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Author Topic: Want help buying Jet Boat  (Read 29081 times)

Spawn Sack

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #30 on: June 13, 2015, 09:34:28 PM »

Thanks Canso. So the Harbercraft definitely has a carpeted floor? I asked the guy to send me some interior picks and he has not yet.

Any tips for buying a used jet boat like this? Basicially my plan was to treat it much like buying a house. Give it a good look over myself, ask all questions I can think of. If all goes well i want to go for a test ride in the river. Make sure everything seems in check. Lastly I would want it inspected by a local marine place (Id pay of course). If its going to be up for a big repair soon I want that reflected in the purchase price.

Do you think 17.5k is a fair price? Sounds like he wont take a dime less...
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Steel_Mo_Head

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #31 on: June 14, 2015, 10:49:07 PM »

Thanks Canso. So the Harbercraft definitely has a carpeted floor? I asked the guy to send me some interior picks and he has not yet.

Any tips for buying a used jet boat like this? Basicially my plan was to treat it much like buying a house. Give it a good look over myself, ask all questions I can think of. If all goes well i want to go for a test ride in the river. Make sure everything seems in check. Lastly I would want it inspected by a local marine place (Id pay of course). If its going to be up for a big repair soon I want that reflected in the purchase price.

Do you think 17.5k is a fair price? Sounds like he wont take a dime less...



I just bought my boat February 2014.  I was looking for about 1.5 years.  I think I lucked out pretty good. Got a nice 2001 18 alumaweld intruder with Johnson 105 at the pump for $15000. I took it to Joe at Haney's Marine. Super nice guy! Got him to inspect the boat and then took it out for a run(he has a launch on the Fraser River). He said everything was mint and running strong on it.

Make sure you check liens as well.


I've done quite a bit of upgrades this year on it though and put some good coin to get it to what I want. Check it out and good luck on your boat choice.

 1. Suspension seats
2. New stereo
3. New navi/depth finder
4. Re weather stripped the boat
5. Swim grid
6. Dual battery set up
7. Wash down kit
8. Re packed trailer bearings
9. New trailer wheels and tires
10. Polished the whole damn boat(never again)
11. Shimmed the impeller of the jet engine
12. Greased the whole engine and leg
13. Swing tongue trailer
14. New anchor and anchor mount

Coming this month

15.Still need to put metal protectant
16. Winch mount
17. Electrical for windlass



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I can't wait to fish ALL the time!

Spawn Sack

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #32 on: June 21, 2015, 10:19:20 AM »

Steel_Mo_Head, sounds like a sweet boat and you've upgraded it nicely! We are looking for something a bit newer but are open to "older" boats if they're in good condition.

Found this one on Craig's list today. Due to the horrible exchange rate and hassle of buying a boat from the US I had pretty much dropped the idea of buying a boat from the US, but I do still search for them for kicks, and can't help but start to think prices (after exchange rate), purchases logistics, etc.

Any opinions on this boat? I like the hull a lot but not terribly keen on the older main motor.

http://spokane.craigslist.org/boa/5082869778.html

Also, the other day we went out with our neighbour on the Fraser in his Roughneck 17-56 with 60/40 Yamaha jet (center console). Both the wife and I liked the boat. 60/40 seemed adequete power with 3 adults. We burned around for about 2 hours up river, down river, across river, ect.  The boat seemed to handle mild/moderate chop alright. Quite stable at rest. I also like that it's light enough to shove off a bar, easy to load/unload from the trailer, etc.

However didn't really like the low sides. Don't know if I'd want to be standing up on the back reeling in a big spring or sturgeon. Also we like to lake troll in addition to river fish and I don't think they would be great boats for trolling lakes for sockeye and trout ect. Any one disagree???

We would rather have a Harbercraft, Hewes or something similar but by and large the price exceeds our budget. We are looking to spend 15K or so tops and whatever we buy should be "reasonably well equipped" (fishfinder, anchor, ect)...if it needs another few K invested just to get it "fishable" it would put us over budget. Most of the time it will just be us 2 in the boat but from time to time it would be nice to be able to fish with 4 adults on board. Thinking the 16 foot johns are too small, 17-56 could work, still in contact with the seller in Terrace with the 16 foot Harbercraft but he is firm on 18K which is more than we want to spend.

