Buying Without Sea Trial?
 

Everyone says to "wait and buy a boat in the winter, you'll get a better deal." That's great, but now I've found several boats I really like, many of them up north, and a sea trial is totally out of the question. Is it OK to just get a marine survey done with the boat out of the water? Do a compression/leak down test and call it good? I had one marine survey guy recently tell me that "a sea trial is crucial, don't purchase any boat without one." But that brings me back to the conundrum of having to wait until March-April to look at some of these boats! I'm in Tampa, and could start using the boat right away. Looking at Donzi ZXO's, Sunsation 288's, etc. What is a man to do this time of year?

Put on a coat and drive.

You could hire a company to do a survey and email you a written report. I do suggest that you go up there while it is being done.

I have purchased our last 2 boats sight unseen. BUT, I had thorough surveys with video conferencing and both boats were not abused with very minimal wear and tear. I also negotiated enough room to protect the purchase if something got sideways in a big way. No boat is perfect, just stack the chips as much as you can in your favor.

Sea trials are great to have done. My current boat did not have one... I did run the boat of the trailer....went through the drives...forward/reverse while running....everything checked out. So....successful?
Boated 3 hrs with it that weekend....all good but the following trip broke a drive.
Sea trial would not have caught that....but they are good to have if its available

get your sea trial done!!!! i just lost a court case with Grand Valley Marine over this type of situation. once it leaves their lot there is little recourse if there is a problem

I've bought sight unseen....People on here knew the boat and former owner. Worked out ok, I had a few little issues but I expected that, It's a used boat, you can afford to put money into it.

I too suggest a sea trial. If nothing else, you get a feel for what you are buying. I flew from Houston to Chicago, drove to Racine to do my sea trial. Got on an ocean like Lake Michigan in my new to me (at the time hoping to my) 35 Outlaw for only 5 min or so. Couldnt open her up, had water crashing over the bow, was shocked at how that lake swallowed up a 35. I boat on a smaller, calm lake, so all good for me, but I did enjoy that sea trial. Had it marine surveyed on the same trip.

Speaking from experience a sea trial is a lot cheaper then getting the lawyer afterwards.

Just a few reasons of the many for sea trials and to check a boat at rest in the water. Yes check the boat at rest in the water. One is water leaks with engine off - also leans over to one side or another and or very stern heavy just sitting in the water.

Next is engines perform differently under load compared to even running them on a water hose. A boat engine can sound great on the water hose and even throttle up pretty good on the water hose but put that same boat in the water and it can be a whole different story how the engine(s) performs and throttle ups.

Also handling and steering as a person would never know how all that pans out without a sea trial. Boat might handle and ride like pig for many different reasons.

Have I bought boats without sea trials - yes I have but do not recommend it especially since the huge boat repo market - too much cobb job hidden chit out there.

I will add I have never been in a used a boat that does not need something whether its very minor or minor or medium or major. Always need at least something.

Sea Trial is a must! The one time I did not, I got smoked. Seller knew exactly what he was doing too. Another time I had a short sea trial on a DONZI in the winter in Louisville. Two inches of snow on the ramp and 30 degrees.
Just wanted to make sure the hull didn't have any strange handling characteristics. It was a short cold ride but it checked out. Too much to risk with these boats. Too many people that will tell you things that you need to see for yourself.

Used boats break NO MATTER what and there are plenty who have had surveys and sea trials only to have unexpected breakdowns.

I've bought MANY motorized toys sight unseen, without sea trials, without test drive , and I never waste money on a survey, etc.

If the overall value is there and you love it there's other ways to make sure you feel like your getting a good buy.

Depends on your level of research and knowledge, how much trust is built with the seller, etc.

If it makes you feel warm and fuzzy to get a survey, leak down & Compression test, and a sea trial PLEASE do. You may also enjoy a subscription to consumer reports ;-)

I agree buying a used powerboat is going to be expensive to maintain with or without a sea trial. If your intuition about the boat's condition and the seller's integrity is there buy it! It's a boat.

A sea trial is important to me, just to check handling characteristics and whatnot but being as you are in Tampa, you can forgo one or search farther south so its not an issue for the seller.

I have never done a sea trial on any boat I have bought. and I have been a boater since 1974. I guess if you are smart and know a lot about boats. You can't go wrong.
If you are worried about it, fly out and see the boat. Take a good look at it before you buy it. Make sure it's good

Keep I'm mind that depending on the storage situation the boat may not even be able to be taken out of storage till spring. Lots of times if the boat is stored indoors at a marina/ warehouse it might be blocked in by dozens of boats. You're knowledge of boats and the type of boat comes into play as well. If it's a common type factory rigged boat, there shouldn't be any unusual handling conditions that show up during a sea trial. The last time I bought a boat without a sea trial we agreed for me to hold onto several thousand of the agreed sale price for a few months until the boat could be used. Any necessary repairs were to be taken out of these funds. It all worked out well, but of course this takes a level of trust and honesty between the two of you.

