I disagree with getting the newwest boat you can afford - that's not necessarily true. Look for a solid boat and don't worry about its age. Look underneath for knicks and scratches that go through the gel coat, look for transcom cracks, etc. and don't buy those, but the boat hull itself is just fiberglass and one that has been taken care of can be an excellent buy. Nice thing about boats - they can be totally rewired, re-carpeted, re-motored, new everything and these days, at the price of a new one, you can do a lot to an old one for a whole lot cheaper than buying something new. I know guys get tired of me hawking Bullets, but one of the best hings about them is that the basic hulls have been the same for nearly 20 years (mine's 17 years old and looks better than many that are only 2 years old, and yes, I use it a lot). Find a well kept 20XD or 21XD and you can get a fine boat at a super price. Redo anything. Mine does not have the original intstruments, is on it's second Mercury outboard, but still has its original lightweight OMC trolling motor that I have repainted twice just to keep it looking fresh. Haven't replaced the carpet - doesn't need it yet. AM planning on updating all the electronics this springif I can ever decidewhether to go Lowrance or Humminbird!
