Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

[pullin]

A few months ago I finally finished my descent into the cesspool known as Craigslist. I'd been looking for a used boat for several months, and finally bought my neighbor's when he put it up for sale (I'd been drooling over it for months). I didn't actually find a boat on CL, but thought I'd offer this handy translation table for those who might be brave enough to enter that particular swamp.

I invite everyone to please add their experiences and definitions as well.

I'll start with the most popular phrase in boat ads, the ever popular [wait for it....]

Ad: "Lake Ready"
Means: "floats (sometimes)"

Ad: "Looks great on the water"
Means: "I haven't pulled it out to paint the bottom in four years, and hope you won't notice"

Ad: "Won it in the divorce"
Means: "I took it just to spite him and the little aerobics instructor he ran off with. Now it's sat for 3 years in the slip, won't start and my Camry can't pull it up the ramp."

Ad: "Only needs carb cleaned"
Means: "Only needs a valve job, new manifolds and the carb cleaned"

Ad: "Barely Used"
Means" "It's been sitting in the backyard for 6 years and there are squirrels living in the engine compartment"

Ad: "Just $16,571.39 for this beauty"
Means: "I owe $16,571.39 on the note" (next month it'll $16,171.39)

Ad: "Slight water leak in enginer"
Means "Forgot to winterize and it needs a new block"

Ad: "Great Project Boat"
Means: "No engine, no upholstery"

Ad: "Lost Title"
Means: "My neighbor's out of town for a month, and I need to support my meth habit"

That's all I"ve got for now. Anyone care to add some more?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

Ran when put away! They all were running when put away--running without water and exploded.

Does 40 MPH--with twice the horsepower.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

Yes, CL can be an adventure. I think you touched on many of the key phrases of the ads .

i happened to do OK both selling and buying my boats on CL.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

Brand new Floors! = The stringers are so rotten I can't believe they held the screws.

You are bang on about the carbs, every crappy motor on craigslist will run great with a little gumout.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

I've seen this one a lot..''I was told it ran two years ago when I bought it. I never had time to use it.''

 

[vintageglass]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

The one I like is hearing "It ran great the last time it ran"
Of course that may have been 10 years ago or the last time they ran it with oil.

There are deals to be had though, but you have to sort through the crap to find them.
Worse than deceptive ads are the outright scammers.

I also like when you list something for CASH ONLY, you get 50 offers of trades for junk cars, out of date electronics, and other various worthless items they claim to be worth a mint.

As with any used vehicle, its buyer beware. I do find that on CL its not always intentional, CL just seems to attract a less than knowledgeable seller base lately. I picked up a mint clean outboard a few months ago which was listed as not running, needs starter. The motor was rope start, it didn't even have electric start. The guy was pushing the kill button and expecting it to start. He had a brand new battery in the boat, he said he bought two new batteries but it still wouldn't start. He had inherited the boat from his father in law. I guess the fact that no wires went from the battery to the motor ever crossed his mind? I didn't realize what the deal was until after I bought the motor and he asked me if I wanted the old battery too. The motor was off the boat when I got there, he had it clamped to a picnic table standing on end. I left there with a super nice motor and a perfectly good battery and battery box for pocket change. The next week I saw the rest of the boat listed for about ten times what it was worth new. He simply had no clue what boat items cost and didn't bother to do any research.
The sellers I like best are those who THINK they know what they have and go on to explain all about it with some BS story that has nothing to do with what they're selling. The best one was a guy that told me a missing prop blade was no problem because it had two other spare blades just in case. To make it even better, it wasn't missing, it was just buried in the dirt. After I bought the boat he advertised for $1200 for $100, I jacked up the trailer and swapped on a pair of tires that held air, and reamed out the drain hole and let out a few hundred gallons of water before trying to move it. The motor turned out to be half decent, after about $400 worth of general maintenance, which I'd expect from any used motor.
Something people tend not to understand when buying a used boat or motor is that boats are high maintenance items. If your buying a used motor, especially one that's 30+ years old, its going to need some basic parts to put it back in shape, regardless of what you paid or when it was ran last. It will need a new water pump, it will need a fuel filter and probably a carb overhaul, it will need spark plugs, it will most likely need a fuel pump rebuild, it will also probably have to be rewired, and the lower unit may well need to be resealed. That don't make it a junk motor, its just normal maintenance.
What it boils down to is that if you can't do the work yourself, your probably better off not buying a relic and trying to resurrect it. You will spend more in repairs than a good later model motor will cost you. You are also probably better off buying something with a warranty.

