Boat advice for a tuber please.

[Majja]

[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1] Hey all I was wondering if you all might lend some advice to a tubber looking to get a boat so I can take both my wife and my daughter out fishing. I dont have much to spend and I know that is a BIG factor when it comes to boats. My budget is from 1500-2500. Gut on face value I have fond this. I know there is a lot more than just looks and a quick write up, but can or is anyone willing to give me some advice on what else to look for. Thanks

[url "http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=1398510&cat=147&lpid=0"]http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=1398510&cat=147&lpid=0 [/url]

[url "http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=1293477&cat=147&lpid=20"]http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=1293477&cat=147&lpid=20 [/url]

[url "http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=1280370&cat=147&lpid=24"]http://www.ksl.com/...;cat=147&lpid=24[/url]

[url "http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=1230200&cat=147&lpid=24"]http://www.ksl.com/...;cat=147&lpid=24[/url]

[url "http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=1305229&cat=147&lpid=24"]http://www.ksl.com/...;cat=147&lpid=24[/url]

once again thanks for any input, i do except all forms PMs or Emails.

Thanks
Majja
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[tomc]

you can get a good boat in your price range.i would stay away from the starcraft,even though its newer,that boat would be alittle small for family day out.
the 88 maxum looks great,as all the boats you are showing,the motor is big and the keel looks like it been hit a few times and some of it is missing
the 78 and 76 look great for thier age.and thats the main thing tthey are 30 years old i would be looking for rot in the transom,flooring,keel.and with the inboard you want to look at the oil pan, risers for rot.allso make sure the carb has a spark arrestor on,and all blowers work.you dont want a explosion and someone getting seriously hurt or killed
the 86 looks good also
when looking at used boats first is the age.you got to make a cutoff somewhere.i like the 20 year old mark.you also are looking at the hull,whatever the material is,wood,metal,fiberglass
wood is rot,crackes,splits
metal/aluminum,is it welded or rivited,welded you want to look for cracks in the welds,any abuse to the bottom in running aground,rivited you want to look for missing,loose rivits and abuse to the bottom.also ask to fill the boat with some water to see if any rivits leak.fiberglass you want to look for cracks in the hull,along the beam and the corners of the transom.alot of fiberglass boats are made with wood also then wrapped in fiberglass,so you want to walk around in the boat,in the corners and out of the way places if it feels spongy it has a good chance rot is starting to set in.dont be afraid to poke around the boat pushing areas with your thumb that dont look right to you,also ask to fill the bilge up with water about 6 inches or so and see if any drips along the bottom of the boat.this also will let you know if the bilge pump works if equiped
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[birddogwi]

Depending on the two ladys in your life a few added "creature comforts" might be a good idea. Being a tuber I imagine you're probably use to going out fishing with limited room but you're self contained.. with a few other people aboard a boat space is a game of organization and comfort (just as tubing is I presume).. so usable space is something to keep in mind wheather it be storage, seating or walking/get-up-n-stretch/fishing room. I have 3 boats and with all three of 'em I was most concerned about fishability/useability in terms of space and comfort. That should give you an idea of what I find most important in a fishing boat concerning the interior layout.

$2500 may not seem like a great deal of money for a boat, but you should be able to find some folks that want to get rid of theirs quick and actually deal a little lower into your price range (or lower??).. the thing about that is having a little more patience.

Keep looking around and stop by and look at some boats at dealers to help get an idea of what you'ld like -or- what's acceptable.

Main thing concerning a boat is the motor though! Make sure you're able to water test it or at the very least put water muffs on it to hear it run, idle, and throtle up and down without a glitch.. check to make sure everything such as the water pump, seals, starter (bendix spring pops in and out smoothly if electric - recoil returns taughtly if pull start), gear shift/trans are in working order.

Soo much to look for but the main thing is too look and keep looking until you find something .. it maight seem like a part time job at the time but it'll be well worth it when you find something that will safely comfort the three of you.
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[birddogwi]

just thought I would throw up something you might want to keep your eye on --> craigslist.org

I've seen some decent boats in there as well.. usually the buyers are motivated to get rid of 'em too

go to the right of the page where they list the states and click on yours []
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[Majja]

Thanks for all the good info, I will put it all to good use.

Matt
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[billygull]

You might not think that it's the best place to buy a boat, but I you should ckeck out ebay first, before you get into a new purchase. I you just want to take the family fishing, I think you could find a quality boat in your price range on ebay. Do a little research and try and get the best deal. You should also check into [url "http://www.unitedmarine.net/boat.asp"]boat insurance[/url] if you want to protect your investment. It would be a good place to start if you want to save some money.


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