prepurchase questions

R

red99ryder

New member
I went to look at a 16 cruiser the other day and noticed a few things that i would like a second opinion on ,

1. there was a good size gash in the side about 2-3 inches long and you could tell it went thru the gel coat and could see the fiberglass underneath .. it did appear to be above the water line .

2. it looked like there was some flaking on the inside of the cabin , like the paint was coming off .

3. the motor is a 50hp Honda and the cover was off and computer module taken out ( is there a issue with these ?)

4 a few scratches else where ,, normal wear and tear ,,

The boat is a 2004 model , with standard setup , radio , anchor , trailer , camper back , some mold on the seats and hull ( black spotty )
the guys asking 15k which i think he will come down a bit .. the gash scares me if there would be a water problem with the core down the road ..
Thanks for any advise ..Man the boat sure looks bigger in the pictures than in person ,
Red
 
The side is not cored. Only the bottom is (plus some parts of the cabin wall and top). Just glass exposed can be easily repaired and should not be structural.

The other items show that the boat has not been well cared for--so I would look for a price reduction....Strange to have the module off the engine.
 
If you are looking for a used 16 Wefing has my old boat a 2006 which is good shape and I don't think they are asking a lot more than the price you quoted. Give Charlie at Wefings a call they aren't to terrible far from you.
 
Red, As above mentioned, I think you'd be better off traveling a bit further and paying a bit more and getting a well cared for boat. Yes, it's possible to repair all that stuff, but you could be in for some real surprises, esp. with that partially deconstructed motor... that raises red flags to me, as does the mold on the upholstery... It does not take much to prevent or fix mold spots, so it looks like that owner has done very little to take care of the boat you mention.

Maybe with a prior to purchase good mechanical review and a steep discount, it'd be OK.

John
 
Could this be a boat that was damaged in the recent hurricane? Sounds like it could have been banged up and left wet for a period after the storm.
 
Marvin , they did contact me about that boat at Wefing and i have looked at pics of the c-flea? I might try and ride down to the get together this month and check it out , would like to see a 22 ft in person as well , but i am really leaning on small .. I just want to use it here on the lakes and maybe out to ship island on the coast and i think a 16 should handle that well ..
Thanks all for your input
red
 
Come down at the time of the gulf coast gathering--only a couple of weeks away--you might even tow a boat back home.

The 16 should be OK for Ship Island on a calm day. The only concern would be how much speed you could make once it got rough. The 16 is a great boat--but it still is only a 16 footer, so you do have to watch the weather. The 22 is a lot more boat, and you can still tow it behind a number of vehicles. Some folks start out thinking that a 16 is what they want, then a 19 and finally end up with a 22.
 
I am now looking at a 19ft Arima Sea Chaser ( i know its not a C-dory lol) Im not sure i would use a cuddy cabin to sleep in anyway ,, Any thoughts on this boat ? its a 2001 model and the pics look good , will be going to see it in a couple weeks .
Thanks for all the input
red
 
Red,

The Arima is a great boat, but it ain't a CDory. I had an Arima 17 Ranger. The cuddy on the Chaser is much smaller than the Ranger, and they are both small. Go for a Ranger if you do. I really like the Arima 21 hardtop.

They do take more engine due to the deep vee, and they are primarily a fishing boat (but a really nice one), not a cruising boat.

Send Dusty a PM. He is a wealth of information about both Arima's and CDory's.

Steve
 
Even on an older boat, the items you listed indicate someone who does not properly care for their it, and this boat is only four years old. This sounds like one abused boat. The engine in particular worries me. What else did this hack do, or not do, to the engine; or the rest of the boat for that matter? If the stuff you can see has this many maintenance issues, what about the stuff you can't see, like proper engine break-in and oil changes? The gash and excessive mold make me wonder if it could be hurricane salvage. I would run, not walk, from this deal.

David B.
 
