My first ever boat purchase.

[great white]

Well done on insisting on a sea trial and finding that problem.

 

Very good decision to back away quickly. That is a major problem that would be hard to fix.

 

Good luck in your search.

 

Keeping boats on swinging moorings is fine but it has draw backs

You need to check them a lot more than in a Marina and everything takes a little more effort and a little more time at either end of a trip.

 

That said I have done it for many years and still do

[WILLB2B]

Wow! This is really good choice for the first boat)

[Death Trap II]

ohgreatone,

 

i am no expert, but i am on my third boat now and have had some experience.

 

I fully endorse the trailer comments. That boat looks like it needs a braked trailer. Every boat i have bought i have found needs renewal work on the hubs, wheels, bearings and suspension. fact of life for trailer boats.

 

These days i just go straight to remove the engine cowling and put my hand on the block to see if it is warm. If it is, without reason, walk away. They are trying to mislead you. Ask if you can start it quickly. if you get any instructions more complicated than making sure the fuel is primed and adjusting the choke for the cold, walk away. Check all moving parts that are exposed for pitting or corrosion, lift the tilt mechanism all the way up and down a couple of times, listen for a sign that it is struggling. this gives hints to the state of the battery. look for leaks on the tilt cylinder. turn the steering to both extremes. Does it feel tight? might need new cables. Look for hammer marks on the joint connecting the steering cable to the cylinder. signifies someone left the steering rod exposed for a long period and it seazed up.

 

But most importantly, check the throttle. does it easily shift in and out of gear. Does it move smoothly.

 

it is not always easy, but try to find out about the construction method of the boat. If there is a lot of foam under the waterline, be wary. Even closed cell foam gets waterlogged. try to find out if it has been kept on the water. if possible, check to see if you can move the trailer by hand to check t see how manageable it will be for launching.

 

Look for a three inch strap mark across the gunnels at the rear. For a boat that size you wouldnt really have want to have a 3 inch strap holding it down to the trailer, it could damage the structure of the boat by bending it. You want two straps, one at the bow pulling it down and toward the back of the trailer and one at the stern pulling down and forwards.

 

the comments about the extras are also useful. all of those extra things you need add up. spare tire, fenders, lines, and most of all COVERS - add up to a small fortune on their own. take that into account.

[Jim]

Well said Matt.

 

Jim

[Ohgreatone]

Thanks for all that, nearly went up to Scotland to look at a boat but pulled away because I think I would have felt obligated. It's so easy to be tempted.