[TNriverrat]

Hello all

I am presently considering the purchase of a Mariah I believe it's 23'. Not sure if it's a talari or shabah or what. It's a guy that works with my best friend and he has assured us first option of the boat when he gets the boat ready to sell. He wants to fix some minor unstitching on the back sun pad because the boat is otherwise mint and that's just the way this guy is. I think the boat is a 97 model give or take a year. The main reason I'm interested in the boat is because it is solid red hull! Captains call, 454 Bravo and soforth are a nice bonus too. He refers to it as a 23' but from what I've read it must be either the 240 or 225. The guy is in no need of money he just wants to see the boat go to a good home as most prideful boat owners do once they've poored so much money into a boat and know theyll never see it back you just get to the point that if you know you're gonna loose so much money either way u might as well make sure it gets a good owner and continues to be taken care of... I've been there! Anyways, as I'm pretty confident his price of $8500 is pretty much giving it to us I would like to here any input on these boats or anything I should look for/be careful of etc. because I've never owned a Mariah. From what I've seen they seem to be a cut above the lower end boats but where/how do they compare to crownlines, chapparal, etc. any and all input is appreciated. By the way, i am new to not only this forum but forums in general so any advice on the dos and donts or any features that are a must try just let me know. Thanks.

[mikeyt]

Welcome aboard. The original Mariahs are one of the higher-end mass produced boats you could buy. They have a reputation of being very solidly built & providing an excellent ride on the water. Any boat though can be a nightmare if was not maintained properly. Purchasing a 10-15yr old boat is mostly a matter of examining the boat in detail, make sure all of the parts are there, working properly and undamaged, securing maintenance records where possible, ensuring the price is reasonable & doing a water test to make sure she performs as claimed. You also want to ensure all of the electrics work, including the Captains Call, the trim gauges, power hatch etc. I'm guessing by the solid red hull that this boat is a Z or possibly an LE model. You can confirm most of the details by the Hull ID# or simply ask the owner. The model# may be etched in the side glass also and if he has the original matchng trailer it may show up by the fenders. If you can, post up a pic or two of the boat here & we may be able to give you a better answer.

[rayzorback]

Congrats on the boat! I too just bought a solid Red Mariah with a 454/Bravo with (aftermarket) captain's call. It is a Shabah 210 LE (Limited Edition). (There should be a number on the side window). It is my 2nd mariah and I absoloutly LOVE Mariah boats...... Never had any trouble out of eiter one. Enjoy it.