Should I buy this Boat?

2003 - Regal 2765 w/ twin 4.3 (220 Hp) mercruisers. A/C, Windlass, Camper Canvas(looks newer), Fridge, stove, Remote Spotlight. The engines have 112 hours on them. Asking price in $36K. I did a thorough visual inspection today and took some pictures. Please follow the link below. I did notice some bumps in the gelcoat on the bow and some on the starboard side. Are these something that I should be concerned about? Should I stay away from the boat? Or are these nothing? Can / Should they be fixed? If so, how can they be fixed?

http://s418.photobucket.com/albums/pp265/Blazing_Dave/Should%20I%20buy%20this%20boat/

Other than the bumps in the gelcoat, the boat looks like its in good condition. Please take a look and let me know what you think.

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

If you are thinking of spending 36,000, spend a little up front and have a marine surveyor of your choice check out the boat. He will tell you everything right and wrong with it so you can make a truly informed decision. If the seller objects to you having it surveyed---walk away!

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

I second that - especially on a boat of that calibur.

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

Regal make a great boat and we looked at that model before we purchased our Chaparral. Those bumps appear to be blisters and that's not a good sign. Is the sale from the owner? Are you able to get any history on the boat? 112 hours is low for a 6 year old boat.

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

Those "bumps" look like gel coat blisters. That is not a good sign. It doesn't have a bottom paint on it. If it spent a lot of time in the water the blisters can be the result.

Get a survey.

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

Frank Acampora said:

If you are thinking of spending 36,000, spend a little up front and have a marine surveyor of your choice check out the boat. He will tell you everything right and wrong with it so you can make a truly informed decision. If the seller objects to you having it surveyed---walk away!

Click to expand...

Have it surveyed. I see little things that you will need to have checked out. Too much money involved.

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

That is a bad case of boat pox (blisters) usually caused by water intrusion and delamination. I wouldn't even waste the money on a surveyor for that boat just go find another one I'm sure regal made plenty of them that were better cared for. The unknown with those is you don't know exactly how bad the problem is until you hit it with the grinder.

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

If it were me and my money, at that price-point, I'd pass.

There are just too many boats out there in this economy that don't need ANY work and are already in great condition.

I can't see paying a surveyor several hundred dollars to tell me what else is wrong BESIDES the blisters, not to mention the hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars needed to make repairs. (Assuming you pay someone else to make repairs.)

I wouldn't be spending several hundred bucks for a surveyor unless the boat appeared to be completely flawless and I was VERY interested and serious about a purchase. How many times can you afford to take a survey? One boat? Five boats? Ten? Gets very expensive.

The way to go is to get the SELLER to pay for the survey. If he knows it's a good boat, worth the price, he won't hesitate because even if YOU don't buy the boat, the survey is still good for the next prospective buyer.

But that's just me. YMMV.

-BWR

Re: Should I buy this Boat?

Walk away. Blisters would deem re-gel coating.