the best bet that I've seen in a 500 mile radius. The only thing I'm concerned about is resale. Should I decide to upgrade in the future, he seems to have been trying to sell that thing for a LONG time. If it was a sunsport (IE- had the open bow seating) and had a normal tower, it'd easily fetch 10k I think. For my first boat, and what I'm looking to get within my budget, I think those are things that I could settle on.

Regarding the stereo... excessive is my middle name :cool:

Ptownkid

04-20-2011, 04:26 PM

The hideous one...was for sale all last season as well...

asmodeus2112

04-20-2011, 06:04 PM

the vision wasn't around for very long, not a great sign if it was a new hull.

Yep, it wasn't around very long, guy just said he sold it.