Where to buy a used motor in SFBay

ba_fisher · 07 January 2015, 19:38

Any recommendation for a place to buy a used 20~40hp motor? Can I get a good reliable one for $1000 or so?

I live in Mountain View. Any good place on the south bay?

Thanks

tworotorturbo · 08 January 2015, 01:18

2 or 4 stroke? Craigslist is always a good source. Did you find a hull yet?

ba_fisher · 08 January 2015, 01:38

I prefer 2 stroke for weight, but maybe 4 stroke ones are newer and less of a chance to die on me. I really don't know anything about outboard motors. Are they easy to maintain/fix by yourself?

There are a couple of hulls with trailers on craigslist that I plan to look at, maybe next week.

1998 Avon Boat
Avon SeaRider 4 Meter Hard Bottom Inflatable RIB SR4

jyasaki · 08 January 2015, 15:25

Newer 4-strokes are pretty straightforward maintenance-wise. Oil change (motor and leg), plugs, and fuel filter; pretty much it. Maybe the anodes and impeller every couple of years (or very year if you're anal.)

Only difference between those and 2 strokes is the engine oil.

jky

Peter_C · 08 January 2015, 17:56

I own a two stroke, but wish it was a 4 stroke. Seeing a sheen of oil float away from your boat is not a feel good moment. Plus they stink and are louder. 4 strokes you can't even tell they are running at idle.

Unfortunately your budget of $1,000 isn't going to get you much of a motor. Especially since the Searider takes a decent amount of power. The Searider will make a good Bay boat, and the one I would get out of those two. It has been for sale for months now so a lower but reasonable offer with cash in hand should be able to grab it.

Since the Searider is in my area, and if you wanted someone along with you, I could possibly take a look at it with you.

ba_fisher · 09 January 2015, 01:18

Peter, thanks for the offer. I am still not sure what I should buy yet, so maybe I will wait til after the SF Boat Show before going. I will take up your offer to go together :-) Again, thanks a lot!

Bigtalljv · 09 January 2015, 06:00

you can't go wrong with the searider. You'll see the are plenty of them on here, excellent first boat. Very tough.

Jason

MikeRags · 26 January 2015, 02:18

Hello ba-fisher, The Searider on Craigslist is my boat. Long time lurker on this forum with a few posts over the years. Had it for several years now, but have not used it in about 4 years after the motor was stolen. Since then it has been sitting in a garage.

Before that, we used it for abalone diving off the Humboldt coast and before that diving in Moro Bay and the Channel Islands.

I live in the East Bay, but the boat is up at my buddies in the Santa Rosa area. If we can work something out, I can tow it back down to the bay area.

I am going to begin lowering the price once summer rolls around, until it sells. Started the listing in winter which is not the ideal time to sell a boat. Otherwise I am open to trades for any type of machinist tools, mills, CNC of any type, etc... If you want to know anymore about the boat just let me know.

Peter_C · 26 January 2015, 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeRags

Hello ba-fisher, The Searider on Craigslist is my boat. Long time lurker on this forum with a few posts over the years. Had it for several years now, but have not used it in about 4 years after the motor was stolen. Since then it has been sitting in a garage.

Before that, we used it for abalone diving off the Humboldt coast and before that diving in Moro Bay and the Channel Islands.

I live in the East Bay, but the boat is up at my buddies in the Santa Rosa area. If we can work something out, I can tow it back down to the bay area.

I am going to begin lowering the price once summer rolls around, until it sells. Started the listing in winter which is not the ideal time to sell a boat. Otherwise I am open to trades for any type of machinist tools, mills, CNC of any type, etc... If you want to know anymore about the boat just let me know.

If I only had a larger tow vehicle

I would work something out in a heartbeat! The SR4 is a perfect little SF bay boat.

ba_fisher · 26 January 2015, 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_C

If I only had a larger tow vehicle

I would work something out in a heartbeat! The SR4 is a perfect little SF bay boat.

Just curious, Do you have a SmartForTwo? :-)

I heard that in the UK people tow RIBS on very small cars. It's only in the US where towing anything would require a Ford F150.

