FINALLY GETTING THE BOAT! (vixen)

[wing nut]

ok guys im FINALLY GETTING THE BOAT!!! ths will be "my" first boat (my family owns a few though) and im happy to say its a hydrostream!

anyway this sat. im going to pick it up in MASS. near durcat or sumtin? ne way i have a question..

all u guys no alot more then i do so what should i look for on the boat when we go to get it?

1. transom strengh
2. hull (no soft spots)
3. make sure engine runs
4. make sure all electronics work properly
5. make sure bilge works
6. test drive (thats the fun part!)


anything else im missing here??

scott

[Darrylb]

7. Compression test

[delawarerick]

Compression is the most important thing to check. There should be no more than 10 percent variation between the high and low cyclinder. And Scott wear a life jacket on the test run. Good luck and post some pictures. Rick

[H2Onut]

ROTTED FLOORS AND TRANSOM , look for discoloration in the glass. CHECK THE TRANSOM, CHECK THE TRANSOM, it may look nice but an ice pick stabbed in critical locations may prove otherwise,

Take a VOM and measure resistance across the stern eyes.

What this boat stored outdoors ?

Covered ?

Have snow laying in it over the winter ?

Just check EVERYTHING !!!!!

[wing nut]

whats a VOM?

why should i stab the transom with an ice pic? and where?

what should be the compression (around) for a 40hp 78' merc o/b?

i will wear a life jacket no doubt about that! also the boat has a cover over the cockpit, the bow of the boat has faded a little (i need to compund and was it)

anything else?

thanx again
scott

p.s. im just going to print this thred out when i go there to make sure i dont 4get ne thing!!!

[H2Onut]

an ice pick with a very sharp end, if the wood behind the glass, in the transom (this is from inside of boat under spalshwell) has gone soft, it will discolor, an ice pick will not penetrate through if wood is still in good shape. If its on the soft side, you will be able to tell.

If the transom has speedo pickup, and do dodads bolted to it that could let water soak in, If its a Northern boat, any water trapped in transom would then freeze all winter and delamintae wood.

Volt Ohm Meter......this is a trick learned of this board. wet wood will conduct electricity. so if transom is wet, put the leads on the tie down eyes on transom. (YOU WANT TO SEE ALOTT OF RESISTANCE = dry wood)

I am not a boat surveyor, not an expert, just a back yard Joe trying to protect your hard earned dollars.

Good luck, ask ?????????????? up the ying yang, if seller soes not want to answer them...move along.

GOOD LUCK !

[LaserModVee]

To add to the rest of the suggestions-

Take a plastic mallet, crawl underneath the boat and hammer away at the boat listening for soft spots. Do the same with the transom. You can definitely hear the difference between solid/dry and soft/wet when you do this.

[wing nut]

Originally posted by LaserModVee
To add to the rest of the suggestions-

Take a plastic mallet, crawl underneath the boat and hammer away at the boat listening for soft spots. Do the same with the transom. You can definitely hear the difference between solid/dry and soft/wet when you do this.

i was going to go under the boat and just tap around and push up on it. but the mallet sounds better!

anything else??

scott

[Hydrovector]

Make sure you check the floor in the boat good along with everyone's suggestions. The floors were just plywood with no stringer system. and at the back of the boat in the transom area it can be soft. Mine has rot there, and needs replaced. Mine has always been stored inside too. Good luck.