Used Boat Buying Hints

Used Boat Buying Hints

Never buy a used boat without a survey.

Be wary of marine surveyors. Get a good one.

Good ones are not easy to find.

How long in business.

What do they specialize in. (no one is good at all types and styles of boats).

Make a list of equipment included in the deal, by Model and serial number.
Don't allow the money to be turned until you have absolute control of all the ship's components(the stuff on the list above).
Don't buy a boat from some guy who has owned it a year, on the notion he is going to fix it up and sell it to you.
If the buyer claims the engines were rebuilt, ask who the rebuilder was, and expect the warranty to be passed on to you(in writing).
Demand to see the invoices for the rebuild and determine the extent of the rebuild.
Have a mechanic analyse the extent of the rebuild from the invoices.
Have an oil analysis of the engine(s) crankcase oil, transmission oil and crankcase oil of the generator(s).
Remove the oil filter (engine(s), generator(s)), have a mechanic cut them open and look at the filter material for metal and other things.
With the radiator cap off and the engine running, look for signs of bubbles in the coolant expansion tank. When cold on startup and when hot.
Bubbles in the expansion tank are good signs of cracked heads or exhaust manifolds or blown head gaskets. There should be NO bubbles.
Ford Lehman engines are sensitive to overheating. The petcock at the front of the exhaust manifold should be vented when refilling coolant.
If a Lehman shows signs of leaking oil from under the head/block joint, the engine has likely been overheated.
Turn off the battery charger(s), turn battery switches off of "both" and disable paralleling switch, then try to start the engine(s), generator(s).
Try this start test holding down the stop switch for 30 seconds; the battery voltages should not go below about 10 volts for a 12 volt battery(20 for 24V).
Examine the heavy ground straps. If you find multiple places; engines, ground buses this is a bad sign.
If alternators are grounded to the engine block and not directly to a ground strap leading directly to the battery, another bad sign.
Be wary of boat builders who have just completed their first few boats. Everybody with an idea, seems to think they are a boat builder. Tips About New Boats

I have a detailed booklet containing my suggestions for potential used boat buyers, of about 20 pages which you can have faxed or e-mailed to you for $8 US in the US or Canada(extra charges for fax phone delivery if outside US or Canada). Fax your credit card authorization to 1-503????? (No Fax presently active) Include a return address or phone number. (Don't e-mail credit card information, I don't trust the e-mail system. A fax is safer and you will know if you watch the fax machine, where it is going. It should show the number above during the faxing).