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Thread: Boats school me on them?

  1. #1
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    Default Boats school me on them?

    I know me dumb right?

    I guess I've not ventured down this path in my life yet, and was wondering if anyone can help me out...

    The wife wants a pontoon, I'm cool with a bowrider

    I remember helping a buddy load the pontoon back onto the trailer before on a choppy day and recalling that to be a PITA..

    I guess these are the things I'm looking at...

    1. Age, how much does it matter, as long as service and rebuilds are in the history

    2. Motor type... I'd prefer an outboard, what are the advantages of a sterndrive or jet?

    3. Total cost of ownership... not so much in terms of "Gas" as I'm not looking to spend huge cash on a Tige or Mastercraft wave/surf boat...
    but rather, what am I looking at for typical maintenance, what is the cost of a boat slip, insurance etc...

    I'm looking for something smaller than 20 feet, and I don't need alot of "power" but I need "enough" power, as that is a concern with trying to push around a barge with a little 25hp outboard.

    Ideally the wife would be happy with a 16foot pontoon with a 40hp outboard... for some reason on the used market, they still command alot of money as compared to a fiberglass bowrider.

    I'm happy with any Glastron, 4 winds, etc.. bowrider as long as its reliable and seats 5 well...

    I am actually OK with a well restored boat as long as it doesn't cost over 7k (i.e. new gel coat, interior and rebuilt top end), and will be willing to spend upwards of 14k for a "newer" boat

    I also am entertaining Sea Doo jet boats, as I recalled them being a blast, but it seems like those rotax engines need ALOT of maintenance...

    looks like most inboards use car engines as bottom ends, or specialized engines if you are talking Volvo Penta/Yamaha, but the Mercruisers seem to be mostly ford/gms with their own top end.

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    Boat (definition): A hole in the water into which you throw money.

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    I don't know much about boats but I do know that it is an acronym for Bring Out Another Thousand.
    "Make Canada a better place, punch a Canuck fan in the face" - Jim Rome

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    Secret to happy life: Don't own a boat.

    Where are you planning on using it and storing it( AB? BC? Sylvan? )? What are you planning on using it for ( towsports? Fishing? etc. )? So many factors and options to consider. You seem to be reallyup in the air bouncing between 25 HP outboard boats/pontooncraft and a Seadoo jet boat.

    You would be surprised how quickly the costs add up, whether you use the thing or not. The more integrated everything is the more expensive everything becomes. Maintenance costs is commensurate to how much the boat costs in the first place. A little fishing boat can be pretty reasonable, sea doo jet boat would scare me.

    My personal recommendation is just rent one when you want to use it ( you can rent ALOT of boat time for 10k, in VERY nice boats ), esp if you are going to pay someone else to maintain it. Oh and as a general rule anyone who does boat maintenance is a crackhead, and they treat your craft as you would expect a crackhead to. I have been around boats all my life. Have had lots of bad experiences across pretty well every class of boat, and you should always be prepared for the thing to straight up not start at random. I think my personal exception to this rule is if I lived on a lake and could actually use it enough to make up for the bullshit.

    My 2 cents. GL, boats are tons of fun. The debate is are they worth it.
    Last edited by killramos; 08-24-2016 at 02:08 PM.
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

    If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
    Originally posted by Toma
    fact.
    Quote Originally Posted by Yolobimmer View Post
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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

  5. #5
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    Boats are a lifestyle... You either love it and live it all the way, or you are better off just renting one the odd once in a while you will actually use it. It will be far less than the cost of ownership.

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    ...
    Last edited by Sugarphreak; 08-16-2019 at 02:20 PM.

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    Slip at Ghost Lake - $1400 (cheapest in the area)
    Winterization - $250-600
    Insurance - $150-ish monthly
    Annual Maintenance (brand new boat) - $600-1000
    Winter Storage - $1200-2000 for indoor

    Only major repair I've had experience with was after hitting a deadhead log. New prop, propshaft, seals, minor gel-coat repair, and hydrotesting - $10000+

    Trailer maintenance also needs to be considered such as bearings, tires, electrical

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    Dont do a pontoon, they are super boring and you might as well just sit on a dock all day.

    I have been around boats my whole life and love being on the water. I am currently in the market for a ~20-21 ft ski boat with direct drive. My budget is 20-30k and I have already found some great options. For me its all about what you can do behind the boat thats important, and then relaxing and comfort on the boat. I want something I can slalom ski behind, surf, wakeboard. To surf you need a boat with either direct drive or V drive. Do you plan on doing any activities behind the boat? You won't be able to do much with 40hp. You could pick up a good used boat with stern drive or outboard which would be a good platform for chilling on the water but you can still ski/board/tube behind it. Whats your budget?
    _____ASP______

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    Default Re: Boats school me on them?

