First Boat - Dream or Folly??

[RonFrank]

BUT, do some research. My father has owned boats his entire life (lives in Corvallis, OR). I have never owned anything other than a canoe! However I've been around boats plenty.

Don't get into a hurry to purchase. Make sure whatever you decide to purchase has been well maintained, and is in great shape. Ideally, find someone with more money than desire, that purchased a boat, and left it on a trailer in a parking lot for much of it's existance assume the engine was serviced on a regular basis.

Saltwater is MUCH harder on a boat, and boating in the Ocean is MUCH more dangerous than Lakes in general. I'd definately take some courses before getting onto the ocean, and become familiar with your boat in fresh water.

If you want to keep costs down, you better learn to do some maintenance. It is CRITICAL to keep everything at 100% ship shape. You must be religeous about oil changes, or mixing oil (2 stroke), and all other mantenance items. You must keep everything clean. You must have it serviced on a regular schedule (or do it yourself).

I watched my Dad over the years (in fact DID most of the cleanup, and some engine maintenance as a teenager), and other than regular service at a dealer once or twice a year, he really never spent much on our boats other than the operating costs. He liked outboard motors, and I can say these things can run for decades when properly maintaned. I/O's seem to be more prone to isses.

Boats can be a big sinkhole, but they don't have to be. Purchase wisely, learn to maintain the equipment, and you should be OK.

 

[Rick Inman]

Our friend Rick is a babe...

Ah... gee... thanks.

 

[Tom Winters]

Our friend Rick is a babe...

Uh Pescador, maybe you gotta come into port a little more often.

 

[Nemrod]

"Our friend Rick is a babe in the woods. For example, Rick, did you know that women could sink a boat, just by combing their hair? The shed hairs wash into the bilge where they wind around the pump impeller. Rough seas, rogue wave, and torrential downpour turns from inconvenience into disaster."

While my little Whaler does have a bilge pump the bilge is below deck and fairly sealed and very small, the boat is essentially self bailing both through scuppers and over the transom. Even if I were to pull the plug and disconnect the bilge it will not sink--not even close. My wife can comb her hair all she wants and good thing to because I have 180 lbs of collies with lot's of hair that love to ride in the boat. The only thing between my inner liner and deck/floor and inner side walls and the outer hull is foam and lots and lots of it. If the only thing that stands between you and the sea is a small boat then make that boat a Whaler!
Many people read these threads, don't be disheartened about owning a boat, if you don't have a boat, you cannot water ski, pull kids on tubes, take your dogs out to play in the water and bark, take your dad fishing like he used to take you, take your mom out for a ride to see the scenary and changing leaves, scuba dive from your own boat, explore places very few others see and on and on, yeah, anything worth doing is going to take effort and sometimes a bit of money. Is it worth it, I think so. N

 

[Hank49]

Well, I guess I (we) have made up our minds, due to the opinions of you boat owners, seen quoted here below:

You could get lucky for your 7000 but chances are you won't.

Boats can be a money pit if you are not able to maintain them yourself.

Once you pay for the boat, your spending has just begun. BOAT = Break Out Another Thousand.

I'd go with another trailer and an inflatable for $7000. You really don't want to start fixing a larger outboard, labor and parts are outrageous.

I think the original poster is not going to do well with only 7,000 dollars. He has had a great time with a travel trailer and maybe that is what he should continue with as a boat, especially a older used boat can be very costly.

…being a boat owner is like, take a new crisp $100 bill and go to your nearest marina, light it on fire and drop it in the water.

If you buy the low dollar machine prepare to pay big time, pay now or pay later.

To the original question - you would be hard pressed to fulfill your dream with $7G.

The two happiest days in a boat owner's life are: The day he buys his boat. The day he sells his boat. Stick with a camper.

FOLLY!!!

Pug,

Next spring when we come out, could you meet us at the Wal-mart parking lot?

All of the above are true...pretty much. But if you love the water, as you seem to, it's all worth it. I bought mine to dive. Now, besides dive gear, I spear fish and line fish a lot. I spend to upgrade spear guns, shafts, line, more poles, reels for deep grouper fishing....it goes on and on. Not to mention gas being US$5 / gallon in Belize...But I wouldn't trade it for anything....except for my family's health if needed.

 

[pescador775]

Uh Pescador, maybe you gotta come into port a little more often.

LOL, I'll do a translation. "Babe in the Woods" used to refer to someone who is lost, clueless, and in imminent danger. That describes Rick but at least he has the sense to ask before jumping. Luckily for Rick, I have thirty years experience operating, maintaining and repairing boats, outboard, inboard and I/O.

Rick, if you jump into a big,albeit trailerable boat, you will need a work shop, separate from your home, all kinds of tools and supplies for the boat. One of my friends who owns a 47' Viking says that he would never have been able to keep the boat if he were not, in fact, a machinist with his own machine shop. I don't have machine tools but have friends that do. I have a 20 X 40 steel building. It is crammed with diving gear, tools, workbenches, etc. In one end of the shop, there is a wooden cradle which weighs about 250 pounds. It is used to support the transom when I pull the 3 ton boat off its trailer for bottom painting. In another part of the shop there are racks of paints, brushes, rollers, solvents, chemicals, oil, fluids, etc. That's just for starters. In another part there are maintenance items, racks of zincs, tune up kits, spare carburetors, kits, stainless screws, pop rivets, etc, etc, etc, etc. Unless you want to wait a week to work a day, one needs parts on hand. Last Spring, I spent 53 straight days working on my boat. Anybody with a used boat will find the same. Anybody with a new boat may find worse. Almost any new boat has problems and you are at the mercy of the dealer. Ever heard of bottom (hull, idiots) blisters?

So, why do I own a boat? As a diver, I need one. That doesn't mean I have to like it.

 

[Rick Inman]

LOL, I'll do a translation. "Babe in the Woods" used to refer to someone who is lost, clueless, and in imminent danger. That describes Rick but at least he has the sense to ask before jumping. Luckily for Rick, I have thirty years experience operating, maintaining and repairing boats, outboard, inboard and I/O

.... As a diver, I need one. That doesn't mean I have to like it.

So, can you at least fill out your profile so I can know where to come and dive off your boat??

 

[Uncle Pug]

I just counted up the number of boats I own... and I still have one finger left. Don't listen to me when I tell you not to get a boat.

But since I don't have a trailer listen to me when I tell you to get a trailer.

 

[Hank49]

I just counted up the number of boats I own... and I still have one finger left.

So, either you're not very good with knives or you have a big fricken garage...?

 

[Missdirected]

Don't do it. All the money you will spend on that boat you and wife could fly around the world, slightly exaggerated. And yes, horrible things will happen you will be stranded one day - there is no doubt. If you are bent on getting one buy used so you don't take that big hit (my lesson learned) and buy Sea Tow.