I'm looking at boats that are all over the US, so I can't just take a quick drive and look at them.

I have detailed photos, and spoke to the oweners, and narrowed it down.

But wondering the best use of my time and my money.

Was recomended by a local performance shop to have a survey done, and have the engine checked my an authorized merc dealer. And also verify the actual running hours on the motor.


From the photos, the boat looks perfect, and immaculate conditon. Boat is a 1998.

Where is the boat? Very often you can find someone on OSO to go look at it for you to verify it looks like the pictures. I have had several folks do so and I trust the folks on here, they are probably going to be way more critical than half of the surveyors out there, at least as far as a visual inspection goes.

And I would definitely recommend a leak down test. Its hard to hide anything there. Computer scans are great, but there's no way to be 100% sure that computer is original to the boat you are looking at.

Personally I couldn't imagine buying something without seeing it and touching it. I would see if you can find someone there to take a look at it, and then if it still sounds positive, arrange an survey and leak down and fly out for the day of the tests. If the survey and leak down and your first hand view of the boat makes you happy, buy it and have fun.

Oh, and while you are in that town, hook up with who looked at the boat for you in advance and buy them dinner.

A moisture test on the hull should be included in the survey.

+1 on leak down test. I bought my current boat two years ago with 13k in reciepts for rebuilt engines. 30 hours on engines and no compression on one cylinder.
Long story short It would cost more to rebuild the junk I had so I spent close to 20K on two brand new engines. Not the owners fault, the shop he used did not have a clue what they where doing

$200 would have saved me many hours and 20k

Once you're set on the "right boat", spring for the survey, and make sure they do compression and leakdown. If you're worried about the cost... (no offense)...you shouldn't be buying the boat. The survey is a solid frame of reference, but nothing beats actually seeing and touching what you're buying...unless it's cheap and you have deep pockets. Remember: If it looks too good to be true, it probably is...

find a surveyer that knows performance boats.make sure that he has no ties to the seller,broker,or the lady @the snack bar down at the marina where the boat is being kept.find a guy on your own that yourcomfortoble with.you wil spend some coin,so narrow your search down to one.i think the biggest thing for me about buying a older boat was a moisture test.make sureyour not buying a wet boat.

I'm going to elaborate on how important moisture test is. I had to replace the transom at the tune of about $5600 on a wellcraft scarab due to a run in the fiberglass where the drive sealed to the hull. Wellcraft also did not seal the drive opening with resin where the drive passed thru the transom. I maintain my equipment to perfection best I can....this was a manufacturer's negligence that cost me a major repair on a boat bought new. Me owning the boat and maintaining it, I never suspected the leakage or the rot. Needless to say, I check for moisture in my current boat regularly to head off any problem, if any.

if u cant see it in person i would definitely get a survey

I live in Seattle and 5 years ago bought my powerquest from a dealer in Chicago...I had the boat surveyed, including a moisture test and compression check...The boat passed with flying colors and I did end up buying the boat sight unseen. I did have to have the engine rebuilt in 2009 (3 yrs after I purchased--remember, the engine was 15 yrs old at that point) but otherwise its been a great boat. Point being I think you can buy a boat sight unseen but absolutely need to have a survey done otherwise your going off of pictures taken by the seller and how reliable are those (really)?? And you will never know if you have moisture of rot unless an unbiased expert looks at it.

Thanks for all the great input, greatly appreciated.

Boat is Located in Dayton, Ohio

And I'm in Toronto, Canada. So its a two day thing to "take a peak"

So I think what I'll do, is arrange the survery & leak down test. Then once everything is up to snuff, go down, go for a spin (after the ice thaws!) and take it home.

Boat is a 22' with a carbed 500HP

What sort of cost would survery and leak down be?

Does anyone know of anyone they would recommend in that area that could do it?