@help Boat Purchase

[Ameyer76]

Looking into buying a used Yamaha AR230. It’s an older model 04. Doesn’t have hour meter. I believe I’m getting a good deal but I am not able to get it in the water or take it for inspection. There is little to no inventory available. I saw it and it is increasingly clean and started right up in driveway. Should I beware of anything else?

 

[14SX190]

Yes!
Whats parts are you boating in. Can you post pictures

Low compression or pump problems, leaks, does't get on plane.

Water test mandatory.

 

[Inthrustwetrust]

My friends dad has been selling boats for longer than I have been alive, I asked him for advice when I was looking used. His best advice was look real good and close at the hull, especially underneath, and never buy something without a water test, and then checking over everything again afterwords, oil, bilge, drain areas etc. Take it or leave it, but I wouldn’t buy anything without taking it out first.

 

[tdonoughue]

What he said. (edited to add: and what he said)

An '04 is no spring chicken. It likely has enough hours on it that there could be real issues somewhere. About the only time I would say skip the water test and compression test would be if I were buying from a known person (like someone who frequents here) on a relatively young boat (say, 2018 or newer) where there really can't be that many hours on the engine and you have a chance to know some real history of it.

 

[Ameyer76]

I can’t know for sure but there is an OEM depth finder/GPS on it and it reads 70 hours. This thing was so impeccably clean I wouldn’t doubt it if it had less than 100 hours on it.

 

[Ameyer76]

So it sounds like unless I can get a water test or a compression test.....walk away?

 

[Dixie Highway]

Would you buy a 16 year old car from a stranger without a test drive? Regardless of mileage? Oh and by the way, if a car breaks down you can pull over and walk if all else fails. If that boat breaks down at a minimum you’re stuck on it unless it breaks down at a dock. Worst case you lose power and drift somewhere you really don’t want to be or into a dangerous situation.

 

[tdonoughue]

I would. If you don't you are taking a large risk on the order of needing to replace or rebuild an engine or something like that. Personally, that is too rich for my blood. Your risk tolerance vs the price may be different.

 

[Ameyer76]

Yeah. I knew it would be a good idea to post something for advise.

 

[Ameyer76]

Well it wasn’t meant to be. They sold it to someone who didn’t require an inspection or test drive.

 

[ThatJeepGuy]

Trust it was a blessing

(not that religious, just not worth the risk)

 

[tdonoughue]

May not seem like a win, but I think it was...

Market is tight for buyers right now, but check out the for sale parts of this board, too. You'll find something better.