I just might buy a boat

[racsan]

guy next door has had a small boat up for sale , never was a price on it & I never asked, I worked at a boat dealership right out of high school and I know about what they ran used- and that was nearly 30 years ago. today he moved it to the road and put a price on the sign. No motor, transom board needs re-made (easy) and a tire goes down every 3 days. But for $230, wow- I could sell the boat alone after fixing the transom for 300/400, keep the trailer & turn it into a small flatbed for a mower. Its a nice size, 12’. The ranger wouldnt even know it’s there. The hhr could even handle it. Im seriously considering it, I may even keep it for myself.

 

[Roert42]

Nice looking boat.

I read somewhere that Star Craft makes quality boats.

 

[Dirtman]

If you want I could spray you with the hose while you rip up 20 dollar bills... it'll be cheaper than buying a boat and have the same outcome.

I've bought cheap boats before with the interest of flipping or fixing them up. It never ends well.

But that said Starcrafts are good boats that hold value better than some. I had a 17' center console Starcraft that was my favorite river boat. They are exceptionally well made. That would be nice with a 25 horse and small bow mount trolling motor for fishing lakes and rivers. I have a similar 12 foot Lund which is great for small water fishing with a buddy.

 

[Sharky]

this statement came from a friend that liked fishing & owned a few boats over the years....
the 2 best days of a boat owners life are, the day he buys it & the day he sells it.

he also told me after selling the last boat he had he would NEVER buy one again & tells everyone who is thinking of buying a boat....DONT !!!

 

[Curious Hound]

Looks awesome for that price.

 

[Curious Hound]

Change that stripe from gold to silver and it'll match your truck better.

 

[Dirtman]

Small boats like that aren't as big of money pits as big boats. My 26' grady white costs so much that most years I never even put it in the water. Between registration, insurance, fuel, and basic maintenance it's 2-3 grand for a season and that's if I trailer it and don't keep it at the marina and nothing major needs to be replaced (which always does).

Once you get motors, batteries, fix the transom and trailer, maintenance on that thing should be next to nothing. Motors and batteries are not cheap obviously unless you find a used pull start motor and don't get a trolling motor. I wouldn't want a boat like that with no trolling motor though.

 

[Roert42]

As long as you don't leave gas in the engine over the winter, the maintenance is almost non existent on small aluminum boats. In Pa registration on a 12' boat is like $15 a year.


If you want to drive to eastern Pa, I know a guy who might have a 35hp merc for sale. Upgraded to a Jet couple years ago.

 

[racsan]

35 hp is way too much motor for this, it would be fun, but more than twice what is needed. Im not seeing a hp plate like you see in most boats, Im not even sure what year it is. My 3hp johnson I bought for the canoe some 25 years ago will probably push it pretty good. I always use fuel stabilizer in everything that sits for over a month, the gas can for the mower gets sta-bil every time its filled. I doubt I do very much with this until its spring again, might pull that tire that loses air & take care of it, or at least have a jack stand under it so it doesnt sit all winter on a flat. Wish they were 5-lug hubs, I have a pair of 5.30-12’s that might fit within the fenders and they hold air.

 

[Roert42]

35 hp is way too much motor for this, it would be fun, but more than twice what is needed.

I guess it depends where you are using it. My old man has a 16' Alumicraft (bare hull, no chairs or deck just, the bare aluminum bench in the back) , that 35hp merc was enough to push it up the Deleware with the old man and a couple of kids, but not much more.

I bet he couple get away with something much smaller in a lake.

 

[racsan]

Just researched a little and it seems “25” is the biggest recommended horsepower. Id think a 15 would be big enough, back in the day a 9.9 & 15 hp (evinrude/johnson) were nearly identical in appearance. It was common for someone who would go on 10hp restricted lakes to buy a decal kit meant for a 9.9 and put on their 15’s. My canoe engine is a 2.3 and I made it a 3.3 by changing the carburetor, point setting and propeller. Really didn’t notice any difference in power, but it did use more fuel.

 

[adsm08]

Once you get motors, batteries, fix the transom and trailer, maintenance on that thing should be next to nothing. Motors and batteries are not cheap obviously unless you find a used pull start motor and don't get a trolling motor. I wouldn't want a boat like that with no trolling motor though.

Go into the local Advance and ask if they have any out of date Marine Deep Cycles in the back. You can pick those up for cheap if they are over 18 months old.

 

[adsm08]

I guess it depends where you are using it. My old man has a 16' Alumicraft (bare hull, no chairs or deck just, the bare aluminum bench in the back) , that 35hp merc was enough to push it up the Deleware with the old man and a couple of kids, but not much more.

I bet he couple get away with something much smaller in a lake.

Oh yeah. My 12 ft aluminum canoe I can go out on the lake all day with a 3.5HP troller and two batteries. If I am going fast I might end up rowing back to the dock, but even at half power she will move round just fine.

 

[Dirtman]

I have a 110lb thrust trolling motor for my 12' boat to use in electric motor only lakes. With a big AGM deep cycle it'll push me around at a jogging pace all day which is plenty fine for small lakes. On a river with good current I wouldn't want anything less than a 9.9 but I feel much more comfortable with my 25hp. I know it won't be underpowered if I go back upriver against the current and a strong wind, or need to flee from a rogue oil tanker. On a larger lake with no current, eh a 3-5 horse gas engine is probably fine. You won't win any speed records but itll move you along.

 

[adsm08]

I have a 110lb thrust trolling motor for my 12' boat to use in electric motor only lakes. With a big AGM deep cycle it'll push me around at a jogging pace all day which is plenty fine for small lakes. On a river with good current I wouldn't want anything less than a 9.9 but I feel much more comfortable with my 25hp. I know it won't be underpowered if I go back upriver against the current and a strong wind, or need to flee from a rogue oil tanker. On a larger lake with no current, eh a 3-5 horse gas engine is probably fine. You won't win any speed records but itll move you along.

Well, I don't go to the rivers, and I don't have to deal with any oil tankers on the lakes around me.

One time when I was out by myself I did have some issues with the wind. It was me and two batteries in the back, and nobody up front, the wind kept gusting from the direction of the dock I was parked at, and every time it did it grabbed the front end like a kite and just whipped me right around 180*.