Sunday, January 8, 2012

What do I need to look for in buying a used boat?

My husband and I want to buy a boat neither of us ever owned a boat before. Neither of us have any friends who are boaters. We would like to purchase a used boat between 19- 23 feet. I want to make sure it runs how do you test it if it is not on the water or do you tell them to take you to the water ? Also is there a blue book type of thing for boats?Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you|||1) Look around and check out different makes and styles till you find one you like.





2) Always insist on an in the water test run. You want the boat at speed (as fast as it will go, for say 5 minutes, then another 20 min. at a cruising speed (about 3/4 of max speed. Watch all insterments for oil/water temp/ etc Then flip every switch to maske sure what ever it controls is working. Same for electronics.





If you find something wrong/ have it checked out by a mechanic before payment is made. Those seamingly little things can be very expensive on a boat.





The Blue book or NADA Boat guides are not very useful in the current economy. Boats are at their lowest prices in 15 years. So, you should be able to find a nice boat in the size you indicated for from $2000 to $10,000 for something just a few years old.|||What you'll need is a good boat mechanic and shop. They can inspect and test the boat for you for hidden surprises. It'll cost you a little bit of money, but it'll be worth every penny if you read about all of the people that didn't go that route. After it passes inspection at the shop, test drive the boat on the water and drive it like you normally would. If the seller refuses both, walk away from the boat, they're hiding something. I've owned many boats and taught boating classes.



You can email me if you have other questions. Below is a link to what something might be worth.

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