Not Really a Mama Question But...

I think a boat and a jacuzzi are two things that we would never buy. Both tend to suck up more money than they are worth -- or used.

We have a newer boat and dont use it. Word to the wise try and talk him out of it. My hubby really wanted the boat at first and how it hasnt been taken out in well over a year.

Hate to add more to the negative aspects of a boat, but...

My husband had a boat before we got married. He dumped it because it was just too much trouble.

We were not allowed to keep the boat on our property (we had a house). Unless it would fit in your garage, it had to be kept at a storage facility due to some residential restrictions.

We had to pay property taxes on the boat. To top it off, the storage facility was in a different county, so we had to pay additional property taxes for THAT county because it was stored there for more than 8 months out of the year.

We had to pay dock/drop fees whenever we wanted to take the boat anywhere. Then, we had to find a place to store the trailer while we were out on the boat.

For some reason during a particularly cold winter, something in the motor "cracked". We had to have that repaired ($1000) before we could sell the boat.

I'd ask about the condition of the motor (can you get it inspected (like a car?) before you buy?), does the trailer come with it, how much did they pay in taxes, alot of the same questions you'd ask if you were buying a used car. Also, check your neighborhood association for any restrictions on having a boat on your property.

We now RENT boats when we want to get out on the water! My advice is to proceed with caution! I know that may be hard, especially if hubby has his mind made up... Good luck and let us know how it works out!

'A boat is a hole in the water into which one pours money.'
I don't know who said it, but they were not lying. It doesn't matter it if's a pleasure boat, or a fishing boat. Row boats, canoes and kayaks are slightly cheaper but only because motors are not involved. Sail boats can be insanely expensive.
Don't get me wrong, boats can be a lot of fun but you have to be so careful if you are buying a used one.
We bought a 3 yr old Bayliner 3 years ago and paid about $3000 for it.
It was/is in good shape and had been stored in inside storage up until we bought it. For that money we got the boat, the trailer, all covers (sun shade and storage cover), anchors, and they threw in a tube they no longer could use with the bigger boat they had just purchased. We bought bumpers and life jackets (and rope), etc at a sporting goods store.
My husband knows about engines and he looked it over for oil and fluid leaks, etc.
$450 seems like a good deal, but how much money are you going to have to put into it (because it does not sound like you could get any boat that would run well for that kind of money)? Find out how old it is (and the exact model name) and check the blue book value on it (they have them for boats).
If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is and if it were me, I'd look for another boat. If your husband insists on buying it, make sure you know where he's going to store it (in the yard, garage, driveway, etc) because I think he's going to be puttering with it a long time before it is sea worthy.

Unlike most of your responders I do know a lot about boats. MFor the last 40 years our family has owned a repair shop on a local lake. My husband is the lead mechanic and has been a new boat salesman for 10 years. The first thing you need to ask is has the boat OR motor ever sank? If it has then there are several more technical questions that I would ask after that. My basic advice would be to have a local boat service check the boat ou for you. Usually this can be done for around $120 which is the lowest Marine hourly labor fee around. Next I would want to know if the motor has recently been winterized or summerized. If so then the company that last serviced the boat can give you a pretty good idea of how much it will cost to get it back out on the water. Next big question is has it been in dry storage or in a slip on the water and for how long? Is the transom rotten or does is have any water damage? If you would like more info you can call me (I'm a SAHM but can talk to hubby or the shop for you) and I can try to help. ###-###-####

BOAT stands for Break Out Another Thousand! :)

For that little money I would wonder if the engine even started. Is it an inboard or outboard motor?

Is the hull sound? Are there any holes or leakage points?

I'm not a big fan of Bayliners (we have had three boats) but I do see them on the water here in southern FL.

It sounds like a major "fixer" - if your husband is handy that might be OK. Regardless, he's probably going to be putting $$$ into parts.

Good luck!

I don't know about that specific boat - but there is a saying something like- a boat is a hole in the water in which you thow all your money

ANd that is no joke... depding on size you will need to trialer it (and have a vehicle large enough to tow it) or pay for dock space somewhere. Plus there is lot maintenance - painting the hull, engine maintenance, pumps etc.

I would either try to talk him out of it or get hime to agree that if he spends more than "X" dollars on it then he stops throwing good money after bad and gets rid of it...

My dad has had boats almost my whole life. He has bought them used, but not like what you are describing. If I were you, I'd have him make a list of all the issues that need fixing (or take it in to be checked before buying it), and find out what the final cost will be. Better to know ahead of time, and since you are married, it's BOTH of your decision. Does your hubby plan to do all the work himself? Is he handy? Has he worked on boats before? The answer to these questions would be part of my decision also. Boats are great, when they work, and dangerous and expensive when they don't. A $450 boat can turn into a couple thousand dollar adventure very quickly. And if your husband cannot fix it, he can have a really hard time getting rid of it too, so you might eat all of that money.

On the other hand, if he knows what is wrong (all of it), and is very mechanical, this could be a great deal. Just depends on the boat and your husband. Good luck!

T.
www.Readandgrow.com

One more thought.. Where is he going to store it? Here in our city, you can not store it where it can be seen from the street..

Ugh.. boats are for people with lots of money and lots of time to spend repairing it. Everytime we had anything to do with owning a boat was a mess..