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Flytech

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #33 on: June 22, 2015, 06:34:49 AM »

I'm no expert, but that price seems a little high for a 1984 boat with a mid 90's motor. Wooldridge is a good boat overall though.

kanuckle head

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #34 on: June 22, 2015, 08:14:03 AM »

For that age of Wooly it is very high
Bought my 17ft 2001 center console, 115 Evinrude, 8 yami kicker & bow trolling motor for 12,800 usd, last year

Make sure ya have the motors checked out, and have the seller send ya pics of the hull, this will indicate if the boat was abused.
I was fortunate when I bought my, because the previous owner had upgraded to a new & bigger wooly so the old one had to go. Being a Columbia river boat set up the motors only had 68 hours and launching near the dams only required tolling hours on the kicker to pull plugs

Good luck on the search.........they are out there, but the deals go fast

If I did'n have mine I'd consider this project, from the hull style seems early 2000

http://juneau.craigslist.org/boa/5011275395.html

 
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Spawn Sack

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #35 on: June 22, 2015, 08:31:41 AM »

Flytech and kanuckle head, thanks for the feedback.

K/h, is that price in CAD or USD? Seems like a pretty sweet price for that boat - wow! In your opinion, what is this boat worth (ballpark) in USD?

My plan is if I do decide to buy a boat from far away, assuming all negotiations go well and the price is right, is to have the seller bring it to a local marine shop and get the boat completely looked over. Of course I would have to arrange the appointment and pay for it.

I would rather do it this way than go through all the hassle of driving far away, converting CAD to USD if it was a US boat, and then finding out when i get there and have it in for an inspection that there are "deal breaker" issues with the boat and I dont want it.

Or how would you guys go about it if you were thinking of buying a boat "far away." Unfortunatley all the boats we like right now in our price range are too far away to drive to just for a look at.

PS. That hull looks nice but that's about our overall price range and it has no motor, lol!
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kanuckle head

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #36 on: June 22, 2015, 01:13:40 PM »

The link in Juneau Alaska is in USD

As for buying so far away, as not to waste your time driving all that way. Ask the seller to send detail pics, then upon your approval if it had a motor ask the seller to take the boat to a local marine service area on your COIN to have that company send the status of the survey
This way any problems can be a bargaining chip to lower the asking price
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kanuckle head

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #37 on: June 22, 2015, 04:32:10 PM »

« Last Edit: June 22, 2015, 04:43:00 PM by kanuckle head »
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Spawn Sack

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #38 on: June 24, 2015, 08:03:54 PM »

Thanks kanuckle head, nice looking boats but Alaska is just too far to even consider driving to look and potentially buy unless it was exacly THE boat we've been looking high and low for. Whereas all we really want a a nice, well kept and maintained, 16-18 foot jet boat in the 15K range.

Still currently following the following boats:

Lowe Roughneck 1650 SC with 60/40 Yamaha. Nice boat and in our price range. Motivated seller. Could probably get a "good deal" on it. Just not super crazy nor totally sold on getting a sled boat with this floor plan. Don't like how the front and back (especially) are raised up so close to the gunwale. I think it would be a great boat to zoom around from bar to bar, anchor up and fly or spin cast, but we want something we can also troll from and sturgeon fish out of. Do I really want to be battling a monster sturgeon and standing up on the stern? Probably not. One wrong move and sploosh!

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-motorboat/vanderhoof/jet-boat-15-000-firm/1076789017?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

17 foot Woolridge with 115 evinrude

I like the hull - a lot!! Not the greatest history. Seller says he bought from an "older gentelmen" a few years ago. No maintenance records. No hour meter although aparently both motors run well. Could be a good boat if passed a thorough inspection and for a much better price than 13k (maybe 10ish). Not getting the best vibe from the seller. My gut says if I drove all the way down there prepared to buy it I would be in for several "surprises." Following this boat and keeping emails from seller.

http://spokane.craigslist.org/boa/5082869778.html

1648 Smokercraft with 65 Merc jet (2 stroke).

I still like this boat's floor plann a lot. Much more than the ubiqitous 16-18ft Lowe Roughnecks. 48" wide seems a little on the narrow side. If anyone happens to have a boat with this same hull I'd love to come look at it! Willing to bring beer or whatever to compensate for the hassle. I quite like this boat but it's a long ways across the border. Will probbaly pass up as it would be way too huge of an investment in time and $ to go even look at it. But you never know. Good vibes from the seller. Seems like he takes good care of it and it's been serviced recently.

http://redding.craigslist.org/boa/5063643453.html

The last boat is a 1625 (66" wide) Harbercraft with a 90/65 merc. 2007 boat/motor I think. Great vibes from the seller the boat seems very well kept. Low hours (100 I think). Looks fantastic in pics. Guy pulled his add from kijiji as he put 1000 bucks into it recently (new inpellor etc) and decided, meh, I kind of want to keep it unless someone offers me full asking price (18k). This boat is my #1 right now with what is for sale that I have found (check almost daily). Talking to "boat guys" I know or work with consensus is he asking too much and a fair price would be 16k or so. However it is a quality boat and ones like this do not come up often if you like it. Sometimes you get a sweet deal and sometime you need to overpay a bit to get what you want. Personally I would overpay a bit if I liked it, the probelm will be convincing the wife as the same people have been telling her it is overpriced and she wants to sepnd 15K tops.

