I have been having a issue with sellers lately not taking pictures of all the scratches, gouges, cracks, and all the bad stuff in general. Of course it is always "I never noticed that" or "I must have missed that", etc... Wether it is the person is misrepresenting or they really never noticed is beside the point. My question is what do most of you do when buying a boat. Do you just try to get as many pictures as possible or do you try to get a video? I know I could ask on here and see if someone could go look at it, but then you have the whole everyone's 10 is different so on so forth. Basically what is the best way to get a feel for the boats general condition before showing up to view, hiring surveyors, etc. I do know the owner not being a s&@"bag has a lot to do with it too!!!!

Hire a surveyor and have a chat with them first (if it's a long way away). Or just go see it myself.

I guess I'm trying to figure out how to find out that it's a pos before I drive 12+ hours, instead of having to go there and find out its a pos! Has anyone ever tried Skype or FaceTime? I feel the problem is the seller is ethier trying to not take pictures of the bad spots, doesn't understand how particular I am so thinks its a used boat who cares, or they really don't see or know the imperfections. Also I understand I am buying a used boat and it will have imperfections I just want to see them before hand. It's gotten to the point now where I go look at boats and it's just pure entertainment. The typical convo, pictures, make a deal hasn't been working for me...

Video isn't going to show much as far as scratches. Tell the seller that you live to far away to take a trip to view the boat and that you want pics from multiple angles of every side of the boat, trailer and interior. Be specific and ask for pics of Everything possible, if the seller is hesitant than you know why and move on

I picked up my boat out of Colorado which was about 16 hours from where I live. I asked for pics of everything and without any hesitation or questioning the seller went to his garage and took about 80 pics for me. Sent them right over and all went well after that, made the decision to make a trip to get it a lot easier. The guy even offered to meet me half way on his dime which was very nice. Saved me an extra day and probably cost him around $500 in fuel and a hotel.

I tell them I want hi res full size pics of everything when I'm shopping. Some people understand this and some don't.
When I have sold I have taken a lot of hi res pics and then have asked the seller if they want any additional pics of anything specific.

Pictures are just so deceiving, eyes are the only real way to see it all!!

Figure if they say its nice, assume that its 20% worse MINIMAL... same as other things like cars, up north with rust... some peoples idea of clean rust free and mine are always 2 different things...

I ask for as many pictures as possible and I normally can judge off them, ask for all sides and BILGE, the cleanliness of a bilge really tells you how it was kept...

...or how's this. Last night I called on a boat listed for sale. Guy says, "yep its still for sale". I say I'd like to see some pics. After checking out pics I say I'd like to come see it. He tells me ok in April he can get the keys to the building that it's being stored in...

.....what?

You list your boat for sale but have no access to it?

April? Please......

I don't get it....or this...

560 miles (8+ hrs) to see a boat that was " the nicest 25 yr old boat you'll ever see. This thing is mint. Please do yourelf the favor before you walk and check it out. Not a mark on it. You will not be disappointed!"
The deck had been repainted years ago and was peeling with fish eyes and dirt in the paint. Gray vinyl was turning yellow. Scratches and crappy repairs everywhere. Bolsters in cabin were falling off thier mounting hardware. And a large gouge in the bow glass that I saw in pic he insisted wasn't there. He said it must just be a flaw in the pic...sure enough there it was.

What a tool!
What happened to cleaning up your item to sell and disclosing any flaws then pricing it according to it's condition?

Ask the same questions ten different ways, lots o pics, tell him to get detailed pics, . your i's and cross your t's hope for the best thats all you can do,