[kielbasa]

Hi guys, I'm in the market for an awesome family boat....I happened to notice an 1994 18 foot Talari locally with 4.3 power and mercruiser outdrive....I'm a total newbie to open bow family style boats, so I have some silly questions:
What is Mariah's claim to fame (what in particular makes these boats "special")?
I considered FourWinns Horizons, Stingrays, Sea Rays, etc of comparable size, are the Mariahs much better built? I am not in tune with this segment of boating, so can someone give objective pros and cons?
I really do like the Talari (just from looking, haven't had a ride in the boat), so much so that I'm seriously considering buying it!
I assume these are very nice riding boats?

I'm just looking for a nice do it all boat that is fun to drive/ride, holds it's value (no Bayliners here), can easily handle 4~8 people, etc. ....Thanks for any input!

[ShabahZ280]

Welcome to the board kielbasa!

Mariah's claim to fame is their slogan. "Equipped like No Other Boat in the World". If the boat you're looking at is a "Z" series, you'll know what I mean. Everything you could think of. In the later models, like 99-01, you'll find windshield wipers, window defoggers, docking lights, keyless ignition start, SOS flashing navigation lights, electric hatch lifters, selectable exhaust, etc. While they may sound off the wall, it's things like that many other manufacturers don't include, and you'll find yourself using them all the time.

If I had to make a comparison, I'd say Mariahs are a lot like Sea Ray, by using top quality materials and construction methods. Jimmy Fulks, the creator and owner of Mariah Boats Inc., developed a patent for his stringer design hull construction that was actually stolen and used by many large name boat builders. This should say something for the structural construction and integrity of Mariah's boats.

The 4.3L in an 18' boat will be a good combo. Plenty of power without V8 gas consumption. However if you plan on taking 8 people onboard, you might want to consider a larger boat. I'd say an 18' boat is only comfortable for 4-5 adults.

While it may seem a little "iffy" buying a boat from a company that's out of business, don't let that be a determining factor. We're over 1100 members strong, and have a HUGE amount of resources available, in both the site, and in the members. If you've got any questions, by all means, ask away. We're all here to help one another, that's the reason MariahMan and I created this site.

If you have any pics, you can post them on here, so we can take a look at it as well, we all love looking at pics, plus we might be able to spot things for you. Then take it out for a test drive, if you like it, have a mechanic look at the engine. If it passes his approval, go for it!

[Tom]

Like you my son-in-law and I looked at the same boat last winter and bought a 94 with the 4.3 LX with a four blade aluminum prop. I had sailed for many years, our last boat being a 36 foot S-2(Tiara).We've had a couple things like the shift cable bellows that leaked. I cleaned it off and used 3-M 5200 caulk to seal it after we found it and it lasted all season. We're going to get it fixed when the outdrive comes off before next season and have all the bellows replaced and anything else that needs doing.

We also had a small gas leak that we couldn't find at first and discovered it was the neck of the gas tank that had a small crack in it. Again we did a patch and ordered a new gas tank through Kracor( $400).

I had never even driven a powerboat, but have been very impressed with it. It has more than enough power as my son-in-law does slalom skiing. When we looked I had heard of Mariahs and that their quality was close to the S-2 that I had and haven't been disappointed in that area. Even my wife who doesn't care much for 'stink boats' enjoys going for spins. The only time it wasn't so pleasant was when we were in Traverse Bay and some swells came in- I would have preferred the 36 footer at that time!

[kielbasa]

I failed to look at the nameplate that lists allowable people capacity, however when searchng thru the gallery, I found a pic (180 talari) that shows it's only legal for 6 people, is that true?
I tried to search for specification of various model Mariahs, but haven't found any, is there somewhere I could look to study specifications?
I'd definitely like more than 6 people legal capacity, thanks again!

[ShabahZ280]

Hmm, that's an interesting one. That number seemed incredibly low for an 18 footer. Yet when I went back to check photos of my old '91 Sea Ray 180, the capacity on it states 6 too. However in 1997 Mariah lists the 180 Shabah at a maximum capacity of 9. I wonder if the standards of measurement changed during that time?

At any rate, if you're looking to carry 6 or more, I would highly recommend looking at a larger boat.

[Tom]

Our 180 Talari says the capacity is six and also puts a weight restriction, but since the boat is not here I can't remember the weight limit. It's lower than I would have expected as I recall.

[mikeyt]

My 180 Shabah Coast Guard plate says "8 persons or 1055 lbs persons, gear". Personally, there is no way i would want to fit more than 6 in the boat simply due to space considerations.

[kielbasa]

so I'm curious as to why the Shabah has capacity for 2 more people?
Could someone tell me what the levels of the totem pole the various models of Mariahs are? And the basic differences? I'm really beginning to like the way the windshield blends into the body work on the Shabah vs the Talari......I think I've definitely set my mind on getting a Mariah, now I just need to choose which one, but I need clarification on the differences between models.
4~8 people, a mix between cruising on inland lakes and a lot of tubing would be my primary use, I don't know if I would like to go much bigger than 18 foot though, I suppose I might need to consider a 20 footer though........plus for me it would be nice to cruise at 50mph with V6 power instead of having to go V8, but V8 would still be an option.

[ShabahZ280]

Depending on the year, there are very subtle differences between the Shabah and the Talari. I've never actually got a definitive answer what makes them different, hopefully I'll figure out one day! However I know towards the later years, (99 & above) the Talari models just disappeared and the Shabah became the main model.

As far as the "totem pole", there really aren't levels, Mariah's entry level model was the Diablo, and the SE models. Then there's the standard Shabah and Talari models, and then the "Z" Series Shabah & Talari, which are the top of the line. There are also some Limited Edition Series, which are Z-Models with different interior, hull colors and graphic packages.

I'd recommend looking at possibly a 19 or 20 foot model, just based on your ideas of how you'll be using it, especially with carrying watersports and higher number of passengers. V6 power is nice, but don't be afraid of V8. In a boat that small, V8 power should push it along quite nicely, and fuel consumption shouldn't be that bad. The general rule of buying a boat is to buy the biggest boat with the biggest engine you can afford, because you'll always find yourself wanting to go bigger and faster.

And also, don't be in a huge rush. Research and find out what you want, with what options, and go from there. Depending on where you're located, this might be prime selling time, (right before winter storage time) so keep your eyes peeled. Good deals are out there, but don't buy the first one you see. Spend a little time, test drive a few, and find exactly what you want.