Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Hi All! After years of waiting, saving, and searching I have finally found a used 17 Master Angler that I feel confident in making an offer on. I have never posted on this forum before since I am not a MBG owner so please allow me to introduce myself. I live in New York and want a Maverick because I love to fly fish and want a flats boats for the casting space and clean deck layout. Also, I love the low free board and the ride of a flats boats!!! There is nothing like your hair blowing in the wind as the water rushes by. There are lots of flats in the Northeast that hold striped bass, blue fish and false albacore and the MA would allow me to sight fish in skinny waters. I am a Marine Corps vet (2001-2007; Iraq August 04-March 05) and hope that I can get some advice from the community here so that I don't get burned on a bad deal. I have read the 2000 MA stringer repair thread by whichwaysup, and wanted to check with you guys to get your opinions. I do plan on getting a survey as suggested by WhichWaysUP (WWU) in his post. My concern is that the survey won't find all of the damage (if any), or MAJOR DAMAGE (if any). What happens if you pay for a survey and they miss something like a crack in the hull or a major engine issue? Are there any recourses that you can take against the surveyors or are you SOL? I'm also concerned about the fact that the boat I am interested in had the bottom freshly painted with anti-fouling paint and you can't see the hull. The previous owner must have had this slipped. What if the previous owner cracked the hull and did a quick patch job and then covered it up with paint? Is there any way to check? e.g. A "carfax" for boats? (or a way to check for insurance claims?) The boat is currently being stored on a trailer that is not designed for the boat and the strake is resting on the bunk. Is this ok? I know that it was kept at the place it's being stored, so I'm not concerned that it was transported anywhere this way. I have included a pic below. There are barnacles growing in some of the drains and holes in the hull.....any concerns? I've included pics of the hull and drain plug so that you can get a better idea of what I am talking about. After reading WWU's thread about his stringer damage, my concern is that if there is a crack in the hull, I won't be able to see it. If there is any other advice, please feel free to share. I was not able to open the bilge hatch to check inside the hull today because the motor was up and I couldn't get inside. I am going back this week to talk to the sales guy and will inspect the bilge then. I thank you all in advance and hope that one day I can join you all as an official Maverick owner! -Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Sorry, but I had some formatting problems with these pics and couldn't get them to post. This pic was taken from the stern looking forward to the bow. Does anyone know what those ports are for? Here is a closer look at the ports in the hull near the stern The is a pic of the hull looking stern to bow. This is the plug in the stern. Ports in the hull junked up with marine life (barnacles?) The bow. It appears as if the fiber glass was damaged here, but it wasn't. I'm not sure what that white stuff was but it rubbed off with my finger and it felt like cloth or paper. Here is the strake resting on the bunk of the trailer. Can this potentially cause damage? Port side of the hull. Starboard side of the hull. Rear compartment with battery and switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 8 hours ago, Latchkey85 said: I am a Marine Corps vet (2001-2007; Iraq August 04-March 05) and hope that I can get some advice from the community here so that I don't get burned on a bad deal. uuuuurrrrraaaaah....I was 751003 to 781002...Sgt. USMC. First, How much are you paying ? 2nd: Are you planning on doing the repairs DIY? Do you have experience? 3rd, Survey, good. A professional surveyor will catch key issues..... 4th, bottom paint a red flag. 5th, heavy barnacles - not good in the intakes. Unless you are getting the hull and motor for a few thousand - I would be very careful. Post more pics of the wiring, etc. dc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 1 hour ago, Wanaflatsfish said: uuuuurrrrraaaaah....I was 751003 to 781002...Sgt. USMC. First, How much are you paying ? 2nd: Are you planning on doing the repairs DIY? Do you have experience? 3rd, Survey, good. A professional surveyor will catch key issues..... 4th, bottom paint a red flag. 5th, heavy barnacles - not good in the intakes. Unless you are getting the hull and motor for a few thousand - I would be very careful. Post more pics of the wiring, etc. dc Semper Fi Capt! Thanks for the feedback. The asking price is $24,500. I will be doing most repairs myself and with friends. I have a friend who can do any electrical work and a friend that can do all the small outboard stuff like replacing pumps, plugs, ignition switches, thermos, etc. Anything major involving valves, pistons, head gaskets, etc is gonna cost me money. I will only have to pay for parts, beer, and take them fishing! The engine is a 2007 Yamaha F115 with roughly 150 hours and is the original motor. Thanks for confirming my concerns with the painted hull. A lot of people up here slip their boats in tidal rivers of the Long Island Sound; this environment causes barnacles and slime to grow on boats at a fast rate and a lot of people paint