red flags boat sale

[salmonee]

What are some of the not so obvious red flags when shopping for boats? I saw an ad for a nice rig. One concern is that he just bought it last summer and says that his family is growing and need something bigger. C'mon, you didn't know that last year?

 

[superpop]

Re: red flags boat sale

That is the main reason people sell a boat. They want something bigger. I just purchased a bigger boat for the plain and simple fact that I wanted a bigger boat. Nothing wrong with what I had though. If this is your first boat, I would do what others have said here and buy something used for under 10K that is going to get you out on the water. Buy as big as you can afford, but the big gotchas are typically not going to be glaringly obvious, particularly if you do not know what you are looking for, that is why you hire a mechanic to inspect the boat for you. If, in a year you decide you want something different, sell what you have and buy it, boats under 10K do not depreciate a whole lot from year to year. Typically what happens though is if the boat is big enough, you end up adding things that you may find you want like a tower or down riggers. If you go out and spend 20-40K on a new boat, that is going to kill you on depreciation in the first few years, if you decide you do not like what you have. It is pretty simple though, find the boat you like, do a rudimentary inspection for rot, and get the drive and motor checked out and go fishin or whatever. For 10K you should be able to get a nice boat right now.

 

[mthieme]

Re: red flags boat sale

A lengthy list of recent parts replaced.
Price reduced - again.
"needs minor work"
"motor runs great, it pushes this boat 30 knots with three people, if carbs were tuned it would probably do 40 knots"
pick your major component + 'reconditioned'.
recent motor rebuild on 1967 mfg - spent $7500, asking $7000

 

[capt sam]

Re: red flags boat sale

A lengthy list of recent parts replaced.
Price reduced - again.
"needs minor work"
"motor runs great, it pushes this boat 30 knots with three people, if carbs were tuned it would probably do 40 knots"
pick your major component + 'reconditioned'.
recent motor rebuild on 1967 mfg - spent $7500, asking $7000

he pretty much nailed it. sometimes what looks to be a red flag is really a great deal in disguise if you know what's what and maybe they don't.

 

[salmonee]

Re: red flags boat sale

Anyone ever hear of boat mechanics/brokers? I see many craigslist ad from this one individual. I spoke with him one time on a searay and he tells me that people bring their boats in to winterize/summerize. He maintains/fix them and puts them on craigslist. Does this sound fishy to you? Kind of reminds me about the guy who buys wrecks cars, fixes them and sells them. Apparently he has about a 12-20 boats at any given time.

 

[capt sam]

Re: red flags boat sale

That's not necessarily a bad thing, I know a few people who make a living doing this, ask him for a list of people he's sold to lately, if he gives it willingly then check out if they're happy with their dealings with him, if he doesn't then keep on looking.

 

[5150abf]

Re: red flags boat sale

It is entirely possible that he bought the boat thinking it was perfect but after using it found out it wasn't.

Get it checked out, it could be a really nice boat or it could have something really wrong with it.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: red flags boat sale

salmonee, i am retired, and have been doing the same thing for years. buy neglected boats, refurbish them, make the safe and reliable again. i have had many happy customers, i have sold boats to Canada, South America, all over the southeast. there is not a lot of money to be made doing this. but seeing a boat go back into service, safe and reliable, rather than to the land fill, pleases me more than money.

it is not uncommon for some one to buy their first boat, and find they bought the totally wrong boat for their needs.

Ft Myers, Fl is a classic example of this type market. retiree's come down, buy their first boat, it is too big for them to handle, or too small for where they want to go, so they don't use it as much as they thought. then the sell them to get what they needed in the first place, or decide the did not like boating.

 

[CAVU V]

Re: red flags boat sale

The first boat I bought was a Regal 2760 and within 7 months I moved up to a Regal 3260 because the 2760 just did not work out size wise. I think it happens all the time with boaters.

Now I am in a 2860, less expensive to run.

Dale

 

[180shabah]

Re: red flags boat sale

Salmonee - Where are you located?

I'm in Virginia(working in southern WVA) and just happen to know where you could find a very nice 18' Mariah w/ 4.3LX well under the ten grand mentioned above.

PM me if you would like details.