Bowrider Boat Trailer

Bowrider Boat Trailer

BOAT BUYING GUIDE

With Summer around the corner and the boat show season drawing to a close, Andrew Galwey looks at the how-to of buying your dream boat at the right price.

As the fine spring weather melds into the warm and sunny summer conditions many of us get the first urge to get out on the water. And a fair portion will no doubt be thinking of taking the plunge and buying their own pride and joy to take to the water for themselves.

For those who are considering just this, you will no doubt be conscious of the many considerations that come with buy a boat. With burgeoning boat shows, determined sales staff and dealers and even the increased foreign presence on the local boating market, it can seem like a daunting task just getting started.

To that end the best thing you can do when starting out is to make a list of the things you want in a boat, in order of importance. Take some time to think of what you are really after. For most there is no ‘perfect boat’ but a thorough list will help you get as close to the mark as possible when selecting your model.

As an example, if you are a die-hard fisherman then the chances are you’ll buy a boat that can take on offshore conditions and will need to look accordingly. Similarly, if you have a family or mates that you intend on taking on the water on the weekend you will be looking for a vessel with some cockpit space or at least some shelter and weather protection. Alternatively, if you have more modest ambitions and perhaps just want to occasionally dangle a line on the harbour or estuary then a smaller boat may be more practical.

That brings us to the most important consideration - the bottom line. Most of us would love a 50-foot motor cruiser but few of us have the means. Thus drawing up a budget before you begin is an important thing to do.

Plenty of people buy boats only to find out later they can’t afford. Boating should be about enjoyment so the last thing we want to do is spend more than we can afford.

A good budget will include not just the drive-away price of the boat, but also on-going costs like registration, insurance, motor service, fuel, oil and general upkeep.

Boat Packages

When it comes time to buy boats there will be plenty of different options too. For a first boat buyer looking for a factory model, the BMT (boat, motor, trailer) package has appeal. With this package the advantage is that the boat has been allocated an appropriate engine and trailer, which saves the buyer the hassle of doing it personally.

The cut price specials offered by dealers may also have immediate appeal for the savings that are on offer, but caution should be taken here. These deals often will leave you with a bottom of the line trailer and an underpowered engine package.

Also when choosing an engine it pays to be aware of the recommended power range. Over powering, or under powering will result in reduced on water efficiency so should be avoided. Remember too that the cheapest motor will not always deliver the best outcome.

A good tip is to make a list of what comes standard with any sort of new and used boats you look at. As a general rule a standard package should always include necessary items such as trailer tie-downs, a battery box, anchor gear, lifejackets and an inshore safety pack. Sometimes dealers will throw in things such a VHF radio or sounder as part of the purchase although that is by no means guaranteed.

Once price has been considered you also need to consider the quality of the boat, the construction material and its rigidity, quality of the finish and the reputation of the builder. The better-regarded brands definitely attract better resale value. Constructors of lesser renown might offer a cheaper boat, however their resale value will be less and they might be harder to sell.

Don’t be afraid to ask the dealer the tough questions. After all, as a buyer you have a right to know all the details of what you are purchasing. Furthermore, ask to do an on-water test of the boat because the results can be revealing. Boats tend to look pretty impressive in the show room, but you aren’t paying for them to be driveway decoration!

Water Test

Where possible get out on the water, put the boat through its paces and see how it really performs and if it suits your needs.

Just about all dealerships nowadays will let you try before you buy, but you should aim for a test during spring or perhaps early autumn as the summer ‘silly season’ tends to find many dealers operating flat out.

Similarly, you can always read up on boat tests of vessels that take your fancy. TBF has over 500 tests on its online database and these are readily accessible to subscribers. These tests can be accessed at the www.marinews.com website and provide thorough, unbiased appraisal of a plethora of brands and models.

As mentioned beforehand the size of the boat you purchase should reflect your on-water ambitions. The size of your purchase will depend upon the amount of money you have to spend but other important factors include your location and your towing capacity.

