I went and looked at a 1988 bayliner capri with a 125hp force on it yesterday. It has a galvanized trailer and brand new tires on it, and the motor is supposed to be good, the guy wants 900 bucks for it. I was feeling pretty good about the deal until I got into the boat and found a soft/rotten spot by the ski compartment area. according to the owner the boat was always covered until just this past year, and I noticed that the jack had sunk into the ground a bit, the boat was sitting level at best maybe a little low in the front even. Being an iowa redneck I dont have a problem putting a sheet of marine grade plywood down and new carpet on top of that to make the floor solid, but my question is; if its rotten there is it even safe to use? I mean, it felt good and solid around the edges of the boat, just really really soft by the ski storage area. Do you think the boat is safe to use? I mean, if its soft there could there be rotten wood down in the structural part of the boat?? 900 bucks is a cheap ticket to the water but I dont want the boat breaking in two if the wooden guts are all rotten! Thanks
No one here can really say whether the boat is safe or not...not without seeing the boat and doing some tests. A boat that age will certainly have some rot going on, not because its a Bayliner but because of its age. I think a person would be lucky if they could find a boat even 10 or 15 years old that didn't have any rot below decks. For some reason, lazy, lack of knowledge ( or both ), I think the majority of people don't take care of their boat and its really simple to do. Keep the bow tilted up, plug out, keep the boat garaged or covered, and have the boat members towel dry off on the swimplatform....yes, its a boat BUT, LOL, it's not supposed to get water inside. Anyway, check the transom for flex, how does it start, idle, run, does engine over heat? If a bow rider, does the center windshield close correctly...how large is the gap? Many people, including myself and maybe you, cannot go out and drop $20000 to $30000 on a newer used boat...or a new boat...thats another reason there are used boats, just like cars, trucks, bikes, whatever.
If you know someone that is fairly well experienced in boats, make a checklist...take it with you, and examine the boat well. If transom is solid, steering and throttle work well, and it runs well hey, cheap ticket to the water. Good luck on what you decide.