Very little choice

[northeast1]

With the money they make on boats our days, wouldnt you think we would have a "good" dealer in this area. Also my word not a great deal of good second hand boats going around in the UK at all, been running searches for a week now and yet to find a second hand boat anywhere in the Uk under £22k that interests me..and my main target a Ocq 625 are just few and far between 2nd hand with only boats old than 6 years for sale.

Moan over

[Falcone]

i know how you feel, allthough i was working on a budget at just a fraction of yours, it was still difficult to find something that interested me within my budget.

[The Jester]

Having the same problem Richie, i'm after a Merry Fisher 585 or 625 and its looking like i'll be heading well down south.

[northeast1]

I dont mind going south if it is the right boat, Stingray came from Newquay and i drove down and back in a day to see her and do the deal, just youngish second hand boats seem void.

p.s Merry fisher 625 2nd on my list

[The Jester]

I agree, 2008 onwards seem scarce, guess people hold onto them a while to save loosing a load of money on them. My budget only stretches to a 2004 - 2006 boat. have you looked on Used Boat Listings | Used Boat Listings | Boats.Oodle.com.

[Fishery Pokery]

Maybe the recession is meaning people stick with what they have got longer instead of trading up, especially towards the top end.
Geoff

[oldessox]

I'm always watching the boat sales , there are good buys to be had in the £20-25k price range , but the best ones go really quickly , makes it harder if you are looking for a specific boat too , loads of 21ft fishing boats for sale all the time but very few arvors or MF's or whichever particular boat.
I'm wanting to move up to a 21ft pilothouse next year at the latest , I like the arvor 215 , but the quicksilver 640 is much cheaper , could have had a brand new one with a 115 merc for £20k last week.
A guy on another forum who deals in boats reckons new boat sales are slow but 2nd hand boats are flying out the door. I reckon this time next year there might be a few more on the market with the price of fuel and the state of the economy?

Ray

[Codfather]

We had same trouble, all good deals seemed to be down south but sold really quickly making it tricky to do a deal if you need to find time to get down.

[codseeker]

whats wrong with the one ya got richie seems like a nice boat or are you wanting a bigger one for more fish loads

[Kev1n]

I know what you mean, I was in the same position at the end of last year. Looking for a boat of that size and age. I had a short list of boats but none were local and I ended up buying from a marina in Suffolk to get exactly what I wanted. If anyone wants details of a reliable and cheap transporter (compared to the rest on offer) PM me.
One thing I learned was to be wary of Arvors, or any other boats fitted with the VW engines, they have a bad reputation for turbo failure.

[Norman]

Just my own opinion, but, If I were looking for a new boat (and I`m not , thats for sure) I would probably look now toward an outboard instead of the more traditional Inboard.
The inboard diesel was always my "must have" option due to reliability and more than anything the price of red diesel. The factor of power was always a trade off because of this. But now, with red diesel at virtually £1.00 per litre (on 60/40 duty) and the obvious view that the 60/40 will die away very shortly, then the efficiency of new 4 stroke petrol outboards and their power to weight ratio against diesels now place them probably in front of inboard diesels.
As an added point, if you do decide to keep your favoured boat for a number of years it is not possible to upgrade and "re-engine" an inboard deisel very easily, simply technology moves on so fast that new engines do not fit old fittings, however to re-engine an outboard is fairly straight forward.
Food for thought .......... all due to duty payments on red diesel, still, we shouldn't complain I`m sure the duty they collect is used to better the waterways ........................

norm

[Kev1n]

Several good points there Norman. I still think the inboard option is preferable because they leave a lot more fishing space at the transom and less hardware in the way to tangle a line around.

[Graham B]

It is a big step to make the change from outboard to stern drive. Another factor to put in is the clearance on the sill for anyone at Amble, your increased draught and not having the ability to trim the engine up if you want to to make sure. But on the negative the transportation of petrol all the time is a pain when you can just fill up a diesel boat.
Saying the above me and Micky have started a search but just can't make our minds up yet either. The main one is the conforrt aspect with an enclosed wheelhouse but equlally being able to tie her up yourself, another compromise. Also as we seem to be fishing further afield. Have been looking at Orkney pilothouses but the money the are going for is scandalous. The quicksivers seem a more budget fitting boat so we have been paying particular attantion to codfathers posts! We are going to head to the Southampton show and have a good look.
Once you have bought it, all the excitiement of looking and doing the deal is gone, just leaves the fishing!!!!!!!
Anyone heard any reviews on the new evinrude e tec two stroke? Heard the sales patter but nothing from some-one with one yet. They say they are more efficient than a four stroke and better power-weight by a mile.

Graham.

[northeast1]

Yer codseeker just after something abit bigger with a built in kitchen and abit more speed, apart from that i would stick with what i have got as she done we proud last 3 years.
I have this feeling (if the boat sells) that i may start next season with out a boat but once am sorted its game on

I have heard that about the terbos as well and it has put me off them big time, why do you need a turbo on a boat anyway??? incase you need to pull out quick it a round about or in the over taking lane..pointless in my opinion

[Codfather]

Big Sean of here is your man to ask about etec's.
Verry happy with the QS 640 so far, was a hard decision
to make between the inboard arvor type. But a good deal
on the qs 640 came up locally and also gave us a decent
price px on our old reiver and that was that.