Can't find a surveyor. Skip?

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by buddyb

It's owned by an older couple. Currently trailered. They barely used it and the engine has about 100 hours on it. They said they have service records and the engine looks clean. I'll verify of course.

Let me tell you about a creampuff like that I just towed a few miles up river for a friend.

Because it was barely used, and hadn't really been used much over its life, and not at all since beginning of COVID, it had built up some corrosion. In particular this owner had fallen victim of the myth about you should start your engine every month. You should NOT unless you then get the engine up to operating temp for at least a half hour, otherwise acidic condensation is created, causing internal corrosion, breaking down the oil, thinning the film, which then causes increased wear at startup, hardest part of an engines life(cam lobes, bearings etc all suffer, cylinder walls rust, rings wear...).

Also, because of the light use, and because of the owners "oh, I NEVER went to full throttle so as to not stress the engine", the valves were very sticky.

In fact, an exhaust valve stuck. But owner kept trying to start it. In fact, for every prospective buyer he'd demonstrate how it turned over easily, but didn't start (probably needs new plugs thinks he).

This was a pushrod engine. Stuck valve + solid lifters + rotating engine = bent pushrod (usually).

In the end, after pulling manifolds, head, etc basically engine needs a fair bit of work and needs to come out.

Cheap buy maybe not so much.

(creampuffs: Back in the day when I was doing Porsche club racing there was a late 60 year old lady, an amazing driver and instructor, who raced a 993 twin turbo. When she finally sold it she advertised it as "owned by a little old lady and only driven on Sundays" lol)

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

Let me tell you about a creampuff like that I just towed a few miles up river for a friend.



Because it was barely used, and hadn't really been used much over its life, and not at all since beginning of COVID, it had built up some corrosion. In particular this owner had fallen victim of the myth about you should start your engine every month. You should NOT unless you then get the engine up to operating temp for at least a half hour, otherwise acidic condensation is created, causing internal corrosion, breaking down the oil, thinning the film, which then causes increased wear at startup, hardest part of an engines life(cam lobes, bearings etc all suffer, cylinder walls rust, rings wear...).



Also, because of the light use, and because of the owners "oh, I NEVER went to full throttle so as to not stress the engine", the valves were very sticky.



In fact, an exhaust valve stuck. But owner kept trying to start it. In fact, for every prospective buyer he'd demonstrate how it turned over easily, but didn't start (probably needs new plugs thinks he).



This was a pushrod engine. Stuck valve + solid lifters + rotating engine = bent pushrod (usually).



In the end, after pulling manifolds, head, etc basically engine needs a fair bit of work and needs to come out.



Cheap buy maybe not so much.



(creampuffs: Back in the day when I was doing Porsche club racing there was a late 60 year old lady, an amazing driver and instructor, who raced a 993 twin turbo. When she finally sold it she advertised it as "owned by a little old lady and only driven on Sundays" lol)

I agree , an leisure engine should have around 100 -150 hours per year to be used properly

Diesels like to be used and used quite hard. Low engine hours on old Boats can be a bad buy.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Maybe a local mechanic will look it over? Most of the money there is in the engine, although you'd want someone to look at the hull, too.

I haven't been in the market during these crazy times, but historically boats like that are a dime a dozen. Took me over a year to sell one, and I had to accept a stupid low offer.

Rule #1 in boat buying: NEVER fall in love. Always look for a reason to walk away.

Tons out there..

[CarlF]

How much are you spending? I think it’s a waste of money to survey a boat that costs less than $15k. Even $50k may not be worth it.

Look it over carefully for fiberglass damage (or collision repairs). Look for any water staining that suggests partial sinking. Watch the motor started from cold and make sure the engine does’t leak fluids or smoke.

Force yourself to walk away if it isn’t as good as the pictures.

It’s an old boat. So expect to spend $5000 in repairs in the first 12 months - many of which a surveyor would have missed.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by CarlF

How much are you spending? I think it’s a waste of money to survey a boat that costs less than $15k. Even $50k may not be worth it.

