Nd Boat Buying Advice!

[BarryBob]

I just drove by a Ciera 160 with Tohatsu 55 hp. The guy bought it from someone else and has not put it in<br /> the water this year. He says he hooked up a hose and the motor runs fine in each gear. Prop has some<br /> nicks. Neither the trailer (good shape/galvanized) nor the boat are registered.<br /><br /> The hull has no obvious scratches or holes. Upholstery is faded but ok.<br /><br /> I have never bought a boat before so I'm green at this. The price is $1,400 obo. <br /><br /> (1) If I check the right things, should I buy a boat without putting it in the water?<br /><br /> (2) Can you adequately test a motor with a hose/bucket? Gears?<br /><br /> (3) Is a 55 hp Tohatsu junk or a good motor?<br /><br /> There you have it. Stupid questions from a greenhorn. I appreciate any advice or comments!<br /><br /> Thanks,<br /><br /> Barry

 

[suzukidave]

Re: Nd Boat Buying Advice!

The price sounds ok as does the set-up. The motor is a good match for the hull. Here's my shot at small boat inspections 101<br /><br />Check the hull for stress cracks -- usually near the keel and look like long deep but skinny cracks. They leak, you can't fix'em and they get worse.<br /><br />check the floor and inside of the transom of your boat for rot. tap with a wrench and listen for dead spots. inspect the transom closely and try prodding it or even sticking an awl into it -- look around the motor mount screws and drain plug on both sides for signs of water and for any place on the outer transom where the fibreglass has separated from the wood to form a bubble. stick your hands as far as they can reach into all below deck hatches and see what you find. <br /><br />A little localized rot in floor is okay and can be ignored for a while for the price you are paying, but it spells trouble eventually. A lot of rot in floor often means rot in stringers underneath which provide strucural support. You have to fix this or you get stress cracks. <br />Any rot in transom needs repairing soon or your motor can fall off.<br /><br />tohatsu's are good motors but you don't mention the year, condition or hours. Try to find out the former and latter. Older motors are worth less.<br /><br />If you possibly can take a test run. 2 strokes with a variety of problems will idle fine but die under load. <br /><br />The nicked prop may need replacing or repair. It can throw your prop shaft out of alignment.<br /><br />The motor should clunk into gear readily, but, again, you can't really test it except under load. If he'll let you, undo the lower unit lube oil screw (near the prop) and let a little lube out into a bucket. If it's creamy you have water in the gear housing which is bad. Run it between you fingers and if it's gritty, that probably means metal shavings which is also bad.<br /><br />Have a look at the accessories he's offering with it (gas tanks, mooring lines, lifejackets, fenders, anchor, anchor line, safety equipment) All this stuff costs money at marina prices and some people strip it out of boats and sell separately if you don't ask for it.<br /><br />finally have a really good look at the trailer for bad rust axle problems and general decrepitude (beware new paint), check if the lights work and if you're real ambitious jack up the trailer wheels and spin them to see if they click (bad bearings). <br /><br />good luck