Buying a new boat

[V8DECKBOAT]

Hey everyone I am looking to buy a new boat. I am leaning towards a deck boat, I would love to have a 5.0 or 5.7 mercruiser but I have been getting mixed opinions and frankly poor opinions about I/O setups. So please bring on the advice, pro and cons of each, and any other advice! I would like to spend around $6,000 on a boat

[jimrs]

HUH?????????????

[Durante]

Hey everyone I am looking to buy a new boat. I am leaning towards a deck boat, I would love to have a 5.0 or 5.7 mercruiser but I have been getting mixed opinions and frankly poor opinions about I/O setups. So please bring on the advice, pro and cons of each, and any other advice! I would like to spend around $6,000 on a boat

6K is not going to go very far.. I wouldnt worry about the technical stuff to much and just try to get the most boat, in the best shape possiable in that price range.

[badmoonrising]

Nothing wrong with I/Os except maintenance is more cramped and if you don't have closed cooling, you have to winterize. The motors run many more hours than outboards typically do.

6k ? Not a whole lot of boats out there in that price range and not needing several thousands in repairs...

[V8DECKBOAT]

Well I have only looked at a few boats so far. I like the idea of a pontoon but I would like to be able to tow a skier or a tuber. Can you guys give me some HP requirements if i wanted to do that with a pontoon??

[HandymanHerb]

Depends on how many people you want with you at the time too, but a 90 will have no problem pulling a skier, I pull a tube with my 50 on my 20 footer and a skier would be no problem even with 4 on board.

But I say the minimum would be a 90 depending on what size pontoon you want.

[GXPWeasel]

Like Herb said, it really depends on the size of the boat. I have a 90hp ourboard, on a 26' toon, and there is no way I'm pulling a skier, unless they weigh 50lbs, and like to go slow. On a boat my size, I'd say you'll need atleast 130hp, with a 2 log set up like I have.

[V8DECKBOAT]

Cool thats good to know. Let me ask this, I see there are some people with Tri-toons, is this mainly for stability? Handling benefits on the water?

One of the boats I have found (I havent been to look at it yet) is a 1993 Lowe suncruiser Tahiti 220 deck boat. It has a 302 V8, it has a 22' deck on it, its a little ugly, needs a little work but the price seems fair at $6000. Is that a good deal, not a good deal? Thanks.

[GXPWeasel]

Not sure on the deal for the deck boat, but as for the Tri-toons, this is for more lift. Usually tri-toons handle more like a bowrider, from what I'm told. They sit higher in the water, and can actually get up on a plane, like a bowrider. Normally they can have bigger engines as well, but still have the layout, and majority of the comfortable ride as a pontoon has. There are a few guys on here with tri's so they could be of more assistance.

[rsmith]

We just got our tri-toon (and first boat) a few weeks ago and so far we love it. Benefits of the three logs - bigger motor capability, more carrying capacity, more stable, sits higher in the water, and especially with a performance package - better handling. I've cranked the wheel over at 30 and didn't feel at all uncomfortable, it was like the boat was on rails. I've also noticed our toon seems to sit more level in the water when at rest or idle than most of the other toons at our marina.

The day we had our boat delivered there were 20-25mph winds and the lake had 1.5 to 2 foot waves, doing 30+ the boat was still very smooth and comfortable on the lake. not sure I would have wanted to be on a bowrider out there. And having never owned or been on a two log toon I can't say how ours compared to two loggers.

[V8DECKBOAT]

Ok thanks for the info!! I learn more and more every post. I would think that something like a deckboat with a fiberglass tri-hull that sits low in the water would be more stable than a pontoon, even with tri-toons, that would sit higher in the water therefore being more top heavy? Is this true or not?

[OldePharte]

I went from a 24' two-tube pontoon to a 24' deck boat and then to a 25' triple log pontoon. I went to a 25 footer only because it was the longest that my dock would protect.

I also operate on Lake of the Ozarks which is just about the roughest large man-made lake that you will find. The double log pontoon just had too many handling problems with the lake's chop. The Bosslady also wanted a boat with a decent porta-potty, so the only thing we could find was a Hurricane 240 Midships. I did a test drive in February (huge mistake) and took her home. It was great when the water was calm. Stable when anchored, large lounging area, and I could see over any heads in the open bow area. The hull, however, just wasn't good in heavy chop. Ya got pounded like crazy.