The most fun I ever had was on a boat owned and maintained by someone else..

My husband and one of his friends did co-own a sailboat years ago (before we had a child). It went well till the the other guy had a child.. then his wife told him to sell it. She wanted him home every day he was off from work and complained about every dollar he spent towards the boat.

My parents have a boat and are selling it after 3 years they said it was more the other costs involved even if its in good order, a trailer for it - maintenance of that, a tow bar if you don't have one already, mooring fees if you leave it in somewhere, servicing, license ( UK) Spray cleaning and treating.It broke down a few times due to electrically issues and that was dangerous it happened in the evening once so we had no lights, luckily we got a tow with a kind person but you could have to deal with that too. When they worked it out it would have cost them alot less to rent a nice boat a few times a year and alot less hassle!

I've always heard that the best thing about a boat is the day you sell it.

My husband almost bought a new boat. He cancelled the deal after talking with a couple of neighbors who had nothing but complaints. The boats they had and the one he was buying were good, high quality boats, (I'm talking a $30,000+ boat). They said for it to be worth it, you have to take it out on the water a lot, spend money on upkeep and all legal papers for it. In the end, he decided we would not enjoy spending every weekend on a boat.

We opted for nicer vacations instead.

Good luck.

Anything that looks too good to be true-- most likely is. If the boat is 450 now, you can expect to put at least 2 or 3 thousand dollars in it. Boats are expensive. I would encourage your hubby if he really wants a boat to start putting money aside now and wait until you guys can buy one and not worry about the cost. Good luck!

OK, here's my input: we have a cottage on a lake and a boat, and I think that the boat has been out about twice this whole summer!!! Obviously you live in an area where you could use it year 'round, so that is a plus. Is your husband mechanically-inclined? If he isn't, I would say forget it. The price of this boat seems to good to be true, but then again, it could be somewhat of a bargain depending upon the repairs it needs. Can it go in the water right now, the way it is? Where will you keep it? If you need to trailer it, do you have a hitch and a vehicle big enough to tow it? You will need a license for it - how much is that? You will probably have to pay launch fees at public launch sites. etc. etc. etc. It all adds up. I guess the worst scenario is that he buys the boat, puts some money into it and doesn't use it. He'll just have to find the NEXT buyer ;-) Oh, and by the way, if it doesn't come with a trailer, you will need to buy that (which will probably exceed the purchase price of the boat) or you will have to pay someone else to haul it in and out of the water for you.

I don't really know that much about boats. My dad & uncle have always had & maintained their boats. We just had a vacation where we were out on the water. A storm came & my dad's boat ended up with water in the gas tank. While they were working on it, my uncle made a comment about how he couldn't understand how someone could own a boat & then not be able to work on it & fix it themselves. My dad & uncle are both good with working on cars & boats & such. If you had to rely on a shop every time your boat broke, you'd really miss out on some boating time! They were able to fix my dad's boat quickly & we were able to use it the rest of our vacation :)

So, I'd say if your husband doesn't know a thing about working on boats, I wouldn't do it! But if he's good with that sort of thing, then be prepared to have tools, manuals, and $$$ for parts :)

The saying is true: The best day of your life is when you buy the boat and the next best day is when you sell it.

A guy in our neighborhood has it stored in the ally and he can't sell it. It's been years. The economy and all. The only way most people really use a boat the first couple of years is when it is docked. That will cost you a a few thousand a year where I'm from. Next, in Texas heat, you'll find you don't want to go boating in the summer time. Then the motor will need maintenance and the sails and the wood. Those parts are costly. If you dock it in the water, algea and crude stick to the boat, harden, and ruin it. It builds and you don't know it and don't want to know it. Cleaning that off costs a lot, more than your price of the boat. Sometimes, it is just too late. Then it starts rusting. What are you going to do with it now? Been there twice, done that. 1st the motor boat, one husband. Next husband, a sail boat. These things are hard to sell. We ended up donating the sail boat to a boy scout troop that wanted to learn how to sail and were willing to tackle the job of cleaning and scraping it. That's my experience anyway. If you don't have the money to repair it, maintain it, dock it, and the weather to enjoy it, well, ... The motor boat beat us up when you go fast and the sail boat was kind of boring except for a handful of trips.

There is no way to know how much this boat is going to cost. But one this is for sure, it is a toy for the family. So you need to decide as the wife and mother if boating is something that will provide entertainment and quality time for the family. If you're currently living paycheck to paycheck, then it's probably not a good idea. If you've got some money saved and can afford it, then go ahead. We had a boat when I was little and I have great memories. We'll have a boat one day, when our son is about 5. I would go easy on the questions at first; that can come across with the wrong intentions.

I don't know much about boats, so when my husband and I were shopping for a used boat I would ask him the questions of what needs to be fixed on the boat and how much each repair would cost. I then knew that my husband was aware of the problems with the boat and was thinking about how to repair the boat.

I would suggust asking your husband about the repairs needed to get the boat running. Like: Are there any holes/ leaks in the boat? Does the engine run? If not what is wrong with it? Does the boat need new seats? Does it need new batteries? Is the trailer in good shape? Does the trailer need new tires? How is the axle on the trailer?

There's a saying: "The best two days of a boat owner's life are the day he buys it and the day he sells it."