Bought my 37' AT with a thorough survey, leak down, etc but no sea trial. And it was local and it was June. HOWEVER, I planned to do a lot to it after purchase and it had Merc power. and a known hull design with a local builder that new the boat. I had zero regrets and a great boat.

My Skater a had a THREE DAY sea trial because I had a great seller that WANTED me to be sure it was what I had hoped. It had been out of sight for a few years and had some relatively large and custom power. I had a survey after the deal was done and that was mostly for insurance notes.

The point is, if you know a decent amount about the boat and the seller, if it's a standard version for the builder, a good survey and mechanical may be enough. I would still be present for the exams though.

I've sea trialed all the boats I've bought. One time was in Feb. in Maryland, another Nov. in CT, and even a brand new boat. Unless the local waters are frozen, I would expect a sea trail.

I have sea trialed all of the boats I've purchased and had my last surveyed even though it was only one year old at time of purchase. The survey found a minor blemish that the seller readily fixed on his dime. It was worth the survey. IMO, based on your two top choices of a ZXO and 288, I'd do as much research on the boats now but wait until spring for a proper seatrial. 288's come up for sale often, the ZXO is a little more difficult to find but both are IO's and you won't have a clue if they were properly winterized unless you run them in a seatrial and not just a hose for a few minutes. It's hard to do but patience now can save you a lot of heartache, aggravation and $$$$ down the road. Good luck.

Was buying a boat 12 hours away. Got there go on sea trial and guy wouldn't open it maybe 3500rpm this boat was a race boat. Thought this was odd but it's not my boat yet. Idling in someone was looking out for me as the drive let go. I still took the boat home with the promise of owner fixing drive. Owner only wanted to pay 500 bucks on a 5000 repair, then to top it off 2 holes had zero compression now i got why he was driving like an old lady. This guy knew exactly what he was doing and it almost worked. I was young and the guy said he was going to sue me. Ended up hauling the boat back 12 hours on my dime. My hope is karma bites this guy hard what an ass.

Wow! I'm surprised at the responses here, I thought everyone would say a sea trial is essential. Seems it's about 50/50.

I used to say to friends "Did you buy that $30 pair of jeans without trying them on?" Its easy to give advice but difficult to take it. I've bought many boats without sea trials and some unseen too. I've only ever surveyed one. Maybe I've been lucky, never had any major disappointments. As people have said here, it's a used boat so expect some things will need attention. No used boat is perfect.

I would sea trial if it's convenient but don't be put off if it can't be done. Investigate thoroughly, check out the vendor and get a good/bad feeling for his honesty and integrity then go for the jugular on price! Try for the absolute best deal you can get from him and accept there may be problems after sale. Happy shopping!

RR

P.S. I still try on jeans before buying but I'll take my chances with a boat. :daz:

You have to sea trial it unless you know someone personally who has recent experience with the boat.
Some people do shady stuff when selling like putting on junk parts, keeping the right props, etc. etc.

I got screwed on a Yamaha PWC purchase and a Sunkisst jet boat purchase, both that I bought without sea trials.
I won't make that mistake again.

sea trial is a test drive , all systems go ? unless you know seller honesty and boat condition intimately why not / who all buys cars trucks toys bikes big rigs heavy equipment without a test drive ? anybody ?

I bought my last boat sight unseen and couldn't be happier. Upon arrival, it was in even better condition than I expected.

It did make me a little nervous buying without testing or even seeing the boat, but all turned out ok.

I'm in Florida too, looking for a used boat. Those MCOB's are hard to find in this region, for some reason. So, you do have to expand your search quite a bit. I WAS looking for a MCOB, but have decided to go with a
performance style center console for the first time. Both of my Formula's I purchased without a test drive. However, both needed engine work that I knew about up front. Ideally, sea trial. But, like others have said, just make sure you get a good comfort level with the seller and a survey, then go for it! My biggest concern with the Northern boats is whether or not they were winterized properly. That almost requires a sea trial. But, I bet the surveyor could do that for you.

As a side note, due to a ear issue, I am unable to fly. So, unless I can find a deal locally, I'll be in the same situation as you, OP. I'd like to find a twin engine CC that could use a repower for a great price and buy the hull!! Then, I get new(er) motors with warranty. Problem solved (like I did with the other Formulas).

Survey (or not) and buy (or not) and then SHIP IT & hope for the best!!

GOOD LUCK!

I (from CT) bought a used boat from Texas sight unseen. It was a big ass 1982 40ft Excalibur Hawk that had a bunch of money into it with big power. The owner had a very extensive build thread and many many pics of the boat to offer. At first I was sceptical .,..but after talking to the owner a few times, my nerves were at ease, and I shipped the boat to CT without placing a finger on it.It was alot of money for me to give up not test driving the boat first, but I took a chance and the boat was everything the owner said it was. I would buy a boat from TXHAWK again no questions asked if it ever happened again....It would be nice to assume that most boaters would be honest, but reading the horror stories on here, I know thats not the case!

I took my Active Thunder for a test drive on December 23rd at 28 degrees. It was a miserable experience, but I felt better about the whole purchase knowing it ran as expected.