If you are a fisherman and living near by small lakes and estuarine waters then a smaller, fishing boats with flatter bottom will be more practical. It may well save you a good deal on unnecessary expenses too. If you live on the coast and want to tackle offshore conditions then you will probably be looking for a boat with deep internal freeboard and deeper bow Vee to counter the chop.

Trailing your rig is an important consideration too. Standard sedans for example can tow up to 1600kgs on a trailer fairly easily, however anything much heavier will require a 4WD or higher end ute. If you are planning to launch from steep or rugged ramps or on the beach then a 4WD is certainly the way to go.

As for your trailer, once the rig exceeds 750kgs you will need brakes for your trailer. Once the rig hits the two-ton mark you will require a brake-away system with electric/hydraulic brakes. The legal road width for trailing in Australia is 2.5m, which is worth considering, as a boat that exceeds this width will require a wide load permit.

Right Type

Once again your purpose will affect your purchase. Remember that bigger is not always better and that you should always buy for your requirements.

The runabout style is a good all-round choice for the family boater looking to enjoy sunny days on the water over the weekend. There is plenty of room to fish and the spacious cockpit is ideal for the wife and kids. The simple addition of a canopy will give you all the weather protection you need too.

The cuddy design is great when you want to stay overnight or are in need of some weather and wave protection. A cuddy design is also more practical for southern state boaters where the weather can get colder.

A console design is the consummate fishing platform, providing walk-around decks and acres of fishing space. The drawback with the centralized driving position is a lack of shelter. This style of boat will be ideal for the daytime fisherman.

Lastly there is the bowrider style, which cleverly combines cruising and fishing aspects. This is achieved by the provision of a centralised walk-through aisle and fold up windscreen. Bow lounges are often convertible to provide a casting platform or additional fishing space. For the amateur fisherman who wants to keep the family in comfort the bowrider might be an answer.

The amount of shelter provided by these styles is often a prime consideration when buying. The harsh Australian sun and frequent cold, wet and windy conditions in southern states often make boating very unpleasant without sufficient shelter. This is why, regardless of the design type, it’s worth investigating your options on a bimini, clears or folding canopy.

New or Used

The question of new or used boat is most interesting, especially if you have a limited budget. Sometimes second hand might be the answer, however the advantages of buying new boat is you get a reliable motor and the latest in design technology. A hull and engine warranty is also added benefits of buying new boats. New boats generally allow for four-stroke technology too, which is another environmentally friendly incentive.

The decision here is really a personal one, because in some cases a well cared for second-hand or used boat may save you plenty of dollars. However, used boats also tend to have many more question marks than a factory-fresh model.

Finally, when it comes time to sign on the dotted line you should be comfortable with your dealer and confident that he/she will be there if problems occur in future. To this end it’s a good idea to see if the dealer is a member of the Boating Industry Association (BIA), and equally importantly, well respected and trusted.

A new boat will come with a specified HIN number and your dealer will provide you with registration, insurance and warranty paperwork too.

Ensure your boat is insured and has third party accident cover from the moment you take possession. Be aware that during the pre Christmas period it can take several weeks, sometimes even months, for your boat to be delivered.

Lastly, don’t forget to give the boat a run before you take off for the holiday up the coast, that way you can iron out any problems while you are close to the dealer.

So if you are after a boat, happy hunting and remember to keep what you really want and can afford foremost in mind. Do that and you’ll be happy with the end result.

About the Author

Andrew Galwey is the CEO/manager of Marine Publications Pty Ltd, He’s the publisher of Trailerboat Fisherman and Australian Boating magazines and the owner and developer of marinews.com Pty Ltd. We offers New boats, buy and sell boats facility and boats for sale to Australian based dealers and individuals.

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Al-Ko Caravan, Boat and Trailer Manoeuvring Handle $9.99 Move your caravan, boat or trailer by hand with this convenient jockey wheel handle. This manoeuvring handle acts as a safety device. Prevents the jockey wheel slipping through the clamp. Great for hitching up. Fits any 48mm diameter jockey wheels shaft. Sold in singles. Product Code: 083320. Red.

