Buying a boat

[skankbutta]

I am looking in to buying a boat. I am not sure if I should be looking in to a new boat or if I should look at buying a used boat. I am looking at possibly getting a 2010 Legend 151 Angler or Legend 16 Xcite. Any suggestions? I would only be getting a 20 or 25 HP motor with those packages, which I would like something a little bigger to go on some of the bigger waters (Erie). Also, is it worth it to buy the premium packages?

 

Or I might consider the 16 XGS if it is a lot better of a deal (it comes with a 50 HP).

 

I am looking at spending around 12,000 (financing of course - or PLC, but if the deal is good enough, then I would spend more).

 

I am hoping to get a complete package (fish finder, bow mount trolling motor, etc...)

 

Any suggestions on where to look? I have tried Ebay and Kijiji and haven't seen a ton of good deals.

 

There is a 2004 Princecraft Starfish on sale at Hully Gullys which looks good, but is it a deal for 8,790? I am not too sure.

 

If anyone could give me some advice on making my boat purchase, please help me out. I am hoping to pick one up asap so I can avoid the HST.

 

Thanks!

[Raf]

legend boat packages are notoriously under powered -- don't be fooled by the sticker prices. i can tell just by looking at those two models you will want a bigger motor. it's usually best to max out or nearly max out the HP rating for the boat. the two models in question are rated for 50 & 60hp respectively.

 

I bought a used mirrocraft and found it on kijiji. don't just look in your area either. sometimes a 1-2hr drive can be worth it.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Raf

[Big Cliff]

When I bought my boat last year I did a lot of shoping, I mean a lot! I ended up with a really good deal,(saved me almost 20% over the best deal I could find on the same package anywhere else) super service! Delivered to my door!

 

Talk to these guys, ask for John, tell him Cliff from Lindsay sent you. I have refered others to them as well and so far they have taken really good care of anyone I have sent.Keswick Marine

 

And do make sure that whatever you get is outfitted with the max rated horse power for that package!

[brufan]

Try kijiji in Ottawa. There are some amazing deals out here right now.

ps,

I have a 2003 Legend that originally came with a 40hp. The original owner upgraded to a 60hp. I bought the boat 3 years ago and it was still underpowered so I just upgraded to a 90hp evinrude which is the max. As was said earlier, get as close to the max as you can!

 

pps,

If you do find something and need an outboard, my 60hp 4 stroke is still for sale...

 

good luck,

brufan

[troutologist]

For what its worth I'd look at getting a used Lund, Crestliner or Princecraft, that had the HP maxed out. My impression of Legend was extremely poor when looking for a boat last year.

 

 

ps go tiller.

[brufan]

For what its worth I'd look at getting a used Lund, Crestliner or Princecraft, that had the HP maxed out. My impression of Legend was extremely poor when looking for a boat last year.

 

 

ps go tiller.

 

I love my Legend, now that I maxed out the HP! All the bells and whistles and $10k less than similar products from the makers you mentioned. If money were no object I would definately go with Lund or Princecraft or Sylvan.

 

brufan

[spincast]

I had the same questions last year.Looked for a long time. Went to the spring fishing and boat sale. Looked at Alumacraft, PrinceCraft ,Tracker, Lund, Legend - every boat on display. Legend has great pricing and I was tempted. But when I looked at them, I just kept seeing the Hyundai Pony of the early '80's. I didn't see the finishing quality the other makes had. The motor, well, phutt phutt was what came to mind. I ended up buying used, through a dealer. 50 horse 4 stroke merc; 16 foot starcraft with easy loader trailer and $5k less than a 16 foot with a 25 hp new Legend (oh yeah, also no taxes - consignment deal) . But that was the buy for me. Your boat purchase should be based on what you are looking for; there is a trade off in eveything in life, and a new vs a used boat is the same. I have (had) a 30 day warranty. New is (a little) longer (although Wayne of Tracker boat fame may disagree.)

The decison on what boat to buy should be based on what you want to do with it, and what you expect from it. A 25 hp motor is not going to power a runabout for a family of four doing fishing / tubing and running into the middle of the great lakes with the degreeof comnfort most of us want. But if all you plan to do is fish on inland lakes at a relaxed pace, why not?

As for the size of the boat and the motor- dont we all get-2-foot-itis / just 25 hp more?

[pikeguy]

you interested in Sudbury area

Legend viper 151v 40 hp merc all in he, is asking 12'000

(705)524-7201

 

its in the bargain hunter went with my friend to see it its in good shape

[John Bacon]

There is a 2004 Princecraft Starfish on sale at Hully Gullys which looks good, but is it a deal for 8,790? I am not too sure.

 

If you are buying new the tax won't matter whether you buy before or after July 1st. You either pay 5%+8% or 13%. Six in one, half dozen in the other.

 

I am not sure how the new HST will work on private sales. That is something you should research.

 

I purchased a boat last fall. I ended up with a Princecraft Holiday DLX SC which I thought was the best bang for the buck. If you are looking at new you can expect to pay about $1,500 or above the advertised price to cover freight, rigging, documentation, etc. That is before you add the taxes.

 

p.s. Take a look a the classifieds on this sight, I think someone had a Princecraft 167 in your price range.

 

I am not sure if anybody is still carrying Merc 50hp 2 strokes. If so they are much cheaper than 4 strokes. A 50hp 2 stroke is cheaper than a 40hp 4 stroke. In some cases you could save money by buying a bigger boat with a 50hp 2 stroke instead of a smaller model with a 40hp 4 stroke.

