I am looking into go in on a boat and was wondering what is the best
place for research.

I don't have any previous buying experience but I do have a couple of
questions.

Are boats like cars in the sense that you can get 200,000 miles from a
Toyota but only 150,000 from a Ford or Chevrolet? I don't want to buy
a boat that is getting ready to break down.

Is there a "blue book" for boats and where would I find a copy of said
blue book?

If a boat is in the water but for-sale would it be wrong or un-couth
to ask the boat be lifted out of the water for an inspection of the
underside and prop? (and what is this process called by people in the
know...dry dock?)

If the boat is in Dry dock, is it to much to ask to have the boat be
put in the water for a "test drive"?

When you all bought your first boat was there ever a time when you
said "&^%#$^ I wish I had" and what was the mistake you made?

Are their common mistakes that are made?

Should I avoid one engine over another?

Have marine engines gotten as complicated as car engines?


the boat would be used for day trips mostly.
Looking at used 20-35 ft boat in the Louisville, KY area so intended
use areas would be Ohio river and Kentucky lake.
Budget is 35,000 and according to yachtworld.com there are quite a few
Carvers and a couple Sea Rays, Chris-Crafts, and the odd Crownline and
Bayliner that fall under those criteria.

Well that should get me started...FYI if the boat gets bought I will
be going to the power squadron to take their classes but I hate to
waste my time if a boat isn't in the future.

Thanks in advance and happy sailing.
Scott

Is there a "blue book" for boats and where would I find a copy of said
blue book?
www.nada.com

is a place to start, if a boat is really clean, expect to pay at least 20%
over what nada says, & opposite is also true. it really depends on how well
the owners took care of it

On May 21, 8:14 am, RogueIT wrote:
I am looking into go in on a boat and was wondering what is the best
place for research.

I don't have any previous buying experience but I do have a couple of
questions.

Are boats like cars in the sense that you can get 200,000 miles from a
Toyota but only 150,000 from a Ford or Chevrolet? I don't want to buy
a boat that is getting ready to break down.

Is there a "blue book" for boats and where would I find a copy of said
blue book?

If a boat is in the water but for-sale would it be wrong or un-couth
to ask the boat be lifted out of the water for an inspection of the
underside and prop? (and what is this process called by people in the
know...dry dock?)

If the boat is in Dry dock, is it to much to ask to have the boat be
put in the water for a "test drive"?

When you all bought your first boat was there ever a time when you
said "&^%#$^ I wish I had" and what was the mistake you made?

Are their common mistakes that are made?

Should I avoid one engine over another?

Have marine engines gotten as complicated as car engines?

the boat would be used for day trips mostly.
Looking at used 20-35 ft boat in the Louisville, KY area so intended
use areas would be Ohio river and Kentucky lake.
Budget is 35,000 and according to yachtworld.com there are quite a few
Carvers and a couple Sea Rays, Chris-Crafts, and the odd Crownline and
Bayliner that fall under those criteria.

Well that should get me started...FYI if the boat gets bought I will
be going to the power squadron to take their classes but I hate to
waste my time if a boat isn't in the future.

Thanks in advance and happy sailing.
Scott

A great place to start is to tell us more about what kind of boating
you intend to do, and where/what kind of water do you plan on boating
in. There are just too many boats out there to answer your questions
based on the info you have given us. Do you plan to fish, drag kids
around on a tube, float in a small protected area, head out to the
surf, etc

On 21 May 2007 05:14:44 -0700, RogueIT
wrote:


Are boats like cars in the sense that you can get 200,000 miles from a
Toyota but only 150,000 from a Ford or Chevrolet? I don't want to buy
a boat that is getting ready to break down.

That's a good question. It's really a matter of maintenance. If the
owner has maintained the boat and engine(s) properly, they can last a
good long time. High engine hours aren't necessarily a problem if the
engine has been properly maintained.

Is there a "blue book" for boats and where would I find a copy of said
blue book?

NADA has a boat section and you can get a general idea of the
"relative" value of a boat there. This is an odd boat used boat
market - there are a lot of boats in the size you are looking at for
sale both in local markets and national markets.

NADA will give you a relative value - you can expect to pay roughly
15/20% below in this market. A few years ago, it might have been
different getting around the asking price.

Then again, you may stumble into a boat that is exactly what you want
and you will probably pay asking or just below.

If a boat is in the water but for-sale would it be wrong or un-couth
to ask the boat be lifted out of the water for an inspection of the
underside and prop? (and what is this process called by people in the
know...dry dock?)

Absoutely not - it's more than appropriate. It's called a survey and
you need to hire a surveyor to do the inspection for you. A surveyor
will find what's wrong and give you a pretty rock solid idea of it's
relative value.

If the boat is in Dry dock, is it to much to ask to have the boat be
put in the water for a "test drive"?

