I have stumbled across this boat, a 1984 Advantage bowrider with a
Mercruiser 120 I/O. It looks nearly identical to an older Sea Ray 160
bowrider.

It is in fairly ratty physical condition, with ok seats and upholstery,
several soft spots in the deck, under ok carpet. It has several ugly
repairs to some gouges and dings in the hull, not very big but six or
seven of them. The engine looks fairly clean and well maintained,
hoses in good condition, nothing dripping, that sort of thing, but I
have not run it yet.

I am trying to collect as much info on the boat and I/O as I can before
I invest the three or four hours a complete inspection will take this
non-expert. A web search produced a few links to Advantage boats, but
nothing like this one.

I know little about fiberglass powerboats although I owned, maintained
and upgraded a 25ft steel cutter with an ancient Arnolt inboard and a
quirky mechanical transmission for 15 years. The asking price is little
enough that it might make a good winter project or I might try to get a
couple of seasons out of it with piecemeal repairs..

Is anyone familiar with one of these?

Thanks!

Rifleman wrote:

I have stumbled across this boat, a 1984 Advantage bowrider with a
Mercruiser 120 I/O. It looks nearly identical to an older Sea Ray 160
bowrider.

It is in fairly ratty physical condition, with ok seats and upholstery,
several soft spots in the deck, under ok carpet. It has several ugly
repairs to some gouges and dings in the hull, not very big but six or
seven of them. The engine looks fairly clean and well maintained,
hoses in good condition, nothing dripping, that sort of thing, but I
have not run it yet.

I am trying to collect as much info on the boat and I/O as I can before
I invest the three or four hours a complete inspection will take this
non-expert. A web search produced a few links to Advantage boats, but
nothing like this one.

I know little about fiberglass powerboats although I owned, maintained
and upgraded a 25ft steel cutter with an ancient Arnolt inboard and a
quirky mechanical transmission for 15 years. The asking price is little
enough that it might make a good winter project or I might try to get a
couple of seasons out of it with piecemeal repairs..

Is anyone familiar with one of these?

Thanks!

"several soft spots in the deck" + "I know little about fiberglass
powerboats" = Run, don't walk, away from that boat at any price.

Dan Krueger wrote:

snip Is anyone familiar with one of these?

Thanks!

"several soft spots in the deck" + "I know little about fiberglass
powerboats" = Run, don't walk, away from that boat at any price.

I had just about come to that conclusion myself, as when I made a list
of stuff that the boat needed I decided that the owner would have to
pay me a couple of grand to haul it off. And I am sure I missed some
stuff.

I don't doubt that I could do the refit/overhaul, as I am a good
general mechanic (cars, tractors and the occasional airplane and of
course my old sailboat) and have done some 'glass work (not boats, a
solar powered racing car and it was kevelar and epoxy rather than glass
and polyester resin). But there would have been far too many hours and
dollars involved.

A little looking has turned up much nicer boats for similar asking
prices.

Thanks for the reply!