The Boating Forum - Newbie question: How to choose a boat?

Hi,

I am in Northern Virginia with access to the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay. I am looking to buy my first boat so my family and I can go on a day trip of fishing and swimming.

My kids are young (6 and 7) so water skiing is not a priority now. I have a Toyota 4Runners for towing.

I want to spend about $20,000 to $22,000 on a 20 - 24' boat. I am thinking of one with a small cabin and toilett.

1. Should I buy use or new?

2. Can you finance a used boat?

3. How much will it cost to maintain a $20000 boat?

4. How much time you need to maintain the boat?

5. Is Bayliner a good boat builder?

I would really appreciate any advice you may have.

Thank you,

Paven

1) Used - You won't find many new 20' boat for less than $22,000
2) Yes
3) If you buy it in good conditionn and keep it on a trailer at you home maintainance cost will be minimal.
4) See above
5) Use the search feature.

1.) For 22g's I'd buy used.
2.) Yes you can finance.
3.) Not much ie. <$1000.
4.) Depends on how often you use it.
5.) I think for $22,000 you could do better. Especially if you buy used.

Good Luck :thumbsup:


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There are lots of possibilities. Here is another thread, with similar questions -

http://www.thehulltruth.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=65773

4- Average monthly maintenance cost of a boat is %2 of boat value. If anyone thinks it is less than that, probably they are desktop boaters.

There are hundreds of boats that you can buy in that price range. They'll be used of course but thats OK as most boats get very little actual use and spend most of their lives sitting. For the sake of your sanity, find a boat with a cuddy, head and enough room below that the kids can get out of your hair. Here in the DC area boating is very popular. The Potomac, the Bay and the ocean provide plenty of boating options and there are many many marinas full of boats. Keep an eye on craigslist, ebay and the Post as that's where you'll find the most ads. Keeping a boat in the water is the most expensive but also the most convenient means of storage. Trailer boats are sometimes not allowed in certain communities and parking one on the street is usually verboten. Ask around. I'll bet you that there's at least one boater at your place of work.

All the previous answers have been right on target. The most important thing is to not go out and buy a new boat. No matter what you buy now, you will decide later that you need something else. Buy a quality used boat, take care of it and it should be easy to get most, if not all, of your money back out of it when you decide to change.

Happy boating!

WishFish - 3/30/2007 11:54 AM

4- Average monthly maintenance cost of a boat is %2 of boat value. If anyone thinks it is less than that, probably they are desktop boaters.

If you are paying $440 per month to maintain your 20' - 22' boat you are either getting screwed or it's time for a new boat.

I am talking maintainance cost. Not marina, fuel, insurance, storage etc.

If you are paying $440 per month to maintain your 20' - 22' boat you are either getting screwed or it's time for a new boat.

I am talking maintainance cost. Not marina, fuel, insurance, storage etc.



What to do you label “marina, fuel, insurance, storage etc” ?

I just sold a 1999 Pursuit 2270 Kodiak - for 21k; it had 240 hours on it - and had everything you are looking for - small cabin, head - Plus excellent resale - I had it for 2 years and sold it for 1k less than what I bought it for - look to the boats that hold their value (Pursuit, Grady, BWhaler, etc) - so you won't get too burned on the back end if you do not have the time or enjoy it as much as you thought.

The best thing you can do is to try to clearly decide how you will mostly be using the boat. You have to realize that EVERY boat is a compromise. That's why I have 5.

Thank you for every advice thus far. I am reading every word.

If buying used boat, should I buy from a dealer or from an individual?

Who can I hire to inspect a used boat before buying it?

Can I get financing to buy a used boat from a private owner? If the answer is yes, where can I go to get this done?

Is there any problem towing a 22' boat with a Toyota 4Runner (3.8L Engine)?

Any recommendation for a good dealer in Northern Virginia?

Thank you again for all your help.

Paven

Paven - 3/30/2007 6:34 PM
My kids are young (6 and 7) so water skiing is not a priority now. I have a Toyota 4Runners for towing.


Get your kids a youth size wakeboard in the next year or two. They'll be all over it. :thumbsup:

Welcome to the forum! A lot of your questions can be answered by doing a search and then reading through the specific thread. There are lots of banks and specific boat lenders that will finance you even when you buy from a private individual. As for towing your boat it would depend on what boat you are looking to buy as the weight varies. Also depends on the towing capacity of your vehicle. Boating is great and I love it so welcome to the forum and happy hunting for that particular boat!

