Common Used Boat Problems 

Have you had any bad boat buying experiences that you can share with our viewers? What should they watch out for?

Watch at 1.5 speed thank me later 😊

Excellent advice . Simple but very valuable. Buying my first boat, this will definitely come in handy. 👍🏻

Very professional video and extremely helpful. Thank you!

Check for engine ware, whilst the engine is running lift the oil dip stick and check for combustion blowby which can indicate a worn engine. Engines are a big ticket item to rebuild or replace so additional checks like an engine compression test may be required. Engine run hours don't account for poor maintenance, engine abuse or corrosion. I hope this helps. Cheers

My boat doesn't have an hour meter either but there is still a way to tell. Well, a couple ways. #1 when you turn the key to the run position before starting, the tach gauge jumps to the approximate number of hours in hundreds. So if it jumps to the 3k rpm mark, it means there is about 300 hours. #2 an engine scanner can tell the exact hours. So lookup the specific boat you're looking at and see if there's still a way to tell the hours if it doesn't have a meter.

Great source of information! Thank you!

Very informative. Thank you!!!!

Thanks for posting this!

This is a great video very helpful. Thanks for putting it out there.

Thank you! This video was very helpful .!

Excellent video, I actually learned something new. Thanks

Love this video, thank you for taking the time to make it.

Great tips!

Good info - I like to see how much water comes out of the boat when it is being trailer-ed.. leak test

Thanks for your video.

Fantastic video, and the screw driver trick is the bomb! One thing I was surprised to see was no request for compression test, particularly important with 2-stroke motors. When I purchased my first boat I requested it (dealer purchase so they had done it already). This video should be a first time buyers first stop!

Great videos you have, I'm late but good common sense info never gets old. peace

Hull license number: great tip. I caught an old 'FL' that used to be on a boat I was thinking about buying. Only then the seller mentioned it's history.

Nice job. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

Thank you for the helpful information! :)

i was going to look at videos about buying pre-own SUVs , don't know how i stumle to your video. And i learn a learn from your video, and will click subscribe now. and not even looking for boats.

So helpful, thanks!

Thank you for such informational videos

Good tips

Very informative! I wish I watched this clip before buying my boat, which turned out to be ok 😁

Youre awesome thank you!!! and funny jokes too

Thanks, for your sharing

What about that mould under the engine hatch? Inside storage compartments, test all electrical components, inspect transom and stringers for dampness, all tops/covers, safety gear included with boat, trailer…

Great info. Thanks. Havagudun bud.

Thank you for these great videos. You do a great service to the boating community the world over with your tips and advice. Thank you for sharing your wealth of boating wisdom!!!

New subscriber based on this vid thanks. Might buy used soon for Okanagan use. Vancouver guy here. Are you familiar with Calais? I built them from 85-88. When we got busy I’d help the glaziers roll out decks and hulls but 99% assembly of the 2. Gunnel moulding and trim. Plus install windshields upholstery seats steering electrical etc. Loved that work.

Great video, led me to subscribe. One thing you mention is that these issues aren't necessarily deal-breaking. Something I don't see in a lot of other "buying used boats" videos is the importance of each issue. If you could do a scale from 1-10 on the severity of each issue, that could help potential boat buyers a lot. Example: "(Scale 1: finding out the battery connections are worn is an easy fix that might cost you new batteries and cables, not much money. However, Scale 10: stay away from any boat that has had its engine sunk. This is uncrecoverable and will cost you thousands down the line).

How about the rotten sunpad, the mold and mildew in the engine bay. Rotten stringers and motor mounts are possible. Although I believe that model may have fiberglass stringers.

The more research I do the more I’m convinced that owning a boat is definitely one of my greatest most greatest wishes not to BUY

