Just want to say that the boat market is broken. Whatever boats are in this thread probably cost the same or more than when they showed up 5 years ago.
I have been watching CL for years and the same 20-30 y/o boats are the same price.
I’ve looked at some $1k boats because I’m handy capable, but they needed engines.
Tried to free up a ‘nice’ 1990 Wellcraft 170 with some acetone/ATF penetrating oil, but all I did with a socket and pipe/breaker bar was tighten the crank bolt.
Are you looking for a 20’ish foot cuddy cabin, because IMHO, that’s got to be the most useless layout of all boats. The cuddy is too small to be useful and you’re giving up the bow seating you’d have if it was a bowrider.
But yeah, boat prices went even more crazy than cars and haven’t really shown much sign of coming down.
I’m not married to cuddy or open. Price trumps all.
It is sort of nice to have a shady spot to get out of the sun, but I agree that it is mostly useless.
Unless it’s much bigger and suitable for weekends sleeps.
My boss has a 90s sea ray that I keep pestering him about. “how much is that $1,000 boat?” " You selling that $1,000 boat yet?" etc.
Edit: Best thing I have learned so far watching boats… “There are only 2 things you can’t get rid of. Herpes and a Bayliner”
Bayliners definitely got a bad rap in the 80s/90s, mostly due to the super shitty Force outboards they were bolting on to keep the price down. They’re still not a top of the line boat but their newer stuff isn’t terrible. Like anything it’s how was it maintained, and a big part is, “was it stored in the water”. Sitting it the water all summer, cooking in the sun, ages a boat 100x more than one sitting at home on a trailer.
If you want shade, get a bimini. We swapped the 6’ one that came with our 21’ Larson for an 8’ one. Gives you nice shade from the driver’s seat back to the rear bench.
But if your budget is under $5k good luck. Going to have to get lucky and find something that doesn’t run that someone is just trying to unload that hopefully doesn’t need anything major.
I was ready to tear into replacing Bellows and some other minor stuff, so I’m just putting the energy out into the matrix that I happen upon a boat that needs minor work or a pissed off wife that is selling her ex husbands toys.
