Need some input on 2 boats Im considering
 

Boat #1:

1987 Mirage 217 Intruder with a 5.7 litre and alpha one with a top speed of 47 mph. 544 hours, includes a tandem axle ez loader trailer. Boat is in mint condition and has been loved by its owner. ALWAYS garaged, full maintenance records, never kept in water overnight...New alpha outdrive with 10 hours. Owner is selling because he and his wife just had a baby.

Selling for $7000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86BaP...RxRstxgeGEP68G

Boat #2:

1988 Wellcraft Nova Spyder 26 with a 454 Mag and Bravo 1 outdrive and a top speed of 60 mph. 502 hours and includes a tandem axle bunk trailer. Average condition. Its a red boat so there is gelcoat fading, black bottom paint which is peeling. From what I can see no rot at all in transom or stringers, no rot anywhere on boat, no rips in vinyl (but some sun fading). Some interior pieces are cracked or broken. All gauges seem to work, trim tabs function too. Everything seems to work, cabin is very clean. Engine sounds really strong! Current owner put a ski tower on it which looks ridiculous! I would say this boat will need some work cosmetically but the basics are there for a really nice classic offshore.

Selling for $7500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNQTS...RxRstxgeGEP68G

Thoughts?

I would go for the Wellcraft, but I love working on my boats. One good winter and a thousand bucks you could have that lookin nice. They really are two different class boats with one being 4' longer than the other

No way the nova does 60 with a single. I had one with twin small blocks and it never seen 60. They are heavy, solid boats for the size.

I'd suggest a survey and see if that decides for you.

They arent really that heavy....With twins it was rated at 5200 lbs. With one single Im guessing 4400 lbs. Thats a 454 Mag motor with 365 hp with a bravo 1 and its pushing a 23p prop...My Powerquest weighs 4200 and with a 385 hp 454 and a bravo 1 its running 62 mph..I would say 60 is definitely in the ballpark.

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/m...930t/026-1.jpg

maybe on the wish-o-meter it will run 60 but I still don't think so. Mine had 260's and alpha's and would run 56-57 gps. Alpha's are faster than bravos as well. Go drive it and see what you think. Like Rebar said, get a survey. Older wellcrafts had some water issues. Good luck with your search

i would be buying the wellcraft but i also think it would have to be survey time IMO

I would definitely go with the Mirage! It's smaller, but a much better built boat IMO. The condition and always garaged with full maintenance records only trumps the deal for me.

I would want the bigger boat. Longer to handle rougher water. Definately get a survey. Good luck.

go wellcraft other boat under powered and alpha to small and better resale on the wellcraft

Wow. Something wasn't right. I'm 5200 lbs. dry, and I'll bump 70 all day.

I may be partial....but I say Nova all the way. Classic Welly's are sexy boats, once you clean them up. Not many of them left around, so once you get her looking good, almost a guarantee you won't look like the rest of the crowd. Trust me I have a fully restored(still going thru ideas for some quick upgrades for the twins)Nova III, and it gets long stares from everyone.

They may not be the fastest thing on the water, but they will last forever, and ride smooth when the goin get rough. Great all 'round boat.

Don't like that nova, Mirage is better taken car of, so thats the winner, I would say keep looking its early, save a few more bucks, 9/10k buys a much nicer boat of the same vintage, if you consider those, consider, 23 nova, 223/242ls formula:thankyouthankyou:, 87-90 C~mate convincer, also 221/241 Liberaters can be had in that range, LOTS o options

Note that nova is not going 60 unless its warmed over

Here's one problem with that logic--I live in Seattle!!! There just arent that many performance boats to choose from!! The NW is and always will be the land of the sailboater or family bayliner. Its kinda funny because you will literally give people a heart attack when you fire up at the boat launch because NO ONE here has thru transom exhaust! Ive seen kids jump 3 feet in the air when I turn my key!
BTW--My powerquest (which I sold) I bought in Michigan 5 years ago!

I just pulled up craigslist--there are very few to choose from!

How many scarabs are currently for sale? none
How many Formulas? Three and one of them is 56,000, another is $14000 and then there's one with a 5.0 litre/alpha for $8500
How many checkmates? zero
Liberators? 2 of them! One for $21k and another which is 21 ft with no motor for $3000.
How many Baja's?? 5 and the CHEAPEST one is 14 yrs old, 21 feet long and selling for $18,000!!

So, either I pay another $4000 in shipping costs or pull the trigger on one of the few local performance boats around that are in my price range. Im paying cash this time around! I dont want any more boat payments when I live in a city that only has good boating weather 3 months a year.

Neither.......just get the new Outerlimits 27 (or 28 or 29) for only $200K. :D

Your right!! Hey, could I borrow $200,000? I promise to pay you back! Trust me, Im good for it!! Lol!

Bravo boat better than Alpha, all other parameters being relatively equal...

I copied the ad:

1987 24' Formula SR 24 $13,999 - $13999 (Auburn)

Get ready for summer!!! This is a great boat.
Powered by twin Mercruiser 350 Magnum 5.7's V-8
Port motor freshly rebuilt and only 3 hours on it.
Starboard motor has low hours

Alpha drives, Drives recently serviced, New water pumps on each drive
stainless steel props,
Silent thunder exhaust
Zero effort controls
Trim tabs
Head and sink in cabin
Electronic engine hatch lift
CD sound system
Tandem axle trailer with disc brakes FULLY serviced
A few minor tears in seats.

****I dont know how this boat is any better than the Wellcraft Spyder.
Its 1 yr older, 2 feet shorter, alpha drives, sit down seats (I want drop down bolsters), needs some seat recovering and the big thing is that the price is double!! $14k vs $7k!

just thru it out there,

And I appreciate that!

Its funny because I did a 1000 mile search for any kind of performance boat under $8000 on boat trader and it only came back with 1 boat! A $7900 Donzi from 1987..Yellow and oxidized! 1987 means alpha or trs...Not alot of choices out here on the west coast in the price range Im looking.
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/19...27-Z-101677234

Im going for a seatrial tomorrow in the Spyder. Wish me luck!

well good luck!! keep us posted

Ahh I am running into this same situation with a couple of boats I am looking at... One is bigger but in less good condition, the other is smaller but spotless. Now between these two boats i would have to say Nova Spyder Hands down. These are very good sexy boats, and I think it will sell better than the Mirage. the extra length always helps too when you are out in rough seas, and its a faster boat. It all depends on what you want, some people want a spotless boat, which is fine then thats what is best for them. While others do not mind a boat that's not a 10, and only an 8. Just make the right choice for you, I personally like a spotless boat, but I think the Wellcraft is just better for the money. Yes I agree with many of they others get a SURVEY, any older boat needs one.