I had an old fiberglass jon boat listed on CL a few months ago, $200, it needed work. It was solid, no rot, no cracks but the glass was getting weathered. The right fix was to sand, primer and paint it. I got 50 idiots who showed up complaining that it was going to cost them a thousand dollars to fix. I basically told those people that before I'd spend a thousand dollars to fix anything, I'd just go buy a new one.
It finally sold, one guy called from about 300 miles away, he wanted to be sure I still had it, he showed up with a trailer, paid cash and left. No hassle. I guess all those people who said it wasn't worth fixing either expected it for free, or were they just wasting my time?

The part that got me is that we weren't talking about a luxury yacht, it was just a cheap jon boat to crab out of,that floated and could be used the way it was if you didn't mind the way it looked. If they didn't have or want to spend $200, maybe an old inner tube was more up their alley? I could see if I hadn't put a pic up, or if I hadn't said it was weathered and needed something done with the finish but it was clearly stated in the ad. Besides, if you buying a boat for $200, what do they really expect?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

"all it needs is X" means X is just the beginning of your problems.

"haul" means "hull owned by a guy who doesn't know boats or how to maintain them". It usually sits on a "trailor".

"needs TLC" means "don't show it to the wife and kids yet."

"Good project I don't have time to finish" means came across major repair issue not worth doing on this wreck.

I just saw this one for $4,500: "225 yamaha out boat motor.new never use.v6 excel 2.6 liters precision blend.micro computer ignition system" means "wear gloves so you won't burn your hands when you touch it"

"Can be fixed" means "should be replaced"

However, I have changed my mind about "ran when put away last." It's not as bad as it sounds. For the honest seller, and there are lots of them, it means "no known mechanical issues, except what may come from sitting." I find it helpful for the low-end buys. They are all "as is" and you take your chances, so it's useful as a starting point; better than "all it needs is X".

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

LOL, you guys are killing me

My personal favorite "it only needs X" craigslist phrase is "just needs a new starter". Of course, once you affix the new starter, you will find out what it really needs.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

FWIW - I sold a boat that had a bum engine on CL. It took 12 days to sell it. Here is how I worded it . . . I highlighted some of the 'catch phrases' in red

"Excellent riding family-sized boat for day long cruising, water sports and the occasional overnight. Very capable in ocean waters due to its Deep V hull. Comes with an extensive list of equipment and features. Mercruiser 7.4L with Bravo 1 Outdrive and Stainless Steel Prop. 540 hours. The engine needs to be rebuilt or replaced due to a recent hydro-locking; and I have no time to do it, so I am offering it at a "fixer-upper" price. This could be an opportunity for someone who is good with engines. (A Marine 7.4L "Mark 4" Long Block would be best)

There are new manifolds and risers, and a new fuel tank with only 5 hours of use. The boat also has a custom anchor locker to make anchoring a breeze. Price includes a 2005 "5-Starr" tandem axle aluminum trailer with disc brakes"

I think the key is to be forthcoming, but still create a sense of excitement & interest.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

The ones I love. Live next to a state were all boats are titled yet I see them listed all the time. Blah, blah, blah, no title.
No title, no sale! I've passed on a number of really good buys because "no title".

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

"No title but they are easy to get" is a favorite, or "no title but I can give you a bill of sale" which means "no title" which means you're screwed if you want to use it on public waters.

