Caravelle 207 good deal or not

Xtreme · Newbie Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 3

Went out wakeboarding a week ago and now have the bug. So am looking for a family boat that we can tube wakeboard and fish from.

I found a 2004 Caravelle 207 bow rider. With Wake tower and the 5.0L 220 hp motor. The boat has 400 hrs and the guy is asking $13500.

Is this a good boat for wakeboarding as this would be my first boat.

I have a budget of $13000 but dont wanna buy a boat that needs to be changed quickly due to not fitting the purpose.

Thanks in advanced for any replys.

vette74 · Posted: Aug 30, 2011 2:01 pm Post subject:

What percent of your time are you going to wakeboard when you use the boat?

Xtreme · Newbie Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 3

Mixed really. Would say even split between them. I would not be out wakeboarding all the time every time. if you get what i mean.

Suprahunter · Soul Rider Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 486 City: Lowell

For that kind of money you can get an early 90s Nautique Sport.

vette74 · Posted: Aug 31, 2011 4:09 am Post subject:

If you advance to trying inverts you will regret buying that boat. I picked up my Sanger V210 for that much but I did have to fly to California to do it. I would keep looking for a direct drive or v-drive.

pet575 · Posted: Aug 31, 2011 6:45 am Post subject:

There are quite a few threads out there on this. I'd say that if you're going to wakeboard "only a little" and want something that does everything else, including cruising in rough water, then you are fine with a bowrider with an I/O on it.

However, if your primary focus of having a boat is going to be for wakeboarding, you need to go with an inboard and rely on the advice you're going to get on this board as to WHICH inboard to get.

As for the bowrider and using it for rough water and all that, you're not going to get that from the boat you're looking at. I would only recommend going the bowrider route if you're buying something longer and heavier. A 20 foot Caravelle is going to pretty much ride the same as in inboard in rough water. It is not heavy and is not really designed for doing a great job in rough water.

chawk610 · Addict Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth

Think about the kids... will they be really into wakeboarding? Or are they really young. Teens advance really fast at stuff... so they might "outgrow" the boat pretty quickly. But on the other hand... you don't want to be caught, photographed, and put in the random pic thread fishing from your ski boat!!! LOL

Xtreme · Newbie Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 3

Kids are 8 and 15. They both love the tube. But the 15 year old and I like wakeboarding and the 8 year old like to fish.

So trying to keep everyone happy. The Mrs is easy to keep happy as she loves to sit in the sun.

I just found this http://austin.craigslist.org/boa/2532302240.html

But am concerned with the 975 hours..........

vette74 · Posted: Aug 31, 2011 3:01 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't be concerned with the 975 hrs that boat looks real clean. The only downside to me would be the no trailer. If you can find a trailer I would buy the boat pending it checks out.