price on jon boat

[luker]

Greetings Everyone!

I have been fishing and camping from a Kayak all my life. I just had second shoulder surgery, so it is time to move up to a power boat. I fish rivers, ponds and small lakes. I found a boat that I like...looking for advice. It is a 14' aluminum jon boat with a 25hp tiller. The boat is a 1995 Polar Kraft. It has a small casting deck and comes to a point instead of a square in the front. The outboard motor is a 1974 Johnson Seahorse that runs great. The trailor is a Performance. It is galvanized and looks newer. Price is $1100 firm. Is this about right? Is Polar Kraft a quality boat? I do not know if it is all-welded or riveted. I have a picture if that helps. It has a v-shaped seat? Not sure why.

Thanks and sorry for a long first post,

luker

[Matt Jungblut]

it all depends on the motor and boat

if the boat doesnt leak and is in good shape and pray its a all welded jon

that motor is really old and the motor is the most expensive thing on ur boat

trailors are pretty cheap u can get a new 1 around for around $800

i had a 1970 18' polar craft jon boat came with a 20 horse motor and junky trailor

i think i paid $800 for every thing

had the boat 5 years used it every weekend tell the river froze and was one of the first out when it thawed

[burleytog]

Check check check the motor.

[bassboy1]

With proper care, that old Johnny will outlive ya.  Also,being a mod V, it may or may not be welded.  There is nothing wrong with riveted, in fact, we prefer them.  After all, aircraft are not welded, and aircraft and boats tend to have similar stress points and such.

[luker]

I bought it. It is all-welded. The motor starts right up, runs like a top and the compression is great. I think that $1100 is a little high, but it is exactly what I wanted and I liked the newer galvanized trailor. I did get a brand new battery too. Thanks for everyone's input.

A few questions:

Does the motor charge the battery? It starts the motor, runs the lights and the bilge pump already. Do I need a separate battery for my trolling motor? Do I need a transom saver when trailoring? How fast will this boat go...20mph+?

luker

[bassboy1]

As for the transom saver, you wan' the motor to be at least a foot and a half off the ground on a level trailer.  If the motor can be tilted down with that much clearance then the answer is no.  If the motor is tilted up, the answer is YES.  Never trailer with the motor on its little bracket.  Even in the manual it specifically states that it is only for beaching it.  I would say you also need a second battery.  You don't want the TM to eat up the battery so you have to pull start it.  Just the motor and bilge and lights put a large current draw on it anyway.  I am not sure if it has a charger, but even if it does, in a 20 minute run, you may barely make up for what was used while starting.  It is not like an alternator in a car as it is not needed to run the engine - only start it.  In my inexpert opinion, you should make 20 MPH with that.  May be faster than you feel safe controlling.  

[samurai361]

I have a 1448 MV Lowe with a lot of modifications to it.  It has an old (power head HP rated) 25 Johnson, and I can get close to 30 mph by GPS out of it.  I'd think your boat would be close in performance to that.

Before that I had an 81 Polar Kraft riveted hull 1440, with an Evinrude Fast Twin 18, and it would get about 25 with just me, but it was a bare hulled boat.  I still have that old motor.

Somebody mentioned 20 mph being faster than you feel safe.  I feel fine at 20, but won't go WOT in mine unless I'm moving in a straight line.  I've never had it slide out in a turn, but it can.