deb

We are buying our first boat... it has been winterized since fall 2009. Anyone have questions to ask during the survey? It is tomorrow with the water trial part to follow later in the week....

4bus

iTrader: (4)

What is it? What engines?

deb

It is a 98 Sea Ray with Mercruiser engines, model: 5.7L.

mlb75

You're survey person should know all the questions to ask that's why you pay them, they are the best investment you can make when buying a used boat. Other than that I'd have a battery tester handy to check out batteries and alternator, and pull the plugs to see if there is any condensation on them to start with, then check EVERYTHING for corrosion and use a moisture meter EVERYWHERE on the boat.

mlb75

Oh then go over the out drives with a fine tooth comb

deb

Thanks! We are new to the boating world... it will be an interesting morning tomorrow... we are trusting the survey guy but thought any thing I can be aware of before would be helpful...

deb

a dumb question... will the fact that the boat has sat out of water for twenty months affect any of the moisture meter readings?

dogturd21

The surveyor may only be a hull survey- check with the surveyor on their credentials, and if they are not a gas engine rated surveyor get a mechanic to look over the engines. Do not use any mechanic recommended by the seller or broker.

Questions-
1) When were the sea water pump impellers replaced. If more than 2 years old, make new impellers INSTALLED part of the deal. You dont say what outdrives are involved- Bravos have impellers in the engine compartment, Alphas are part of the outdrive. This can be a $200 to $400 service. Impellers sitting that long take a set, and tend to self-destruct on the first outing.
2) Make replacing the gear oil part of the deal.
3) Same for engine oil, but you want to save a 4-6 oz sample in a very clean container for a used oil analysis.

Budman II

iTrader: (1)

Is this a fresh water or salt water boat? Fresh water boats tend to have more issues with structural wood rotting, particularly in the transom and stringers. Transom is the back of the boat, where a lot of fittings for the outdrive can allow for water intrusion. Stringers are the long wooden beams that serve as the "backbone" of the boat. A boat this size probably spent much of its life outside in the water, where it is subject to much more abuse by Mother Nature than a boat that is kept on a trailer in a garage.

Salt water boats tend to have more issues with corrosion in the engines, outdrives, and electronics. In any case, have the risers pulled from the exhaust and checked very closely for leakage. This is an easy operation that involves 8 bolts per engine and a couple of inexpensive gaskets. There are water passages here that can leak and allow water to get back into the engine, which can ruin it very quickly. This is an especially big problem with salt water.

A good site for some interesting reading is www.yachtsurvey.com - it is a site put up by a guy who is a surveyor. He mostly does the big money ocean yachts, so his viewpoint is somewhat slanted against the lake and river boats that most of us on this forum are running, but there is some good info on here that applies to a lot of boats. Some of what he talks about can scare you unneccessarily, but it is better to be over cautious than to fork over thousands for something that is full of rot or ready to blow up.

Good luck with your adventure!

deb

thank you... this is a fresh water boat in wisconsin so it is in the water four months of the year. unfortunately, it has been "wrapped" and stored outside in a boat yard. It has been maintained by the marina which is good.... but lots of things to look at!