Regarding sailboats, there is the usual concerns about the outboard or inboard engine. Most sailboat inboards are small Diesels. But watch out for older boats, who often had "Atomic 4" gasoline engines. They can be OK if well maintained and recently overhauled, but keep in mind these are considerably less valuable than a Diesel ($5-6k less resale). Many smaller, older sailboats have outboards that are 2 cycle. These also have less resale value, and are generally thought to be less reliable than 4 cycles. Make sure the outboard is the more expensive "long shaft" version... otherwise it will not push the boat efficiently, and "Reverse" will be terrible. Check to make sure the outboard motor lifting rig works (if present, a bracket that can be moved up or down). The outboard should not be too big for the boat, for instance a 20' sailboat does not need anything larger than about 6 horse, a 10 horse is too heavy for the stern (and sailboats have "hull speed" which cannot be exceeded anyway so extra power is a waste). Sometimes people stick some other outboard on there just to sell the boat. Check the "Liner" inside the cabin for cracks (a one piece mold usually). These cracks are somewhat common, from pounding in high seas, sitting on a trailer incorrectly, or simple manufacturing errors. These usually can be fixed easily but they should knock down a price. They grow over time like with actual glass. Drilling a hole in line with the crack usually stops them growing. Then there is the hull... Fiberglass can get blisters. Go along and pound on it every so often and listen and feel. Sometimes blisters can be visible. They are imperfections in the building process where layers of glass separate and fill with gas. Not always a deal breaker, but not desirable either (they are a bear to fix, and get worse over time). To save weight, some manufacturers such as Catalina made "cored" hulls where the inner core is not 'glass, but some lighter substance such as balsa or some kind of foamed plastic. These are much more prone to blisters than solid hulls (especially ones that are older than about 15 years, they have better processes now). Re-glassed areas: If you see an area on the hull that looks like it was re-glassed at some point, it probably means it was damaged somehow... Its a clue. You generally do not want to buy a boat that was damaged or sunk in a hurricane. Maybe it just hit something on the bow? Usually not that bad. But the fact that it is visible, points to it being fixed by an amateur.... pro's fair them out. Regarding the keel: Check where it joins the hull, there should be no gaps or cracks. Sometimes the keel pulls away or was otherwise damaged by running aground, and this causes leaks. An older boat can have bad-looking sails... not so bad, sails can be bought new or used from several places. The standing rigging can be worn out: Run your hands down the stainless cables, if you feel sharp snags it means broken wires and time to replace. Such things like the tiller or other wood work needing varnish are no big deal. If it has a Wheel, check to see it works. Crawl down and check the electrical system, if it looks all rusty... see above about hurricane boats. Its not horrible to re-wire most sailboats, though. Make sure it has a modern Head that works: Older boats may still have illegal discharge systems. Ripping it all out and putting in a self-contained camping toilet is a fairly cheap and easy way to fix it. Check the water and fuel tanks. Boats should usually come with anchors and chain; always ask about them, and what other equipment comes with the boat (bumpers, dock lines, etc.)... The worst they can do is say "no". ;)

Thanks for sharing your fantastic video and for the good tips, I can really use it since I'm very novice in boats and trying to buy my first boat at age 74, my wife thinks that I'm crazy, regards and be safe my friend.

The only guaranteed protection against these boat issues is to have friends with boats

Having been in the Marine repair business since 2000 , hard to believe I have been in this industry that long. The No 1 advice I can give anybody when buying a boat is : LAKE TEST ,LAKE TEST , LAKE TEST! I have had so many people buy boats with out lake testing and being lied to by the seller and end up with a junk boat that they paid thousands of dollars too much for. I just makes me sick because people are trusting and some shady seller will lie through their teeth. If you call on a boat and tell the seller I want to lake test and the seller starts him ha ing around making excuses why he cant take you out for a lake test , then tell the seller well its apparent you are hiding something on the boat so I will take my money to a seller that isn't. Don't walk, run away from these kind of sellers. If you can do the work your self and he can start it up in the drive way with a flush attachment then maybe yes, but you are leaving yourself to cracks and leaks in the hull. If its a I/O pull the dip stick and check for milk shake . Ask the seller if you can crack the drain plug on the drive ? If he says no walk away . If he says yes just crack it and pull it out just barely and check for milk shake if it has shake it will cost thousands of dollars to reseal the drive .Pass on the boat if you cannot do the drive yourself it take special tools to set up and reaseal a stern drive. If there is no shake in the drive or engine then I would beat him down on the price if he wont lake test and you are taking it as is if you are going to do the work yourself . If you have to hire a Marine tech then pass on it . The repairs can exceed the value on the boat

Thanks

Interesting video I liked this video yes!!!!👍😅

Check all the fluids, including the steering fluid reservoir right? I bought a boat with under 100 hours on it. It was out of steering fluid. Luckily it was just never checked because when I added the fluid and ran the boat a couple times it held the fluid. Am I missing anything here?

Any historical issues on a Merc 2004 2 stroke ELPT 40 hp ?

