purchasing boat advice

firemom

Recruit
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
2
Okay - where do I begin?! I've poured over this great website and still have a lot of unanswered questions about this boat we're looking at buying. It's a private sale - 1983 16' Glastron with a 75hp Johnson outboard and comes with a Shorlander trailer. The exterior of the boat is fairly scuffed up and the motor has issues...have only been able to talk with the father about it. Near as I can tell when it's out on the lake at they've throttled up it starts to "miss"/"dog down" - something of that nature. The challenges that I see at the time are: #1 here in the midwest it's pretty cold to take a hop on the lake and #2 am I looking at a potential money pit for our first boat? They have it listed in the paper for $1000 or OBO. Blue book says the boat alone in low retail is $980 (w/o motor or trailer). So am I really risking a lot here or is it worth the risk of buying it and hauling our kids around the lake (low speed tube ride - no waterskiing)? What's your gut feel on the deal?<br /><br />At least I've gathered a lot of information from past posts on what I can troubleshoot with some of the issues.<br /><br />Any ideas? Thanks! :)
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,862
Re: purchasing boat advice

You are only risking what you pay for it, and what you decide to stick into it in the future.<br /><br />If the water hasn't turned to ice yet, it is not to cold to test drive it.<br /><br />You must test drive it. Atleast 30 minutes of driving.<br /><br />Then have the engine checked over by a mechanic, before you cut a deal, lower unit, charging system, ignition, tilt and trim, etc. Problems with any one of these areas could easily cost you $500-$800, or more.<br /><br />The boat must be checked to make sure it is sound, transom, hull, floor.<br /><br />Where are you located?<br /><br />You will have 40 times the boats to choose from, if you wait till next April/May.
 

93bronco

Ensign
Joined
Nov 11, 2001
Messages
962
Re: purchasing boat advice

make sure there is no water traped under the deck.<br />glastron made no provisions for the water to drain into the bilge in the late 70s.<br />all that water stays trapped, the transoms were left pretty exposed also.
 

firemom

Recruit
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
2
Re: purchasing boat advice

Thanks to you both for the gems of information! Hope to get this out on the water this week if possible as well as talking to the owner instead of relying on what the dad is telling us. It would make a good boat to start with if all checks out decent...I guess I wouldn't mind investing a little in to it.<br /><br />thanks! Will post back after we check it out :cool: ...
 
Top