[DMK]

Hello everyone. I am new to the Mariah boat scene. My familiy and I are currently looking at a 2000 212 and a 1998 244 Jubilee. I have not seen the 244 in person yet. Just talking to a dealer right now that has it on consignment. He says that the upholstry is not in real good shape and it does not have a trailer. Looking for an older boat that we can take our family (2 kids) and a couple of their friends to the lake for a day on the water. Know nothing about a Mariah boat except what I have read on this site. Stumbled across the 212 at a dealers started doing a little research. Sounds like a great boat. Any specific items to that I need to look for when inspecting one of these? Any help is greatly appreciated.

DMK

[mikeyt]

Welcome aboard. The 244 Jubilee will definitely give you the space you're looking for but depending on how bad the upholstery is you will find it wont be cheap to repair unless you can do it yourself. And factor in the cost of a decent trailer at $2-3K. Other than the upholstery, things to look for are cracked windshields & potty doors which are difficult to find & replace. The 212 is smaller obviously but should handle 6-7 people reasonably comfortably. Both boats will provide 'inspired' performance depending on what motor they have. Generally with an original Mariah, i would always recommend going with a boat that has been well maintained unless you dont mind doing the extra work in bringing it into good reliable condition. With all original Mariahs interior trim, windshields & seats can be hard to find but most everything else is still replaceable.

The other thing you may need to consider is towing ability. The 212 weighs about 2900lbs. The 244 is arouind 4100lbs. If you already have a vehicle capable of towing the 244 then no problem but if not.....

There is one of each of these boats recently listed for sale in our Marketplace. Davesnostalgia1 has a beautifully maintained '94 Z212 (has a number of extra options over the standard 212) for sale while Yogi Bear has a 2000 244 Jubilee. They might be worth looking at.

[DMK]

MikeyT, Thanks for the note and the info. I looked at the 1994 Z212. Looks like a clean, great boat. Like I said, I'm new to Mariah boats. Thanks for the info. I looked at a 2000 212, but the rubber around the windshield is cracked and starting to come out. The upholstry has been redone, but not back to original tuck and roll. The rear deck on a 2000 has a radius back on them which leaves it with a very short hinge. Seems to put a lot of pressure on a small hinge surface. The speedometer tube was loose and leaking, broken hinge on bow storage, trim meter inop also. They are asking $13K for it. The dealer said that he just got the boat in a repo auction and that he will go through and make sure everything is working, but I believe an older boat with low hours and a known history is a better deal. What do you think?

[mikeyt]

The Jubilee sounds like a boat that wasn't taken care of. And if some auction dealer is selling it, you probably dont know everything that is wrong with the boat. For example. that trim gauge problem can be as simple as adjusting the sensor on the outdrive or as problematic as replacing the cable to the sensor which means removing the outdrive. $13k is likely too much $$ for the Jubilee.

Regarding the 212, i'm a stickler for doing the upholstery right. As for the windshield rubber, it's replaceable thru TaylorMade. It means taking the windshield / frame off the boat & taking the glass out but i did it on mine and it can be done with a little patience & help.

[DMK]

Thanks Mikey. I drove the 212 on Sunday. Mechanically I don't think there is a problem. Good power and no unusual noises. I'm an all around mechanical person (mostly tractors and farm machinery), but I really don't know a much about the outdrive system and marine attachments to the engine. After looking at the pictures of Dave's 212, I agree that the price is a little high. Dave's boat is five years older, but seems to be spotless. Thanks for all the comments and help.

DMK