New member question

Hi, new member here -- I just discovered this site & thought maybe I could get some input. I have an opportunity to purchase a 22' Sea Sport that is in my price range but is used. I have read through the topics & see the recommendation to get a survey done first but there is not a marine surveyor within 400 miles of me -- is is worth the expense of trying to locate one and paying the travel, lodging, etc for one that I wouldn't know much about? The boat is a " 22' 1989 Great running 22' Sea Sport with 305 volvo penta dual prop inboard, with about 400 hours and burns about 8-9 gallons per hour" They are asking $25K -- does this seem reasonable for a boat of this age & what would a reasonable speed be for a boat of this size with this engine & outdrive??

Sorry if these are to many questions, this is a relatively large investment & seems like a lot of unknowns, I am talking with local people also but I suspect some people here have more knowledge & experience. I appreciate any advice you could provide!

Re: New member question

if you are in Alaska, and at the North Pole at that!, no way we can assess the price tag. It's high for a boat that age and size down here. Means nothing up there, I hear.

No it's probably not worth hiring a real surveyor. Despite what you read around here, 22' boats trade day after day without surveys. What some people mean, is hire a knowledgable person to go with you and look it over. Any boat mecahinc will do. Offer to pay his labor rate, or if you can, buy it with a short warranty, take it to the shop and pay the shop to inspect and fix the things that inevitably have to be fixed.

A lot also goes for your gut feeling about the seller--does he seem honest, careful and knowlegable? you need all three when buying a good running boat; a careful but unknowlegable guy might religiously flush the motor, but not hooked up to water!