    Originally posted by asp integra
    Dont do a pontoon, they are super boring and you might as well just sit on a dock all day.

    I have been around boats my whole life and love being on the water. I am currently in the market for a ~20-21 ft ski boat with direct drive. My budget is 20-30k and I have already found some great options. For me its all about what you can do behind the boat thats important, and then relaxing and comfort on the boat. I want something I can slalom ski behind, surf, wakeboard. To surf you need a boat with either direct drive or V drive. Do you plan on doing any activities behind the boat? You won't be able to do much with 40hp. You could pick up a good used boat with stern drive or outboard which would be a good platform for chilling on the water but you can still ski/board/tube behind it. Whats your budget?

    Originally posted by r3ccOs

    I am actually OK with a well restored boat as long as it doesn't cost over 7k (i.e. new gel coat, interior and rebuilt top end), and will be willing to spend upwards of 14k for a "newer" boat
    Haha...and see my family would give ANYTHING to be able to own a big Pontoon boat!! If we won the lottery we would have a deluxe 24'er and put a nice Merc 200 on there!!

    But I know absolutely nothing about boats. Other than what we've rented. And we've rented both. Ski boat and a Pontoon. Our ideal day on the water is our family and another, the dogs, the bbq...insane amount of steaks and snacking food, with booze too. Exploring up and down looking for cool inlets to dock and explore.

    None of the family is into skiing or going fast.

    But as for owning a boat...I just could never see it living in Calgary.
    We rent when we visit friends in Vernon. $700 for a day on the water for two families is a great investment vs the cost of ownership.

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    I know a guy who has a big pontoon boat with twin 200's on it. That fucker is fast, can easily tow a waterskiier.

    Boats are a bigger hassle than camping trailers, and those are bad enough, and you can use them a lot more hours per year.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Originally posted by ExtraSlow
    I know a guy who has a big pontoon boat with twin 200's on it. That fucker is fast, can easily tow a waterskiier.

    Boats are a bigger hassle than camping trailers, and those are bad enough, and you can use them a lot more hours per year.
    I've seen people doing that a few times. Have to do a double take every time!

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    This is a great thread. I spent all day convincing myself that a sports car would be a bad idea.

    Then I remind myself that people buy boats.

    Now I feel a whole lot better about a sports car.

    (Dont even get me started on camping trailers. Our friends all have them, and the whole thing makes zero sense to me. I have a nice bed and a shower, and I'm going to spend money to DOWNGRADE that shit on weekends? Hell no, sir.)

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    Originally posted by Buster
    This is a great thread. I spent all day convincing myself that a sports car would be a bad idea.

    Then I remind myself that people buy boats.

    Now I feel a whole lot better about a sports car.

    Hahaha I have had that same internal conversation with my self many times.

    I know people who have 90k mastercrafts they use 3 weekends a year and probably put 5k+ a year into keeping them afloat but give me flack for dding a BMW. No joke.

    Camping Trailers is a crazy one as people legit mortgage them for like 20 years sometimes hahaha.

    Toys toys toys.
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

    If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
    Originally posted by Toma
    fact.
    Quote Originally Posted by Yolobimmer View Post
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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

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    Buy a boat. Your number of friends will take a dramatic leap. Friends let friends buy boats.

    I love the phrase "marine grade" otherwise known as 3x+ the price of a similar same car part. Pissed plenty of money away on this path in my 20's.

    Get a solid cocaine habit, more fun year round than a boat and a hell of a lot cheaper.

    With a major lotto win, I'd be the buyer of two boats.

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    yikes... I'm thinking now, some aluminum fishing boat with a simple outboard is the best solution haha, not that thats cheap but lower maintenance

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    We owned a seadoo a few years back, SO MUCH fun. We sold it when we bought the house (ie. other projects). Would definitely buy again though.

    Boat - start small, with a 15 HP perhaps and a aluminum hull. If you find the boat boating and can handle the maintenance, then upgrade.

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    Bust Out Another Thousand aka BOAT

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    Originally posted by revelations
    We owned a seadoo a few years back, SO MUCH fun. We sold it when we bought the house (ie. other projects). Would definitely buy again though.

    +1, family owns a seadoo and a boat. We use the seadoo probably 10x more than the boat. Can tow it with anything and can dock it just about anywhere. Just ends up being way less of a production to get it ready to use.

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    ^ were getting two next time. It was literally, every second weekend, we were out using it.


    If a big boat, just rent one.

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    Had absolutely no idea that boats were this much. Now looking back when I'd go out with friends in their parent's nice boat, had clue they must have been making serious bank.
    Ultracrepidarian

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