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Kodiak Trailer Boat Buddy Trailer Accessory - Boats 21' and Under - Marine Access $84.99 3/8" Spring-loaded, stainless steel bolt Non-marring pad Easy installation As your boat is driven onto the trailer, the bow eye contacts the Boat Buddy and triggers a spring-loaded, stainless steel bolt through the bow eye, thereby attaching the boat

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Trailering Your Boat (DVD) $17.81 Covers selecting the right trailer, towing, maintenance, plus handling your boat & trailer at the ramp.

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Optronics Boat and Trailer Tail Light - With License Plate Illuminator - Marine Access $12.99 Single stud mount Each features a reflector and red marker Quality lighting choices for boat and utility trailers!Single stud mount tail light has stop and turn features with a reflector and a red side marker. These are replacement lights for the Trailer Submersible Light Kit (sold separately). Trailer Submersible Light Kit sold separately and can be found through item search at item number 38-511-716-00 Single stud mount Each features a reflector and red marker Quality lighting choices for boat and utility trailers!Single stud mount tail light has stop and turn features with a reflector and a red side marker. These are replacement lights for the Tr

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DOT Certified Trailer Light Kit $25.49 This trailer light kit helps avoid accidents with your car, boat or truck. This 12v trailer light kit includes a 20-foot wiring harness and is DOT certified.12V trailer light kitAvoid accidents with these trailer lights your car, boat, or truck isEasily seen by others20-foot wiring harness with 4 pin connector for towingUp to 80-inches wideDOT certified

The Complete Trailer Sailor $19.95 A soup-to-nuts introduction to small, economical sailing craft. Trailer sailers--the smallest, most economical sailboats with sleeping accommodations--are a popular platform for learning the basics of sailing and are often considered to be the entry level to cruising under sail. Author Brian Gilbert shows how trailer sailers can be the ideal craft for a lifetime of enjoyment, including serious, long-distance cruising. This book covers all the bases, including how to inspect, buy, and equip a boat; how to trailer, sail, navigate, and cruise in small boats; how to use communications andnavigation equipment; and more.

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Bowrider Boat Trailer

Is four winns a good company to buy a bowrider from?

I am going to buy a 2002 22' four winns bowrider. It has a volvo penta 225hp engine. There is about 75 hours o the engine. The person wants about 15 grand and i'm not sure if it comes with a trailer and I'm not sure what model it is either. Is this a good boat though? I am very interested in this boat and want to buy it but not sure if it is a good boat and is it at a good price?

I sold boats in the North Atlanta area 2004 and 2005. Our main lines were MasterCraft and Monterey. I did sell a couple of used Four Winns, one I almost bought myself. Insure the year is correct by going to the serial number on the back of the boat to the right. Last two digits indicate year.

Four Winns is a good boat, especially as a first time purchase. If I recall this sounds like a decent price but do your homework. Ask the owner why they are selling? Call the mechanic they used. Call some local dealers, especially Four Winns and get their opinion. Everyone in the world knows you will need a trailer and if a price is quoted I am certain the trailer is included. Just like a Used Car pay a boat mechanic to check it out thoroughly. With the owner go for a test ride. You drive and then let them drive and you sit in the back listening to the engine.

In selling boats I made sure a buyer had a proper vehicle to tow. V-6 engines are too small for a 22' boat. You have the weight of the boat, gas weighs 7 # per gallon, plus the trailer is approximately 1,000 #, a lot of weight is being pulled for a 22' boat. You will ruin a V-6 with this boat quickly.

Account limit of 2039 requests per hour exceeded.