No, but this can be a tricky deal. Some brokers/owners want a
purchase and sales agreement before dunking the boat for a test run.
Normally, this is part of the survey and while you might pay extra for
it, it's worth it. Some surveyors will also do an engine check for an
extra charge - these types of surveys are very valuable in determining
what you might be willing to pay for the boat.

When you all bought your first boat was there ever a time when you
said "&^%#$^ I wish I had" and what was the mistake you made?

Based on the experience on others (with a couple of exceptions, I've
always bought a major boat purcahse new) there are a lot of things,
but the most common complaint is "I didn't know that was a problem"
which could have been solved by having a survey done.

I had an experience with a 28' Topaz which I was considering
purchasing. I had looked the boat over very closely (spent four hours
looking at this and that) and thought for the money, it was a pretty
good deal. Contacted a surveyor and five minutes into the survey, the
deal was off. He found more problems in five minutes than the boat
was worth.

Survey, survey, survey is the mantra on a used boat sale.

If the boat is trailerable and has a trailer, take it to the surveyor
which will save you a few bucks.

It's worth spending the four/five hundred bucks on a decent survey

Are their common mistakes that are made?

Yes - not having a survey done.

If it's a trailer boat, take it to a dealer (not the dealer you are
purchasing from) and pay for an hours shop time to have the engine and
boat looked over.

Should I avoid one engine over another?

Again, what's the maintenance? In general, any outboard more than ten
years old or so can be problematic in terms of both parts and people
willing to work on them.

Inboards, not so much.

Have marine engines gotten as complicated as car engines?

More so in the case of outboards. Consider that there is more
computing power in my ETEC than was aboard the lunar lander modules.

the boat would be used for day trips mostly.
Looking at used 20-35 ft boat in the Louisville, KY area so intended
use areas would be Ohio river and Kentucky lake.
Budget is 35,000 and according to yachtworld.com there are quite a few
Carvers and a couple Sea Rays, Chris-Crafts, and the odd Crownline and
Bayliner that fall under those criteria.

All good boats but you still need to think survey. What others may
consider a crap boat based on reputation, may just be that hidden gem
that will tickle your fancy.

Rember the mantra - survey, survey, survey.

Well that should get me started...FYI if the boat gets bought I will
be going to the power squadron to take their classes but I hate to
waste my time if a boat isn't in the future.

Take it anyway. You know you are going to buy a boat. :)

One precaution - if you are doing this on a partnership deal with
somebody else, I'd seriously consider not doing that.

98% of joint ownership deals never work out.

On May 21, 5:14 am, RogueIT wrote:
I am looking into go in on a boat and was wondering what is the best
place for research.

I don't have any previous buying experience but I do have a couple of
questions.

Are boats like cars in the sense that you can get 200,000 miles from a
Toyota but only 150,000 from a Ford or Chevrolet? I don't want to buy
a boat that is getting ready to break down.


Brand name only tells you something about how the boat was built to
start with, and cannot be relied upon when shopping for a used boat.
Most of the stuff most likely to break on a boat (darn nearly
everything except the hull itself- and in very rare cases that can
happen as well) isn't built by the company laying up the hull and
assembling the components. There are only a handful of gasoline engine
builders in common use, and perhaps a half-dozen very common makes of
diesel with another half-dozen making regualr appearances. Boats can
be and have been powered with marinized versions of almost every
engine- including VW diesels. The engine itself will last just as long
in Brand X as it will in Brand Y, provided it was properly installed,
properly sized to the boat/load, and has been properly operated and
maintained.


Is there a "blue book" for boats and where would I find a copy of said
blue book?

Two or three. And they all disagree. One problem with most of the
giudebooks is that they are national publications, while the boating
market is regional. (A trawler in the Pacific NW is worth a lot more
than a trawler in Florida, for example. A pontoon boat is a big hit in
Alabama, but might go begging in many parts of Oregon). If you haven't
shopped enough to develop a pretty good sense of what your local
market is you may not have shopped enough. You don't want to pay a NW
price for a trawler in Florida, or a SE price for a pontoon boat in
Oregon.





If a boat is in the water but for-sale would it be wrong or un-couth
to ask the boat be lifted out of the water for an inspection of the
underside and prop? (and what is this process called by people in the
know...dry dock?)


A survey. Don't buy a boat without a survey, LIfiting it out of the
water is a "haul out", but the inspection, which should cover a heck
of a lot more than the prop and shaft is a survey.




If the boat is in Dry dock, is it to much to ask to have the boat be
put in the water for a "test drive"?

Absolutely not. Don't buy any boat without seeing it float, running
it, enjoying it, and having an expert mechanic and/or surveyor give
you a thumbs' up.





When you all bought your first boat was there ever a time when you
said "&^%#$^ I wish I had" and what was the mistake you made?

I wished I had bought a boat 10 years earlier. :-)



Are their common mistakes that are made?

