Buying my first boat

reddle28

Hi,
Im looking to buy a boat, i never had a boat before so i need some advice. I live beside a lake so this is where i will use the boat. My criteria would be to be able to sleep 2 people comfortably for a couple of nights, do a little fishing, a liitle relaxing too and finally i would like to be able to do a little water sport i.e. ski or wakeboard, not extreme just for fun. My budget is about 5k.
Can anyone give me some recommendations on best boat type, brands, engine size needed etc.

Thanks.

Jack_regan

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3387692

fergal.b

Hi reddie28 welcome to the forum, I think what your looking for would be something like these cuddy boats.

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3568988

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3201367

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3597282

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3686168

whacker1982

a fletcher vigo, could tick all the boxes, dunno about engine size for wakeboarding. lovely looking boat, try done deal and ebay.co.uk if your willing to travel. 5k should get you one no problem, ive seen them on done deal for that price or less.
then again thats just the boat id love to own.:D

reddle28

thanks lads, great advice.

breghall

Reddle28, here let your hair down and go for a spin in this, it ticks most boxes.....and it'll def pull a wakeboard :D:D:D

oh for 5k


http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3500959

breghall

or http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3493569


maybe I'm going of track here ..... the boats are for you not me :p

i should think cuddy not knts...

reddle28

breghall wrote: »

or http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3493569


maybe I'm going of track here ..... the boats are for you not me :p

i should think cuddy not knts...

Hi guys,
I have been looking around and I quite like the Shetlands. They tick all my boxes, what are they like? What's is the difference between the models like the 535, 536, 570....

Skuxx

They are a great starter boat and very popular, I'd always see a few on the lake anytime I'm out!!
Just had a quick look on the Shetland owners club forum for you and the main difference seems to the max hp they are rated to take
What ever you decide it's important to remember your boat is only as good as its engine, a good, solid, reliable engine is the probably the most important factor IMO!


535....
LOA: 5.37m
Beam: 2.02m
Draft: 0.34m
Displacement: 363kg
Max Power: 65hp


570...
LOA: 5.70m
Beam: 2.08m
Draft: 0.23m (hull only)
Displacement: 730kg
Max Power: 115hp O/B, or 120hp Inboard

If you want to do some more reading.... http://www.shetlandowners.co.uk/shetland/viewforum.php?f=14&sid=d93caf0e08caa909d019490250d0cd5d

breghall

Shetland are a good solid boat, I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them. I have found them to good boat to runaround on , fish from, sleep in and with a big enough engine it'll pull a skier too.

Def agree with alan regarding the engine. make sure you buy a good reliable one and maybe consider a smaller one to mount on the back just for peice of mind in case the main one gives out while miles from shore.

reddle28

breghall wrote: »

Shetland are a good solid boat, I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them. I have found them to good boat to runaround on , fish from, sleep in and with a big enough engine it'll pull a skier too.

Def agree with alan regarding the engine. make sure you buy a good reliable one and maybe consider a smaller one to mount on the back just for peice of mind in case the main one gives out while miles from shore.

What's is a good reliable engine...what make and what size would I need minimum to pull a ski/wakeboard in a Shetland, and dare I say it, 2 or 4 stroke??

fergal.b

Most outboards are all the same what they mean by good is a very well kept or as new as you can afford, most large new engines these days are 4 stroke . The shetland would not be boat designed for watersking, but with a standard speedboat it works out at about 70 hp to pull a person under 200 pounds and a minimum of 90hp to pull a person over 200 pounds If your low on hp you will find your self pulling the arms of the skier waiting for you to get them and the boat up on the plane, if you were going more for wakeboarding or pulling a tube this would not be such a big problem.




.

reddle28

fergal.b wrote: »

Most outboards are all the same what they mean by good is a very well kept or as new as you can afford, most large new engines these days are 4 stroke . The shetland would not be boat designed for watersking, but with a standard speedboat it works out at about 70 hp to pull a person under 200 pounds and a minimum of 90hp to pull a person over 200 pounds If your low on hp you will find your self pulling the arms of the skier waiting for you to get them and the boat up on the plane, if you were going more for wakeboarding or pulling a tube this would not be such a big problem.


Great, so maybe a Shetland 535, 570 or kestrel with 90hp plus...just to keep my options open what is a similar style brand to Shetland, I think I like that style

whacker1982

2 and 4 stroke they both have there advantages and disadvantages,

good stuff about the 2 stroke,

very little maintaining the engine, make sure you have the right mix ratio with petrol to oil, a lot of the outboard 2 stroke oil you get has a little cup at the top of the bottle to let you know how much to put in per liter.
unless its a auto lube outboard, dont really know too much about these.
a service would be clean the carb and replace the spark plugs. cost less then a 4 stroke.

bad stuff about the 2 stroke,

they are alot louder then the 4 stroke outboards, and thirstier on go go juice,

good stuff about the 4 stroke,

nice quiet engine, drinks less petrol, no need to mix oil to petrol.

bad stuff to the 4 stroke,

a bigger service is required here, including a timing belt, same as a car really,
so alot more can go wrong inside. and cost considerably more then the 2 stroke.

if your going to buy a second hand out board 70 to 90hp a 2 stroke will cost a heck of a lot cheeper then a 4 stroke by miles.

Skuxx

How tied are you to the budget OP? Something like this would suit your needs better with regards to the watersking, but would be fine for fishing off the back of aswell..... http://sportboats.apolloduck.ie/feature.phtml?id=247218 ..... http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/boats/3597282 ....