Is It New, Used or Used-up?

Is It New, Used or Used-up?


Your first decision when buying a boat is to decide what type of boat will best suit the way you plan to use it. The second decision is whether to look for a new or used boat.

Buying a new boat eliminates many problems. The engine and hull will be under warrantee, so any ugly surprises will, or should be, the problem of the manufacturer. There are, however, negative points to buying new. New boats have a very steep initial depreciation. An old joke goes this way: Drive your new boat around the lake once and it's no longer worth what you still owe on it. New boats come with little or no equipment, all of which must be purchased and installed. Finally, for the same amount of money that you might spend on a used boat, a new boat will have to either be smaller, or made by a company that keeps the cost down by cutting corners.

If at this point you're thinking "Maybe I should look at a used boat that suits my needs and gets more bang for the buck", here are some tips on what to look for.

Who built the boat? Is the company still in business? What is the company's reputation? Can they be contacted for information and/or replacement parts?

Has the boat been cared for or abused? It's really pretty easy to tell.

Check out an obvious part of the boat, say, the upholstery. If it's in bad shape, odds are that the owner hasn't taken proper care of the engine, the drive unit, the wiring, the hull, etc., etc., etc. Generally, an owner either takes good care of the entire boat (not just parts or systems) or he or she doesn't.

Is the boat for sale because the owner is moving up to a larger boat? This would indicate to me that the seller is really into boating and has probably taken good care of the boat. On the other hand, if the boat is a bank repossession, it may have been owned and operated by an irresponsible person who did little, if any, maintenance or upkeep.

Does the boat have all the equipment that I need? If so, is it already installed and does it all work properly?

Does the boat have a maintenance log? It should have one which lists all of its oil changes, tune-ups and repairs.

Was the boat used extensively for fishing? Trolling at dead slow speed day after day is very hard on both the engine and the drive system.

You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned the age of the boat. I feel that the boat's age is not nearly as important as the quality of the boat's construction, how well it was maintained and how it was normally used!

Before you buy any used boat, have it surveyed and appraised by a knowledgeable professional. This will either buy you peace of mind, or keep you from making a serious mistake.

Keep this sobering thought in mind: You've found what you think is the perfect boat, you can afford it and you're convinced you're going to love that boat. At the very same moment, the person selling the boat is equally convinced that getting rid of it is going to make their life a whole lot better!

Finally, it has been my experience that, after the first few years, a well-built, well-maintained boat does not depreciate in value very much. As a matter of fact, some older production boats (Bertram, for instance) and custom boats (such as Rybovich), are now selling for more money than they originally sold for some thirty-plus years ago.

Happy hunting on your quest for the perfect boat!