The Boating Forum - Opinion on boat purchase 1998 Hydra-Sport

Hi folks;

I follow your comments and postings, I find them to be very helpful to me as a future first time boat owner.

I unfortunately don't have much to offer to the forum yet.

I finally found a boat in my budget that will suit my needs. I am hoping that I am not overpaying for the boat.

This is a 1998 22 Ocean, Hydra-Sport C.C..it has no T-Top, the electronist are in good working condition but are older models gps,fish finder and vhf radio. There are some extras like new bimini top and other basic stuff. The boat has hydrolic trim tabs too.

The hull is in very good condition. This boat had a 175 HP johnson, which was replaced with a 2004 225HP Susuki 4stroke with now 180hrs on it and it looks super clean except for the shell that decolored some.

The seller did not know how many hours the engine had for sure, he was estimating 200 but my friend who is very familiar with boats showed him how to read the hours on the panel and that is how we found it had 180 hrs. My friend also helped me to inspect the boat. The boat comes with a trailer that will need about $300 of new parts but is is in good working condition.

The seller will not reduce the price at all. I am treating this guy with silk gloves because he seems to be alittle temperamental and I do not want to loose the deal. He says he does not "need" to sell anymore since he moved the boat to a more affordable location, and does not "need" the money..we all know how that goes.

My research shows the asking price is very fair 14,5K but I only go by the internet. Is this a good deal for the California market?

Any thoughts or comments would be very much appreciated.

The boat is registered and taxes are paid and there is no lean on it.

I will do sea-trial this Satuday with cash in hand. I am hoping all wells.

Needless to say I am very excited.

Thanks in advance.

14.5K is a very fair price for a low hour 4 stroke sitting on a Vector model Hydrasport. It might be a little high if the boat is a Seahorse, or Lightning model. It might still be a good price for those models- I am just not as familiar with them as I am the Vectors. One thing you should look at when you sea trial is the water level- that boat was designed for a 2 stroke motor and with a heavier 4 stroke sitting on it it could be a little stern heavy, be sure to check the scupper outlets. Not graven in stone as I know several that have been converted and were fine, but check it before you pull the trigger. If it is the Vector model you will never be sorry for the purchase! I have both the Seahorse and Vector models and while there is nothing wrong with the Seahorse, it is not half the boat the Vector is.

I bought a 1998 Seahorse 23' with a 2005 Evinrude 250 in 2006 for 15K. It was in decent shape with a T-Top and good trailer. I sold it three months after buying it but that is a whole other story. Your deal seems expensive.

-Hydra-Sports bought the Sunbird hulls in 1999. They renamed the Neptune 2300 into the Sea-Horse series in 99. They later renamed it the Lighting and now no longer use that hull. This hull is 23'8" not counting the bracket or the pulpit. Not a Vector. It replaced the ocean series in 99.

I don't think that the ocean series is a Vector either. Hydra-Sports 22 Ocean(21.5') I believe was not kevlar reinforced.

The 2250 in 98 was Kevar reinforced and is a Vector series. As said above, the Vector series are the Best hulls they made.

I agree, this hull does not seem to be the best of the over all production. I have seen other hydra-sports C.C and they look thicker and more solid boats over all.

I will be keeping a close eye on how the boat seats in the water and performs with the bigger 225hp 4Stroke. I will be calling Hydra-sports tomorrow to see if they can comment on weather the bigger engine can create issues or will cause problems.

As far as the price goes.I have spent quite a bit of time looking for a C.C with a 4 stroke Yamaha, Honda or Suzuki in the 20 to 22' range in CA and they are not easy to be found for under 17k. I however am willing to travel out of state if someone has one of similar characteristics.

All good information so far and I appreciate it.

I have a 96 Hydra-Sport ocean 22. I like the boat because it has so much room in it compared to other 22' boats because it has no inner lining, which also makes it very easy to clean with the painted inside. It also has a large front deck, big enough for two people to easily cast from, and has decent storage under the front deck. Its a light boat and is not the big heavy smooth riding boat that some of the other Hydra-Sports models are. I would try to sea trial it in some rough conditions to be sure that the ride suits you. It does well in some conditions and others not so well. Mine has a 150 hp two stroke and runs about 36 Wot. I would be a little concerned with added weight of the bigger four stroke because mine tends to sit low and take some waves over the transom at times, especially when there is a cooler and two or three people fishing out of the back. I would also open the three storage boxes up front and check under the deck for moisture and rot. I found some on mine but I caught before it was serious. It was because of poor sealant around the access lids. Bottom line, it is a good boat for inshore and light offshore, just have to pick your days offshore.

"the seller will not reduce the price at all"

Translation: boat was just put on the market and he's really proud of it.

What you describe isn't a steal, but should be a decent, easy to trailer boat.

Needless to say I am very excited.http://www.momshelper.info/11.jpg

I agree. Let him stew or buy my boat. Everyone sits on the price until the reality sets in that it will not sell. The sellers market is horrible right now and you stein the drivers seat

you should bring a few guys and be mindful of the amount of gas in the boat. If there is an issue with how it sits in the water the owner is going to sea trial it with very little gas in the tank. Trim the motor up and see if the engine clears the water in the event you want to slip the boat vs trailer. I wouldn't be taken with the repower as that motor is 8yrs old, yes low hours but it could also have other issues due to lack of use. One more bit of advice...lose the excitement. emotions lead to bad financial decisions and there will always be more boats.

I called Hydra-sport today they said the difference in weight should not be much of a problem but they were not sure how much difference in weight there is between a Suzuki 4 stroke 225 and a Envinrude or Johnson 225 2stroke. They said one inch or so difference lower to the water is not an issue.

They also told me the model is a Seahorse in the Skiff line. That explains the light weight.

I am going to move forward with the Sea-trial and look fo rthe things you guys mentioned.

I will be prepare to walk away if the ride is not as expected or there are issues.

As much as I am excited about the boat I am also repare to walk away. After all, 14.5K is a good chunck of change.

Its a good thing your doing the homework prior to sea trial. If the owner is a little tweaky/anal retentive that can be a good thing with regards to use and maintenance this rig has received. Any factual negative information you can provide the seller with like (not being a Vector etc.) might get him off his price. Good luck it sounds like a nice rig.

I thought I would give you guys an update.

After puting the excitment aside and evaluating the pros and cons, i made the educated decision of not getting the rig. The lack of flexibility on the asking price in combination with the big overweighted angine in a very light weight skiff made me un easy with the purchase. I called the seller to let him know i will not be moving forward and thanked him for his time....of course, at that time he said,..well I can fix the trailer and still take you out bla bla bla..He had already lost me so there was no turning back.

I learned a few lesson on this process. Emotions are your worse enemy, research before buying is critical, if you are not 100% ok with the purchase walk away. The most important : The hull truth Kicks ass.

I'll find my boat eventually.

Thanks again.

Good job. Stick to it and you will find the boat that suits your needs at the right price.

I can only imagine you don't want to wait this long but get your funds in order and wait for the end of summer. I can guarantee your selection will increase significantly and pricing will be more agressive. look daily starting end of sept and get ready to pounce as the sweet deals go quickly. That is what I did. I seached CL and found the posting just put up on the boat I have now. I was the first of many to call that day. I set up a viewing the next day and put a deposit down. Best of luck with your hunting.