Advice for a newbie

Hi all,
I can see there are lots of members here with years of experience and would like to ask a question to leverage your experience and not make same mistakes that some of you may have done in the past.
I live in Atlanta close to Lake Lanier (large one with numerous marinas.) I have never owned a boat and have driven a rental 2 times, so fair to say that I know nothing on boats.
I was thinking to buy a boat less than 23 ft, possibly a bowrider to start my boating experience. I have found couple of options, years ranging between 2000 -2014 sold in Marinas up to $25K. For a person knows nothing about a boat, what do you suggest I do? Any suggestions for my preliminary elimination (Eg don't buy older than a certain year, don't buy a certain type etc)
I don't feel comfortable walking in to a dealer and buy, trusting the seller(or should I?)
I checked couple of surveyors and minimum is $600. Do you think it is worth for the size and cost of the boat I am getting? or should I just find a mechanic from a marina and ask him to look at the boat?
Also I don't know anyone that owns a boat. How would I go learning details of the boat, how to ride, dock etc. I think learning a small boat would not be very difficult but I believe I still need some training.
Thanks a lot in advance for any suggestions.
Thank you

23-24’ bow rider is a great first boat.

The less you know about boats, the more important the survey is. I would HIGHLY recommend that you get one, even on a “smaller” boat.

Can you quickly spot a transom leak or loose steering pin? They could potentially cost thousands to fix. A competent surveyor could save you big $$.

Agreed with Espos4. Also, take a boaters safety course even if it isn't required by your state. Will you be docking at a marina or trailering? If docking then get to know a few guys on your dock and offer to buy one a case of beer to take you out for the day and teach you some basics.

Call Dave Holton(770-241-6548) if you have not already. He is a surveyor on the lake and a great guy. Talk to him and tell him what you are doing. Another good source is Larry Sosnow(678-446-9649). He is the only broker that I trust on Lake Lanier. He works through Atl Marine. He is a good guy as well. You may tell them that Bennett White gave you their names.

Bennett

First, please use the resources provided above. Well worth the cost to make sure you get the most for your investment. Second, get the largest boat with the biggest motor you can afford/store/find. You will see it mentioned all the time, buy your second boat first.

I'd first determine the shop that will service the boat and qualify them to your needs.
Then for a first boat go outboard engine with an engine that your shop is certified to service. I would steer clear of the Inboard/Outboard (I/O) used boats; there are simply too many potential issues that are hidden when you purchase; the outboard is simpler.
If you plan to acquire a Sea Ray then your engine will be a Mercury; so that's that.
A boat is not a financial investment it is slush fund fun money that you should consider never seeing again but overjoyed you get some return when you sell the boat.
Purchase the newest boat you can possibly afford with the perception newer engine is better engine.
The big thing is to baseline your new boat. That is to immediately replace all wear items and do the complete service before you splash the first time. That includes completely going through the trailer also. Even if they said the battery was "just changed" put a new battery in. Same goes for trailer tires. For a 17-to-21-foot runabout plan $5K right up front for the baselining. And the last thing is get down and dirty with your toy; don't be afraid to tear it apart and put it back together; the more you know the more confidence you will garner.

Figure out how you're going to use the boat. Sounds like you may be trailering -- and that adds a whole other dimension. $600 to protect a $25,000 investment isn't bad. I would say there are two areas of concern with the type of boat you're considering. The transom -- surveyor need to look for moisture and rot. And the engine -- probably worth a compression test and/or oil analysis, at least to set a baseline. Spend some time here reading -- people have posted about every boating issue known to man. Good luck.

Well you have started in a good place.
Go for nothing less than a 23 foot boat with a V8 5.7MPI model also look for a tandem axle boat trailer.

I would narrow it down too one or two brands / models you like and then do your research on those brands.

You will want to look the boat over top to bottom and in every nook and cranny. Check condition on all the tops, covers, vinyl seats, engine room, fiberglass, trailer tires, look at anything that doesn't look right and ask questions about it to the seller. Engine room should be dry , any in floor ski lockers should be dry. If not the boat has been left out in the weather and thats is not good.

Find yourself a good mobile boat mechanic. Let him know your lack of experience and that you would like him to not only check boats out for you but you would also like him to give you a little education along the way.

Whatever boat you look at make sure to run the engine and do a compression test on each cylinder and put the drive thru all its motions. Then run the boat on the lake and under a load to check for any vibrations and overheating issues.

Dont overthink the process however keep your wits about you.

It is like buying a car and a house at the same time .... when looking for those you can usually spot the good ones really easy and the bad ones will stick out like a sore thumb.

Keep us posted of your finds.

Oh, and here is another one from the school of hard knocks - When you are looking at used boats and talking to the owner or salesman and there is a discussion on something needing repair, don't let them do the repair but rather negotiate the price down and get the repair done yourself. They are not doing the repair(s) for you; they are doing the repairs to get the boat moved as cheaply as possible. There is a big difference.

ttmott said:

Oh, and here is another one from the school of hard knocks - When you are looking at used boats and talking to the owner or salesman and there is a discussion on something needing repair, don't let them do the repair but rather negotiate the price down and get the repair done yourself. They are not doing the repair(s) for you; they are doing the repairs to get the boat moved as cheaply as possible. There is a big difference.

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True, but it would depend on the repair. A "we think it's a head gasket" which turns into a complete rebuild could be a financial surprise. So make sure you know the extent of the repair.

Golfman25 said:

True, but it would depend on the repair. A "we think it's a head gasket" which turns into a complete rebuild could be a financial surprise. So make sure you know the extent of the repair.

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Absolutely, but why consider a boat needing such extensive work to begin with? For these folks a clean well-maintained boat needing minimal repairs then getting it baselined will serve their experience and enjoyment best, right?

Since you don't know what you don't know, I would start with a boat show (if they are having them). It's the easiest way to look at many different brands and styles. And, most importantly, ASK QUESTIONS! It's the only way to learn.

Tim

Do Not Be In A Hurry to buy a boat. It is easy to get excited and just go do it. I did that 30 years ago. I bought a 28 foot twin engine ten-year old Sea Ray Sundancer just two weeks after I first got a wild hair and the wifes' blessing to get into boating. I was lucky to buy a boat from very serious boaters that were active in the local Sea Ray club, so it worked out for me. Also I was able to do all my own work on the boat as I was a very experienced farmer/aircraft mechanic. Point is, take your time, read as much as possible. Peruse this site's threads on the model you have interest in and wait for the right boat to show up locally. So many people get excited, fall in love with the first boat they see and end up buying a curse instead of a blessing. See if there is a Local Sea Ray group, probably a Facebook page, and get to know some local owners. Remember, you don't Need a boat, you think you want one. Happy Hunting
Carpe Diem