Back a few years, a few of us came up with a guide of sorts on what to look for when buying a boat. Here's the list we came up with and by no means is it complete for all boats. It was put out there more as something someone could print out to take along so as to remember what to look at.
1. Manufacturer
2. Who has title to the boat, and is the paperwork/documentation up to date.
3. hull condition
a. check for stress cracks, if there's a lot, stay away.
b. was the hull painted, find out why. The hull may have been damaged, fixed and then painted. Since you don't know how it was fixed, I would shy away from it.
c. bring a 4 ft long straight edge to check the bottom for hook and/or rocker. The way to do this check is to lay the straight on the bottom of the boat from the transom forward. If there is a gap between the bottom of the boat and the straight edge, the boat has hook. If the straight edge "rocks" the hull has a "bulge" that is referred to as rocker.
d. bow flex, were there any supports/bulkheads removed under the bow?
e. check the transom and stringers for rot - this can be tough to do since both areas should be covered in fiberglass. Look closely in areas where there are thru bolts ie: motor mounts in stringers, where pump hole is cut. Bolts that are sucked into the stringers or transom are usually an indication of rot.
f. check the keel line - lots of scratches or worn out areas mean the boat was beached a lot.
4. Interior condition, not only the upholstery but check the frames for possible rot.
5. Interior wiring/gauges- check for corrosion, splices and overall condition.
6. Engine condition - fire it off and listen. If I'm looking for a project, the engine sometimes isn't that important as it'll be freshened up anyway.
7. Drive Condition
a- jet pump - crawl underneath and look at the impeller, any damage visible? chunks out of the impeller means possible issues inside. Check the oil for water and check the driveline the best you can.
b- check the nozzle for play. If excessive, it will need nyliner bushings at a minimum.
c-outdrives and out boards- I'm not very familiar with these but have been told to check oil levels, oil color, check props for dings and dents (cracks), check the leading edge of the lower units for evidence of impact and the bottom of the units for major scratching or wear.
8. Cables - make sure the steering wheel turns freely, the forward/reverse and the throttle cables move easily. Any cuts in the sheathing?
9. Trailer - overall condition, tires, wheels, do the hubs have bearing buddies, lights, and wiring.
10. Price - what's the asking price and how much will be needed to put into it to make it a good solid running boat?