their hulls with anti-fouling paint to prevent this. So, the paint could be there for a legitimate reason, or be covering up repair or worse. How bad is the issue of barnacles in the intakes? Is it an easy fix? I plan on keeping this boat on a rack at a local marina and will get a trailer in the next year or two and keep it in my garage. I will post more pics of the wiring and bilge when I go back to look at the boat this week. Thanks again for your advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilemaker Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 obviously it is missing the cheese grater strainer at the pickups. the growth could be simply that it sat unused. do you have pictures of the topside and sides. is there a motor? The hrs on it will give a better idea of its use. from what i see i would treat it as a large DIY project. the bottom can be soda blasted to remove the paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 55 minutes ago, smilemaker said: obviously it is missing the cheese grater strainer at the pickups. the growth could be simply that it sat unused. do you have pictures of the topside and sides. is there a motor? The hrs on it will give a better idea of its use. from what i see i would treat it as a large DIY project. the bottom can be soda blasted to remove the paint. I believe the growth is exactly that....it sat slipped and was not used much. The sides and top are in good shape. From what I was able to check, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the boat that I can't do myself, with the help of friends, or for a small repair bill from a professional shop. My question for the community here is what lessons have you guys learned from all your years of owning these boats and buying and selling them that you guys have learned. What should I be inspecting that the first time boat buyer doesn't know to check? Thanks for the info about the grates at the pick ups......this is not something I would have known should be there and would like to get them replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterAngler772 Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Wow, 25k is super steep for that condition imo. By looking at the pics attached I can get a good feeling of how the boat was treated and maintained. Looks like it spent a lot of time soaking in the saltwater. Not ideal... For someone to keep a boat like that in the water I would have to seriously question the level of care. Barnacles.. If the boat sat that long in the water to grow barnacles what else sat? Old gasoline? Etc I have a 1996 MA 17” with a new 2016 115hr Yamaha r stroke. Boat is absolutely spotless and it a total head turner. I’m planning to list it for sale at the beginning of Jan for 25k to start... shoot me a text and I will show you what 25k should buy you. You are on the right track at the MA is an absolutely incredible boat. I have owned this since 2000 and will shed a tear when I let it go for sure. Happy to help you out in your efforts In sorting through that boat and thanks for your service! I greatly appreciate all that you guys do for our country! Steve G 772-215-1708 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 2 minutes ago, MasterAngler772 said: Wow, 25k is super steep for that condition imo. By looking at the pics attached I can get a good feeling of how the boat was treated and maintained. Looks like it spent a lot of time soaking in the saltwater. Not ideal... For someone to keep a boat like that in the water I would have to seriously question the level of care. Barnacles.. If the boat sat that long in the water to grow barnacles what else sat? Old gasoline? Etc I have a 1996 MA 17” with a new 2016 115hr Yamaha r stroke. Boat is absolutely spotless and it a total head turner. I’m planning to list it for sale at the beginning of Jan for 25k to start... shoot me a text and I will show you what 25k should buy you. You are on the right track at the MA is an absolutely incredible boat. I have owned this since 2000 and will shed a tear when I let it go for sure. Happy to help you out in your efforts In sorting through that boat and thanks for your service! I greatly appreciate all that you guys do for our country! Steve G 772-215-1708 Thanks Steve....serving the country and my fellow Marines was truly an honor. Thanks as well for your opinion on the price.....I checked a lot of classified to try to get a better gauge on how to value this boat. It's hard bc there are so many variables....motors, condition, trailer and type, power poles, electronics, year, length, etc, etc, etc. I was not able to find many listings for Master Anglers even close to this boat's year (2007) so that makes it even harder. I will admit that although this boat is in great shape, the thing absolutely looks as if it was tied up and never ran......and possibly neglected. Does anyone have any input on what that means for a boat's hull? You gotta remember that our season up here is short, so this boat was probably put in the water in May, 2 weeks before memorial day and then taken out in September, a week or two after labor day. I'm gonna shoot you a text now...I'd like to see pics of your boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 In case anyone is wondering, the boat does not have Kevlar in the layup. Does anyone know when Maverick started using the VARIS process in the construction of the Master Anglers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyBottomBluz Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 I too agree the asking price is too high for the condition, from what I can see, of the hull. I had bottom paint on my Redfisher when I bought the hull ($4,000) and when I finally flipped the boat to sand it all off the hull was a mess with pitting and previous repairs. Barnacles growing on any boat shows very little maintenance, especially for a boat that lived its life in the water, even if for only 5-6 months. That is just my opinion. By the way is the hull a 2007 as well? