Thoughts on this boat


T

TommyB80

New member
https://www.ebay.com/itm/122154972054

So I'm looking for a bow rider to run in Barnegat Bay next year and came across this one. Price isn't bad and I like the 496/Bravo 3 combo. This will be my first personal boat, my family had a Hurricane for 7 years that was totaled in Sandy. What do you guys think? Price is around where I've seen similarly equipped SeaRay Sundecks.

Marina is telling me to get a new boat, but I never buy a toy new. Bought my Harley 4 years ago and it's an '06. Don't ride it for a month? No problem as it doesn't owe me anything and I didn't pay much for it. So here I am. Only advantage I see to new boat is warranty. Marina sells pontoon boats exclusively, and although they are nice, I just don't want a pontoon boat. Would rather have something with some muscle if I want or calm enough to take the wife and dog out lagooning.

Sorry for the long post but any help would be appreciated.
 
I would have to have ridiculous money to buy a new boat . I don't have it. Thats a very nice boat, saves you a bunch of money not having to replace manifold and risers . How many hours on it? I would go on boat trader and check prices. How bad is the Imron damage? Could you live with it? Repainting an Imron boat probably isn't cheap. I would get an estimate. Call Comstocks and ask. They are the local Formula dealer. Prices for 260's are all over the place. This one seems like a good buy. I love Formulas and you get stared at because they look great and they are awesome.
 
Marina wants you to buy new since that is where they make their largest profit! Smart to buy used, let someone else take the depreciation.

Looks like a nice boat, but gather as much information as you can...hours, detailed photos of Imron paint, engine compartment, copies of service records, etc. If still interested, then I would want to personally see and inspect the boat and see the service records and how it was maintained. If records not available, the original dealer may be able to assist. If you put it under contract, do nothing without a boat survey from a vendor you select and a sea trial, with the option to walk away for any reason. Good luck!
 
Someone in another thread mentioned an Imron Paint job ran around $250 per foot. Thats around $6500 . They also said that they do spot repairs on Imron all the time at the factory, but it's not easy. Is the paint damaged on both sides? If not you could possibly get by repainting just one side.
 
If you have touchup or repainting done, make sure the guy knows what he is doing. You will want to see some of his work and talk to references.

I looked at several boats where the owner had someone make repairs or touchup and I could clearly see the imperfections especially in direct sunlight. In some cases, he would have been better off to leave the scratches.

Formula will tell you that the person really needs to know what they are doing since the process is very difficult to apply properly and they must use Formula's actual Imron paint. If you contact Formula TAG, they can tell you if there are paint techs in your area who are certified or experienced in repairing/repainting the Imron finish.
 
Personally I do not think I would purchase an ebay boat. Why not call Comstock or look for a reputable Formula dealer to see if they have a nice trade-in around your budget.
 
My friend runs a 31 BR in the Barnegat. Lots of fun. Not sure a 26 would be too bad but of course a 280 is better.
 
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