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Random Quote: The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli! ( George Costanza )
okay heres the deal, 2 friends and i (all 18 yrs old) are thinking about buying a boat for 2400. 800 a piece. we dont live in a boating community, but every once in a while we will go to lake havisu or powell or wherever else we wanted to go. we live in california, and may have free storage through my friends brother.
Question
hard to maintain? do you constantly have to work on it and maintain it? its in nice condition already and has a brand new engine, not even 10 hrs on it. im wondering if its worth it, or if i will constantly need to work on it and put 100% of my free time to it, because if i do then its not worth going through the hassle
In a nut shell, boats are a love hate relationship. Some require a lot of attention whereas other do not. It's a luck of the draw. But if you have new power on her then you should be good for a while, as far as power goes.
But if there is four balls to the wall type of guys operating it who knows how long she will remain in great shape.
For this type of arrangement make damn sure right of front and on paper, that the labour to clean, labour to fix, labour to maintain and upgrade and labour to taxi the boat is all understood and signed and agreed upon!!!!!!! Boats are fun, but they are also at times a lot of work!
Good luck.........do you know the three other guys REALLY well........well enough to go into this venture with?
In a nut shell, boats are a love hate relationship. Some require a lot of attention whereas other do not. It's a luck of the draw. But if you have new power on her then you should be good for a while, as far as power goes.
But if there is four balls to the wall type of guys operating it who knows how long she will remain in great shape.
For this type of arrangement make damn sure right of front and on paper, that the labour to clean, labour to fix, labour to maintain and upgrade and labour to taxi the boat is all understood and signed and agreed upon!!!!!!! Boats are fun, but they are also at times a lot of work!
Good luck.........do you know the three other guys REALLY well........well enough to go into this venture with?
garret's giving you great advice...50% of all marriages fail....4 guys and boat is probably higher....
A few things for you and your friends to consider.
1. Boats are expensive as a hobby; hence the acronym BOAT Bring Out Another Thousand.
2. I don't know what size boat you are looking at, but it sounds like you will need to trailer it, and make sure it is a safe and well-maintained trailer!
3. Boats need to be maintained well to provide a long life of enjoyment. Specifically the motor.
4. Gas money
5. Insurance money
6. 2-stroke oil money, or 4-stroke oil changes
7. A breakdown reserve fund.
8. Boat US towing insurance (maybe)
9. Potential loss of friendship due to squabbling over who is being the leech and not antying up what they supposed to in terms of money even though they are using it way more than the other two partners and the fact that they left an empty bag of cheetos and a used condom in the boat that was in plain site for your mom to see when you took her out the next day who then grounded you.
If you work out these issues you are gonna be hooked and hopefull get your own boat.
4 partners under 20 + the first repair bill from a rookie running aground = ONE BEAT UP OLD BOAT WITH 4 GUYS WHO DON'T SPEAK TO EACH OTHER ANYMORE.
Hell that doesn't even figure in the fights over who is drinking whos beer.....oh wait they aren't even old enough to do that.
Sounds like you need to take a pass on this if money is that tight. Like everone else has stated they are constant money hungry animals. I would use your disposable income chasing the ladies
thats what i said!!!!!!! but yeah you guys had some great ideas, and yeah we know each other really well. friends since middle school, around 8 years now. we were thinking about we may just end up getting an oldboat from one of my friends parents, (they never use it) hopefullly for free so it gets some use, then maybe upgrade it. but i really want a boat i can get away for the weekend and camp out and drive around, water is your friend!
Now you are talking.....unless you have a butt load more coin in your "g" than I did at 18, cheaper is better and free is perfect. Thank God there IS someone on this site under 30 besides me 1
Sorry, I'm over 50 (hence the name), but I do remember being 18 (I think)
Lot's of good pointers, but I will add a couple.
Insurance ... can you afford it ? (You can't afford to not have it !)
Tow Vehicle ... do you own one that is really "up to the challenge" ?
Boats are cool, but can be expensive. IMHO, the lowest total cost of ownership is a used aluminum dual console/bowrider (no worries about rotten stringers or transom) with a well maintained carbureted 2 stroke outboard. I believe that outboards are cheaper to maintain in the long run than I/O's. Yes, the 2 stroke outboard will burn more fuel, but will have less maintenance.
A 2 stroke outboard might be an issue in CA, because I have heard that these engines are band from some (all?) lakes. If so, then an I/O is your only other reasonable choice.
new boater 
