When buying a used boat what is most important??
 

The thing Im running up against is condition VS horsepower.

Do you buy a boat with a smaller motor but is in showroom condition OR do you buy an boat that needs some work (no cockpit cover, carpet needs to be replaced, cabin cushions need to be recovered, some gelcoat fading etc but has the better engine/drive package? Both boats are similar price, length, age etc...

I cant seem to convince myself which way to go and thought I would ask the experts on OSO!

Thanks

Tough question. I guess it depends on what you and friends can do yourself for pennies on the dollar and what your end result to be. If it has good "bones" then you have a great place to start. I have worked in marine and auto so I can do any glass or paint or Gel repairs. My friends do engines and drives and rigging. My guess is if you don't have connections you will be paying a tidy sum to get it where you want unless you buy turn key...

personally, buy the nicest boat that needs the least work even if the engine is smaller than you would like. it is easy to say "I can fix this or that for cheap" but in truth the marinas are littered with boats of good intentions. if you buy a nice one you will be out on the water having fun instead of looking at a project that cost twice what you planned. you can always sell it later and buy one with a bigger engine package as your future budget allows.

The one that needs some work isnt really a project boat (I think it was someones project that they are just about finished with)...The cockpit has new vinyl and is ready to go BUT the cabin needs carpet, all cabin cushions need to be recovered..Cockpit covers arent cheap and run about $600 and thats another thing this boat needs. The gel coat is somewhat faded too....So its definitely a boat that could be ready for summertime but will probably take another $1000+ and some elbow grease. Its parked outside all year long with a towing cover over it.
--The motor in this boat came out of another so I dont know the actual hours. Newer outdrive but hours are unknown.

The other boat has been garaged its entire life and is in perfect condition...Again, smaller motor but otherwise is ready to go. Less top speed but will also be better on gas.
--The motor in this boat is stock from the factory and has a new outdrive with 10 hours on it.

Definitely +1!

I don't agree on the better on gas, bigger power cruises faster under less load, I learned that last year with my cruiser.

Keep in mind the overall condition of the boat usually shows you how the rest of it was maintained. Do you think the guy that lets a boat keeps up on maintenance? Drive alignments, grease, gimble bearing, flushing, impellars, oil changes, etc?

Perfect

Good point! I didnt really think of that!

I would go with the one in perfect condition. Enjoy it as is , and if you want to go faster later ,you can upgrade power.

First thing I would do is ask the owner if a marine survey has been done recently.

Go with the nice one....or if you can afford to, wait for something else to come along

You make no reference to the size of the boats that you are looking at or the price that you think you can spend on them ???? Quit looking at crap or stuff that Rommel's Africa Corp. drug around before they decided to sell !! You need to look at super clean equipment that has been taken care of.
When you find something that you like have the boat surveyed and forget about dragging one of your buddies to see the boat ;they know less than you do! ! Then get a insurance quote from a few people so you dont get a surprise after you get the boat. Sold new and used High Performance boats for 15 years so I have a little experience with that subject. Take your time and remember that the boat is for fun and not to pour money into a bottomless pit..................



Jim

I would be patient & keep looking for the perfect boat. Alot of boats on the market, keep the internet searches going. Or call a broker like shogren & tell them what you want. I hear they do a good survey & do a good detail job.

Great advice!

I might add, make sure you can get parts for whatever boat and propulsion package you are buying. That way you can keep the boat in nice condition after you get it, without spending countless hours chasing discontinued parts.

Also stay away from boats that are overly modded. Usually, modifications are done poorly, and don't last or add value to the boat.

Check the maintenance records for the boat. Just because someone says it was maintained with an "open checkbook", doesn't mean there was any money in the account. I considered one boat, where the guy said it was maintained with an "open checkbook". I passed on it. The next owner ended up spending thousands rebuilding the engines shortly after he got it. It was a time bomb. Another guy said his boat was serviced everytime it went out. i called the shop he said he took it to, and they said the boat was only in there once, and it was years ago.

Michael

I've bought multiple used boats and I'll say that good advice was given before. I think general impressions are important. Your initial impression as far as condition will be pretty close. Like was mentioned before, if someone keeps their craft waxed, covered, little cosmetic issues repaired, they most likely maintained it well. I would be very concerned about a boat that the interior looked too bad. I would assume that it had been filled with rain water and that stringer rot, etc...might be an issue. A good survey will potentially save you a lot of money and find these issues.
With that said I have bought a couple of boats that did not pass the initial eye test that I took a chance on just because they were a good deal and I could not find any major issues. They both had Merc. stock power. I would pass on a boat for sure that did not have stock Merc power that did not pass the eye test. With some blood sweat and tears, I restored these to pristine condition for little money and sold them for a decent profit.
Also do not buy something that you are not crazy about. Your not going to be happy if you don't like the color, speed, etc... It cost major money to repower, not only the engine costs, but always there will be changes in rigging that are required. It will be much easier on the front end to buy what you want, as far as power, than to add it later. I've got the receipts to prove it.

If what you can see wasn't cared for, there is no way they cared for what you can't see. Maintenance is maintenance, wether its cosmetics or mechanical.

Buy yourself a compression tester and youtube on how to do it properly. Test the engines on the boat you decide on. Check oil level and color/consistancy. A running motor doesn't tell the whole story by any means. Check idle to full power and check rpm range. Shut down, allow it to cool and then repeat the idle to full power check. Pull the caps on the drives and inspect the fluid. Look at the wear on the gears, pull on the shafts and drives looking for play and slop. Ask for maintenance records or bills of materials(oil/filters/etc). Check the transom as well as you can looking for cracks, soft spots, voids, rot...black stuff around the drain plug...ABORT! The last thing I look at when boat shopping is the exterior fit and finish...most neglected boats don't make it that far.

Have a suyvey done buy the dealer your buying it from:daz:Thats like using a recco attorney for a transaction:evilb:

I'd add you need to understand the costs associated with maintaining the boat at a high level.

First of all thanks for the advice you've given to the OP. I too have been wondering about things to look for when buying used.

As to the quoted response above, would any of the things mentioned be done during a "survey" or do surveys typically not go into that depth of inspection?