Mariah boats

O

ontheplane

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 Mar 2004
Messages
2,105
Location
Bristol UK
Visit site
Hi all,

Another boat we're looking at.

a 21 1/2 foot Mariah cuddy with a 7.4

Don't know the exact model no (is it a 211, 218 ?? Don't know) but it looks in good nick and seems well maintained.

Anyone got personal experience with this manufacturer? Are they typical American flat bottomed stuff, or do they have a decent hull?

Ta
 
my old mate had a mariah and it was beatifull boat the level of detail was very nice, the design of the upholstering was cracking :D:;), a vey nice boat. think it was a cuddy 218. went to weymouth alot with it. very nice, handled well

Engine wise, well do some home work a 7.4 on a 21ft is big enough, but do your checkes first, it may look good but could be a bad engine, and prepare to either get work done on it or a DIY yourself. everyone will tell you if you have a boat you will allways have things/issue its just the nature of owning a boat. my 21 ft cuddy has a v/p v6 never ever needed full power yet big enough for us as a family, petrol wise we can go out and cruise around for £10- 15 a day in petrol.

i would not want to run a 7.4 ltr, but that my opinion only
 
A 7.4L V8 is going to have slightly scary fuel consumption.
Something like 60 litres per hour.
 
Last edited:
I agree flat out it will be scary - however the boat will do nearly 60mph!!!

If I cruise at around 25 mph therefore I don't think fuel use will be too much worse than a 5.0 for example...

I've spoken to the owner however and I do think I may not be talking the same sort of money as he is!!!

Still, we'll see.
 
Just looked - the 7.4GI volvo burns 91lit per hr at WOT...!! GULP


However at 2500 rpm it's burning 34 lph compared to the 5.7's burn of 30lph - and apparently 2500 rpm equates (according to owner) to around 25mph cruise.

That means that at 25mph and burning around 7.5gal per hr, I'd be getting around 3.3 mpg - which for a boat of that performance isn't too bad at all is it??

Now, question - in a car - if 3000rpm = 60mph then it is true to say that 1500rpm will be 30mph - no slippage etc.....

But in a boat - if 4800rpm equates to 55mph - is it true that 2400 rpm will automatically equate to 27-28 mph or are there a million other factors to consider?

Thanks
 
OTP.. I reckon you'll have worked your way through the A to Z list of boat manaufacturers before making a decision at this rate with smmer 2012 well behind you if you're not careful:D

I too would steer clear of the 7.4 lumps for the reasons stated but also when (not if) you come to sell the boat, it'll make it that much harder to sell (typically)..

My advice would be to take a punt on something more mainstream at the right price knowning you'll be able to sell it on quickly for little loss or indeed, a profit... and then go enjoy the coming summer.

Bearing in mind it's highly likely you'll need to do some work to the boat once you have it, even if it's to get all the bits and bobs just right for you and your family.. times running out:eek:

This is what I did with the first two boats knowing they weren't quite right but hey, it got me on the water... I sold both on at a profit and gained loads of experience that I now put in to my 3rd boat
 
Good advice Gary.

My situation is slightly different... We have just had another baby girl, so realistically I am unlikely to get much use from whatever we buy this year - I am viewing it as a "shakedown" year with plenty of time to check out the boat and make sure all is good for next season.

I also know that with 2 youngsters, I may need / want to sell in a couple of years time - so I want to buy something that I can sell on for around what I paid (or even a tiny profit) so it makes buying the next one easier!

You're right - we've looked at most makes and models so far - but nothing has really hit the right spot yet. The closest and the one we almost bought was the Cranchi Ellipse - but sadly the owner of that just wouldn't come down enough on the price to a point where I thought the boat was worth the money he was asking.

The lovely thing is, I like looking! I am certainly not looking to jump in with two feet - I intend to buy the boat that will be right for us for the next couple of years, and that I know I can "out" when our girls get that bit bigger and we need a proper mini-cruiser rather than smaller sportsboat.