Trailer Boats $23.98 After years of boating, Alex Zidock has put his vast experience into this extremely informative guide to Trailer Boats. Alex takes the reader, in an easy-to-understand style, from the front bumper of the tow vehicle to the prop nut of the engine, explaining every item in between. You will find all you must know about safety, care, maintenance, and operation of a trailer boat, its tow vehicle, and the trailer. Trailer Boats includes chapters explaining how to choose the right boat, motor, and trailer. Other chapters explain towing, launching, retrieving, seamanship, safety, and the routine maintenance every boat requires and deserves. From the smallest johnboat to the largest weekender, this is truly a book no trailer boater should be without.

Al-Ko Caravan, Boat and Trailer Manoeuvring Handle $9.99 Move your caravan, boat or trailer by hand with this convenient jockey wheel handle. This manoeuvring handle acts as a safety device. Prevents the jockey wheel slipping through the clamp. Great for hitching up. Fits any 48mm diameter jockey wheels shaft. Sold in singles. Product Code: 083320. Red.

Rich Johnson's Guide to Trailer Boat Sailing $16.66 If you've ever dreamed of casting off in search of adventure wherever your heart may lead, this book will help turn those dreams into reality. A trailerable sailboat is the ideal way to explore every part of the country - wherever there are lakes, rivers, reservoirs or ocean coastline. To make the most of this exciting lifestyle, owners (or prospective owners) of trailerable sailboats need three things: an understanding of the boat and how to use it, knowledge about the tow vehicle and trailer used to transport the boat, and a spirited sense of adventure to live the dream. This book delivers all three, in a down-to-earth style old salts will appreciate, yet easy enough for budding sailors to grasp.

Kodiak Trailer Boat Buddy Trailer Accessory - Boats 21' and Under - Marine Access $84.99 3/8" Spring-loaded, stainless steel bolt Non-marring pad Easy installation As your boat is driven onto the trailer, the bow eye contacts the Boat Buddy and triggers a spring-loaded, stainless steel bolt through the bow eye, thereby attaching the boat

Trailer II $12.72 Back in 1996 -- when he had yet to record his self-titled debut album for MCA -- Chris Knight recorded some demos in a trailer in his native Kentucky. It was nothing elaborate -- mostly just Knight on vocals and acoustic guitar -- but emotionally, the performances were worth their weight in gold. Some of those performances became commercially available when The Trailer Tapes was released on the Drifters Church label in 2007, and Trailer II picks up where The Trailer Tapes left off with 44 minutes of additional performances. Knight's longtime fans will be familiar with "Love and a .45," "Bring the Harvest Home," "It Ain't Easy Being Me," "Summer of '75," and "The River's Own," all of which appeared on Knight's self-titled debut album in 1998. "Send a Boat" and "Highway Junkie," meanwhile, are gems that Knight included on his second album, A Pretty Good Guy, in 2001. But the acoustic versions heard on Trailer II are much rawer than the official studio versions, and Knight's performances are as compelling as they are intimate. The sparseness of these performances, in fact, really makes the power of Knight's lyrics jump out at the listener. Knight is one hell of a storyteller; his songs paint an amazingly vivid and often gritty picture of working-class life in rural America -- and unlike all the slick corporate country that is about as authentically working class as Sarah Palin on a shopping spree, Knight's music isn't an empty pose. It is obvious that life in small-town Kentucky is something that Knight has first-hand knowledge of. Although these demos weren't recorded in an actual studio, the sound quality is quite good -- and those who enjoyed The Trailer Tapes won't find Trailer II to be any less absorbing. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi

Trailering Your Boat (DVD) $17.81 Covers selecting the right trailer, towing, maintenance, plus handling your boat & trailer at the ramp.

