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Old 05-25-2015, 10:52 PM   #1
jdeirmend
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On a $7,000 budget . . .

What sort of an Island-worthy boat setup would you buy? Give me the whole shebang, motor, etc.

I know it's not much to work with. But Old Capt. Ron, for instance, got around in good style in his 19' aluminum hull. $60/trip in gas expenses to Catalina and back is nothing to sneeze at, either . . . Granted, that guy was a phenomenal waterman and a journeyman pilot.
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Old 05-25-2015, 11:42 PM   #2
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

17' Whaler or a Skipjack if you wanna keep it on the cheap.
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Old 05-25-2015, 11:47 PM   #3
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

Buy some stock in apple wait 10yrs then buy a boat
20k is about the min for island ready boat....center console can be a wet ride did it once in 200+ trips, then again I am a sissy pants

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Old 05-26-2015, 12:00 AM   #4
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

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Originally Posted by jdeirmend View Post
What sort of an Island-worthy boat setup would you buy? Give me the whole shebang, motor, etc.

I know it's not much to work with. But Old Capt. Ron, for instance, got around in good style in his 18' aluminum whaler. $60/trip in gas expenses to Catalina and back is nothing to sneeze at, either . . . Granted, that guy was a phenomenal waterman and a journeyman pilot.
A whaler is not aluminum and you're thinking about his 19'er.

but speaking of Capt Ron, he's got 2 whalers for sale for your $7000 price tag. 17 &18' both with 90 four strokes.

Island worthy and ready to rock. Hit him up
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Old 05-26-2015, 11:03 AM   #5
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

I have a 21 foot Chris Craft 1980 with dual axle trailer and rebuilt motor for $ 1,800.00.
You have to install the motor and it need upholstery but if you want a solid boat to go to the island or PV this is it for cheap!
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Old 05-26-2015, 11:12 AM   #6
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

The Best Advice you will ever get: Pay extra to be first in line on someone else's boat....it will save you thousands...but, everyone should own a boat once in their life...(I am on my 5th one)...if aluminum, only buy a welded seam rig...rivets corrode and you end up with lots of little holes that leak eventually..they also sink quickly..whalers are a good first boat and have excellent flotation..weak spot is if you punch a hole in the thin skin over foam layup, it is very difficult to patch..older hulls are fine...spend the money on a good engine first and the hull last...better to finance a new reliable outboard than spend money constantly fixing an older engine that could leave you stranded out in the shipping lanes....a couple of good marine auctions coming up if you are interested...I find some good deals at auctions...
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Old 05-26-2015, 11:23 AM   #7
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

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I have a 21 foot Chris Craft 1980 with dual axle trailer and rebuilt motor for $ 1,800.00.
You have to install the motor and it need upholstery but if you want a solid boat to go to the island or PV this is it for cheap!

My last boat was a 21' Chris Craft 1984 and it was a great riding boat.

My current boat is an 18 SeaCraft (1975) and I love it. 90 HP two stroke that gets 3 mpg. Its a simple motor that I can work on myself if need be. No wood stringers to worry about. Rides great and Ive only got about $5500 into it. Because of the stepped hull it is also very stable at rest and needs very little horsepower to push it. Check out Classicseacraft to get a feel for these boats. For hitting the local kelp and going to the Coronados, I think its perfect.
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Old 05-26-2015, 11:59 AM   #8
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

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My last boat was a 21' Chris Craft 1984 and it was a great riding boat.

My current boat is an 18 SeaCraft (1975) and I love it. 90 HP two stroke that gets 3 mpg. Its a simple motor that I can work on myself if need be. No wood stringers to worry about. Rides great and Ive only got about $5500 into it. Because of the stepped hull it is also very stable at rest and needs very little horsepower to push it. Check out Classicseacraft to get a feel for these boats. For hitting the local kelp and going to the Coronados, I think its perfect.
Dude if you have an 18-foot SeaCraft that runs and you're only into it for $5500 you are stoked!

Those are killer hulls and beautiful boats when restored
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Old 05-26-2015, 12:06 PM   #9
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

{$60/trip in gas expenses to Catalina and back is nothing to sneeze at, either...} Gas is expensive and even more so when you return home and not everyone pays a share But like John said, Ron has a couple good boats for sale pretty cheap.




Quote:
Originally Posted by jdeirmend View Post
What sort of an Island-worthy boat setup would you buy? Give me the whole shebang, motor, etc.

