Buying a Boat? Here is what you NEED to Know

San Jose CA

Description

I am a seasoned ocean fisherman and longtime boat owner. Fishing and boating is a fellowship, family and brotherhood. We look out for each other. Having many boats and many near death experiences on the water, you can't put a cost on safety or your life. So many people have a set budget and therefore bargain hunt. I myself have found that the more you spend up front the more you save because there is no low cost boat that has everything you need and in safe good working order. Here are some of the things you need to consider. 1. Structural Condition - Primary is floor (soft spots, rotting runners/joists) and the transom also for rot and soft spots. Using a small hammer you can tap on areas to identify soft spots based on the sound. Walking on the deck you can feel it move when there is soft spots or rot. 2. Electrical - Look for corrosion, rust, broken wires, capped or taped wires, signs of burned wire, exposed wires where the casing or outer coating of the wire is compromised, too many wires directly to batteries and not to a fuse panel, lack of switches, lack of fuses. Look for a battery charger and maintainer that keeps your batteries healthy. Look for an external plug port to connect an extension cord to the charger so you don't have to pull batteries for charging or climb up and down for charging. A maintainer allows you to leave it plugged in at all times all year round and is the best set up for longevity of battery life and health. 3. Hardware - Any fitting, mount, rail, or attached component that has screws or bolts. Many screws strip out, rust because they aren't stainless steel and you can have some serious safety hazards in plain sight. When sealant isn't used with hardware, water works its way into the walls or floors and this is how rot develops. Missing screws are a sign of this. 4. Engine - A 2 stroke engine is quickly becoming an outlawed motor because of the severity of pollution they release. They are also very uneconomical and a main reason boat owners don't use their boats. I have heard the saying, "Your not buying a boat, your buying the engine" because that is how critical the engine actually is. Engines manufactured after 2000 I believe can be connected to a computer and show diagnostic info on how many hours the engine has run in total and also at each 1000 RPM range. Great info to tell you about the engines use and history. My recommendation - just go for the 4 stroke right off the bat and save yourself major headaches. Research how MUCH a new engine costs. Look how HARD it is to find a good affordable used engine. Almost impossible. You can have the nicest boat in perfect condition, but if that engine goes out, your in the hole... SPECIAL ENGINE NOTE: Proper engine maintenance is having the Lower Service done annually. This includes changing out the lower gear oil and the impeller which is a critical part that pushes water through the engine for keeping it cool while it's running. When this part doesn't function right your engine over heats and blows a head or rod resulting in a total loss or massive repair bill. 5. Electronics / Components - CRITICAL are the bilge pump (preferably 2-3 in the bilge compartment) and a good functioning VHF radio with a good 8' antenna. The one thing that will kill you is not being found quickly (VHF) and second having your boat sink and dying of hypothermia within 30 minutes or however-long it takes. Of course working gauges to tell you your engine is overheating and an electrical gauge to tell you your battery is shorting out is great too. 6. GALVANIZED trailer - You simply cannot have a steel trailer for salt water. It will rot and break apart within a few years if that. Galvanized or aluminum is critical. A LOT of people have beautiful boats on the WRONG trailer and guess what... Catastrophic accidents on the road or at the dock. A new trailer can run 8-15K depending on the size of your boat. Not as much as a new engine, but not cheap either. SO many people NEVER maintenance their trailers brakes, bearings, ect. and it's a ticking time bomb your driving off with if you don't ensure that you have fully inspected or see proof of good paper records that are RECENT. If you want to help yourself, you can hire a Marine Surveyor, that is a specialist who inspects a vessel (boat) and will tell you if it is sound and provide a fully detailed report on the boat. This runs about $600, but can save you from a total loss or endless money pit that you may never recover from. Google it and you will find them. I can tell you unless you have a qualified boat mechanic as a friend and or have some extensive experience and knowledge of boats, don't think that you can avoid making the biggest mistake of your life that could possibly kill you because you felt you couldn't afford a better boat. It will always end up costing more than had you spent a little more upfront. I have unfortunately been there many times.