So when the $$ were right we bought a triple tube 'toon. These things are getting real popular here and I had been on my neighbors several times. The timing was such that I had to pick it up and drive it to the lake place over Memorial Day weekend. Normally a time in which we would never go out. So I gritted my teeth for the 10 mile boat ride home. I didn't even get the bow carpet wet. Now, we don't care what the lake traffic is, we go out and about.

As far as being "top heavy", I not sure about your concern. They are a lot more stable than just about all deck boats.

Ya don't say where you are located, but I wouldn't have an I/O. Ya I know, the old Ford/Chevy debate. But I don't have to fully winterize my outboard. Get a decent day in January, and I can lower it and go. That and one would need to look hard at the access around the I/O for servicing.

My 2 cents.

[GXPWeasel]

Ok thanks for the info!! I learn more and more every post. I would think that something like a deckboat with a fiberglass tri-hull that sits low in the water would be more stable than a pontoon, even with tri-toons, that would sit higher in the water therefore being more top heavy? Is this true or not?

I've never owned a deck boat, but my uncle did up to about 5 years ago, and we spent quite a bit of time on it occasionally. I can say this, For the small lake he was on ( a private City lake in which you had to live on, to boat on) the boat worked great. Nice and roomy because of the open deck, and handled well, and went fast enough to pull a skier, because of the V-type hull.

When I was growing up, my parents always had V-bottom ski boats, up until I graduated college, and I loved them. Fast, could pull skiers, wake boards etc, and had a blast tubing. But, I could only take about 4-5 of my friends with me. So, when the Wife and I started looking at boats, we knew that a pontoon was the way we were leaning. For one, we are just starting a family, and so are all of our friends. Two, we have a lot of family that lives very close, and would like to go with us. Three, we have 2 sets of very close friends that almost always go out to the lake when we do, who have very nice ski boats. So, with all of those factors, we chose a toon. Then one day last summer, I knew we made the right choice b/c here in Kansas, the weather can change in about 5 minutes, and be windy as all hell. The entire weekend we camped the wind never dropped belwo a 20mph. constant, and everyone was on our boat the entire time. With 3 ft. swells, we were still riding smooth in the water.

These are all things that you need to consider when purchasing a boat. The last thing you want to do is out grow, or get bored of a boat in a season or two, and have to look into trading in, or up. In my opinion, with a deck boat, you are kind of making a sacrifice on both ends. YOu don't quite get the stability or smooth ride of a toon, and you don't get all of the characteristics of a v-bottom for handling and speed.

[V8DECKBOAT]

Hey GXP I didnt even notice you were from Topeka. I live in Lawrence, its a small world afterall!! I am liking the input, the more and more i read the more I think a pontoon is the way to go. At first I was definitely leaning toward a deckboat, but seeing the pros and cons of each, and I really probably will do more fishing and beer drinking than tubing, I think I may start to look harder into a pontoon. Thanks guys, now I need a which pontoon boats are best thread!

[lakerunner]

Hey GXP I didnt even notice you were from Topeka. I live in Lawrence, its a small world afterall!! I am liking the input, the more and more i read the more I think a pontoon is the way to go. At first I was definitely leaning toward a deckboat, but seeing the pros and cons of each, and I really probably will do more fishing and beer drinking than tubing, I think I may start to look harder into a pontoon. Thanks guys, now I need a which pontoon boats are best thread!

The best pontoon is the one you like, can afford, and does what you want it to. Most toons today are well built. The diff is like Chevy or Caddy equipped. Good mid priced toons are Tracker, Lowe, Fisher,Monark. Starcraft. Sundancer, Bently, G3, and many others. All brands offer the ultra plush down to stripped for fishing and cheap seats.
Looking at used get under and check cross members, decking and brackets that the cross members attatch to logs. Look for cracks at all joints and welds.
Inside open all cubbys, seats and dig around looking for rot. Check wiring under console and that all guages work.