Re: Help needed--1802
Re: used boat in general.
1) With the OB tilted up about 1/2 way, lift up and press down on the lower end. See if the transom flexes. Solid, OK. Flexing, cracks around the motor mount, you have a bad transom. Tap the transom with the plastic end of a screw driver. List for hollow spots around the fasteners.
2) Walk all over the boat, using your feet to feel for soft spots in the deck. These are hard to fix, so, be thorough.
3) Most of the value of the boat is in the engine. Get a "Certified" Mercury mechanic to check the motor over thoroughly.
4) Water in the cuddy can come from leaky hatches, leaking stanchion bases, leaking rub railings. Water in the cuddy will destroy the wiring up behind the dash, the flooring, cushions, head liner etc etc. Check it out.
5) Wiring. See if it's been hacked or if it appears clean, neat and orderly. Everything should work. Look at the wiring back by the batteries and engine.
6) CLimb under the boat and look for damage. I looked at an Arima last week that had a coffee can sized hole in the bottom that had been crudely fixed with epoxy. (!)
7) Check the condition of the trailer brakes, wiring, lights. High points for Galvy. Painted steel will need replacing in a few years.
As time goes on, I'm less and less willing to take on a boat with problems, especially with the LARGE inventory of used ones around.
