Boat question
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 765
Likes: 4
From: Fairmount, Georgia
Boat question
Anybody familiar with Rough Water brand boats? A guy has offered a 1989 17' center console with a 120 Evinrude, trolling motor, depth finder, live well, on the trailer for a tractor I'm asking $1400 for. He says it runs good. His fishing partner passed away and he says he has no more interest in fishing. I'm guessing I can run the motor long enough to hear it run (20 to 30 seconds) and as long as the batteries are charged I should be able to check the trolling motor and depth finder. Anybody know the good or bad about these boats? I've never heard of that brand.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2011
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Howdy, thendrix,
I'm wondering about the boat that you're considering. I can find no reference online to Rough Water making a 17' boat. The Rough Water brand has been around since 1997 and are pretty well known for making yachts. Not necessarily high-end, these yachts typically sold for $300K to $500K and were 30' to nearly 60'. A hull from 1997 would be one of the first that they produced. One from 1989 wouldn't be theirs. My guess is that the brand "Rough Water" is actually two different manufacturers and the one that built the 17' has been out of business for at least 20 years. (You might send LivingLarge (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/member.php?u=595046) a PM. He lives in the high end boat world and may know the brand or brand history.)
Made in 1989 the hull would be aluminum, or fiberglass over wooden stringers. The biggest risk would seem to be that if the fiberglass has been compromised, the wooden stringers would be rotten and the hull worthless. But at $1,400 you can hardly go wrong. You can part it out for more than that. The trailer, if adjustable to other hulls, could be worth a grand if in good shape. The motor could be worth a couple of grand. The stainless steel prop sells new for about $500-$600 and would sell overnight in the $300 range. The point there is that if you make the trade and it's a lemon, you should be able to get your money back, perhaps even a profit, with a little patience by parting it out on craigslist, boats.com, etc.
Good Luck!
Bass
I'm wondering about the boat that you're considering. I can find no reference online to Rough Water making a 17' boat. The Rough Water brand has been around since 1997 and are pretty well known for making yachts. Not necessarily high-end, these yachts typically sold for $300K to $500K and were 30' to nearly 60'. A hull from 1997 would be one of the first that they produced. One from 1989 wouldn't be theirs. My guess is that the brand "Rough Water" is actually two different manufacturers and the one that built the 17' has been out of business for at least 20 years. (You might send LivingLarge (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/member.php?u=595046) a PM. He lives in the high end boat world and may know the brand or brand history.)
Made in 1989 the hull would be aluminum, or fiberglass over wooden stringers. The biggest risk would seem to be that if the fiberglass has been compromised, the wooden stringers would be rotten and the hull worthless. But at $1,400 you can hardly go wrong. You can part it out for more than that. The trailer, if adjustable to other hulls, could be worth a grand if in good shape. The motor could be worth a couple of grand. The stainless steel prop sells new for about $500-$600 and would sell overnight in the $300 range. The point there is that if you make the trade and it's a lemon, you should be able to get your money back, perhaps even a profit, with a little patience by parting it out on craigslist, boats.com, etc.
Good Luck!
Bass
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Joined: Mar 2011
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Interesting boat. Contender hasn't made an inshore boat in a long time as they're focused on larger, much more expensive offshore boats.
I couldn't find anything similar for sale anywhere (boattrader, boats.com, iboats, powerboatlistings, etc.). LivingLarge is still probably the best resource on this site.
How do you want to use the boat? If you want to see if you'd like to be a boat owner, it's hard to go wrong at $1,400 with no cash spent and a reasonable opportunity to get your money back out of it later.
I see that there's no prop on the boat. Does the owner have it and is it included in the price?
This boat will have disadvantages compared to other boats this length. The hull will draw a bit more water (require more water depth) due to the deep V design. You'll struggle in shallow water (1 or 2 feet). And if you want to take up water skiing, the 120 may not be enough power depending on the prop.
Again, it looks like a pretty low cost, low risk way to become a boat owner and in your area there are a lot of places to use it. If you want to head for the coast for some trout or redfish it'll be fine for that, too. My only suggestions are to make sure there's a clean title to it, and to have a marine mechanic go through the motor and make sure it's sound. (That should cost close to $100 and is pretty cheap insurance against buying a motor that will definitely need to be replaced.)