4-Runner as tow vehicle - probably not capable of towing a 22' WA/Cuddy Cabin boat any distance. In fact, you are more likely looking at a max of many (not all) 20' Center Console boats and possibly something like the a KW 2020WA, Trophy 1820 WA, Sea Swirl 1851WA. It's still a pretty long drive to the Bay from Nothern VA. Once you load up with engine, fuel, supplies, and the weight of the trailer, the weights climb a lot higher than the bare hull itself. You probably want a decent sized V-8 or bigger to pull a 22' boat well and not be hurting the tow vehicle or getting dangerous

I lived in So MD and the VA northern neck and fished the Potomac a lot. It is rougher down there than up by DC, and continues to get rougher the closer you get to the bay as tidal influence gets stronger and it widens out to get more wind effect. Check on Tidalfish (Chesapeake Bay website) and Potomac River Anglers Club (Potomac and Bay Fishermen) for more suggestions on boats.

Without worrying about your tow vehicle, and considering the number of people you are looking to haul around, a nice 20' DC with bimini top and curtain package would be a good choice. Next would be the 20' class of Walk Arounds. Not a lot of room in the cabin, but it would provide storage for gear and maybe a place to use the portajon or for the kids to grab a quick nap. Most days you could get away with one of the 18.5' boats but you would want to watch the weather and know the tide tables for the day.

Jett's Marine is a good dealer in Reedville on the northern neck near the bay with a large showroom.
Newburg Marine in Newburg, MD (Route 301 just before the Harry Nice bridge into VA) is also a good but smaller dealer. They were Key West and some cruiser type boats a couple years ago, not sure if that is still their line or not.

Not sure which of the northern VA/DC area dealers have a good reputation.

If you can't keep the boat at your house on the trailer, and your HOA probably won't let you, you are probably looking at $50-75/mo for field storage at one of the marinas, or a lot more for rack storage. Insurance will depend on the boat, but could be $400-600/year. Ramp fees were running $5-$10/launch. Fuel, bait, snacks, etc. All adds up, but it is still worth it and usually cheaper to take the family out boating/fishing than joining a country club and golfing.

Paven, I have kids just a bit older than yours so I'll throw my 2 cents in.... Kids love to ride in an open bow. Whomever said 'make sure you have room below so the kids can get out of your hair" isn't being realistic for a 20-22' boat. Cuddy cabins are nice, I guess, but there is a REASON far more open bow boats are now sold in that length. A 20' cuddy cabin boat can't really be a decent overnight boat for a family of 4 or more. Your kids will be much bigger soon also. This particular boating site tends to have more "hard core" boaters and fishermen......they are not big bowrider fans in general.

Assuming you have someone check the boat out for you mechanically, etc., the biggest mistake I think you could make is to but an underpowered boat. They are cheaper and they LOOK the same so it's tempting, but don't do it. Pay a bit more, get one a year or 2 older, whatever...just don't buy too little power. Folks here can guide you on what type of power any boat you are interested in needs.

Also, for $20k or so you can get a very nice used boat if you are patient in buying. You just need to wait until a very well-kept boat that meets your criteria comes along then get it! Buy someone's "pride and joy", not their headache! It may cost $1000 more or so for a "liike new" used boat, but that's about all and it's well worth it!

Have fun.

WishFish - 3/30/2007 12:17 PM

If you are paying $440 per month to maintain your 20' - 22' boat you are either getting screwed or it's time for a new boat.

I am talking maintainance cost. Not marina, fuel, insurance, storage etc.



What to do you label “marina, fuel, insurance, storage etc” ?

Cost of ownership.

Many variables!
If you can keep your boat on a trailer or in a canal at your home that can save you $75-$200/month in storage or marine cost. If you finance the boat with a bank you will NEED insurance. If you have to budget for fuel you shouldn't have a boat. They aren't very efficient and are really a "luxury item".
We are talking about the same thing, you classified every expense as "maintainance".
What I was telling the "newbie" is that the cost of "fixing" things on a well maintained small boat should be a minimal expense compared to all the other cost associated with boat ownership.


