I'm in the market for a ski boat and have taken a liking to the Master Craft and Ski Natiques. A major concern however, is the age of the boats. While $10,000 is in my price range and the boats at this price look well taken care of, I have concerns about purchasing something with a 25 year old engine. Are these inboards made to last, or should I be leery?
Purchasing a ski boat
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If it has an hour meter on it you could get some idea of how much it was used. Maintenance records would be another plus, I can tell you my 23 year old 350 Mag in my '89 Chaparral runs just fine.
They just need a thorough inspection and check first. They are standard car engines modified for marine usage.
Many of these are fresh water boats so the odds are more in your favor!
Many of these are fresh water boats so the odds are more in your favor!
Any major repairs done to your engine over those years? Are you about to put a ballpark number on how long these engines will last? My thinking is that anyone who would invest in this type of boat would be more likely to maintain it. Is this sound or faulty logic?
Most marine engines are destroyed by ingesting water not wearing the rings or bearings out. And many boats are not run that often and it would be better if they were.
If I were you I would plan on replacing the manifolds and risers and rebuilding the carb. That may cost $1000. Less if you can do the work.
If thats out of your budget, replace the risers and examine the manifolds. Unless you see receipts for the above items they should be done.
Also if you can run the boat hard and get it nice and hot and then pull oil sample to send out and check for water. That will tell you if there are any problems with water entering the engine in some manner.
If I were you I would plan on replacing the manifolds and risers and rebuilding the carb. That may cost $1000. Less if you can do the work.
If thats out of your budget, replace the risers and examine the manifolds. Unless you see receipts for the above items they should be done.
Also if you can run the boat hard and get it nice and hot and then pull oil sample to send out and check for water. That will tell you if there are any problems with water entering the engine in some manner.
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
They just need a thorough inspection and check first.
Thats the key. I'd have a marine survey done on any used boat I bought.
The few hundred bucks a survey cost is money well spent if they find rotten stringers,a water logged transom,or bad engine.
They just need a thorough inspection and check first.
Thats the key. I'd have a marine survey done on any used boat I bought.
The few hundred bucks a survey cost is money well spent if they find rotten stringers,a water logged transom,or bad engine.
Boats can be a lot of fun, and also can be a HUGE drain of cash.
B.O.A.T. = Bust Out Another Thousand.
The definition of a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into, and the bigger the boat the bigger the hole, and the more money you have to throw into that hole.
There are hidden cost that all boat owners have to put up with, and there are hidden cost that can be avoided.
Some of the hidden cost that all boat owners have to put up with are lines, fenders, life jackets of the proper size and rating for the size of the users, up to date fire-extinguisher and first aid kit, routine engine and drive train maintenance, trailer maintenance, tow vehicle, trailer license, trailer inspection if it has brakes, state boat yearly registration, schooling to obtain proper certification for the people who will be operating the boat, dock rent if applicable, winterizing if required.
There are so many things that can cost big bucks with a boat that it is hard to know where to start.
Some of the hidden cost that can be avoided, repair or replacement of prop because of hitting cement or rock while launching, or retrieving to trailer, damage to out-drive and or out-drive coupling from hitting prop, blown engine because of not changing oil, damage to out-drive by removing boat from water with out-drive down, flooding by launching with drain plug out, blowing trailer tire by hitting curb at ramp, stolen prop because it was left on the boat, stolen boat and trailer because it was left in storage without a lock on trailer hitch, and tires were not disabled by chain or removal,
With inboard/outboard boats, many use a standard car engine. I have seen some of the 4 and 6 cylinder car engines that were bored out to get maximum horse power, and sold that way in new boats. Then the owner uses them to ski and usually demands the maximum from them such as towing two people at a time, and they blow up, such as a piston rod through the side or bottom of the engine. The eight cylinders that are not bored out to get extra horse-power seam to last and not blow up. If I were getting a boat I would be looking for an 8 cylinder that has an engine putting out the same amount of horse-power it provides in a car or truck.
B.O.A.T. = Bust Out Another Thousand.
The definition of a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into, and the bigger the boat the bigger the hole, and the more money you have to throw into that hole.
There are hidden cost that all boat owners have to put up with, and there are hidden cost that can be avoided.