I saw one recently on an old wooden hull cruiser that said, "was floating until 2 weeks ago." I read that as "it sunk 2 weeks ago" but I think it meant he just hauled it. Marketing fail.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

YES, if you are the legal owner and it's so easy to get the title then why not do it and increase the asking price. The reason they don't do it is because it is very difficult and can get exspensive. Then if they are not the last person it was titled to then it becomes even more difficult!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

"Chapparal" = Chaparral
"Chapperal" = Chaparral
"Chapperel" = Chaparral
"Chaperrel" = Chaparral
"Chaparrel" = Chaparral

 

[jsimms724]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

"Should be easy fix"= no clue whats wrong with it. "good winter project" = You wont live long enough to fix this p.o.s. "I have to many projects" = I have a yard full junk I cant fix or sell "very retro = ugly

 

[vintageglass]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

YES, if you are the legal owner and it's so easy to get the title then why not do it and increase the asking price. The reason they don't do it is because it is very difficult and can get exspensive. Then if they are not the last person it was titled to then it becomes even more difficult!

That's not so easily done in all states, in NJ, if they have no means other than a court order and a long drawn out process to prove ownership. In reality that means you have to prove to the state that no one else has or ever will lay claim to that vessel by means of a series of expensive newspaper ads, and public notices. This holds true even if you were the original owner in another non title or non registration state. It also affects original owners of boats that were never registered here if you eventually decide to register and use that vessel years later.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

Good ones guys. Couple more:

"Vintage ________ (insert brand)" = "This is an old boat that I found sitting in a field."
"Classic" = "I have no idea who built this thing and can't find a name anywhere."
"Rare find" = "Nobody bought these when they were brand new, but you'll love having it now."

 

[Zerbel04]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

"Low hours, approx 150" = Boat has no hour meter so I can tell you whatever I want

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

I get a kick out of the non-boat folks and their misspellings...

Tri-haul - does that carry three times as much?
V-haul - something they use on Sesame Street to carry around extra letter "Vs"?
Skag, Skagg, Sceg, Bottom Fin Thingy, etc. - it's a SKEG, and yours is missing!

And misconceptions...
ANY outboard motor built before the Reagan administration is an antique, so it MUST be worth more! (Old doesn't mean valuable folks.)
ANY old Mercury is a "racing motor", so it MUST be worth more! (Believe it or not, not all 1950s Mercurys were raced.)
If I don't get $500 for my old kicker, I'm taking it to the scrappers - aluminum is up! (And they won't give you much at all if it's "irony aluminum", so just accept my $75 offer and take your wife out to dinner.)
That big heavy plate on the outside of the transom means it is EXTRA strong (Pay no mind to the plywood flavored mush that is the transom core.)
I don't have paperwork, but you can fill out a form at the DMV and get it easy enough. (And then another form, wait, and then repeat.)
Motor is real tight and has great compression! (Well, actually, the motor doesn't even turn over - because it was sunk and has rusted up.)

And then there was the guy advertising a late 1980s Johnson 40hp, posted the model number and photos, and when I e-mailed him to let him know it was actually an early 1960s Johnson Super Sea Horse with electric shift and was only worth about 1/10 of what he was asking, he basically told me to stick it and mind my own business. Then two days later he e-mailed me again with an apology saying he had found the motor's correct year online. He changed the info - but stuck to his asking price of $1200. I'm pretty sure he still has it...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

I get a kick out of the non-boat folks and their misspellings...

Tri-haul - does that carry three times as much?
V-haul - something they use on Sesame Street to carry around extra letter "Vs"?
Skag, Skagg, Sceg, Bottom Fin Thingy, etc. - it's a SKEG, and yours is missing!

Spelling is my favorite.

Cubby cabins .........
Big Block 470 !!!
Powerful rare 3.7 Liter motor.....
High Performance 170 hp 4 cylinder.

Probably the best are the scam advertisements such as 2010 Bennington Pontoon with 150 HP 4 stroke $3500!

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Rosetta Stone (Craigslist translation guide for used boats)

Spelling is my favorite.

Cubby cabins .........

And Cutty Cabins - which almost makes sense, since the Cutty Sark they're apparently drinking to excess has a boat on the label...