LF entry level boat

[revmarriage]

Hey y'all. Finally time to vacate the canoe and move on to a decent rig. I'm looking for an entry level fishing boat for the lads and I. Not a huge bankroll to unload but I'd like a reliable vessel to get us out on the water. Ideally something 14ft or bigger. If you have something lying around or are looking to upgrade I'm ready to help take 'er off your hands. We're in the 3k or less range, trailer not a necessity but would be great.

[banjo]

http://www.piratecovemarina.com/index.p ... arcraft-16


I have no idea if this is still available... but give them a call.

[lape0019]

Not a bad deal for the price!

[revmarriage]

still in the hunt ... seems there are some decent rigs on Kijiji and a few at local marina's. Prices fluctuate like crazy. Here's my question ... as a total novice marine tech, how do I know/verify that the motor is in good working order? I've seen a few boats that I'd like to take a poke at, but I've come to realize that in the 3k range, the motor is the bulk of the purchase ... without adding a couple hunds to the price, how can I verify that the motor is in decent shape?

[banjo]

In my opinion, you can't know for sure. Judge the character of the seller. Ask for repair receipts, ask to see it run with the water muffs on it, ask how it was winterized. Your best bet is getting a used rig from a reputable marina. As some wise FishHawker once told me... BOAT stands for Bring Out Another Thousand.

[xped]

still in the hunt ... seems there are some decent rigs on Kijiji and a few at local marina's. Prices fluctuate like crazy. Here's my question ... as a total novice marine tech, how do I know/verify that the motor is in good working order? I've seen a few boats that I'd like to take a poke at, but I've come to realize that in the 3k range, the motor is the bulk of the purchase ... without adding a couple hunds to the price, how can I verify that the motor is in decent shape?

I was in your position last year. Had about $4000 to spend but knew almost nothing about boats. I ended buying used from Laurentian. I figured at the very minimum I would rather deal with a company who had resources to help me out with any potential issues that happened. One year later...so far so good!

By the way, I know a heck of a lot more about boats now than I ever thought I would. The Internet is a great friend for this! As well, it's no lie...the inital cost of the boat is the cheapest part. It's amazing what one "needs" once they get one. I'm adding upgrades to mine this year....casting deck, new carpet, storage areas, new-to-me trolling motor, Fishfinder.

Good luck!

[smitty55]

as a total novice marine tech, how do I know/verify that the motor is in good working order?

Like any engine, the best way to tell is by doing a compression check on each cylinder. That will entail first finding out what range it should be in. Not a big problem if its getting into the lower end of the range. What most important is that each cylinder is close to each other. A compression tester is not that expensive, specially at a place like Princess Auto. You can do that test with the muffs on.

Cheers

[Malyon18]

Pm sent

[Pembrokespanky]

Not sure if you are still looking, but I have a 2006 Sylvan Sea Snapper large 14' aluminum, 2006 Johnson 15 HP, on a 2011 HD trailer in very good condition with low hours that might suit you.