Used Boats

[Boilers2000]

Thinking ahead to my next boat in the next 1-2 years and was wondering thoughts a out buying a used boat from a coastal area that has primarily been in Salt water. I know it all comes down to maintenance, but living in Indiana options are limited locally so have started expanding range. Just wondering thoughts from others that have bought used. Looking at 22-26' range. TIA

 

[roscoe]

Can't touch your main question, but there should be plenty of boats in the 22-26' range up north in Michigan, or east into Ohio. The Great Lakes have lots of big boats with few hours due to the shorter season compared to coastal areas..

 

[Boilers2000]

That is usually where I focus, but pickings are slim b/c everyone has bought a boat it seems like because of Covid. Maybe there will be some really good deals as people sell their boat after Covid.

 

[ahicks]

If you want a deal, you need to be clear (with yourself) about exactly what you are looking for and what you are willing to pay for it. Then keep your eyes and ears open and wait., ready to pounce when/if you see anything. If a boat truly is a good deal, you had best believe others will be checking it out closely as well. Hesitate, and it will be gone.

And plan to make that purchase starting about this time of the season. The colder it gets, the cheaper the boats get.

I would MUCH prefer a fresh water boat. Think you would too after looking at a few "salties".

 

[tpenfield]

The used boat market is very thin right now . . . not a lot of inventory. The new market is pretty bare as well.

If you do look at coastal areas focus on boats that have a closed cooling system, if you are looking at I/O engines. Newer boats will probably have more engines with closed cooling.

If you look at outboards, then no worries, beyond the normal maintenance.

 

[jebby]

wait it out, all the impulse covid buys will make for a buyers market later

 

[KJM]

I live in a coastal area and everyone here prefers to buy "freshwater use only" boats. A boat that came from the great lakes area is a good selling point here......so i'd look in that direction. Definitely stay away from raw water cooled inboards if used in salt water. Be very careful checking the transom, i've bought two in the past and had transom problems with both. If you can find a "no wood construction" boat i'd consider that a big plus.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Might want to expand your search to Minnesota, although the inventory shortage of used boats seems to pretty much be a nationwide phenomenon. I think jebby is right; if you wait a bit, when things return to normal after COVID, you likely will see a lot of boats hitting the market.

 

[ahicks]

I would NOT automatically count a Florida boat out. Florida has a HUGE amount of fresh water lakes in it's interior. It's one of the reasons boating is so popular in that state. Not only do they have a ton of coastline, they have all that water on the interior as well. Many of those boats have never seen salt water, let alone been used in it regularly.

The boat I would avoid are those regularly docked, moored, constantly immersed in salt water.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would look at the Quad Cities / St Louis / Kansas area. many large boats in the Lake of the Ozarks area and the cost is 75% of the WI/MN/MI/IN/OH area of the mid west

also, if looking in states with 4 seasons, wait until after labor day when people start liquidating.

 

[BWR1953]

I would NOT automatically count a Florida boat out. Florida has a HUGE amount of fresh water lakes in it's interior. It's one of the reasons boating is so popular in that state. Not only do they have a ton of coastline, they have all that water on the interior as well. Many of those boats have never seen salt water, let alone been used in it regularly.

The boat I would avoid are those regularly docked, moored, constantly immersed in salt water.

Yup. 30,000 lakes here.

 

[Boilers2000]

Thanks for the input...im still a year or two out, but wanted to start looking now so I can figure out exactly what I want, how much I want to pay etc. My 28 year old girl still has life in her, and with all the help from this forum she'll probably keep running smooth!