Yup. But asking these kinds of questions might help you avoid a few of
them.


Should I avoid one engine over another?

Look for an engine that is still in production and that has at least
decent loxal service available. You can get a marinized BMW engine-
but if parts are mail-order only in your location and the only guy who
knows how to work on it is 6 hours away you will regret that choice
immensely.



Have marine engines gotten as complicated as car engines?

Not quite, but closing in pretty rapidly.



the boat would be used for day trips mostly.
Looking at used 20-35 ft boat in the Louisville, KY area so intended
use areas would be Ohio river and Kentucky lake.
Budget is 35,000 and according to yachtworld.com there are quite a few
Carvers and a couple Sea Rays, Chris-Crafts, and the odd Crownline and
Bayliner that fall under those criteria.

Well that should get me started...FYI if the boat gets bought I will
be going to the power squadron to take their classes but I hate to
waste my time if a boat isn't in the future.

Thanks in advance and happy sailing.
Scott

On 21 May 2007 05:14:44 -0700, RogueIT
wrote:

If the boat is in Dry dock, is it too much to ask to have the boat be
put in the water for a "test drive"?

Absolutely not. Do not even think about buying a boat that can not be
demonstrated to run properly. Your offer should be made subject to
"satisfactory sea trial and survey", fancy words for inspection by a
qualified expert and a satisfactory test run.

If the seller wants a deposit first, and some will, make sure your
offer is in writing and that you reserve the right to reject the boat
for any reason (with a refund of the deposit less any expenses).

With small boats I will typically offer the owner $100 towards fuel
and expenses for an informal test ride.

RogueIT wrote:

When you all bought your first boat was there ever a time when
you said "&^%#$^ I wish I had" and what was the mistake you made?

Finding the boat I thought was perfect, based on weight that I could
tow and money that they wanted. Then not thinking clearly when
looking it over so that I could turn it down.

Look over the craiglist ads in your area. You'll start to get a feel
as to what the general asking price will be for the boats your looking
at.


sam

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...


Survey, survey, survey is the mantra on a used boat sale.

If the boat is trailerable and has a trailer, take it to the surveyor
which will save you a few bucks.

It's worth spending the four/five hundred bucks on a decent survey



In addition to Short Wave's mantra .... if you buy from a dealer, do your
homework, ask around the docks and hire your own independent surveyor.
Many dealers will offer to "arrange" the survey for you, using their
favorite service.

Eisboch

On May 21, 5:14 am, RogueIT wrote:
I am looking into go in on a boat and was wondering what is the best
place for research.

I don't have any previous buying experience but I do have a couple of
questions.

Are boats like cars in the sense that you can get 200,000 miles from a
Toyota but only 150,000 from a Ford or Chevrolet? I don't want to buy
a boat that is getting ready to break down.

Is there a "blue book" for boats and where would I find a copy of said
blue book?

If a boat is in the water but for-sale would it be wrong or un-couth
to ask the boat be lifted out of the water for an inspection of the
underside and prop? (and what is this process called by people in the
know...dry dock?)

If the boat is in Dry dock, is it to much to ask to have the boat be
put in the water for a "test drive"?

When you all bought your first boat was there ever a time when you
said "&^%#$^ I wish I had" and what was the mistake you made?

Are their common mistakes that are made?

Should I avoid one engine over another?

Have marine engines gotten as complicated as car engines?

the boat would be used for day trips mostly.
Looking at used 20-35 ft boat in the Louisville, KY area so intended
use areas would be Ohio river and Kentucky lake.
Budget is 35,000 and according to yachtworld.com there are quite a few
Carvers and a couple Sea Rays, Chris-Crafts, and the odd Crownline and
Bayliner that fall under those criteria.

Well that should get me started...FYI if the boat gets bought I will
be going to the power squadron to take their classes but I hate to
waste my time if a boat isn't in the future.

Thanks in advance and happy sailing.
Scott

Check out the links on http://solarboat4sale.com ... lots of great
places to buy new and used boats.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:


One precaution - if you are doing this on a partnership deal with
somebody else, I'd seriously consider not doing that.

98% of joint ownership deals never work out.

I'm not sure if 98% is a good estimate but it *is* a serious consideration.

I owned a boat with a friend years ago and it worked out very well. It
was just an 18 foot bowrider so there weren't too many things that
couldn't be worked out without any discussion. On a larger boat you can
expect more maintenance issues and expenses that could turn it into an
ugly partnership.

As long as you can agree on splitting the maintenance, insurance, and
repair costs and filling it up with fuel at the end of each day, your
biggest concern will be how to split the time on the boat. Holidays are
the toughest but, in my case, we often boated together with the women.

If your boat partner is financially irresponsible or unstable then you
should reconsider. In the 5-6 years I shared a boat we never had a
problem but there are a lot of stories out there that don't have the
same results.

Dan