Buying a boat need help between the 2 that i am choosing from?

Question

I am buying a boat for my family and have narrowed it down between 2 boats one is a 1984 Bayliner 16ft outboard with a force 85hp outboard for 3500$ the other is a 1987 Starcraft 16ft with a 120hp inboard / outboard ford 2.4, 4cyl and cobra outdrive for 4300$. Both have good interior and both are in good shape but it has been 10 years since I had a boat and I have never had a outboard I have never heard of a force brand of motor.

Answer 1

87 starcraft. the best choice

Answer 2

Both are too high, and both are pos engines. Force parts aren't that hard to find, any Mercury dealer should be able to get them as they were built by merc. The ford would be the harder of the two to get parts for, and harder to find someone to work on it. In florida you can get a much better boat for the same or less money. Do yourself a favor and check around before you buy one of those. I would get a Yamaha or Johnrude outboard WAY before I got a Force, and WAYYYY before I got a Ford I/O!

Answer 3

You are buying a boat for your family...that's great! Just a word of advice from someone that has been there and done that....a16ft. boat is a two person rig. For a family you should be looking for 18ft. or larger. I understand the budget issues...but this time of year alot of people need money more than a boat that has been sitting around (alot of people are feeling a pinch for cash after the holidays and all that) and there is someone willing to get rid of a great boat at a great price...you just need to find them! Try putting an ad on craigslist that you are looking to buy, have the cash and are ready....you will be surprised! Good luck

Answer 4

For that much money I would go with a larger engine, maybe a 6 cylinder

Answer 5

NEVER NEVER NEVER buy a boat with a force engine on it... my advice to you would be to call a couple of boat dealerships and ask them what their trade policies are on the boats in question and that will give you some better insight on what a professional thinks of them. at our dealership, we do not trade in boats nor work on boats that have a force engine on them....

Answer 6

Avoid the Bayliner at all costs.

Go with the Starcraft, you will get great service from the I/O.

Answer 7

16 footer will be cramped, if you have more than 3 grown people in it. UTAH prices might be a lil high, just like living in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho--loads of lakes and too many people shopping for boats drives the price higher than normal.

Here's what I did, lurk around www.craigslist.org for a while, try searching in northern and southern utah, even out of the state montana, wyoming, nevada (especially tahoe) even oregon. I drove 6 hours to portland to buy my boat last year, well worth the money I SAVED!

You may be stuck in a smaller boat due to the towing capacity og your jeep--keep searching you will find something you like, try to minimize the impulse buying nature we all have, and promise yourself no matter how good the deal will sound to SLEEP ON IT.

You will hear the bayliner bashers constantly, everyone has a different opinion one will tell you a bayliner is cheaply made, one will tell you they last forever! Talk to some guys at your local marine service center and get some facts and gather data!

Answer 8

20 years in the Coast Guard tells me that you should go with the Starcraft........bayliners are not made very strong in the fiberglass department. I now work as a marine mechanic and bayliners are always coming in with gelcoat or fiberglass problems. Starcraft has been around long enough to establish a good name for themselves. Good luck with it.

Answer 9

yeah...prices seem a little stiff. Given those choices though...I'd grab the Starcraft. It's aluminum isn't it??? Check all the seams and if there has been standing water in the bildge.

I'd grab a fixer from ebay or another source.

www.motors.ebay.com

Force outboards...ummm weren't they the next generation of Chrysler outboards? not sure

you can get info by doing a search for "old outboards"

good luck

Answer 10

I am a fellow Utah boater. I don't have a very high opinion of Bayliner or the Force outboards. But my best friend has a Bayliner (but not with the outboard) and it's been a pretty good boat for him. But Bayliners just don't age very well. Paint, dashboard, seats, everything seems to show sun damage so fast.

I don't know anything about Glassport. With an i/o engine, you need to make sure the previous owner properly winterized the engine. And with either one, don't buy it unless they will let you fire up the engine and hear it run.

I have owned outboard ski boats for more than 10 years now. I love how easy they are to maintain. And working on them is soooo much easier than climbing down in an engine compartment.

But I would agree with some of the other answers that you can offer much lower than those asking prices. I'll bet you could get the Bayliner for $2800—especially from someone who's selling during the winter. Offer him $2400 and see what he does. I can't really judge the Glassport as I don't know anything about it.

Answer 11

Both prices seem very high.  but if that is what the boats are going for around you then I would go for the starcraft, the Force motor is an old motor and parts are going to be hard to find and when you fins them they will cost you. but again both prices are "VERY HIGH" I just sold a 1998 19' Fourwinns fish and ski bowrider with a rebuilt 130 johnson on it for $4000.00. I would look at Boattrader.com before buying either of them.

Answer 12

starcraft /better hull/cobra soild rep.

Answer 13

Both are way overpriced.  Both boats are poor choices.  Bayliner makes a terrible boat with no resale value.  Both are too old and will need work.  Engines are expensive. Stay away from the Starcraft I/O if it is Salt Water Cooled.   Check out the boat prices in  Craigslist.com and see what people are asking for similar boats.  Both the boats are not worth more then $2500.  With fuel prices the way they are you can get a better deal on a newer boat for the same money.  Good Luck.

Answer 14

MY BROTHER IS A MARINE MECHANIC AND ALWAYS SAID THE FIRST THING TO CONSIDER IS THE MAINTENANCE WHEN YOU BUY A CAR OR BOAT, WAS IT A BACK YARD SERVICE BOAT BY DO IT YOUR SELF MECHANIC'S OR DO THEY HAVE UP KEEP RECORDS ? YOU SEE SO MUCH RIPPING ON BAYLINERS W/THE FORCE BUT MY BROTHER WORKS ON A LOT OF  OMC AND MERCURY MOTORS THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF