I asked a question about cuddy cabin boats last week, and got some responses to check out Chaparral boats. The only one I could find in my area was a 1984 Chaparral 238XLC..looks nice enough. Here is a website with pictures of one (not the one that is in my area, just similar):
http://members.aol.com/__121b_52+4mUJsJbRLoOoG5myKQjvsBYFqnw2xM1J6674p/u4=
The one that is for sale is a 1984 of the same model. It has a remanufactured engine put in in the last year and is a I/O. He just had the outdrive serviced.
Went and looked at it today, looks pretty good for an 84, going for $7500.
I get back and start researching the differences between I/O and outboard (I have an outboard now) to see if there was anything I needed to know as far as maintenance. Many people were claiming that the I/O was not the way to go because it leaves a huge hole in the transom, and if a seal or rubber piece goes, water floods the boat and it's very "dangerous". Although I am aware that so many others have I/O's, is it any danger to assume that a 1984 boat with an I/O is safe?
Am I getting a boat that is too old? Am I just setting myself up for problems for getting a '84? I love the way the boat looks and I'll see how it handles, but I would hate to be stuck with something that just had problem after problem. I would get a survey done on the boat but when I called my local boating store, they said surveys are hardly ever done when the boat is as cheap as 7,500.
I'm taking the boat on a test run this coming week to see how she handles..apparentley he says everything works on it even though it's an '84. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
http://members.aol.com/__121b_52+4mUJsJbRLoOoG5myKQjvsBYFqnw2xM1J6674p/u4=
The one that is for sale is a 1984 of the same model. It has a remanufactured engine put in in the last year and is a I/O. He just had the outdrive serviced.
Went and looked at it today, looks pretty good for an 84, going for $7500.
I get back and start researching the differences between I/O and outboard (I have an outboard now) to see if there was anything I needed to know as far as maintenance. Many people were claiming that the I/O was not the way to go because it leaves a huge hole in the transom, and if a seal or rubber piece goes, water floods the boat and it's very "dangerous". Although I am aware that so many others have I/O's, is it any danger to assume that a 1984 boat with an I/O is safe?
Am I getting a boat that is too old? Am I just setting myself up for problems for getting a '84? I love the way the boat looks and I'll see how it handles, but I would hate to be stuck with something that just had problem after problem. I would get a survey done on the boat but when I called my local boating store, they said surveys are hardly ever done when the boat is as cheap as 7,500.
I'm taking the boat on a test run this coming week to see how she handles..apparentley he says everything works on it even though it's an '84. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.