Buying a second hand boat is a huge investment and quite often a lifelong dream. So before you dig deep and hand over your hard earned cash, make sure you do a little bit of homework to ensure you’re not buying a lemon. Buying with peace of mind means you can hit the water straight away, knowing your second hand boat will go the distance.
Here are a few things to look for when buying a second hand boat:
How has the boat been used in the past?
This is a great starting point! From that single question, you can quite often find out a lot about the boat’s previous ownership. You’ll be able to determine if the vessel has spent a lot of time in fresh or saltwater. You can also find out how experienced the seller is as a boatie. Which quite often leads to questions on reliability, storage and maintenance conducted on the boat. This will go a long way in determining how much you should pay for your vessel and may assist you when haggling for a price.
Servicing and maintenance records
These are essential when buying a second hand boat. Ask to run your eyes over the service and maintenance history of the vessel. If the boat is regularly serviced and well maintained, you’ll be able to see if there’s been any past issues and you’ll also establish if the boat has been well cared for. Ideally, the boat will have been serviced annually by a certified marine technician or service centre. Remember, buying a second hand boat is an expensive venture. You want to make sure you get it right before you drive away.
The number of hours the boat has done out on the water
There’s no odometer on a second hand boat. It’s a little different to buying a car. This means you need to ask how many hours the engine has done. This will give you good leverage when determining the boat’s value. Relying on the hour meter alone isn’t always a good idea though. Keep in mind it can be reset or disconnected much easier than a car’s odometer. The best bet is to check the engine yourself, or even better still, have a professional marine technician inspect the engine before going ahead with the purchase.
And finally, look for damage
You can’t always rely on the previous owner. While visual damage may be easy to spot, it’s the hidden damage that can be difficult to find. Make sure you conduct a thorough inspection yourself, or once again, call on a professional marine technician to conduct a thorough inspection. Especially if the second hand boat is quite old. There may be hidden rot, mould or mildew and only a professional will know where to look for it.
In the market for a new or used boat?
At Wyld About Boats, we’re wild about boats! Boasting a huge range of new and second hand vessels, we go above and beyond to get you sorted out on the water. Give us a call on 07 5563 2223. Or, drop us an email to . And make sure you check out our range online. We’ve got plenty to choose from! And we’re ready to help.
