what to look for in a used boat

[TurboRust]

should i have it checked at a boat mechanic or meet him on the water and if it runs god dont worry about it.?

[wnaplay1647545503]

Depends on the boat. A metal boat(fishing boat), if it floats then I would say its more than likely good. Or reverse that and fill it and see if it leaks. An outboard motor, run it on muffs or in a lake and if it shifts and sounds good, I would probably go with it. You could drain the lower fluid and see if it appears burnt or has metal shavings. A speed boat with an i/o motor is a little trickier. You know engines, so at least that part should be fairly easy. The difference is a boat motor has an impellor which forces water into it to keep cool. These wear out and eventually need replaced. I just had one go out the 4th day in the middle of a trip when I was in the middle of the lake. It cost me $300 to get fixed and a big pain getting back to shore with no power and 7 people not to mention my trailer being several miles away with no way of getting to the truck. Boats are made with different materials. This is where its best to research what your buying. There are lots of things to check that are very hard to look at. The transom should be checked for rot(hard to tell since the wood is sandwiched between fiberglass on the inside and gelcoat on the outside. The stringers below the floor and the floor, both are inaccesable since theres carpet and wood above them. Look for any previous signs of damage or repaired damage behind removable panels, compartments, cushions ect. Search for signs of electrical repairs or possible things needing repaired. I really could give you several 100 point checklist of things to check here. I buy boats depending on the boat itself. There are so many things that can be wrong that even the owner probably isnt aware of. A small soft spot in the floor could be a complete transom and stringer rot out costing thousands. This can happen with noone being the wiser. If I found a good boat that ran, flotated and I see in use out on a lake, its really a judgement call from that point.

[wnaplay1647545503]

Boats not kept indoors regularly are subjected to needing things like covers more frequently. The last custom made cover I payed for was $1200 and it lasted only a few years being stored outside, while my dad has original covers from 94 but pays $1k a year to keep his inside. Of course these are boats that are worth maintaining not just a $500 craigslist special. Dont ever buy a boat that costs more than a grand without testing it and running it through its paces on the water. Any owner who cares about his boat wont have any problems doing this for a buyer. Steap on every inch of the floor feeling for soft spots. Tap all around the transom trying to hear differences in the sound(it will sound different above and below the floor line). Plug in the transom light and make sure it works, check the dates on all the safety gear if its included. Above all else, talk to the seller and see if hes a real boater or just a boat owner. I can tell you almost everything ever done to my dads boat since new. I can tell you every nick scratch the boat has ever seen, who the previous owner was, wher he lived, everything he did to it before we bought it, everything because we took the time to do it all right and this was carried on from the previous owner.

[TurboRust]

Its a fish&ski stratos bass boat with a 90hp johnson outboard. i think i found a mechanic to take it by up in delaware where the boat is at.

[LJ]

Depends on the boat. A metal boat(fishing boat), if it floats then I would say its more than likely good. Or reverse that and fill it and see if it leaks. An outboard motor, run it on muffs or in a lake and if it shifts and sounds good, I would probably go with it. You could drain the lower fluid and see if it appears burnt or has metal shavings. A speed boat with an i/o motor is a little trickier. You know engines, so at least that part should be fairly easy. The difference is a boat motor has an impellor which forces water into it to keep cool. These wear out and eventually need replaced. I just had one go out the 4th day in the middle of a trip when I was in the middle of the lake. It cost me $300 to get fixed and a big pain getting back to shore with no power and 7 people not to mention my trailer being several miles away with no way of getting to the truck. Boats are made with different materials. This is where its best to research what your buying. There are lots of things to check that are very hard to look at. The transom should be checked for rot(hard to tell since the wood is sandwiched between fiberglass on the inside and gelcoat on the outside. The stringers below the floor and the floor, both are inaccesable since theres carpet and wood above them. Look for any previous signs of damage or repaired damage behind removable panels, compartments, cushions ect. Search for signs of electrical repairs or possible things needing repaired. I really could give you several 100 point checklist of things to check here. I buy boats depending on the boat itself. There are so many things that can be wrong that even the owner probably isnt aware of. A small soft spot in the floor could be a complete transom and stringer rot out costing thousands. This can happen with noone being the wiser. If I found a good boat that ran, flotated and I see in use out on a lake, its really a judgement call from that point.

 

Boats not kept indoors regularly are subjected to needing things like covers more frequently. The last custom made cover I payed for was $1200 and it lasted only a few years being stored outside, while my dad has original covers from 94 but pays $1k a year to keep his inside. Of course these are boats that are worth maintaining not just a $500 craigslist special. Dont ever buy a boat that costs more than a grand without testing it and running it through its paces on the water. Any owner who cares about his boat wont have any problems doing this for a buyer. Steap on every inch of the floor feeling for soft spots. Tap all around the transom trying to hear differences in the sound(it will sound different above and below the floor line). Plug in the transom light and make sure it works, check the dates on all the safety gear if its included. Above all else, talk to the seller and see if hes a real boater or just a boat owner. I can tell you almost everything ever done to my dads boat since new. I can tell you every nick scratch the boat has ever seen, who the previous owner was, wher he lived, everything he did to it before we bought it, everything because we took the time to do it all right and this was carried on from the previous owner.

 

 

And after all of this, something will inevitably still break.

[Linn1647545492]

before you buy take the boat out on the water.

[Sam1647545489]

Yes, I would say to really find out how a boat is, is to test drive it

[TurboRust]

yeah the boat is a 1/2 mi from alum, so i'm going to meet him there, look it over and then head out on the water with it.. everything goes kosher, take it by said mechanic for an inspection.

[Drewhop]

Pictures of boat? What year is motor?

[Linn1647545492]

http://www.toughboats.com/video.cfm?fullscreen=1&filename=Toughboats_BubbaCRevLegal

[Total Sign]

What about gimble play? A bravo repair will run you 2-3k quick. Alphas are about the same, easier to pull the motor and replace everything than to try and repair things.