The other problem I have is that whilst we intended to keep the budget down to about £5k - nothing I see at that price is "floating my boat" whereas stuff that's popping up around £8k does seem to "light my fire" a bit more.....

Still I am very happy that it's a nice problem to have! And the guys and girls on this forum supply some seriously good advice, which I take in... whether I end up following it is another matter of course!!
 
Pre 2006 Mariah's were some of the nicest sports boats that came out of America, excellent quality with a special feel to drive and a great look to the upholstery.

I wouldnt be against a 7.4, but it would need to be a lot cheaper than a 5.0 or 5.7.

The 218 is still my favourite cuddy, even now.

If its a post 2006, then its whole different kettle of fish. Built to a budget rather than a spec. Boats are fine for the price you pay, but they come right down at the bottom in terms of quality and kit.
 
ontheplane said:
The other problem I have is that whilst we intended to keep the budget down to about £5k - nothing I see at that price is "floating my boat" whereas stuff that's popping up around £8k does seem to "light my fire" a bit more.....
Click to expand...

I think that just about everyone who buys a boat suffers from this to some extent, regardless of budget :D
 
So... still looking at this Mariah.

1997 boat - it's not the 218SC (That has a bigger cuddy) but it's a 21.5 foot boat called a Talari

7.4 CARB engine and single prop not duoprop.

Tonneau and Bimini - not a full canopy.

American trailer - brakes u/s but otherwise fine.

Owner wants £10k

Given there are not many / any about to compare to - (does this mean they are no good or that owners keep them?) does the panel think this is too much, about right or what?

Obviously I am going to try and get the price down - but if people think this price is not too bad then I will go into negotiations feeling I can do a deal - but if people think it's more like £8k's worth then I will have to work hard!
 
I don't have the brochures any more, but I seem to remember that "Talari" wasn't any particular boat, but instead, a trim level that could be had on several boats.

"Talari" being the base variant , "Shabah" some more bits, "Z", more bits again. But, all v.similar, just a way of packaging accessories.

Still sounds like £8k, though :o (assuming everything is in great condition, and has been well looked after)
 
Last edited:
No one has mentioned if the outdrive needs servicing or the manifolds need replacing. On a boat of that age, if they haven't been done recently you need to budget for that as well and you are looking at around £1000 in parts costs alone....

Not being the duoprop is possibly a bonus as less to go wrong and you can always put a hi-five prop on if the standard prop is lacking.
 
Not sure we know the manifolds & risers have been replaced - so we'll have to assume not I think....

Good points all - thank you - keep the advice coming
 
ontheplane said:
Thanks for all the advice guys.

Went to look today - No CE certification - so I walked - good decision?????

Here's the boat.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mariah-po...ps=63&clkid=8068708396766717593#ht_500wt_1379

Wanted £8500 which I thought was too much even if it had CE - without it seems way too high.
Click to expand...


CE Certification wasnt made compulsory till '98, only very few boats had it Pre '98. If the trailer is UK legal then its OK, but not great price. Boat looks nice, but if it didnt 'grab you' you made the right decision to walk away.
 
I sold my (genuine UK origin) Mariah 218Z with new full camping cover and UK legal trailer for 6.5k a year or two ago. I prob let it go a bit cheap, it only had 220 hours on it, but there are bargains out there such as mine.

The pre 2006 Mariahs were very solid boats, they went bankrupt and another company purchased their name and sold cheaper boats based on their previous reputation.

However they were not perfect, the hulls were very solid but they claimed that the fittings were mainly bolted in, we found they were typically screwed into the GRP same as any other. Generally ok but a few pulled out over time, so yes solid boat but look at them like any other for faults.

It also sucked quite a bit of fuel when skiing etc with the 5.7LX. Great cuddy boat but I have since concluded that because of its size it was expensive to run than a typical sports type day boat, but without any proper head facilities it wasnt really an overnighter / weekender either. I wouldn't go for that size again, get one or the other unless the cuddy without a head is something you still want after considering this point.

Ants
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top