Edited June 11, 2010 by JohnBacon

[lookinforwalleye]

There is a nice Princecraft in the OFC classy`s way better than a Legend!

[craigdritchie]

Nice to have a new boat, understanding that increasing the horsepower on those Legends will obviously increase the cost. Totally worthwhile upgrade .... but it's not my cash, is it?

 

If you're looking for a used boat, perhaps these, from OFC classifieds .....

 

Princecraft

 

Lund

[livinisfishin]

Was at legend the other day I think to jump from a 25hp four stroke to a 50hp 2 stroke on a 15 foot model boat you would be paying $899 more.

[pigless]

I'd say buy used... you can get a pretty decent package used for $12000 that would suite where you want to fish better than the Legend. A 15 or 16 foot with a 20 or 25hp doesn't sound that great if you want to fish big waters like Erie. You'd be better off spending that money on a package that's 3 or 4 years old but bigger with a larger motor on it. If you're patient, you can usually find some decent deals on Kijiji, just check it every day for new postings. I bought my Lund last year off Kijiji after looking for about 2 months. The marina that I brought it into to get the motor tuned up immediately offered me $2000 more than what I paid to buy it off of me... Deals can be had.

[landry]

That princecraft is a very fair price. My advice - buy an almost new boat in the fall in the states. You will save thousands and it will be a heck of a lot more boat than the legend.

[skankbutta]

That princecraft is a very fair price. My advice - buy an almost new boat in the fall in the states. You will save thousands and it will be a heck of a lot more boat than the legend.

 

I do like the Princecraft for sale, but it is a 7 year old boat and motor which makes me leery. It looks well maintained, but it is still 7 years old and the motor is a 50 HP 2 stroke... I've seen a few packages online for a little bit more that come with newer motors with more HP.

 

I saw a nice special for a Mirrocraft w/ a 60HP E-Tec for around 14k excluding extras. The problem with that is that it says limited quantities, so I am sure no one has one.

 

I've thought about the US route. Why wait until the fall? Also, any suggestions on where to look for US boats for sale? I don't mind going to NY or PA since I have family in PA and live close to NY.

 

Thanks for all the tips guys. I am leaning towards used since I can get more bang for my buck, however I don't get a warranty.

[duber]

I have the legend 16 exterminator which is the same as the xgs but does not have the built in tank.I have a 50 hp 2 stroke on mine.It goes 30 mph on gps no matter the load.It has no problem pulling my kids on the 2 man tube.It has handled everything the Bay of Quinte has thrown at it but I need to pick my days on Lake Ontario.I use it alot and have had zero problems with it yet.I love my legend (4th summer) and have no regrets in the purchase.Most posts on here about buying a boat turn into bash Legend posts.You need to look at what you are looking for in a boat and talk to people who actually own the boats.Most people who bash Legends don't actually own one and are looking to justify there own boat purchase.For me the legend got me on the water with full waranty for the best value I could find.Legend may not be the right fit for you but don't discount them because of opinions from those who post without really knowing.If you have the money more hp is never a bad thing but the 50 gets the job done.Good luck with your purchase and if you have any questions about my boat you can pm me.

[Dutch]

1) Buy used

2) Buy in the US

 

It is really not that hard and will save you a lot of cash. For the investment of a half-day of time to research the process and the time to go down and get it, you will be very happy with the product and savings.

 

Check out www.boattraderonline.com and walleyecentral. There are tens of dozens of us based used boat sites.

 

Good luck.

[zeeter]

Hey, if you are fishing erie make sure you have a motor that is big enough. I just upgraded from a 20 hp to 70 hp for that reason. Both boats are princecrafts and they are great. A new princecraft holiday is in the price range you are looking for. It's also worth looking in the states.

[landry]

There are lots of good deals in the states all year but the fall is the best time to get an absolute bargain. Check out this: type in sitemash crestliner for example into a google search. You will find a site called jaxed that will hunt out every crestliner listed on ebay, craigslist and kijiji in North America - newest listings will be at the top and you can narrow your search to include key words and even by state too. that is how I found my last 2 boats. I bought my first crestliner fish hawk in Michigan and sold it 2 years later for a profit of 2500 bucks (including travel costs...). I just bought a 2007 1600 fish hawk with a 75 optimax (with 20 hours on it and extended warranty) for 11, 750 (taxes, travel... included). It is a new boat practically and it is still under warranty. You need some key paperwork, the trailer must not be recalled, and you pay 13% tax plus a 205$ trailer fee and that's it! Lots of boats in Michigan and PA.

I just looked every day for a while and pounced when I saw an opportunity. As long as the dollar stays strong it is a great way to buy. Your best bet is to find a model you like and then stick with it - that way you can compare apples to apples. Lund (may be too pricey for your budget), Crestliner, Alumacraft and Princecraft are all well built aluminums that hold their value better than most. I would stay away from Legends or Trackers as they do not hold their value as well. PM me if u need more details re paperwork needed...

Landry

[scugpg]

If I was buying I would also shop around for the best financing as well.

 

Any boat dealer I've seen has ridiculous financing rates (8 to 12%). PLC or Home LC seems to be the best way if you're financing.

 

If only they had 0% deals like the cars

 

Maybe someone here knows an "in" to get a good rate somewhere.