Look it over carefully for fiberglass damage (or collision repairs). Look for any water staining that suggests partial sinking. Watch the motor started from cold and make sure the engine does’t leak fluids or smoke.

And check the gasoline fuel system grounding and AC/DC bonding system and that some fool has not joined a neutral and ground and that the gimbal bearings and bellows are in sound condition on the i/o and the continuity of the anodes and that the bottom paint is not in contact with the drive assembly and that the batteries don't have a charger mounted above them and that the batteries are fuse protected and that a PO has not installed a non-ignition battery charger or an automotive battery charger and that he has not installed an AC outlet for that charger in the engine compartment. I got 20 more things to check but thats a start.

[Shaneesprit]

Originally Posted by buddyb

You are fine to be suspicious. I can't imagine how many newbies make bad decisions on this forum. I'm here because I don't want to be one.

I have not seen the boat in person, but I'm not buying it until I do so.

It's located about 4 hours away from me so it's logistically not easy.


It's owned by an older couple. Currently trailered. They barely used it and the engine has about 100 hours on it. They said they have service records and the engine looks clean. I'll verify of course.

I've been in the market a couple months and supply is very scarce in my price range. Seems to be a sellers market. Boat brokers tell me they are busy and surveyors tell me they are busy enough to not be interested in driving that far to inspect.

4hrs well that’s a day out, best go and look first, and don’t make a decision until you get home - take 1000 photos while your there. and yes write a list before and use it while there then write yourself a detailed report while there.
You can start an engine for 30 seconds- longer in truth - if the owner will let you.
If you don’t get a sea trail then it needs to be very cheap.

[merrydolphin]

Older couple and little used are 2 red flags. May be ok but often means neglect and there is nothing worse for a boat than non-use. Both the mechanics and the structure. In addition to mechanicals you need to closely inspect the entire structure inside and out for saturation and delamination. If it’s that remote, they should let it be trailored to an area where it can be sea trialed and surveyed. This is enough money to make prudence wise. Maybe it’s peanuts to you and if so go for it. But if this is a large expenditure for you……..be careful! Maybe tell him that you will pay him full price if you can sea trial and survey, if not you will pay him say, $17k on your own inspection. And cant you run the boat on there lake?

[Diantre]

Where are you located?
You can find one one the SAMS/NAMS web site

[buddyb]

Update. I bought the boat. Did a sea trial at a local lake and did a survey after purchase that gave her a clean bill of health.

All is well.

[capn_billl]

There is a long list of things that can go wrong on a boat.

Engine problems, hull delamination, grounding, bonding, keel bolts,...

If you are very knowledgeable, and make a detailed list of things to check, you can probably do it yourself.

But bringing in an "authority" gives you an unarguable position to ask for repairs, or price reductions for faults found.

I would keep looking.

A surveyor can miss things, but they also find things YOU missed, and the report will give you a head start on negotiating that can save you more than the surveyor fee.

Plus you need a survey to insure the boat anyway.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by buddyb

Update. I bought the boat. Did a sea trial at a local lake and did a survey after purchase that gave her a clean bill of health.

All is well.

Congrats!!!!

Keep us posted on how it goes!

[Carl-T705]

Originally Posted by buddyb

You are fine to be suspicious. I can't imagine how many newbies make bad decisions on this forum. I'm here because I don't want to be one.

I have not seen the boat in person, but I'm not buying it until I do so.

It's located about 4 hours away from me so it's logistically not easy.


It's owned by an older couple. Currently trailered. They barely used it and the engine has about 100 hours on it. They said they have service records and the engine looks clean. I'll verify of course.

I've been in the market a couple months and supply is very scarce in my price range. Seems to be a sellers market. Boat brokers tell me they are busy and surveyors tell me they are busy enough to not be interested in driving that far to inspect.

. Your willing to spend thousands of dollars on a boat but claim it's logistically not easy to go view the boat, that is four hours away, that's very interesting to me, yet you can't understand why a surveyor isn't willing to travel the same distance for a couple hundred bucks.