Hello everyone! I am new to this sight and I have been looking for a month on purchasing a Checkmate boat that is an outboard, closed bow, and is in the range of 16' to 21'. My price range is $7,000 max and I have cash ready to spend! I will travel out of state. I have been looking at boats from 1977 to 1985, mainly the Predictor, Exciter, and the Enchanter. I am a real big fan of the older boats with the metal flake paint and this is what I am trying to find. I want the boat to do at least 80mph and I am willing to modify it to make this happen. I have also been considering buying a used motor in the range of 200hp to 250hp to put on the boat if it does not already have it, but I am trying to stay at the $7,000 mark, so like $5,000 for motor and $2,000 for boat or $7,000 for boat with a 200hp+ motor.
Now, I don’t know a lot about boats or motors, so I need everyone’s help here. I don’t want to get screwed or pay too much, but will pay extra if the boat is mint. I have already learned a lot in the last month by just reading this forum.
Here are the boats I found:
1) 78 Predictor with 200hp Merc for $4,200. This one is ILLMATTIC’s, but he has changed his mind on selling it right now. I would jump on this if he ever changes his mind. Very sweet boat and I would not have to do a thing to it!
2) 83 Predictor with 115hp 96 Merc for $5,500 or $2,000 for boat only. This is dealer owned and it is black metal flake with red pin stripping. New interior. I have not seen pictures, but the dealer said the condition is great. I thought of buying it with out the motor. I have no pictures.
3) 79 Exciter with 150hp 82 Merc Black Max for $5,000. This is dealer owned and the boat is all original. The boat was purchased from this dealer back in 79 and he has all the records. I saw this boat and the top is faded; it may have a chance of being buffed out, but the rest of the boat is in good shape. There is a problem with the trim not staying up and I am worried about the motor. Overall. I think the boat is in pretty good shape. I have pictures.
4) 81 Enchanter with rebuilt 200hp 96 Evinrude Vindicator, 20 hours on the motor. The guy showed me the receipt. He paid $4,500 for this motor. He says the boat will do 70mph. He said that the boat still has a nice shine. I have pictures.
5) 84 Enchanter. Last but not least, could this be a rare find? The owner is 61 years old and he is the 2nd owner. He bought the boat back in 85 and I want to say he bought it from someone that worked for Checkmate. This guy use to race boats and was also a Marine mechanic. He said that this was a special built boat with a special pad on the bottom. He said the boat is on its 3rd motor. The current motor is an 225hp 89 Evinrude VRO that he bought it bran new. He said the motor is blueprinted? He also said that this motor has very low hours. The boat has been sitting for the last 3 years and prior to that he has not used the boat much since 1989. He said the motor has a nose cone. The boat also has an electric power jack plate; I think he said CNC, turbo prop, and 2 extra chopper props, foot pedal, and full professional race instrumentation gauges. He said one of the props cost him $2,000 and that the prop is razor sharp. It must be installed with leather gloves because it’s so sharp. Is this possible? Also, the boat has the ski pole, full canvas cover, and he will include all his skies and what ever else he has for boating equipment. He said the boat is in original condition and the seats are original. He said that the boat will do 80mph. Everything sounds great, but the color of the boat is cream with blue strips. I think it is the same boat that is on the cover of the 84 Checkmate Enchanter brochure. Now, I am not crazy about the color, but I was thinking to at least buy the boat for the motor to use on another checkmate boat when I find another one I like. I have not been able to find any newer used 200HP or 225HP motors for less then $5,000, so I thought the boat would be good for at least the motor and anything else I can take off it. The owner was asking $6,000, but said that if I was serious he would consider $5,000. I think I can even get him to lower the price even more. So, if everyone could give some advice on whether this price is good for at least the motor, let me know if I should buy this one. I have pictures.
Thank you for everyone that responds and can head me in the right direction for my first boat purchase.
-Bob
Now, I don’t know a lot about boats or motors, so I need everyone’s help here. I don’t want to get screwed or pay too much, but will pay extra if the boat is mint. I have already learned a lot in the last month by just reading this forum.
Here are the boats I found:
1) 78 Predictor with 200hp Merc for $4,200. This one is ILLMATTIC’s, but he has changed his mind on selling it right now. I would jump on this if he ever changes his mind. Very sweet boat and I would not have to do a thing to it!
2) 83 Predictor with 115hp 96 Merc for $5,500 or $2,000 for boat only. This is dealer owned and it is black metal flake with red pin stripping. New interior. I have not seen pictures, but the dealer said the condition is great. I thought of buying it with out the motor. I have no pictures.
3) 79 Exciter with 150hp 82 Merc Black Max for $5,000. This is dealer owned and the boat is all original. The boat was purchased from this dealer back in 79 and he has all the records. I saw this boat and the top is faded; it may have a chance of being buffed out, but the rest of the boat is in good shape. There is a problem with the trim not staying up and I am worried about the motor. Overall. I think the boat is in pretty good shape. I have pictures.
4) 81 Enchanter with rebuilt 200hp 96 Evinrude Vindicator, 20 hours on the motor. The guy showed me the receipt. He paid $4,500 for this motor. He says the boat will do 70mph. He said that the boat still has a nice shine. I have pictures.
5) 84 Enchanter. Last but not least, could this be a rare find? The owner is 61 years old and he is the 2nd owner. He bought the boat back in 85 and I want to say he bought it from someone that worked for Checkmate. This guy use to race boats and was also a Marine mechanic. He said that this was a special built boat with a special pad on the bottom. He said the boat is on its 3rd motor. The current motor is an 225hp 89 Evinrude VRO that he bought it bran new. He said the motor is blueprinted? He also said that this motor has very low hours. The boat has been sitting for the last 3 years and prior to that he has not used the boat much since 1989. He said the motor has a nose cone. The boat also has an electric power jack plate; I think he said CNC, turbo prop, and 2 extra chopper props, foot pedal, and full professional race instrumentation gauges. He said one of the props cost him $2,000 and that the prop is razor sharp. It must be installed with leather gloves because it’s so sharp. Is this possible? Also, the boat has the ski pole, full canvas cover, and he will include all his skies and what ever else he has for boating equipment. He said the boat is in original condition and the seats are original. He said that the boat will do 80mph. Everything sounds great, but the color of the boat is cream with blue strips. I think it is the same boat that is on the cover of the 84 Checkmate Enchanter brochure. Now, I am not crazy about the color, but I was thinking to at least buy the boat for the motor to use on another checkmate boat when I find another one I like. I have not been able to find any newer used 200HP or 225HP motors for less then $5,000, so I thought the boat would be good for at least the motor and anything else I can take off it. The owner was asking $6,000, but said that if I was serious he would consider $5,000. I think I can even get him to lower the price even more. So, if everyone could give some advice on whether this price is good for at least the motor, let me know if I should buy this one. I have pictures.
Thank you for everyone that responds and can head me in the right direction for my first boat purchase.
-Bob
to the board. Let us know what you end up with.
So, I am posting pictures to see if I can get some good feedback. Everyone likes to see pictures right? 
