Powerboat Advice

[Splendid Jumper]

Hi guys, great forum, i normally rent powerboats over the summer period wherever i go. Fantastic.

I have been offered a boat to buy and was wondering what i should look out for ? Is there anything obvious in these photos? i am very knowledgeable on classic cars (metal) having owned them for 15 years but boats, no idea at all!!!!! lol My impression is its impossible to tell the state of an engine, exhaust unless you pull it to bits so i will have someone look at that separately.

Any basic advice gratefully received. Heres the hull 2010 boat, after antifouling in 2021 i believe....I have not idea why you would put what appears to be a damp meter on a hull... Thank you.... (and we all have to start somewhere, im right at the beginning as you can probably tell!lol)

 

[simonfraser]

best value and least hassle if you rent them, if it F F F rent it ...

 

[wonkywinch]

Those "damp meters" don't measure damp, they measure electrical continuity and are usually favoured by home damp repair scammers.

Probably only accurate measuring logs for your fire.

Boat ownership attracts a whole load more fixed and variable costs so make sure eyes wide open.

 

[Splendid Jumper]

Thanks, thing is im retiring so i i ise the thing for 4 months a year probably cheaper to own.

 

[wonkywinch]

normally rent powerboats over the summer period wherever i go. Fantastic.

thing is im retiring so i i ise the thing for 4 months a year probably cheaper to own.

Bear in mind if you own, you'll be fixed to one boat unless you plan to trailer it?

I bought a boat two years ago and had to curtail our foreign charters simply because of budget, all sailing money poured into a hole in the Hamble River now.

 

[Splendid Jumper]

no problem with that, i have been offered a spot for the boat just below my house abroad so im stuck there anyway really.... and as said i will be there a lot, so may as well go the whole hog there....

 

[markc]

So many questions! Would be good to understand the boat make / model / engines etc and the asking price PLUS what you hope to do with the boat, before giving any well considered advice. For example, depending on value you might want a hull survey to ensure there are no structural issues or osmosis (water migrating into the layup of the hull) etc., etc.

 

[Seastoke]

There looks a lot of filler on the hull.

 

[Neil1300r]

There looks a lot of filler on the hull.

Trying to hide a bodged osmosis repair? Hence the cheap damp meter to 'prove' its fixed? All guesswork of course

 

[Grubble]

The hull is probably the least valuable part of the boat you are looking at. In fact old boats end up with hulls that have a negative value as you can't get rid of them.

You need to start with the engine and outdrive.

 

[julians]

Can't really tell anything from those photos, what boat is it, what engines and drives, how many hours on them, is there a stack of paper work showing regular servicing in accordance with manufacturer recommendations, and how much do they want for it?

 

[Seastoke]

I take it you have not seen the boat, as surely they would have more recent photos as if that was taken in 2021 it should have been antifouled more recent.

 

[Splendid Jumper]

i apologise i have been at work for a while.... ty very much for all the responses!!!!!! i have not seen it, i will next week. its a sessa s26, its approx E35k but i think i can chip that a bit, 400 hours... volvo penta from factory, yes these are pics from 2 or 3 years ago. hasn’t really been used since.



i will use it as a sun deck in spain! im not a competent sailor, i have the licences but for me its just about chilling w rose, good company and swimming, off a nice cove or beach. so low level stuff.



the boat hasn’t VAT paid, which may be the reason for the price, or rather i cant see proof there was in 2007/8 since build. but apparently that issue is overblown. my concern is the Spanish/Catalans (where it will be for the next 5 years if i buy it) may ask me to put it on a Spanish flag after 6 months in the Spanish m,ooring i have access to (its currently on another EU flag) and as part of that process ask for Vat paid proof....

but.......

Buying a boat: The myth of VAT



what a punt! we must all be bonkers lol

 

[Seastoke]

You still need the engine and drive to work correctly

 

[Splendid Jumper]

im quite sure they do, the boat isnt 3rd party, its owned by arms length friends.

 

[julians]

Doesn't sound a bad price if its in decent condition.

You need to be confident the engine and drive is free of major defects, so if you don't know what you're looking at the get a surveyor in.

The vat thing sounds potentially dodgy though, you may need to budget for paying the vat in the near future so take account of that in your offer.I don't mean deduct the vat amount, but just offer a price you'd be willing to buy it at if you had to pay the vat in a few months (you probably won't though)

 

[Seastoke]

First ask what the meter is about , ask about the filler on the hull , post some photos of engine interior and out drive cockpit etc.

 

[julians]

First ask what the meter is about , ask about the filler on the hull , post some photos of engine interior and out drive cockpit etc.

Where are you seeing filler in those photos? Is it the grey marks on the photo with the damp meter in it? Maybe it's filler, but could justbe marks on the gel coat from scraping/blasting the old antifoul off.

 

[Seastoke]

Where are you seeing filler in those photos? Is it the grey marks on the photo with the damp meter in it? Maybe it's filler, but could justbe marks on the gel coat from scraping/blasting the old antifoul off.

Looking along the chine it looks lumpy , it could be me.