Buying a used boat

[Ms Molly McKever]

Need help please, Looking to buy a used 27 to 30 ft. Cruiser. Is the nada
book (average retail price) a good place start. I do not have a boat to trade.

[VitaBene]

I would peruse Craigslist and Boattrader.com to get an idea of market pricing.

If you are serious about buying a boat you are looking at the right time. You will have a chance to test various boats in the water and get the best prices of the year with the best selection.

[jrc]

For a used boat, look at online sales sites for pricing but remember that location is a big part of price. A boat price in Florida might be different than the same boat here. More demand but more wear and tear from the sun.

There are people called marine surveyors out there, that will for a fee, inspect and generate a report on the condition of a used boat. Consider them if you have any doubts on your ability to completely inspect the boat. Also consider an engine survey by a qualified mechanic. Some surveyors can do both but make sure.

Good luck there are a lot of good boats for sale. Check the dealers, they usually have consignement boats. Go to the big marinas and ask around.

[MAXUM]

Originally Posted by jrc

A boat price in Florida might be different than the same boat here. More demand but more wear and tear from the sun.

To further that, boats that are used in saltwater suffer from deterioration much more so than boats that only see fresh water. Prices will reflect that as well.

[Seeker]

jrc makes a good point regarding a surveyor. In that size range chances are very likely your insurance company will require a survey to determine value. Make sure your surveyor is well qualified and can perform engine surveys as well. Get references from him and check them out.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Ms Molly McKever

Need help please, Looking to buy a used 27 to 30 ft. Cruiser. Is the nada
book (average retail price) a good place start. I do not have a boat to trade.

Nada is a good place to start to get the idea of what a boat should cost. I would not however consider it the bible like I would for a car. Nada fails to take into account to many variables that need to be considered when looking at a boat. Some of which are, engine hours, salt water or fresh water usage, Canvas condition, bottom painted or not, drive type etc etc etc

Now in the size range you are looking at, as others have stated I would suggest hiring a surveyor, especially if you are looking at a newer and thus more expensive boat. It might cost you a few hundred dollars up front however, as long as you get a surveyor that can evaluate everything from the engine to the hull, you will have the information you need to fine tune that price form Nada... A good surveyor will give you a nice detailed report explaining the deficiencies found and what most likely needs to be done about them.

[VtSteve]

Agreed, get a surveyor. The condition and extras make the sale easier, but the prices are not higher. I've see NADA less 10% or lower going on now. I personally wouldn't even look at a used boat through any dealer now.

[MAXUM]

You can also look at BUC which is what the dealers use to determine "book value". I think it tends to be a little more accurate than NADA since they are specialized on boat values only. They also have other information you may find useful.

http://www.buc.com/

[robmac]

I would also try " northeastmarineliquidators.com " they sell reposessed boats for banks at a great price. I have gotten several for friends from them and had a lot of success. I would strongly state have it fully inspected prior to buying as well. There are some great deals to be had,they also show NADA & BUCS values for each vessel. Good luck.

[dbmarine]

Originally Posted by Ms Molly McKever

Need help please, Looking to buy a used 27 to 30 ft. Cruiser. Is the nada
book (average retail price) a good place start. I do not have a boat to trade.

Go to Channel Marine and ask for Bill Liakas, he runs the sales dept. and will give you an honest opinion on boats that he has for sale. He was a certified tech for years has a few good cruisers for sale and will treat you right.

[Belmont Resident]

My wife and I are also looking to upgrade to a larger boat in the 28-30ft range. One thing to consider especially if you are looking for a used boat.
Consider looking off this lake and or out of this state. If you do a comparison you will find that prices in the lakes region are significantly higher than even at the coast.
You can still have a boat professionally checked out and transported up here and still save thousands.
Now that aside with the economy down there are deals in this area to be had. Also consider bank repos. I met someone who makes a living buying and selling repos.
Now many will say that no marina will service a boat from off the lake. Buying new yes you will run into that, but used if different. No many marinas will turn down work on a used boat and you have your choice since it’s used. Any service dept that works on your type of engine can perform even warranty work.

[Silver Duck]

From what I've read, salt water has a very negative impact on engine longevity, and it only takes a few hours of operation in salt water to contaminate the engine cooling passages irretrievably with salt.

That's one of the reasons that used Lake Winni boats command higher prices than those with a history of salt water use.

[Newbiesaukee]

With respect to salt water boats.: If the prices around the lake are higher for that reason, why doesn't someone get a boat at the coast and resell it up here (other than the fact it may be construed as deceptive)? Is it possible to detect salt water use after only a few hours of operation?

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by Silver Duck

From what I've read, salt water has a very negative impact on engine longevity, and it only takes a few hours of operation in salt water to contaminate the engine cooling passages irretrievably with salt.

That's a load of nonsense.

[Belmont Resident]

I was not referring to salt water boats, sorry for the misslead.
I personally would not buy a boat used in salt water, what I was referring to was coastal boat dealers being cheaper than Winni dealer’s boat for boat.
For instance when I bought my 24 Sea ray back in 99 I met a fellow boater with the exact boat except I had Bravo 2 he had Bravo 3 outdrive and he got a trailer and paid 5 grand less than I did buying it on this lake. He bought his at a coastal dealer in Mass.
He also had to battle with Sea ray to get Irwin Marine to do warranty work on that boat.
As for some of the new boats the engine does not see water. My 2001 Outlaw has an intercooler. Engine is full of antifreeze, the water goes in the outdrive, through the intercooler and out the exhaust. Block never see’s raw water.

[SAMIAM]

Salt water is not a problem if you flush with fresh water after every use. Most owners have a garden hose hookup. It's real easy and prevents corrosion.

[cillovely]

In Boston this weekend is the fall boat show. Supposedly used boats as well as new, the dealers will have on hand. Not that these guys are going to have the best prices, but as in the case with my hubby and I, it will give us a chance to better choose what type of boat we want and what brands we like (and what we may be able to afford). There are seminars on boat buying and all that kind of good stuff.

We take our boat out along the Charles river then out into the salt water of Boston Harbor and then back along the river. The cruise back in the fresh water acts as our "flushing of the motor". One of the reasons we haven't launched direct into the salt water this year (this is our first year as boat owners) saves us from having to do it at home. Although hubby does flush it every other time just to be safe.

[John A. Birdsall]

there is a 30' Hackercraft on EBay that was new in 1997 and only used on Lake W. with a trailer, beautiful boat, beautiful conditioned yours for only 49,995.00 there is pictures on the internet. I have ridden in this boat and it is nice nice nice.