New boat!! (hopefully)

[Mattylight]

Hey folks, my name is matt. I am new to this site, but I am not new to boating. The purpose of this post is to get other people's advice about a new boat I am planning to buy. I've known the boat for years and the current owner is offering it to me. It is a 1975 23 seacraft center consul. It has twin 1988 yamaha 175's with only 126 hours. A mechanic looked at them and gave me a clean bill of helth. 4 year old furuno radar, furuno chartplotter and furuno fishfinder. Along with a VHF and stereo. The boat is in pretty darn good shape cosmetically, but has it's share of scratches and superficial cracks. The trailer is practically perfect. New fuel tanks, t top the works. Extremely excited. Do you think that this is a deal that I can't pass up? And how do the 23's do in moderatly bad weather? And does anybody know if 88 was a good year for yamaha? Would 12k be alright offer?

[NoBones]

Are you fishing or boating in Alaska, South Africa, Cuba, or
The Dead Sea???
Hard to say depends on where you are...
12K in Mexico would be high!
6K if you are in the Bahama's
Nova Scotia, should be around 7K..
Pic's and location are always helpful!
Don't mind me, I'm generally a wise guy first off..

Welcome to CSC...

[BigLew]

Take a look at our "For Sale" thread and see if you find any comparables. Furuno is a quality vendor.T-top is a plus if it is in good shape. Tankage will probably be adequate, but you need to decide if it is adequate for your intended use. Check the resale market for '88 yammies and then go from there.

From what you say, if everything is right, you have a pretty good opportunity. Just understand you will probably have another 5 g's in nearly immediate cost, and if you're lucky! Add to that another 5 to make it "YOURS"; boat motor plus equipment. Do you have something adequate to tow it, or do you have to go through a vehicle change, etc?

Think it through the first 2 years and if you can swing it, pull the trigger. Remember, don't love anything that can't love you back and buy with your head and not your heart! GFL - or - Good F----g Luck, you dog, you!!!!

PS. - Get a good competent surveyor to check it out. He knows how to find things you likely cannot! Worse case, he comes up with somethings you can use to negotiate down the price!

[cdavisdb]

14 year old engines are getting long in the tooth no matter how many hours are on them. Some mechanical failures are to be expected, maybe expensive ones. The price needs to reflect that. Is it a freshwater boat?, makes a big difference. Such low hours imply that it sat for long periods without running at all, bad for engines. What is the story? 1975 hull, a good year, but how is the transom? Ever been rebuilt? Where has the boat lived, down south or north, also makes a big difference in how likely the transom is to be soft.

Jump on the engines, look for flex in the transom. Know a surveyor with a moisture meter that knows how to use it?

There are more knowledgeable people here than me on price, but 12K seems a little high.

In terms of rough water performance, there's none better,. The boat will handle a bunch more than you will.

[Mattylight]

Hey Ken (no bones)
Thanks for the input thus far! the basic plan is to primarily use the boat for fishing and diving. I live in southern California (Ventura county) and will be mostly running the boat to the channel islands. They range from 11 to 70 miles from the harbor, weather usually is ok... a tipical trip would involve running dead into 1-3' leftover wind chop with no wind with or without a ground swell on the way out, and coming home with similar conditions but 10-20 knots of breeze and a little steeper and larger wind waves. The boat is kept in Channel Islands harbor in dry storage. no pics yet.

Once again thanks -Matt

[NoBones]

That helps a bunch Matt!!
You have fellow SeaCrafter's, Strick & Gillie that are
on the left coast as well!!
Hopefully those two will chime in and give you some
insight as to what prices are running out there!
I know they are a lot less there then in the northeast..
Again welcome to this crazy bunch of great people..
Hope all works out for you!!

[Mattylight]

Hey bud, thanks for the reply. As far as i know the boat has primarily been used in saltwater. I know that the lack of usage is concerning, but the last 5 years i have been taking care of the boat, never took it out of the harbor, but i have ran the boat a couple times a year just to keep things moving. Earlier than 5 years, i have no idea. i do know that they run well with the boat on the trailer with the hose. The boat has lived in Southern California for the last 10 years, but before that i also dont know. I jumped and jumped on the motors and did not see ANY flex. i dont know if the transom has ever been rebuilt, but it does have what looks to be a custom stainless motor well cover about 1/32" thick that wraps the transom well. Upgrading from a 17' whaler, i believe that anything will ride in rough weather better.

thanks matt

[Mattylight]

hey man, yeah will do. The T top is brand new! and i forgot to mention the solar panels on top. I just bought a new 1500 Chevy, i know it will be fine for the 1 mile from my house to the harbor, but what do you think about longer distance trailering? It has the 5.3 l V8 about 250 Hp and 300 foot pounds torque. Ive known this boat for a long time, and i feel its a winner.

Im gonna talk to the owner about $ tomorrow!


Thanks Matt

[thehermit]

Originally Posted by Mattylight

i forgot to mention the solar panels on top.

oh my

Hi Matt,

These are Great boats! Sounds like your already hooked too. Good luck with the sale and post some pix of that solar system

[pianewman]

Originally Posted by Mattylight

... I jumped and jumped on the motors and did not see ANY flex. i dont know if the transom has ever been rebuilt, but it does have what looks to be a custom stainless motor well cover about 1/32" thick that wraps the transom well... thanks matt

Am I correct that anything covering the transom is a possible sign of a weak transom? Maybe I'm paranoid because my 84-year-old dad's recent purchase (I never saw the boat until AFTER the purchase) of a 20' SF had diamond-plate covering the transom, and...well...turned out the transom was shot.
Looking forward to photos...and maybe a better description of how the transom is covered...