Corpusfishing.com

[Ol Sanch]

I'm considering buying a used boat and because I've never done this before I thought I'd ask, what questions should I ask? I've already got, "Has it been recked/repaired?", "Has the engine had any major repairs?" But what else? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks,
OS
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Do you even fish, Bro?

[Big Ed]

You should always ask (yourself) Why am I doing this, am I nuts??
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Big Ed
San Antonio

"A word to the wise ain't necessary. It's the stupid ones who need advice.", Bill Cosby

[critter getter]

look for soft spots in the floor and any soft spots in the transom. Make sure you look under the boat really really good for any cracks are repair work. Run a compression test on the motor make sure all of the cylinders are close to the same +/- 2-3PSI. pull the lower unit plug and see if the oil is milky are clean. milky mains there has been water in the oil. Just a good look over will usually tell if its been taken care of.
And like big ED said that's a great ??????????????? I've asked my self this three times but i all ways come up with the wrong answer thats why i have three holes in the water in my yard. All so take your time and don't jump on the first one. there are some great deals out there right now.
Good luck

[robul]

B reak
O ut
A nother
T housand

My 4000 dollar used boat I bought last year is now a 15,000 dollar 24 year old boat that's pretty much a new boat.

Regardless of how well taken care of the used boat is. Its still going to be a used boat.. And will have issues.. That pop up almost every time you take it out.. But if you have the extra cash. You wont regret it.. There isn't much better than being out on the water to kill some stress and forget about the every day worries.. Critter Getter covered the important stuff.. Rotten wood will cost you the most the fastest. Find a solid hull with a good motor or even an alum boat. Good luck

[landlocked beachbum]

Rot doesn't always express itself as soft or mushy under the glass. The wood can be saturated but not rotten, compost or anything in between. I've covered this before on here.................................... make sure that you take the handle of a screwdriver or something similar and do a tap test on any likely problem spots like transoms and stringers. Good, dry, solid glass on wood, balsa or foam will have a high pitched, sharp sound. Water or moisture in the core will turn that sound into a dull, relatively lower pitched thud.........................................just like a watermelon: IMAGINE the similarity between the two!!!!!
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Dave


"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

[BlueWaveEd]

Clear titles on boat and motor?

[SaltyCuda]

I'm with Big Ed!

ask yourself, Am I Nuts?

If you have never bought a used boat before, please do yourself a favor and get someone with experiance to do a thorough checkup on the potential money pit!

Most important, put it in the water and run it all day before you give up any cash.

And don't fall for the "I priced that and they are cheap, you can get that fixed for practically nothing"

When it comes to boats, very few things are cheap!

[Ol Sanch]

Not incredibly useful feedback, but thanks!
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Do you even fish, Bro?

[Mad Dog]

Once you find one you really like have the boat surveyed by certified marine surveyor and the engine checked by a qualified mechanic. The surveyor will check the title for issues, tell you how much moisture is trapped in the wood and glass, and if all the systems are up to speed.

Once you get his report then decide.

Check my link below for eveything that can go wrong.

MD
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Ego piscor, ergo sum

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w150/cstockton/Aquasport/

[HighTide]

Some questions I would ask are:

1. May I take a compression reading? Find out what acceptable values are and what acceptable difference between cylinders is.

2. When was the last time the lower unit was serviced? Has it ever been replaced?

3. Who does your maintenance? Do you have service records?

4. Do you flush you engine every time you use it in salt water? Ask the boat owner to show you how to do it and what fittings he uses. He should be very familiar with this process.

5. Does the boat have a main DC cutoff switch? This is a main switch that cuts the power off to everything. Boats that are stored near the water for long periods of time will start to develop corrosion at all electrical connections if the voltage to them isn't turned off.

6. Where are the anode plates and when was the last time you changed them? If they don't get replaced on schedule, corrosion begins to set in.

If the lower unit has not gone out, it will eventually. On a 150 HP ETEC, it costs about $3500 to get it repaired. If the oil has water mixed in it, it's a matter of time before the gears go bad. Oil with water in it will appear emulsified and look grayish and kind of muddy. I think somebody said once that it smells like burned Fritos.

If you don't want to mess with doing any of the things I suggest, then take it to a mechanic for a check up before buying it. Any seller that has nothing to hide would not object to having it checked at the buyer's expense. By the way, I had thought that I might want Gulf Coast Marine to sell my last boat. They told me that they charge $200 to thoroughly check the boat, trailer, and engine so that they can know if anything is wrong with your boat prior putting it up for sale.

I don't see anything wrong with a boat that has had major repairs. That's one less repair you will have to make at your expense. I would rather buy a boat that had a new upper unit than one that has the original one that came out of the factory 15 years ago!
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HighTide

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If changes in barometric pressure cause your joints to hurt, do pilots and divers have a lot of joint pain?

[BALZTOWAL]

I would also ask Why are you selling it? Some sellers maybe honest with you and tell you what they don't like about it, etc.

[DBE1982]

Compression test (less than 10 lbs variance on all cylinders), check lower unit oil, visually inspect cables, check floor/transom and bow for rot, Check deck for any open holes into the hull (screw holes and such will allow water into the foam), ask about prior services, ask how they mix oil and what they use (verify its right ratio), ask about flushing, and listen to it run.. Take it out if at all possible.. Just because it sounds good and has water prssure on a flusher, its a whole different story in the water.

[Chef Lefty]

Check the quality of the wiring/wiring harness as well.
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[Ol Sanch]

Thanks, that helps.

OS
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Do you even fish, Bro?

[SaltyCuda]