06-26-2007, 09:55 PM
you can get a good boat in your price range.i would stay away from the starcraft,even though its newer,that boat would be alittle small for family day out.
the 88 maxum looks great,as all the boats you are showing,the motor is big and the keel looks like it been hit a few times and some of it is missing
the 78 and 76 look great for thier age.and thats the main thing tthey are 30 years old i would be looking for rot in the transom,flooring,keel.and with the inboard you want to look at the oil pan, risers for rot.allso make sure the carb has a spark arrestor on,and all blowers work.you dont want a explosion and someone getting seriously hurt or killed
the 86 looks good also
when looking at used boats first is the age.you got to make a cutoff somewhere.i like the 20 year old mark.you also are looking at the hull,whatever the material is,wood,metal,fiberglass
wood is rot,crackes,splits
metal/aluminum,is it welded or rivited,welded you want to look for cracks in the welds,any abuse to the bottom in running aground,rivited you want to look for missing,loose rivits and abuse to the bottom.also ask to fill the boat with some water to see if any rivits leak.fiberglass you want to look for cracks in the hull,along the beam and the corners of the transom.alot of fiberglass boats are made with wood also then wrapped in fiberglass,so you want to walk around in the boat,in the corners and out of the way places if it feels spongy it has a good chance rot is starting to set in.dont be afraid to poke around the boat pushing areas with your thumb that dont look right to you,also ask to fill the bilge up with water about 6 inches or so and see if any drips along the bottom of the boat.this also will let you know if the bilge pump works if equiped
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the 88 maxum looks great,as all the boats you are showing,the motor is big and the keel looks like it been hit a few times and some of it is missing
the 78 and 76 look great for thier age.and thats the main thing tthey are 30 years old i would be looking for rot in the transom,flooring,keel.and with the inboard you want to look at the oil pan, risers for rot.allso make sure the carb has a spark arrestor on,and all blowers work.you dont want a explosion and someone getting seriously hurt or killed
the 86 looks good also
when looking at used boats first is the age.you got to make a cutoff somewhere.i like the 20 year old mark.you also are looking at the hull,whatever the material is,wood,metal,fiberglass
wood is rot,crackes,splits
metal/aluminum,is it welded or rivited,welded you want to look for cracks in the welds,any abuse to the bottom in running aground,rivited you want to look for missing,loose rivits and abuse to the bottom.also ask to fill the boat with some water to see if any rivits leak.fiberglass you want to look for cracks in the hull,along the beam and the corners of the transom.alot of fiberglass boats are made with wood also then wrapped in fiberglass,so you want to walk around in the boat,in the corners and out of the way places if it feels spongy it has a good chance rot is starting to set in.dont be afraid to poke around the boat pushing areas with your thumb that dont look right to you,also ask to fill the bilge up with water about 6 inches or so and see if any drips along the bottom of the boat.this also will let you know if the bilge pump works if equiped
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