First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

I am considering buying this 1987 PRoCraft 16' Bass Boat,, It is well cared for - The gentleman is asking just over $1000 with the trailer and the motor included.. What can/should I look for before buying this boat... Don;t expect perfection just reliability... Motor started right up.. Thanks in advance for any info you would share...

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

I assume you like the bass boat set-up. The trailer looks like steel so it's not for salt water.

Looks like a Johnson 70, is it from 1987 too? If so that's a good motor. When you're buynig a rig like that, you're really buying the motor anyway. Check the compression, run it in the water if you can (but probably not at that price).

Be sure the transom is solid. Again, at that price, if it turns out the hull has hidden issues, you can keep/sell the motor and trailer for what you have in it.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

I am thinking the motor is an 85hp. Still a good motor. As mentioned, check the compression. Check for soft spots on the floor and the transom ... Lots of threads here about that and what to look for. A couple years ago I sold my similar vintage Skeeter with a Johnson 88spl for $1800 with a solid floor and solid engine, a working trolling motor and depth finder, and all live well and bilge pumps working. No rot, just some well worn carpet. I was happy and buyer was happy. If mine had things not working or soft spots in the floor, it would have gone for much less.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Thanks for your responses..

The motor is actually a 90HP 1987 Johnson motor.. We were not able to put it in the water today due to the plates on the trailer and boat being expired.. I am happy with the layout of the boat, I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was a ski/fish boa with some seating in the bow. It would be used only in fresh water.. I have asked the owner if he would be willing to sell me the boat and give me a 14 day return period so that I could get the boat and trailer registered and get into the water and looked at by someone that knows a little more than myself.. I would have to pony up the 100 or so dollars to register the boat and trailer but thinking it's better to be out 100 than 1500... Is the 90HP form that year a decent motor? In the end I am hoping to have a decent starter boat that me and my girls can go out bass fishing on 2-3 times per month, anything more than that is gravy... Thanks again...

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

The 90 is a good engine but you can't tell anything by running it on the muffs.

If nothing else, buy a compression tester ($20.00) and check the compression. If they are all over 100 psi and even, you have a good base.

As far as the boat-check:

1. Transom. With the engine tilted up, push down on the lower unit. Does the transom flex? If so-no deal.

2. Walk around in the boat. Any soft spots in the florr? If so-no deal.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

GLynch8 said:

...I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was a ski/fish boa with some seating in the bow...

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I'm not a big fan of the "bass boat" styles, so take this with a grain of salt (some guys really like 'em).

You're probably not overly concerned with advanced water sports so I'll leave the "fish & ski" part alone. BUT - make sure you sit in the front end of that boat. Those hulls don't have much freeboard and the seating area up front is kinda' shallow. Depending on how old your girls are you may consider how "safe" you feel that boat is as a bow rider.

For adults, I'm uncomfortable with it - for kids, I think those bow riders are almost criminal. A good bounce and I feel like you can eject someone. Stop in at a local dealership and climb in a bow rider I/O to see what I mean about the depth of the seating area for comparison. That way you can make a decision you're comfortable with.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Spend the 150-200 and get a professional marine survey then you will have no worries, they will tell you exactly what you are getting and whether the price is fair or not. Cheap boats can cost a lot in the long run !!

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Hi,

There are several systems you should check:
- trailer - make sure lights are working, trailer is solid, tires in good shape (not cracked, still with lots of tread), axle condition, check the frame of the trailer to see if is all solid. Surface rust isn't anything to be scared of, but holes in the trailer are a bad sign. New trailer for your boat - $750 for anything half decent, to $3k for a really good quality new trailer;
- boat hull - make sure it is solid - look for signs of cracking, spider-cracks in the surface, look for any sign that there has been a repair to it, such as a patch on the underside
- transom and flooring - check to see that the transom is solid. put your weight on the motor, and see if the transom flexes. If it does, this means you have a rotten transom, and the boat is not safe - you will need to replace the transom
- floor - check for any soft spots - as others have said - soft spots mean that the boat is rotten, and boats rot from the inside out - so you will likely have more problems than just a soft spot in teh floor - big bucks to repair properly
- mechanical - run the boat in the water - speed it up, quickly accelerate, run it for a while - well done for spotting the need to do this - make sure you get the warranty in writing
- steering - use your common sense
- electrical - check that all systems appear to work - guagues, lights, livewell, bilge pump etc.

Get some background on the boat - how was it stored, how was it maintained. If stored outside all year round, it will have deteriorated, likely significantly. If was stored indoors, or properly shrink-wrapped, it may be in fairly good shape. I recently bought a 1967 boat, which had been stored most of its life - it was still pretty solid.