Some of the hidden cost that all boat owners have to put up with are lines, fenders, life jackets of the proper size and rating for the size of the users, up to date fire-extinguisher and first aid kit, routine engine and drive train maintenance, trailer maintenance, tow vehicle, trailer license, trailer inspection if it has brakes, state boat yearly registration, schooling to obtain proper certification for the people who will be operating the boat, dock rent if applicable, winterizing if required.
There are so many things that can cost big bucks with a boat that it is hard to know where to start.
Some of the hidden cost that can be avoided, repair or replacement of prop because of hitting cement or rock while launching, or retrieving to trailer, damage to out-drive and or out-drive coupling from hitting prop, blown engine because of not changing oil, damage to out-drive by removing boat from water with out-drive down, flooding by launching with drain plug out, blowing trailer tire by hitting curb at ramp, stolen prop because it was left on the boat, stolen boat and trailer because it was left in storage without a lock on trailer hitch, and tires were not disabled by chain or removal,
With inboard/outboard boats, many use a standard car engine. I have seen some of the 4 and 6 cylinder car engines that were bored out to get maximum horse power, and sold that way in new boats. Then the owner uses them to ski and usually demands the maximum from them such as towing two people at a time, and they blow up, such as a piston rod through the side or bottom of the engine. The eight cylinders that are not bored out to get extra horse-power seam to last and not blow up. If I were getting a boat I would be looking for an 8 cylinder that has an engine putting out the same amount of horse-power it provides in a car or truck.
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If you are purchasing from a individual be sure to go to a notary and write a check for the state tax and document sending it in.
The state will not sell you a boat license number if you did not pay the state tax when you purchased the boat.
The state will not sell you a boat license number if you did not pay the state tax when you purchased the boat.
Let me change gears a little bit. While a 25 year old Ski Natique has piqued my interest, this is not the must have boat for me. This will be my first ever boat purchased. Would you all suggest I spend the same amount of money on an I/O bow rider and get a boat that is in the 5-10 year old range?
Maybe the answer to what boat you should be looking at can be figured out by thinking about ALL the things you will want to do with it once you get it?
The boat would primarily be used for cruising around on the lake as well as the wake boarding and water skiing (when we have enough people). My wife and I want to find a secluded cove, drop anchor, and drift on rafts next to the boat. Beaching the boat on an island in the middle of the lake is also an option. We were budgeting between $8 and $12,000 for a boat purchase. In the price range, we could get a Bayliner I/O in the 18-20 foot range that was just a few years old. Conversely, there are also Ski Natique's available in the $12,000 range (one drawback here is inability to beach the boat), but those date to the late 80's and early 90's. While I would never consider buying a Bayliner that old, I am curious to hear opinions on the Natique and 351 Ford. Yes, a lot depends on maintenance. I am not mechanically inclined and my concern is that a motor as old as this is going to require all kinds of little things (hoses, cables, etc.) What is y'all's experience with these engines? Is it something that a novice like me can learn to do the little repairs on?
Based on how you describe the use, I think a newer bowrider might make more sense. The dedicated ski boats are great for watersports, but the tradeoff is in room, ride comfort, etc. when you are not doing watersports. A nice bowrider is fine for watersports for most people (except the true enthusiasts), but excels at all the other uses.
The newer bayliners are built fine, but tend to depreciate faster than other makes. They are light, and tend to ride harsher than other similar size boats. On the other hand, they are typically faster and better on fuel for being lighter.
I suggest you also look into some other manufacturers as well to compare features versus price. And stay away from the 4 cyl IO models, you will be disappointed down the road in their performance. A 4.3L is the minimum engine size.
In either case, ask the seller to split the marine survey with you. They will check for hull moisture, stringer rot, electronics issues, general maintenance issues, etc. Also, a 25 year old boat might come with a 25 year old trailer. Lots of issues to look for there as well (rust, cracks, tire condition, bearings, wiring, ...)
I have been boating for 25 years and will continue. But, go into this eyes wide open so you know what you are getting.
The newer bayliners are built fine, but tend to depreciate faster than other makes. They are light, and tend to ride harsher than other similar size boats. On the other hand, they are typically faster and better on fuel for being lighter.
I suggest you also look into some other manufacturers as well to compare features versus price. And stay away from the 4 cyl IO models, you will be disappointed down the road in their performance. A 4.3L is the minimum engine size.