Land Rover Crazy Hauler 1:18 Electric RTR RC Truck With Boat And Trailer $39.95 Land Rover Crazy Hauler 1:18 Electric RTR RC Truck With Boat And Trailer

Jeep Wrangler Crazy Hauler 1:18 Electric RTR RC Truck With Boat And Trailer $39.95 Jeep Wrangler Crazy Hauler 1:18 Electric RTR RC Truck With Boat And Trailer

Optronics Boat and Trailer Tail Light - With License Plate Illuminator - Marine Access $12.99 Single stud mount Each features a reflector and red marker Quality lighting choices for boat and utility trailers!Single stud mount tail light has stop and turn features with a reflector and a red side marker. These are replacement lights for the Trailer Submersible Light Kit (sold separately). Trailer Submersible Light Kit sold separately and can be found through item search at item number 38-511-716-00 Single stud mount Each features a reflector and red marker Quality lighting choices for boat and utility trailers!Single stud mount tail light has stop and turn features with a reflector and a red side marker. These are replacement lights for the Tr

The Complete Guide to Trailering Your Boat: How to Select, Use, Maintain, and Improve a Boat Trailer $20.43 Master the most difficult part of boating before hitting the water This comprehensive guide will help you gain confidence, develop skills, and avoid boat-ramp and highway mishaps when trailering your boat. The book includes easy-to-follow, heavily illustrated instructions on driving, backing, launching, retrieving, and tying down your boat; trailer maintenance; and selecting tow vehicles, hitches, trailers, and towing accessories.

DOT Certified Trailer Light Kit $25.49 This trailer light kit helps avoid accidents with your car, boat or truck. This 12v trailer light kit includes a 20-foot wiring harness and is DOT certified.12V trailer light kitAvoid accidents with these trailer lights your car, boat, or truck isEasily seen by others20-foot wiring harness with 4 pin connector for towingUp to 80-inches wideDOT certified

The Complete Trailer Sailor $19.95 A soup-to-nuts introduction to small, economical sailing craft. Trailer sailers--the smallest, most economical sailboats with sleeping accommodations--are a popular platform for learning the basics of sailing and are often considered to be the entry level to cruising under sail. Author Brian Gilbert shows how trailer sailers can be the ideal craft for a lifetime of enjoyment, including serious, long-distance cruising. This book covers all the bases, including how to inspect, buy, and equip a boat; how to trailer, sail, navigate, and cruise in small boats; how to use communications andnavigation equipment; and more.

Reese Trailer Coupler - Model 74040 - Marine Access $24.99 Attaches to boat trailer for quick connection to tow vehicle Padlock hole Zinc finish Fas-Lock Coupler by Reese attaches to your boat trailer for quick connection to tow vehicle. Padlock hole allows you to secure your trailer when disconnected from vehicle and during transport. Zinc finish. Attaches to boat trailer for quick connection to tow vehicle Padlock hole Zinc finish Fas-Lock Coupler by Reese attaches to your boat trailer for quick connection to tow vehicle. Padlock hole allows you to secure your trailer when disconnected

Jamak Fabrication Launch 'N Load Trailer Guidance System - Marine Access $79.99 Provides a reliable visual-tracking guide when backing an empty trailer Signals that your boat is clear of the trailer when unloading Assists in locating the trailer's centerline when loading The Launch 'N Load Trailer Guidance System makes trailer backing quick and easy by fixing 3 of the most difficult aspects of trailering. First, it gives you a reliable visual-tracking guide when backing an empty trailer down the boat ramp. Second, it signals that your boat is clear of the trailer when unloading. And lastly, it assists in locating the trailer's centerline when loading. (Signal arm automatically folds down when the boat is loaded onto your trailer.) Provides a reliable visual-tracking guide when backing an empty trailer Signals that your boat is clear of the trailer when unloading Assists in locating the trailer's centerline when loading The Launch 'N Load Trailer Guidance System makes trailer

Trailer $10 Trailer - American X Sports

Tie Down Engineering Bunk Slick Boat Trailer Glide-Ons - 1-3 4X17 - Marine Access $37.99 1 3/4" x 17" 8 pcs Reduces friction between boat and trailerBoat slides on or off with less effortBolts directly onto standard bunk boardsThe Bunk Slick reduces friction between boat and trailer. Bolts directly onto 2amp;quot;x4amp;quot; or 2amp;quot;x6amp;quot; standa

Bayliner 175 Bowrider - by BoatTest.com