If all this is solid, then $1500 seems like a good price for the boat. If it is all solid, the boat won't last long on the market at that price. If you have significant problems in one or more of the above areas

Good luck, and let us know how it works out.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Thanks for all the replies.. I definitely do not plan on using the boat for any extreme watersports.. My girls are 6 and 9 and at most being able to drag them around a lake in a tube or on waterskis for the next 2-3 years would be about it... It would mostly be used for going out fishing on some of the lakes here in Florida. Having the bow seats simply as an additional place for them to sit while we make our way to our fishing spot or for the wife to sit and watch while we fish was the plus I saw in them being there. I am still waiting to hear from the seller - I am hoping that the fact I am willing to put up the money for the boat and drop the money for the registration of the boat and trailer plus pay for the survey will show I am serious and convince him to write the warranty.. I will definitely let let you all know how it all plays out. Thanks again for all your pointers and advice.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

guys. it's a 26 year old $1000 boat. No survey. no deep inspections. If the transom doesn't flex it's fine for a couple seasons then trade up. not worth fixing. something to start with. The short comings of the lay-out are obvious; his call.

It's not like a 45000 cruiser.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Home Cookin' said:

guys. it's a 26 year old $1000 boat. No survey. no deep inspections. If the transom doesn't flex it's fine for a couple seasons then trade up. not worth fixing. something to start with. The short comings of the lay-out are obvious; his call.

It's not like a 45000 cruiser.

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^^^^ Yup.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Well I heard back from the seller today and he was not interested in trying to work something out with me so I could get the boat to water for a test drive.. I offered to give him the 1500 for the boat and have him write up a bill of sale stating if there were any issues with the hull or motor then I could return the boat.. I also offered to give him the $80 to register the boat and trailer in his name so we could take it to water and have it looked at by someone that knows a bit more about boats than myself. He refused both.. I understand that it would be a little inconvenience to do this but his refusal leads me to believe that he feels there may be something wrong with the boat. I told him I'd be at his house tomorrow with 1500 cash if he agreed and I'd have the boat in the water before the weekend to test it.. No Dice!1 Oh well.. I don't know enough about boats to pay 1500 for a 26 yr old boat as is just hearing it run in his backyard. Thanks again everyone for your replies - They may have kept me from making a 1500 dollar mistake..

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Good call. There's always another deal right around the corner.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Smart move!

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

The "refund delay" is clearly too much asking for a $1500 boat but he should at least have acknowledged to a water test.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

saumon said:

The "refund delay" is clearly too much asking for a $1500 boat but he should at least have acknowledged to a water test.

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Being that the boat and trailer tags and stickers were expired the only way we could get the boat to the water would be to bring those up to date. He was unwilling to do that in his name (which I understand - he was an older gentleman). So I thought a solution was for me to give him the cash for the boat and then I was going to pay the registration fees to have the trailer and boat registered in my name so I could get it to the lake for a water test and a once over by someone with a little more boat knowledge. I figured he'd go for it as he would have nothing to lose and in the end one of two things happens either his boat is sold and he has 1500 in his pocket this weekend or he learns what if anything has happened to his boat over the past couple years he has not used it. I live in Florida does anyone know of another way "legally" to get a boat in this state to the water for a test? Is there any sort of temp tag for such a case? Thanks again for all your help..

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

GLynch8 said:

Being that the boat and trailer tags and stickers were expired the only way we could get the boat to the water would be to bring those up to date. He was unwilling to do that in his name (which I understand - he was an older gentleman). So I thought a solution was for me to give him the cash for the boat and then I was going to pay the registration fees to have the trailer and boat registered in my name so I could get it to the lake for a water test and a once over by someone with a little more boat knowledge. I figured he'd go for it as he would have nothing to lose and in the end one of two things happens either his boat is sold and he has 1500 in his pocket this weekend or he learns what if anything has happened to his boat over the past couple years he has not used it. I live in Florida does anyone know of another way "legally" to get a boat in this state to the water for a test? Is there any sort of temp tag for such a case? Thanks again for all your help..

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Unless this guys really needs the money I can see why he would not want to hassle with the refund thing for a $1500 boat. Plus, he probably is concerned you may break something and come back and say it is a bad boat.

When I sell something I usually want it gone and to be done with it.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

At a coupla' hund'rd bucks I might have rolled the dice ... $1,500, no. Wait for your pitch.

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

southkogs said:

At a coupla' hund'rd bucks I might have rolled the dice ... $1,500, no. Wait for your pitch.

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My thoughts exactly.. He actually got back to me this morning and he'll be getting the boat and trailer registered and then we will bring the boat to the lake and he'll go out in the boat with me.. I will let you guys know how it all works out..

Re: First Time Boat Buyer Needs Your Help!!!

Took the boat out today - Upon further inspection noticed the floor in the middle of the bow seats was soft. Further inspection showed that floor was completely separated in the corner.. There was about a 2" lip of glass but the floor was separated from it.. There is a rod/ski storage door on the floor in this area.. We opened it to get a better look underneath - the hinges were so stuck and the wood around so rotted that the hinge did not open but the screw pulled right out while opening the access door.. Not knowing what I'd be getting myself into and the fact that I'd have my girls 6 and 9 on the boat so it is something I'd have to fix right away - I passed on the boat. Thanks to everyone for all your advice - I think with your help I've learned more about boats in the past 7 days then in my previous years.