Peter_C · 26 January 2015, 18:53

I have owned more than a few trucks in my day. Sold my K2500 Suburban with a 496ci, 8.1L when I bought my Prius as I just didn't drive it anymore. That was when gas prices were around $4.00 a gallon.

Someone took this photo years ago at Lake Sonoma and posted it on the web. I get more looks than you could believe towing, along with photos while driving. Yesterday my partner heard "I gotta watch this Prius recover their boat". Fortunately we were very smooth and the trailer was in the water for less than a minute (Yes I used my trailer for recovering as it was fresh water and I was lazy). Also get great fuel economy and I would gladly take a bet I could out stop said F150 any day of the week! (I have ZR rated tires on my little car from a Scion FZR. I have had Scion TC tire/wheels in the past.) It comes down to weight vs traction. I win hands down!

I am cautious though and will not go over the vehicle limits. It has lived a hard life for the last 140K, and although an SR4 is only 200lbs heavier or so, that is getting to be a little too much. Our Prius C is strictly used for diving when we don't have the boat along. Many of my dive buddies have tow vehicles though so we can often just use their vehicles.

ba_fisher · 26 January 2015, 20:07

Was this you? The boat is just slightly bigger :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc5rF54lEZ8

Peter_C · 26 January 2015, 20:36

I would consider that boat pushing it in the Bay Area due to our hills. It is pretty flat where they are doing their boating. Still heavier than I would recommend.

tworotorturbo · 27 January 2015, 01:11

ba_fisher, any new thoughts after the boat show? I think I only saw 3 or 4 ribs there. Fancy white ones

Peter, how far have you towed the SIB with the Prius?

ba_fisher · 27 January 2015, 01:36

Still not sure yet. When buying a boat, I need to think about the words 'practical', 'economical' and 'safety'. That makes it much harder that, say, buying a sports car.

I am actually astounded by the amount of data that I have gathered about boats, and the number of dealers/sellers that I have spoken to.

Anyway, I will probably end up having a boat by April 1, when the rockcod season opens.

Peter_C · 27 January 2015, 04:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by tworotorturbo

Peter, how far have you towed the SIB with the Prius?

Quite a bit, but nothing compared to what I have towed in the past, and I have never calculated miles. Many dive trips to Monterey and Mendocino though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ba_fisher

Anyway, I will probably end up having a boat by April 1, when the rockcod season opens.

The Sacramento boat show in March will be 10 times larger than the tiny SF boat show this year.

Are you set on new now?

ba_fisher · 27 January 2015, 04:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_C

The Sacramento boat show in March will be 10 times larger than the tiny SF boat show this year.

Are you set on new now?

You're making me wait longer. I can't take this anymore!

I am leaning heavily towards new now. If all things line up I will order a boat in a few days.

Peter_C · 27 January 2015, 05:19

What are you thinking of getting?

Myself I am all about letting someone else take the initial loss, then buy their boat with 100 hours, in as new condition, for $10K less than they paid for it

ba_fisher · 27 January 2015, 05:44

I am thinking of getting a red Inmar 470R:

470R-DR (15'5") Dive / Rescue Series (Rigid Hull) Inflatable Boat w/ Suzuki 40hp

Probably will upgrade to the max motor at 60hp.

Their price is like a used Zodiac of the same size, so I am willing to give that a try.

I have a little knowledge about depreciation myself, but I have given up on sports cars now and am happily driving a Honda Odyssey :-) Whatever I will lose on a new 15ft RIB will be far better than I did with cars.

Peter_C · 27 January 2015, 06:36

Glad to see you stepping up to a nice RIB that will be far safer fishing out in the ocean.

Owning a 40hp motor, I would definitely recommend more power with a boat that size too. At least a 50hp, but will never try to talk someone out of max horse power.

Set aside some funds for a nice chartplotter/sonar unit ($700+ after all you want to find the fish don't you?), lifejackets ($100+ for each person), and DSC equipped radio(s) ($450 for the fixed and $160 or so for a handheld attached to you). Of course a PLB like a Resqlink+ is a great safety item and they are around $250. Hopefully you already have all your expensive fishing gear