First boat help me chose! 🙏🏻

[Rygotthevybe]

Hey y’all, new to the forum. Looking forward to join the aquasport team.

Basically I’m in the market to buy my first boat. Found a couple deals on market place and came here for your expertise.

1987 aquasport 175
     • 2500
     • 1987 evinrude 90hp
     • trolling motor\ fish finder
     • live well
     • 2 batteries
     • external gas tank. Owner has had it less than a year and has never used the internal. He’s buying a bigger boat.
     •deck has been boarded over with marine ply. Seems like they took the easy route and boarded over a soft deck.

1978 aquasport 20

     • 3200
     • evinrude 90hp
     • Bimini top
     • guy owned it for 7 years
     • soft deck.
     
I’m attracted to the 175 because I can see myself fishing some skinny water, but I also like the bigger boat to bring out the family. What do y’all think?

[Rygotthevybe]

Forgot to mention, on the 1978 20 the transom is cracked and has been repaired with a big slab of aluminum.

[Ulysses485]

Welcome to the site! What exactly are you looking to use the boat for? Where are you located? Post some photos of the hulls in question because a picture can say A LOT about a boats condition.

[plugger]

Unless you have a lot of time and money these don’t seem promising.

[dbiscayne]

the older 20 will float in relatively shallow water, probably not much of a difference from the 17. You might be better off spending a little more money and getting something in a little better shape.

[Fish Head]

I would go for the extra 2.5ft all day. More comfortable with more passengers! 90hp is a little under powered but your not into speed than who cares. Price out the materials for a new floor and transom and negotiate from there. Also inspect the gas tank health, another costly replacement. Probably come close to the asking price of the boat for materials needed to replace the floor and transom. Use that number to negotiate on the asking price. If seller doesn’t budge don’t get emotional on the purchase and walk away. Definitely walk away if you’re not excited and wanting to do a rebuild. There’s always another boat that will be available to buy sooner or later lol