Advice - First time real boat owner

[billymoca]

Hey boys and girls,

I need some advice: I have been looking to buy a "real" boat for the last year and have been saving my nickels. I was not going to buy for at least another year, but I have a chance to buy a '79 V20 CC from a friend for what seems to be a steal (1200.00) on a never used 8-year old trailer. This boat is going to need a little restoration, (I'm looking forward to this). There are no real soft spots in the floor, no flex in the transom and it has a 200 hp, 2 stroke mercury. This boat has not seen water in 8 years, but it ran well before it was parked with the drain plug open, covered (until two years ago) and transom down hill. The boat seems sound, most of the repairs are cosmetic and fuel/engine cleaning.

I live near San Francisco Ca, and I just don't see these out here, I don't know if there is a reason for this or not. I have been following your posts for a few weeks now and I am more and more encouraged to get this boat. I really like the size, and the ride on these older boats, and while I can afford more, I like that these are unusual here.

A little history: I grew up deep water fishing in the Pacific for tuna, halibut, salmon, sturgeon, shark and crab. My godfather had a 20' deep V Reinell cabin cruiser that we would run every weekend averaging 25-50 miles round trip. He died right after i got out of high school (2000) and right before i got married. His wife sold his boat (I was broke, newly married), and I really did not do any deep water fishing after that.

Well, now my oldest son is 10 and we have a 12' inflatable boat that I put a 10 horse mercury on and we go fishing in this thing all over the place - even up to 5 miles offshore. (the looks we get after pulling our salmon limit out of the boat at the ramp are priceless.) I want to do more and be able to take the other kids and wife as the family grows (I have four kids total).

I have attached pictures of the prospective boat below and sorry for the rambling.

Any thoughts or advice would be helpful. Or just confirmation that this really is a good buy - or not....

Thank you in advance and looking forward to joining the community here!