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jensenjeff Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 I also agree with the others regarding asking price being well out of line for the boat's current condition. There are plenty of 17" MA's that are sold on our forum or check craigslist. I owned a 1994 17 Master Angler and it was one of my favorite boats ever. Thank you for your service and good luck with your search. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 8 minutes ago, MuddyBottomBluz said: I too agree the asking price is too high for the condition, from what I can see, of the hull. I had bottom paint on my Redfisher when I bought the hull ($4,000) and when I finally flipped the boat to sand it all off the hull was a mess with pitting and previous repairs. Barnacles growing on any boat shows very little maintenance, especially for a boat that lived its life in the water, even if for only 5-6 months. That is just my opinion. By the way is the hull a 2007 as well? Thanks Muddy.....advice like this is exactly what I was hoping to hear when I decided to generate this post. What would you say a boat in this condition should be valued at? The listing says its a 2008 hull, but I am trying to confirm that because a person who says he thinks he knows who the boat belongs to thinks it might be a 2007. The motor was manufactured in 2007. 4 minutes ago, jensenjeff said: I also agree with the others regarding asking price being well out of line for the boat's current condition. There are plenty of 17" MA's that are sold on our forum or check craigslist. I owned a 1994 17 Master Angler and it was one of my favorite boats ever. Thank you for your service and good luck with your search. I keep checking craigslist and this forums for other listings. This boat is a lot newer than the other boats I have seen listings for and the motor has low hours. I hear you can MuddyBottom on the fact that it looks like it sat in the water and wasn't maintained well. What kind of problems am I looking at if this was the case? Is it easy stuff to fix that I can do with my other boat owning friends? Or, am I looking at a potential money pit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReelWork Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 I would be concerned with neglect- Less use should = better condition (minus potential fuel issues). All those thru- hull drains, etc with barnacles would have me worried. Definitely curious what a marine surveyor says. You don't want to buy it and not get on the water this year because of all the repairs. Mine is an 07' -cleanliness is a little overboard and my buddies give me a hard time for spending more time cleaning than fishing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Run youll have over 30k in that boat at the snap of a finger. Wiring looks bad, Hull condition is bad, obviously person left it in water and didn’t care 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coto Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Find another one. That price is crazy! I sold my 21 Redfisher which was in excellent condition and had to do nothing to it for $21000. That guy must think he has the last MA in existence. There are much better ones out there. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 27 minutes ago, ReelWork said: I would be concerned with neglect- Less use should = better condition (minus potential fuel issues). All those thru- hull drains, etc with barnacles would have me worried. Definitely curious what a marine surveyor says. You don't want to buy it and not get on the water this year because of all the repairs. Mine is an 07' -cleanliness is a little overboard and my buddies give me a hard time for spending more time cleaning than fishing. Beautiful rig ReelWork! I like how you can see the reflection of the wheel hub in the hull. What potential problems (besides the fact that they are there) would barnacles in the drains, intakes, cause? Sorry, but I've never owned a boat before and don't know all the ins and outs of neglect/maintenance, etc. 21 minutes ago, linesider 159 said: Run youll have over 30k in that boat at the snap of a finger. Wiring looks bad, Hull condition is bad, obviously person left it in water and didn’t care Thanks LineSider....your advice is definitely a safe bet. Your description of the wiring and hull is indicative that it's not worth the asking price. And I completely agree with you about the guy leaving it in the water and not caring. The guy probably had a Henkley or a Donzi docked next to this and only ran this once a year when he wanted to fish. 12 minutes ago, Coto said: Find another one. That price is crazy! I sold my 21 Redfisher which was in excellent condition and had to do nothing to it for $21000. That guy must think he has the last MA in existence. There are much better ones out there. Thanks Coto! There are not many flats boats, new or used, up here in the NorthEast so, I agree, this guy