A few worth looking at
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/1/8/88318718.htm
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/8/0/88016880.htm
http://www.boattraderonline.com/caddetail.html?/ad-cache/6/5/5/87163355.htm
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/8/0/88302780.htm

shemstreet - 3/30/2007 2:37 PM

4-Runner as tow vehicle - probably not capable of towing a 22' WA/Cuddy Cabin boat any distance. In fact, you are more likely looking at a max of many (not all) 20' Center Console boats and possibly something like the a KW 2020WA, Trophy 1820 WA, Sea Swirl 1851WA. It's still a pretty long drive to the Bay from Nothern VA. Once you load up with engine, fuel, supplies, and the weight of the trailer, the weights climb a lot higher than the bare hull itself. You probably want a decent sized V-8 or bigger to pull a 22' boat well and not be hurting the tow vehicle or getting dangerous




Depends on the 4Runner. On this particular one I would think it would not be sufficient. I THINK the towing capacity on the older 3.8L engines was 3,500 lbs.

Now the newer 4Runners, the 4.0L V6 may be sufficient to tow a 22' boat, barely, with a 5,000lb capacity. IMHO its too close. Now I have a 4Runner with a 4.7L V8 and 7000lb capacity which is a wonderful tow vehicle. I tow the boat, and my car on an 18ft car trailer.

Paven - 3/30/2007 11:34 AM

Hi,

I am in Northern Virginia with access to the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay. I am looking to buy my first boat so my family and I can go on a day trip of fishing and swimming.

My kids are young (6 and 7) so water skiing is not a priority now. I have a Toyota 4Runners for towing.

I want to spend about $20,000 to $22,000 on a 20 - 24' boat. I am thinking of one with a small cabin and toilett.



All the advice given so far is excellent for someone with boating experience and knowldgeable about outboards/inboards and trailers. Someone who can manage repairing an outboard. Someone who can fish wires underneath floor and do minor repairs.

All new motors are shockfull of electronics. Most Marinas and dealerships charge $100/hr. Which means your minimum repair is going to be 200 bucks. Almost all boats have one problem or another when owned by a newbie.

Breaking with all advice so far I would advice getting a new bowrider with extended warranty on motor/s. You will not be able to sleep on a cuddy cabin under 22' with 2 kids that age. Cuddy cabins do not have enough space. CAbins look cute but are unusable for that size family. They end up as storage places for wet stuff.

Get new. Let the warranty and dealer mess with your boating problems but not out of your pocket. Keep water out of boat by storing it with bow higher than stern and drain plug out.

After you have gained experience you can buy used. But, not now.

Good luck!

Look for leftover boats; 2005 and 2006 models still new, but unsold.
Look for used boats up to four years old that have extended motor warranties. That way you still have a couple of years of coverage.
Look at Dual console and Walkaround styles. Decide which meets your needs better. If you go out for rides, a dual console is roomier and more fun. If you tend to stay out on the boat all day, a walkaound's cabin may be useful. But a 20' walkaound is quite compact.
Avoid inboard/outboard motors. They are fine for freshwater, but require too much extra maintenance in saltwater.
Avoid carpeted floors. It's a sign of a freshwater pleasure boat, and they are a pain to keep clean.

Paven-- You may want to check out www.discoverboating.com It is a great site that may answer some of your questions. Also, you may want to start picking up a boating magazine such as Trailer Boats or Boating. Also, check out there websites. I believe one of the magazines (I subscribe to both) just had an article on buying a used boat and what you should look for. Here you will find tons of answers as its a great site, but a site like discoverboating.com will help a first time boater find the perfect boat!! Good Luck with your search! Also, don't forget to attend local boat shows where you can see several vendors and thier boats all lined up.

Paven,
I may be off base but we liked our 22' walk around. Cuddy was a good place to get out of the sun for my wife and young daughter, while my son and I fished above. We had a 22' inboard Shamrock with a big swim platform across the back-the kids loved it and used it as their base of operations when playing in the water. Tubing was a blast too for them. Trailoring and slow speed manuevering took some getting used to compared to an outboard but basic maintenance on the mercruiser it had was simple enough for me. Might be worth a look.
15457

I have a 22 ft WA Cuddy and I love it also. I keep it on a trailer at home and maintenance is nothing more than cleaning and yearly servicing, and time spent tinkering (surely not several hundred bucks a month). Just check the tow rating on your vehicle then do a realistic calculation on tow weight (boat, fluids, gear, trailer, motor). My Sea Hunt is about 6500 total, but most 22WA are a little heavier.