Plan is 3rd week of July we are going on holidays for 2 weeks. Will be passing through PG and will look at th 1650 Lowe. Will carry on to Smithers to visit family and at some point drive to Terrace and see the Harbercraft. If we don't buy either of these boats keep an eye on the US boats and keep checking for new BC boats.

Any thoughts/opinions?
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Flytech

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #39 on: July 02, 2015, 06:57:17 AM »

Well the Wooldridge is gone.

canso

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #40 on: July 02, 2015, 06:11:45 PM »



1648 Smokercraft with 65 Merc jet (2 stroke).

I still like this boat's floor plann a lot. Much more than the ubiqitous 16-18ft Lowe Roughnecks. 48" wide seems a little on the narrow side. If anyone happens to have a boat with this same hull I'd love to come look at it! Willing to bring beer or whatever to compensate for the hassle. I quite like this boat but it's a long ways across the border. Will probbaly pass up as it would be way too huge of an investment in time and $ to go even look at it. But you never know. Good vibes from the seller. Seems like he takes good care of it and it's been serviced recently.
http://redding.craigslist.org/boa/5063643453.html


This boat is a 1660 not 1648 it's listed wrong, you are welcome to look at mine it's the same boat but a 40 jet. And it's not for sale lol but will give you an idea of side hight and width. It is very wide and stable.

Spawn Sack

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #41 on: July 03, 2015, 11:13:39 AM »

Canso if you don't mind fire me off an email at kcp@alumni.sfu.ca

I wouldn't mind coming to check out the boat if you are not terribly far away. We live in Chilliwack.
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kanuckle head

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #42 on: July 03, 2015, 06:52:11 PM »

If your considering a Smokercraft, in a bass boat platform maybe these could intrest ya. Close by to boot

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/5096962643.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/boa/5092939666.html
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kanuckle head

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #43 on: July 03, 2015, 07:06:43 PM »

I apologize if I'm pointing out so many boats.........just love shopping for someone ELSE  :P

Found this Harbercraft, motor a little week for an 18 ft'r imo but future upgrades is what makes it your own

 http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/boa/5094599613.html
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Spawn Sack

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Re: Want help buying Jet Boat
« Reply #44 on: July 04, 2015, 08:00:24 AM »

Well, the 16ft Smokercraft in Redden, CA sold. Didn't really want to drive that far anyway and take the risk of the boat not being to my liking. With gas, hotel for a couple nights ect would be $750-1000 in just pick up costs. We are still looking at US boats but one would have to be one hell of a good deal to buy with the exchange rate the way it is plus importation fees, ect.

kanuckle head:

I emailed the guy with the Fisher a couple days ago. Awaiting reply.

The 18ft Basstracker looks decent but honestly unless it is a real gem I wouldn't drive as far as CA for a boat.

Checking CL and kijiji daily for BC boats.

Just a thought...what do ya'll think of jet sleds with tiller steering instead of center or side console. Before I had told my wife NO, there will be no tiller steering! However now I'm at least considering the option. Several decent one for sale right now and it DOES open up a lot of floor space on the "smallish" 16-18 foot Rouchnecks, G3, ect.

I am used to steering a tiller, we have had a 12foot lake boat with outboard for many moons. Would definitley prefer console steering for our river bpat but just wondering if I'm being stupid not considering a nice tiller steer. Nice on for sale on the buy-n-sell on this site actually.

http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/pml/boa/5095261851.html

Just wondering if one can actually see well over the bow for obstructions in the river, if it's easy/comfortable to pull up on a bar and get the motor raised up in time (do the tiller's have power tilt?) and so on.

In a few weeks we will be on holidays and will be stopping in PG to check out the 1652 Rouchneck (guy is asking 15k), and the 16ft Harbercraft in Terrace (guy is asking 18k).
« Last Edit: July 04, 2015, 08:04:17 AM by Spawn Sack »
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