About to buy my first boat HELP!!!

[Randy Up North]

I spent the day at the boat show today and I was looking for something for the family and something I can also fish with. We are going for the Larson 190 sport and fish I/O 4.3 GL. What do you guys think? Is this the best boat out there for the money? Should I get the GXI which has 15 more horse? Should I install my own trolling motor and fish finder or go with the one that comes with it? I would appreciate any feedback at all. I have not purchased a boat before and need all the help I can get.
Thanks, Randy.:confused:

[UnionJack]

Sorry brother I have no idea

[gnarley]

Try this link http://www.goboatingamerica.com

[Doug H.]

Randy, you are new to this site and have to first realize 99% of these guys don't drive the style of boat your looking into.
most everyone here is a speed junkie and most sport a bad ass ride, not taking anything away from what your looking at as this is probably best suited for you and the fam but if your thinking that your gonna have fun (yes you will) but the speed is going to have you scratching your head :rolleyes: we are all men and want to go faster then your friends boat (reality) take some time and really look into the trader ads (online too) or get a subscription to hot boat :) :) good luck.

[eliminatedsprinter]

Get as much power as you can afford in whatever you get. If you don't, you will regret it later.:cool: Good luck and enjoy.:D :cool:

[Havasu_Dreamin]

As previously said, the majority of us on these boards do not own the type of boat you are looking at purchasing. That being said, yes again, as long as you are happy with it and it meets the needs of your intended use, then go for it and screw what everyone else on here says.
Everyone here thinks their boat is the best, yes even me, but truthfully we bought what we did because it met our needs, whether financially or for its intended use.
Ask yourself these questions:
What will I spend the most time doing? Cruising WOT making speed runs or pulling the kids on the tube or wakeboard?
Do I care how fast I go? Is 55 top end enough or do I want more?
What about how it handles the chop? Beats the hell out of me, like a tournament boat, or glides throrugh it effortlessly?
Where am I going to use it? On a river where I need to worry about low water levels? Or on a lake that is pretty wide open and I really don't need to owrry about the water level?
Will I ever use it in the ocean? If so, go with a motor that has closed cooling.
Do you want to buy a boat where the colors are chosen for you and you buy off the showroom floor that has another 15 that look just like it? This has been referred to as the Beig Fleet or Beige Navy. Read "Production Boat".
Or do you want to be involved in selecting the graphics and colors and what the interior design will look like? Read Custom Boat.
Keep in mind you can get into a custom boat, albeit entry level, for not that much more than a production boat.
Bottom line, get what you will be happy with, not what we will be happy with. But do come back and ask any other questions as most everyone on this board try to help while a few others try to just be idiots and start stuff.
Look at it this way, you're going to be buying a boat, and that's always a good thing because of the fun you can have while boating. Good luck!

[mbrown2]

Originally posted by Randy Up North
I spent the day at the boat show today and I was looking for something for the family and something I can also fish with. We are going for the Larson 190 sport and fish I/O 4.3 GL. What do you guys think? Is this the best boat out there for the money? Should I get the GXI which has 15 more horse? Should I install my own trolling motor and fish finder or go with the one that comes with it? I would appreciate any feedback at all. I have not purchased a boat before and need all the help I can get.
Thanks, Randy.:confused:
Not sure if that is the best for the money, since I am not familiar with all other makes of this style....but I would spend the money on the additional horsepower since you will wish you did later on...
I think it is pretty cool they way they have integrated items to easlily make it a fishing machine when the time calls for it...I would see how their trolling motor works if it has most of the features you are looking for....plus it would covered under their two year warranty if it had issues.
Not sure what kind of water you will be running in, but it definitely looks to be a boat that will fit a lot of family in for its size and one you can enjoy.....Also, I have not heard any bad feedback about Larson boats..

[25Elmn8r]

If it fits your needs go for it. As previously stated get as much horsepower as you can afford!
I learned to water ski behind a Larson runabout that my dad bought new and had for close to 15 trouble free years. We spent many days out in the ocean fishing in it or just cruising around the bay.
Overall a Larson is a quality production boat.

[KCook]

IMHO a 19' fish-n-ski is an excellent first boat. As Havasu_Dreamin said, we all have our opinions. I am just not a fan of any of the Genmar brands. There are several builders offering 19' fish-n-ski models. Examine as many as you can. The fishfinder supplied by the builders will not be top of the line. But I would get the trolling motor offered by the builder, just to avoid the hassle of trying to get one installed. And these fish-n-ski options are usually a package deal, both fishfinder and trolling motor together. So live with the standard fishfinder for now and promise yourself to upgrade it some other year. Here is a thread on www.TrailerBoats.com that goes into fish-n-ski models in some depth -
Trailer Boats Boards » Boats » Bowrider Ski & Fish (http://boards.trailerboats.com/cgi-bin/trailerboats/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000525)
Kelly Cook

[Interceptor454]

a little spam action here.........the boat in my avatar is for sale, under $20,000. Cool ride for the money.
PM me if you're interested.......