Re: Test driving a used boat
Couple of other items:
-inspection by a competent marine mechanic is always a good idea. Seller resistance to this idea is also telling.
-look for suspicsiously new components. A shiny prop on a grubby engine scares me just as much as a dinged prop on a grubby engine..maybe more
-check play in prop shaft. Does it wiggle side to side?
-how is the skeg? Straight and clean with reasonable wear or bent, scraped, or suspiciously shiny with new paint? Look over the outdrive for non-factory numbers stamped on them indicating a rebuilt or replaced lower unit due to major prop strike. This isn't necessarily a deal breaker but goes to how carefully it was used in the past. It's all about letting the boat tell you its own story about the owner...
-can't reinforce outdrive play enough. If you can move the outdrive side to side any appreciable amount without the steering wheel turning you may have a bad gimbal ring and or bearing you are in for some dollars. Not to mention the boat isn't safe to use until you track down exactly what the deal is. The mech can give you acceptable play specs.
-wrecking an engine due to improper winterization doesn't bode well for other maintenance items. Drain some gear lube and see if it has that milky look of water decomtamination.
-check the gelcoat for blisters, cracks, or signs of repair
-never hurts to ask right out if the boat has ever been submerged or in a major accident.
On to the sea trial:
If you plan to use this boat with the spouse and kids, bring them along. Not only will you get a sense of whether they see themselves spending much time in it, the extra weight is useful to determine how it handles in real world use (versus one person only). This is especially important with bow riders. My SeaRay 170 was a gorgeous boat but a couple of people up front reduced the freeboard to almost nothing at the bow. More than once I took on some surprising water while idling into resonable wake from other boats. Planing it was no problem but you ain't always planing!
Speaking of planing, try to get out in less than flat calm conditions to get a sense of how dry a ride you are in for. Some hulls throw spray out from the hull, others throw it up high only to be blown back into your face by any appreciable wind. How does it handle running into some chop, and even more importantly, with the prevailing seas coming at you from off the bow some degrees. The degree to which your hull has a vee to it will dictate how much slamming your butt is going to take.
How is the view from the helm. Is that sleek and sexy windshield just about useless to look through due to excessive rake or height or glass distortion? Is the design of the instrument cluster sensible; can you read all gauges (and do they work...?)
What's the noise level like at cruise? Any undue vibration coming up through the helm?
What kind of canvas are you getting compared to how you intend to use it? Is there a fully enclosed convertible top, bimini, or mooring cover only? This isn't crucial but you can spend unexpected dollars just outfitting the thing to suit your use.
I'm sure I'll think of more, but this along with the other good suggestions is a start.