How I check the "health" of any internal combustion engine is, take the oil cap off, flip it over and look at it. It represents in a way what the interior of the engine looks like. This is where you hopefully won't find the crud or milkshake residue. Also, smell the oil cap. It should basically smell like used oil. No burnt smell. So a healthy motor would indicate a fairly clean oil cap that smells like used motor oil.

when looking at the bottom of the hull what if there is bottom paint covering old repairs?

Great vid, thank you! What boat brands are good? What brands should I stay away from?

What problems will I have installing a short shaft outboard engine 15 inch shaft on a 21 inch transom?

Idk if you sell any Yamaha jet boats, but if you do, could you make another video on what to look for on used jet drive boats?

That was a mistake I committed. I didn’t check the of the engine had rust or not, took it to the ocean ran great next thing you know the oil pan was rusted out all my oil was all over the place and the engine blew.

Buy an expensive (or, not cheap) boat, and you’ll have minimal expense and maximum enjoyment.”… the best boat buying advice ever!!!! OR, buy a cheap boat, hate it, be frustrated, never enjoy it, and once you’re at the brink of divorce, pay someone to haul it out of your yard to get rid of it.

so... if i'm looking for cracking... and i find it... what does it tell me?

No joke, if the engine has a "Fram" filter, look carefully at the oil to make sure there isn't any metal glitter in it. Those filters are notoriously bad and can even block off oil circulation as the bypass valve are not always working as intended. Also the filters (in general) can be used after they clog up, which bypasses the filtering, this is to prevent oil starvation. However if it's been that long in between oil changes for that to occur I would recommend against buying it. Also avoid milkshake oil, not everybody knows what that implies.

I always tell people "Take the owner you are purchasing from out on a ride in the boat with you"!

Great vid Sean! I’m looking into getting a ‘07 Challenger 180 with 550 hours on the engine for 11700$ CAD (roughly 9k USD). Do you think it’s a good starter boat for me, and is 550 hour too much for a 13 year old boat? I’m just worried about mechanical expenses that might follow in the upcoming years. Thanks in advance

I look for the hole in the bottom that swallows all the money. Often you can find tens or thousands of dollars there, sometimes much more. The owners often confess that they know that boat stands for Bring Out Another Thousand" and I rarely have the heart to tell them that it actually stands for "Bend Over And Take it" It just doesn't feel polite.

They put a FRAM oil filter on that engine? That’s practically a disqualification right there!

Any chance you could do a similar video on a larger boat (if you deal with them)?

i cant help but think this guys boat must be immaculate

Ahhhh. Even from the best used boat dealers you truly don’t know know what your getting into even being a mechanic myself and all the procedures to make sure the boat is safe (Seaworthy) THE GAS GAUGE was from full to half full well I was on empty in the middle of the lake out of gas The other even though the batteries work and look healthy still replace them I came to the boat ramp to realize my batteries finally gave out. A sea ray 22.5 cuddly cabin so far that’s it 2001

"Touch them and squeeze them, make sure their soft and supple"

What if there are small cracks in the fiberglass on the top

He talked me out of buying a boat thank you

⭐

Is there a licensed boat inspector can be hired for a complete inspection report??

what a fantastic video, i shouldnt be viewing this for free

My dad told me once, that the best of day of his life was when he bought his boat.. And 2nd best day was when he got rid of it.

Look to see if they use FRAM oil filters…..! At 6:20

improper mixing of the foam floatation will absorb water you could have a 1000 LBS. of water and no flotation!

These are the exact steps I take when choosing a new girlfriend.

Be sure to educate yourself before buying a used boat. This purchase has some hard work ahead but also really fun. Get everything you could possibly need to renovate your boat from a marine store.

Reach under motor and feel oil pan and see its rusty. Had to pull motor to replace oil pan.... something to thing about

I want a used boat.

Boats cant be cheap to buy. * me who bought a 1972 Cruisers Vacationer for 500 bucks*

I have seen a lot of you presentations there ok but you always state the most simple things why not talk about stringer rot or say get surveyed

Don’t buy at the boat show and don’t trust the warranty

Instead of leaving the camera on the man, more attention should be given to the boat- not the narrator!

Maybe should buy new😱

My point is simple ..If you don't know what to look for when buying a used boat , then you shouldn't be buying a boat in the first place

Never buy a inboard engine boat

You set your vid to monetize trying to get rich & sh_t brah

Pretty good advice… but one glaring omission. You don’t check an inboard/outboard motor or drive for ANYTHING!!! The proper advice would be “Turn around and run away as fast as you can!!!! Don’t even slow down to get in your car. Send someone at night to go pick up your car.”