In either case, ask the seller to split the marine survey with you. They will check for hull moisture, stringer rot, electronics issues, general maintenance issues, etc. Also, a 25 year old boat might come with a 25 year old trailer. Lots of issues to look for there as well (rust, cracks, tire condition, bearings, wiring, ...)
I have been boating for 25 years and will continue. But, go into this eyes wide open so you know what you are getting.
A strong X2 on the pro survey if you're not a real expert. Could save you a fortune!
A dedicated ski rig is very one dimensional. And I simply never got used to the skeg and prop hanging down under the boat.
These days an outboard is a fine power option, the newer ones get excellent fuel economy. I/O is nice too, but tends to be thirstier per hp.
A dedicated ski rig is very one dimensional. And I simply never got used to the skeg and prop hanging down under the boat.
These days an outboard is a fine power option, the newer ones get excellent fuel economy. I/O is nice too, but tends to be thirstier per hp.
You cannot go wrong with a Correct Craft( Ski Nautique ), my dad still has an '89 Martinique he bought new with the 351. The hulls are built to last a lifetime, and as for the 351 other that all of the regular maintainence items the only other thing would be to upgrade the carb to tolerate E10.
Thanks for all the advice! I'm curious about the 3.0 4 cylinder not being enough power. I grew up skiing behind a 115hp outboard on a bass boat with 4 people on board. Well, 5 since my dad is over 300 pounds, count him as two. I understand with 6 or 7 people in a bow rider with a 3.0 will result in a poorer hole shot, I was curious if a four blade prop with the correct pitch would help compensate.
Props are just like gears in the drive axle of a car. Number of blades depends...
Short gears (high numerically) give you great pick up but kill economy and speed. Tall gears do the opposite.
My last outboard was a 225 Merc, it ran very fast (60 mph) with stock prop and I had a ski prop that it would only run 48 mph but could pull anything.
Short gears (high numerically) give you great pick up but kill economy and speed. Tall gears do the opposite.
My last outboard was a 225 Merc, it ran very fast (60 mph) with stock prop and I had a ski prop that it would only run 48 mph but could pull anything.
Generally speaking the less blades on a prop give the most speed, and the more blades a prop has gives a smoother ride but will lose some speed.
Obviously I am talking the same pitch and diameter wheels.
Obviously I am talking the same pitch and diameter wheels.
Yeah, and then we drill the hub to allow the hole shot...
VERY generally speaking. Number of blades means little unless you know many more specifics.
VERY generally speaking. Number of blades means little unless you know many more specifics.
We thought about a boat several years ago, but after looking at the numbers it was a huge financial toilet bowl given we'd only use it a 5 or 6 times a season. After the cost of the boat was maintenance, storage, insurance, accessories and the tow vehicle.
We instead decided to rent a boat whenever we wanted one. The marina at on the lake were we have our lake house has both ski boats and pontoon boats. We can reserve one any time we want, and the ski boats cost $125/day, the pontoon boats cost $100/day, and we can rent based on what we and our guests would like to do. I don't have all the other costs associated with boat ownership, and when I'm done I just drop it off and let someone else worry about everything else. Not to mention the time spent cleaning it, and the time spent waiting in lines to get it in and out of the water.
I get the best of both worlds-my money isn't tied up in a boat, but rather it's working for me earning additional money, but I can still use a boat any time I like with a minimal outlay.
We instead decided to rent a boat whenever we wanted one. The marina at on the lake were we have our lake house has both ski boats and pontoon boats. We can reserve one any time we want, and the ski boats cost $125/day, the pontoon boats cost $100/day, and we can rent based on what we and our guests would like to do. I don't have all the other costs associated with boat ownership, and when I'm done I just drop it off and let someone else worry about everything else. Not to mention the time spent cleaning it, and the time spent waiting in lines to get it in and out of the water.
I get the best of both worlds-my money isn't tied up in a boat, but rather it's working for me earning additional money, but I can still use a boat any time I like with a minimal outlay.
Pop is right on this one. Run the numbers and the old boat saying about a hole in the water that you throw money in is true.
Some of the new boat ownership clubs have a nice deal going now too.
Some of the new boat ownership clubs have a nice deal going now too.
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