Fish-Hawk.Net

I shopped and looked at just about every model for almost a year..

My decision

Crestliner 1800 Super Hawk

From what I saw....it was the best Bang for the Buck, and has just about everything you could ask for...In fact there is not one thing I would add or change.

Will see how the test of time treats her.

If your shopping around, for sure check out Crestliner, they were they only boat that I didn't have some one tell me a draw back about them..the rest all had at least one....High Price (pay for the name), poor design, shoody workmanship..ect..ect..

The hardest thing to find is a good honest dealer

SkeeterJohn wrote:I know of 3 legends that have had cracked hulls due to bad design. That's enough for me to suggest you look elsewhere. I think princecraft's are put together a bit better and that would be my choice.

Sorry but I call BS on this post, especially as it relates to the all-welded hulls. I have had a 185 Gen-X since 2001, beat it up good on Erie and never had any major problems. Yes over the years I've had loose screws and stuff, but I have had similar things on every boat I own. After 10 years the carpet is starting to get worn. But major hull failures on the all-welded models ... never heard of that up here or in the states????

The hull is made by starcraft in Indiana and has been a design that has proven to be very solid. Very little has changed in the design since the late 1990s. They were sold in the states under the name Monark and are now sold under the name Starweld.

Call it BS if you like but the fact is i know of 3 different hulls that failed. Those who know me know that this isn't BS so i'll leave it at that.

I was looking for about a year and a half for a decent used boat, and after going to various boat shows, looking up ads and seeing a lot of dreck that was advertised as being "mint", I gave up and was on the cusp of buying new.

I figured that buying new, while much more expensive, would at least guarantee me a solid boat with no problems or issues. Then, a colleague told me about a boat for sale at work, and the deal was extremely good and I pounced. I got a 14' aluminum Lowe with floor and casting deck, two seats, console, livewell, bilge pump, two interior storage lockers, 35 HP 2-stroke Johnson that looked like it was right off the showroom floor, trailer and cover, for less than half of what a comparable boat would cost.

The pros? I was able to customise the boat with a trolling motor, fishfinder, extra marine battery, rod holders, etc, without breaking the bank since the initial purchase price was lower than new. The cons? There were some maintenance costs, such as servicing the trailer wheel bearings, getting a spare trialer tire, buying the fishfinder, trolling motor, etc. And the motor needed servicing as I found out when the thermostat went on the lake, leaving us to crawl back to the marina.

But, the maintenance bugs are worked out, I'm learning all the little things about the boat, and am getting my skill levels up as concerns manouevering into the shallows, loading and unloading when alone, etc.

I see pros and cons in buying new (high cost, depreciation) and used (the search to find a good one may be long, you may inherit someone else's problems).

The important thing is to research and ask lots of questions, take your time and then get your boat so you can get out on the water! I can't say how great its been, being on the lake on a bright sunny day with a buddy, catching fish, enjoying the sun glinting off the water, moving from spot to spot instead of looking at weedbeds from the shore and wishing I was on a boat, casting to those prime spots from the water......

Best,

Chris

I've got an 04 xcal 165 which I bought used about a year and a half ago. I'm glad to report that the hull is just fine....I love my xcal...my only complaint is that rain water doesn't seem to have anywhere to go in . It should have drains in the bow and main floor as water tends to pool and it can take days for it to dry out after having fished in the rain. I don't know that this is a legend issue as it isn't something I had looked for when choosing my new boat.

Relic wrote:I shopped and looked at just about every model for almost a year..

My decision

Crestliner 1800 Super Hawk

From what I saw....it was the best Bang for the Buck, and has just about everything you could ask for...In fact there is not one thing I would add or change.

Will see how the test of time treats her.

If your shopping around, for sure check out Crestliner, they were they only boat that I didn't have some one tell me a draw back about them..the rest all had at least one....High Price (pay for the name), poor design, shoody workmanship..ect..ect..

The hardest thing to find is a good honest dealer

I've always wanted a Crestliner. I researched like crazy (as I always do before a major purchase) and Crestliner was my first choice. I ended up getting a great deal on a Lund Pike with a 40 Honda, so I pounced on it. Its been a great boat, and I could probably sell it for roughly what I paid, 5 years after the fact...Lund really holds its value, like a Toyota truck I guess.
The guy I bought my boat from also had a Crestliner and he also said they were the best boats, hands down. If you look at the fit &finish on a crestliner, I think they are tops in the industry.
If I ever get rid of my Lund, I want an 18' Crestliner tiller...
sigh

Brunswick will soon own everything and quality dosen't usually improve

Hmm I'll stick with used. New boats are so expensive and decrease in value so fast. Then again it's hard to find a good used one because people tend to overestimate the value of it.

As a recent seller and buyer of a used boat I have to disagree with the statement made by Trisomy21.
I found as a seller that most buyers don't realize the value of a used boat. Because it might have a scratch or 2 or a loose bolt here and there they think the seller should give the boat away. I directed more than one shopper to Orleans Boat World to get the price of a boat with no scratches and compare it with the price of mine.
It took quite awhile but eventually a knowledgeable shopper showed up and made a reasonable offer.
As a buyer I did my homework beforehand, checking the price of new Vs. used and comparing asking prices for similar boats on the net.

All I mean is that you need to research before you judge.

With newer boats the owner does get ripped off a lot. I was referring to a lot of the older stuff I see. Some people asking $1500 for a boat sitting in a field with a motor that has parts strewn across the lawn lol.

A new boat purchase with warranties is the way I have gone with my last 2 boats. My last boat that I had for 16 years only saw the dealer once. I did all the service myself. It was an early 17'legend model made by smokercraft and mercury 60 that was an excellent boat.
My current boat is a 2009 Starcraft Superfisherman 180 with a Suzuki 140 I shopped around and found the last one available in Ontario last year. It was an excellent price that no other dealer would touch. It's deep and wide and does me well on the Bay Of Quinte. this will be my last one and i am confident that I made the right choice!
...Larry