Used Boat Market

[drewkaree]

2) I'm not a buyer of anything made post-covid even if the prices are at or below 2019 prices. I'll wait for a 2024 model, new or used. Too many issues during the last few years for nearly any make or model in any powersport.

I absolutely agree with this - noticed some typical-seeming fit/finish/assembly issues with mine, but started to really notice from comments around here how much, generally, it increased in 2020, and seemed to explode in the years after that. Obviously not a foolproof formula, but it was most definitely noticeable to the point that I agree with your strategy

S'funny.......this is the exact realization I just came to. Our boat is nearly paid off and I was really getting the itch for a 250 then it hit me that I really DON'T want more people on the boat and the only nagging issues were fixed with my Ridesteady.

I wanted a 24' soon after, and my storage solutions are the same for my 21' as it would be for a 24', but it's really been eye opening just how perfectly sized the 21' is for our needs. That's why I'd consider a 22', but the real kicker was having 8 in the boat more than a few times, and not wanting another single person on the boat for speed, space & comfort reasons.

The sticker says I can carry 10, but with all the crap people bring along, 8 will be my max for anything other than a color cruise at the end of the season when it's just snacks and stopping at a place on the river to warm up

That’s what me dealer told me too. Said the worst thing for the boat is to not use it. I’m not quite ready for that, yet, though.

My neighbor's favorite joke is to tell people that the worst thing you can do to a boat is get it wet. After it gets wet, it starts to get expensive to take care of it.

I'm not so sure that's a joke anymore!

 

[Coult45]

We're having a "low use year" as well. Reason we sold the camper. I think we've had hte boat out like 10times or something. We're in a similar position though, the payment and insurance is low (we're under $400/mo combined) and it sits in the garage, so I have to look at it every day and it encourages us to use it.

We also love the 190 for the ease and simplicity and low cost of operation. A full weekend of fuel is under $100 for the boat, and about that for the tow vehicle. We tend to eat out less on the boat so food bill goes down a little. Even the grumpiest of kid when we leave the house it turned into smiles and giggles once we're on the water.

We too will be boat owners for life at this point!

I'll bet having the boat out ten times so far puts you firmly in the "high to extremely high use year" compared to the overall average boater.

 

[drewkaree]

I'll bet having the boat out ten times so far puts you firmly in the "high to extremely high use year" compared to the overall average boater.

This is a great point. See the posts around here about "bought a 37-year-old boat with 16 hours" or some such thing. Many slow down after that first year, when they are hip to the upkeep needed

Does each day count if I don't take it out for the weekend once I drop in on Thursday?

 

[2kwik4u]

I'll bet having the boat out ten times so far puts you firmly in the "high to extremely high use year" compared to the overall average boater.

It very well might.

This is season 7 and we're at about 240hrs. So, averaging about 34hrs/yr. We've only put maybe 12hrs on it this year, so we're closer to 38hrs/yr through last year. For us, this has been a VERY slow year. Got others they likely think we live on the thing. Wish I would have kept a log of hours by year or something.

 

[Scottintexas]

Wish I would have kept a log of hours by year or something.

like this

one of the reasons I bought the YDS,
when ever I do any mtc I log it on the spreadsheet with the hours, I figure one day it will either help me sell it, showing all the mtc or help remind me how much I spent and when,

this year I'm hoping to break double digits, kids are getting older and just not interested, last weekend was the first trip having people in the water,

2010​	39 hours
2011​	30
2012​	37
2013​	41
2014​	51
2015​	46
2016​	39
2017​	32
2018​	31
2019​	33
2020​	9	grace's concussion
2021​	8	covid
2022​	13

 

[the MfM]

Sold my boat last year for twice what I paid six years earlier.

Boats are a great investment!

 

[Freedomvango]

just bought a 21 195s for what i feel is a great deal with 40 hours. no issues with it so far, extended warranty to 25, upgraded trailer, came with a bunch of parts, wake kit with ballast and rope, vectors, reverse diverters, extra anchor and rope, and mission fenders for 40. Cheapest 195s i could find on the east coast when it was all said and done.

 

[Ohio]

In May I replaced our Bayliner with a Chaparral. I had been looking for a year and a half. I continue to look at the same class of boats, even though I have already bought one, just to confirm what kind of deal I got. Based on that, I do not see a sognificant drop on I/Os in the 24-27' range Regal, Chaparral, Crownline, and Searay. I have certainly not seen anything close to what I paid for my 2017. Still seems like slim pickings and no real deals. Glad I pulled the trigger when I did. Had to drive 3 hrs one to get it.

Oh and those selling a boat, don't waste your money on Boat Trader. I'm convinced it is nothing more than a platform for scammers to find their victims. The only responses I got for my $99 were scammers. It sold on FB Market place in a couple of days.

 

[BigAbe75]

True - Ridesteady is way better, but that’s not right. You can definitely adjust on the fly. Hit the no wake up/down arrows and it will adjust the set speed by .1.

Also, get the phone out and load a gps speedometer. On my 242x, when surfing the set speed is about 13 something. But gps actually shows a speed of 10.7 or whatever.

So, I use the phone to see the speed and use the up/down arrows to adjust.

@anmut here’s that reply.

 

[MrBubbaGump]

Sold my boat last year for twice what I paid six years earlier.

Boats are a great investment!

This is what had me jump to a brand new Yamaha. I was rocking a 2007 SeaDoo Speedster 200, sold it for near double what I bought it for! I want to get a bigger boat kind of wish I had but I had no where to store it. Now I keep my boat at my buddies house since he has a bunch of land now. If I try to sell mine I would definitely be one of "those people" who doesn't have to sell my boat. However, unlike those people I do use mine almost every weekend. Except when its in the shop (far too often and another story). But even then I am out on my other friends boat, which is exactly what I'll be doing this weekend since mine is.... In the shop