I couldn't find anything similar for sale anywhere (boattrader, boats.com, iboats, powerboatlistings, etc.). LivingLarge is still probably the best resource on this site.
How do you want to use the boat? If you want to see if you'd like to be a boat owner, it's hard to go wrong at $1,400 with no cash spent and a reasonable opportunity to get your money back out of it later.
I see that there's no prop on the boat. Does the owner have it and is it included in the price?
This boat will have disadvantages compared to other boats this length. The hull will draw a bit more water (require more water depth) due to the deep V design. You'll struggle in shallow water (1 or 2 feet). And if you want to take up water skiing, the 120 may not be enough power depending on the prop.
Again, it looks like a pretty low cost, low risk way to become a boat owner and in your area there are a lot of places to use it. If you want to head for the coast for some trout or redfish it'll be fine for that, too. My only suggestions are to make sure there's a clean title to it, and to have a marine mechanic go through the motor and make sure it's sound. (That should cost close to $100 and is pretty cheap insurance against buying a motor that will definitely need to be replaced.)
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Good call, Tom.
There are two blades clearly visible in the stern view. When I first looked all I saw was the reflection off the hub and thought it was the prop shaft.
You'd think a bass would get a better look at the parts that go under the water....
There are two blades clearly visible in the stern view. When I first looked all I saw was the reflection off the hub and thought it was the prop shaft.
You'd think a bass would get a better look at the parts that go under the water....
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,878
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From: Louisiana
I think you should jump on it if the condition is ok. The v Hull will definitely draw more water, but will be stable if you take it in a bay, wide river or a short distance offshore.
Make sure the Hull ID Number is attached to the transom on the starboard side. Check the fiberglass for small cracks, patches and signs of fatigue. Play close attention to the area where the motor mounts to the transom, the boat plug area and where the transducer for any depth finder mounts. Look at the cross members, frame rail and the axle of the trailer. Watch for heavy rust. Ask when the last time the impeller was changed on the outboard. Look at the areas where the batteries are located and look for any cracks in the fiberglass where they sit.
Hope this helps. I’m a retired Coast Guard member, CG Boarding Officer, and these are things I used to look at when checking the overall material condition of a recreational boat.
Make sure the Hull ID Number is attached to the transom on the starboard side. Check the fiberglass for small cracks, patches and signs of fatigue. Play close attention to the area where the motor mounts to the transom, the boat plug area and where the transducer for any depth finder mounts. Look at the cross members, frame rail and the axle of the trailer. Watch for heavy rust. Ask when the last time the impeller was changed on the outboard. Look at the areas where the batteries are located and look for any cracks in the fiberglass where they sit.
Hope this helps. I’m a retired Coast Guard member, CG Boarding Officer, and these are things I used to look at when checking the overall material condition of a recreational boat.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 765
Likes: 4
From: Fairmount, Georgia
Thanks Coastie. If I keep it I'll be using it in reservoirs. That's about all we've got around here. There are a few govt water shed lakes but they're electric only. I thought I'd like to have about a 16 ft boat with a couple of trollers for these lakes because they're not as populated as the big reservoirs are. I'm still waiting to hear back from the owner. I think he's an older man. I hope he's not in bad shape. That or he's changed his mind. I'll report back if I hear anything. Thanks again everybody
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 765
Likes: 4
From: Fairmount, Georgia
Afraid not. I thought we had a deal worked out and I had to put him off for a few days and never heard back from him. Tried a couple of times but nothing. Got a guy coming on Thursday with a Weatherby vanguard deluxe .270 with a Luepold scope that's new in the box. We'll see how this one goes.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,950
Likes: 5,076
That Weatherby won't float so no boat riding for you... 
Keep your eyes open. Good deals on boats are fairly common this time of year. But if you haven't pulled the trigger (pun intended) by April, the deals are gone. Lots of people will be looking for boats for the summer season and the prices go up and availability goes down.
boattrader.com
boats.com
iboats.com
powerboatlistings.com
craigslist.com
All are pretty good places to look.
Keep your eyes open. Good deals on boats are fairly common this time of year. But if you haven't pulled the trigger (pun intended) by April, the deals are gone. Lots of people will be looking for boats for the summer season and the prices go up and availability goes down.
boattrader.com
boats.com
iboats.com
powerboatlistings.com
craigslist.com
All are pretty good places to look.