Steve , Well , its a used boat so i kinda don't have a choice for cabin ..I am going to have to settle for the chaser , there are not alot of Amira's or Cdory's around these parts (Mississippi) , i still work for a living so wont be taking long cruises , just weekends fishing , maybe some scuba diving . if the cockpit is as big as i here it is I guess i could pitch a tent and put a air mattress down for a night or two at a time lol I am still kinda fond of Hotel rooms too lol . I will give Dusty a PM , was Kinda wondering if there were any Gotch ya's on the Boat Certain things to look for That could be a problem . it will be a couple weeks before i can go see it , I did Talk to the Guy and he said he would hold it ( hes gonna be out of town so its kinda him putting it off not me )

David , I did pass on the 16 , your right on on your comments . I just sold a sailboat and listed the ad as needs cleaned up , the guy that runs the board i listed it on sent me a message back to clean up my boat lol I did clean it up and the first person that looked at it bought it ..

thanks for the input guys
Red
 
Red,

Sounds like a Chaser 19 might just be a good boat for you. I really liked my Ranger, but a Ranger 17 is too small to fish more than a couple of people with comfort. I think that the boat you're looking at will be a lot roomier.

My Arima was a 1990, and had wood bulkheads, etc. The biggest complaint I had was that the screws for the hinges on the cuddy door kept backing out. I also had a gripe about the ez steer for the kicker, but there isn't much you can do about that unless you put a remote on the kicker.

I did re-power from an Evinrude 90, to a Honda, with a Honda 8 kicker too. Over the life of the boat (sold in 2005/6), I probably saw about a $3,000 dollar depreciation from what I paid for it, including the re-power expenses.

Earlier this year, we were 63 miles offshore in an Arima 21. The seas on this coast are not the easiest, but I never have felt concern in the Arimas.

I think you'll be happy with the boat. Hopefully it has a good 4 stroke on it.

Steve
 
Well that is one thing , it does not have a four stroke , Its a 2001 Model with a 1998 yamaha 150 hp salt series oil injected . I have not gotten the story of why the motor is older than the boat . motor was rebuilt in 2003 is all I know . I do think the price reflects the fact that is has a two stroke on it. Im scared to say the price you might steal it on me lol Actually you can see the listing on the Arima owners MSN site , No pics listed but he sent me some and it looks good in pics . And he did say he would hold it until i got there so leave it alone till i get a crack at it . I would post the pics but it doesnt look like im set up too
Ted
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My 1997 17 Arima Sea Ranger is available if you are interested. It has a 2002 90 Suzuki 4-stroke. Price is $12,500. It has to go so I can keep the
C-Dory.
 
Ok , what made you decide to sell the Arima over the C-Dory ? I looked at the 16ft cruiser and it just seemed too small , maybe I got 2ft itis before i even bought the boat lol The guy with the 19 sea chaser said he would hold it , so i guess i need to wait and look at it first , that sounds like a good deal tho .
red
 
Red, I can give you some input on the Arimas as we are a dealer and I have owned a couple myself . Feel free to call or PM.
Marc
 
The Arimas are great boats-- but comparing apple to oranges.

I used to go 50+ miles out for albacore in a '87 17' Sea Ranger with a Evinrude 115 E-Tec. It was a great boat for fishing.

If you are looking for a fishing boat over a cruiser, and you don't expect to be doing any overnighters--- go with the Arima.

I will say that on the Arima, I did get sea sick several times. I do not get sick on the C-Dory.

*note- It looks like MSN will be closing Groups and pushing everyone over to Multipy. I do not care for the Multiply format. Hopefully the Arima Owners will be able get a good website.
 
Thanks for all the input . I have purchased my boat . I ended up with a 17ft Sea chaser from Arima . There are not alot of used C-Dorys or Arimas down in the Missisippi area so my choices were limited , maybe when i have more time for cruising i will move up to a C-Dory , But this boat should get me out in the water for now . i know i could have purchased new from Marc but a used boat fit my budget better .
Thanks again
Red
 
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