probably thinks he's got something that's worth more than it really is. The mentality up here in the Northeast is never to buy a boat from Florida because "they are fished 365 and spend a lot of time in the sun". The more classified ads I see and pics of your boats I see, I think that the opposite is true. You guys maintain your boats a lot better than people up here do and a lot are kept in garages or under car ports. What attracted me about this boat was that it was 45 mins from me and that I was actually able to go and inspect it. I can't do that with a boat that is down south. Also, I wouldn't have to pay for transporting it up here either. But, I'm going to consider looking for a well maintained boat out of state if this deal doesn't work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wthree3 Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Although you didn't show us topside pics, from the looks of the bottom and the battery compartment I'd also say run. For 25k you should get a boat in very nice condition. Expand your search South and make a road trip if you have to. Plenty of sale ad history on this forum to show you what you should get for that kind of money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jh141 Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 PLEASE, Go to Boats For Sale on this forum and see what you can have for 25k. An 18 foot Redfisher was just posted. The boat you are posting pics of is a huge ????????. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 1 hour ago, wthree3 said: Although you didn't show us topside pics, from the looks of the bottom and the battery compartment I'd also say run. For 25k you should get a boat in very nice condition. Expand your search South and make a road trip if you have to. Plenty of sale ad history on this forum to show you what you should get for that kind of money. Solid advice. Like I said before....the thing that attracted me most about this particular boat was that it was close by and that I could inspect it. I wouldn’t be opposed to make a road trip to go look at a boat that I was serious about buying but if it doesn’t work out, then that’s a lot of traveling for nothing. You advice is still on point though and I think I’m gonna take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jensenjeff Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Latchkey, if you happen to find one between Jupiter and Ft Pierce, I would be happy to do an inspection on your behalf. I have a good friend who is a very qualified marine mechanic that could run a compression test for a minimal fee. Here's one that you may want to check out. https://treasure.craigslist.org/boa/d/fort-pierce-1994-maverick-175-master/7112958562.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jensenjeff Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 This one still available and listed on our forum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishFlorida Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 Highly recommend you come take a look at my boat based on your requirements, background, etc....you won’t be disappointed. It needs nothing; ready to fish the moment you drive it away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coto Posted June 7, 2020 Report Share Posted June 7, 2020 That’s a fine looking example of well taken care of boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latchkey85 Posted June 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2020 18 hours ago, jensenjeff said: Latchkey, if you happen to find one between Jupiter and Ft Pierce, I would be happy to do an inspection on your behalf. I have a good friend who is a very qualified marine mechanic that could run a compression test for a minimal fee. Here's one that you may want to check out. https://treasure.craigslist.org/boa/d/fort-pierce-1994-maverick-175-master/7112958562.html Thank you! I will take you up on this offer if I do. I checked that listing but there was no pics. 18 hours ago, jensenjeff said: This one still available and listed on our forum. ***....this is a big difference in this boat and the one I am looking at. Both for the same price. Now I see what you guys are talking about when you say "See what $25K can get you". 17 hours ago, FishFlorida said: Highly recommend you come take a look at my boat based on your requirements, background, etc....you won’t be disappointed. It needs nothing; ready to fish the moment you drive it away. Gonna PM you....I'd like to talk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavisIslander Posted June 8, 2020 Report Share Posted June 8, 2020 Hello Marine! This Retired Navy Chief thanks you for your service. With that being said, let this "RUST BUCKET go! Being a fishermen, I would encourage you to use that patience we all posses (being fishermen and all). THIS IS NOT THE BOAT! I took over a year to find my Redfisher 18 and there were times (oh yes) that I wanted to buy with my smaller brain and not my BIG brain. As previously mentioned, it will probably cost you a cool $5-8K to get it to where you're happy with it; so many others out there are more deserving of your time/energy/effort. Keep searching and have confidence with the market. I'm standing by to offer assistance, as we all are! There's a reason we love MBG boats, and there's a reason NOT to buy one! So many red flags. BTW, any shipboard duty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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