I know it's not much to work with. But Old Capt. Ron, for instance, got around in good style in his 19' aluminum hull. $60/trip in gas expenses to Catalina and back is nothing to sneeze at, either . . . Granted, that guy was a phenomenal waterman and a journeyman pilot.
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Old 05-26-2015, 12:11 PM   #10
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

There are tons of good hulls out there that are island worthy, you don't have to go with the top brands or more commonly known brands. For $7000 you can definitely find something that is capable and reliable. Like Ballew said, spend your money on the engine, not on the hull. Older hulls can be as seaworthy as new. I would recommend against Boston Whaler because they hold their value more than other boats and the Montauk pounds like a mother ****er. That said, if you can find a Outrage or Revenge with a good motor in your price range, go for it. However, this is unlikely

In February I picked up a killer 19-foot SeaPro walkaround and its in great shape. Motor and outdrive were just gone through and everything is solid. Slightly more than $7000 but you could find something comparable in your range. I've been out to the islands every other week and couldn't be happier. Point being, you don't have to pay a fortune to get a solid hull with a motor that's in good condition.

Take your time. Study the available market. Get to know the different hulls and read reports online written by those who own them. Talk to as many people who own boats as you possibly can. Talk to the guys at the launch ramp on weekends. People with boats are usually more than happy to talk about them and share information.

Ride in as many different hull types as you can. Boats in SoCal are overpriced relative to those in other parts of the Country. You will pay much more for the same boat in California. Consider looking in Florida and Texas if you can drive the boat back home yourself. You will save a lot of money with this approach.

Good luck
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Old 05-26-2015, 11:36 PM   #11
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

12+ft boston whaler skiff with a 25-50hp motor plus the trailer for half that. Probably want a 2hp kicker to be safe.
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Old 05-26-2015, 11:48 PM   #12
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

If you plan for offshore island runs, I strongly recommend nothing less than 21'er and 100 horsepower minimum....the first time you are running up the face of 8' curler swells, that extra horsepower will be greatly appreciated...Having owned boats from a 16' Whaler to a 38' twin diesel, I find a 23' to 25'er to be about perfect for safe island runs and decent economy....my vote is for a new Yamaha outboard engine...very quiet, economical and reliable...everything needed for personal and financial survival.....
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Old 05-27-2015, 02:02 AM   #13
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

~~$6,500 I bought an older 17' Boston Whaler Montauk w/ a center console built into it & an Evinrude V4 110hp for $3,500. Makes it over to the island great in the morning but can get a little nasty on the way home. I'm still young though so I don't mind getting beat up and wet. I went with a whaler for the obvious reason... it doesn't sink. Personally, I would NEVER buy an aluminum boat. That's just me. Small craft safety is always important when making the crossing. Always check the weather conditions before crossing in small crafts.

Anyways, I have put another $2,500-$3000 into it since I have gotten it in order to make it island and patty hopping ready. I have installed a gps/fish finder, a radio w/ distress plotting(hooked up with my gps), an 8ft antenna, lights, new anchor, 30 gallon bait tank(for h&l obviously), put in an electronic bilge pump, duel batteries w/ perk switch, and put in a 24 gallon gas tank!

I love my boat and it get's the job done for me. However! What I would recommend is trying to get an older 18' Boston Whaler Outrage. The Deep V will make your life a thousand times better! I wish I had gotten a deep v instead of a tri-hull myself. Sorry for ranting but get yourself something 17'+ with a good radio/gps/motor preferably not aluminum.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/5027472937.html

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/boa/5034474103.html

Those are along the lines of what I'm talking about.. Just make sure the motors run good. $5000- $5500. So you'd have another $1,500+ to do what you'd like.

Good luck! You'll love it and hate it at the same time. (All you boat owners know exactly what I mean )

Last edited by CWood; 05-27-2015 at 02:19 AM.
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Old 05-27-2015, 05:11 AM   #14
kwtony
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

Damn, I thought our market was high in the Keys, but the CA boat market is outrageous. I need to start shipping boats from the east coast over to the west.
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Old 05-27-2015, 08:19 AM   #15
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Re: On a $7,000 budget . . .

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Damn, I thought our market was high in the Keys, but the CA boat market is outrageous. I need to start shipping boats from the east coast over to the west.
If Florida wasn't so darn far I'd be buying boats there and reselling them here in California all day long.
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