...To contradict myself:

I sold my 26 Sonic years ago, sight unseen from Virginia to Montana. I sent him Gigs of pictures, and had a pretty good reputation here on OSO. (That has since gone by the wayside. :D )

But, if you feel like the seller has a decent reputation in the industry/community; that's a little better in your risk equation.

If your looking at boats that have wood stringers, transom, etc. it;'s even more critical you do homework on surveyors and get the best you can afford. Google their business, their name, find out everything you can. Honestly, after talking to a good amount of surveyors over the phone the past 15 years, the knowledgeable ones show thru in the first few minutes. Also make sure the surveyor can talk your type of boat with you. Nothing is guaranteed, surveyor could be a flake on the job, drives blow at your first full throttle, 5 of 6 tires blow out on the ride home, etc. Since your buying a boat in the winter, it should be priced accordingly and negotiate enough room in it to cover problems or issues because of the less than perfect buying environment. If at any time the deal makes you nervous back off and go to plan "B". It's a boat, nothing more than that.

Fly Ed Cozzi out to look at it.

50/50 depends on where/whom your buying from, etc. I've bought boats used/new with sea trial and without. Only boat I was burned on was a jet boat that came from salt. I ended up having to replace cooling system and rewire the entire electrical system. I then sold after a yr to move up in size. I told the guy buying it was turnkey and if had any issues that i didn't know about but should have, I'd make it right. Never heard back from him :)

From the opposite perspective. I had my Checkmate for sale. Guy from Florida called and asked about it. Told him everything about it, good and bad. He said thanks and he would call me back soon. Didn't hear from him for a month and had written him off and then out of the blue he called and said he would buy it. I asked if he wanted to come to Texas for a sea trial. He said "No, by talking to you I feel I can trust you". I was stunned. I would never buy one without testing it first, but that's just me. Anyway, I kept asking him, even begging him to come see it and take a test ride. Still he declined. I even told him that I didn't feel comfortable selling the boat to him that way and almost refused to sell it. I told him that I would rather him come see it and ride in it first. Still he refused, but still wanted to buy the boat. I finally told him that if we did the deal, I didn't want any repercussions if he got it to Fl and it wasn't what I said it was. No calling and griping about this or that when he got it. He was buying it as is, period. He said no problem. Did the deal, easy and quick. Helped him arrange transportation and said goodbye to the Checkmate. Boat arrived in Fl and new owner was extremely happy. It's been over a year and he and his wife still love the boat. We have become friends and talk on a regular basis.

That was a great and painless deal for me, but I always want a sea trial. I flew to Arizona to sea trial my new boat. After the trial, treated the owners to mexican food and margaritas. Got a little tanked up and bought it right in the restaurant. To me, a sea trial just lends confidence to my decision to buy or not.

went with my buddy to look at boat for him in dec last year.we had a game plan, offer him an amount depending on sea trail.after looking at boat for 30 mins he tells the guy he will take it.pays more then he should with no trailer.i was pissed that he wanted me to come ,4 months later takes shrink rap off.boat is faded to ****, motor doesnt run ,half the gauges work, windless doesnt work.$3000 worth of motor work uses it for 1 season spends $28000 on new250 etec, now hes having it painted. fkn dope. 20k boat is now a 55k boat but worth 25k.

LMAO! That's hilarious. :D

Just a side note guy that tried to rip me off came from oso and he sounded trustworthy. As soon as it turned to money his toned changed 180 degrees. This happen 10 plus years ago and forever changed how i buy toys.

I recently went to look at a boat for myself (a second boat for my place in Havasu) I did my own leak down, compression, hull checks, rigging and wiring inspections, gauges etc. Talking to the owner throughout the process, and feeling out his ability to come up with answers to questions that I already knew the answers! he was nice enough guy but was intentionally telling me small lies to a few of my questions. I asked him if he flushed the engine after every use and of course he said YES. we hooked up the hose and what came out the dumps was horrible!! NOTE TO SELF another non-truth, engines ran good drives seemed fine, I had a stethoscope on each drive. next came the sea trial, well he came up with a number of reasons why we couldn't do that, maybe you guys have heard a few, low on fuel( ( said I will put in the fuel) weather conditions are fading ( not really and you can watch me from shore). So being it was a boat I can wait on to get I told him no deal until sea test. I said call me when we can dunk it and get the hull wet and engines warm. no call back, could I have bought it without a water test? sure but why?

Hard to say the last two Boats i bought had neither drives nor power .
Rick G.

Bought via internet, no survey but flew out and did sea trial, everything worked

Did a ride and drive out Redhead Yadht Club cove in 99' when it was Yacht club Maina. We made the deal at the boat show and drove straight to the lake. They dunk it and off we go. It was 6 degrees and frankly, I had zero idea what I was looking for. We stayed hunkered behind the windshield and dash and our driver was breaking ice on the way out. Got to th channel and said, "that's enough. Kill it. If it gets us back, I'll buy it".

I would have saved a lot of coin if I had sea trialed. First ride out , looked like a murder scene in the bilge... oil everywhere. That was just the beginning.
Never again