Tips to Spot a Boat Scammer

[FattyStan]

Hey all! I’m fairly new to boating and I’m about to take the plunge a purchase my first boat! I want to enjoy it while I can! Does anyone have any tips to help avoid being scammed or ripped off. I will definitely use a surveyor, but is there certain things I should check or is just a regular survey enough? Any help or advice is gratefully received along with a cuppa and a cake if our paths ever cross!

 

[Seastoke]

Have separate engine survey , make sure everything works , don’t rush your decision , it would help if you give more detail of boat. Is it sea or fresh ,inboard or out , one or two engines.

 

[Aardee]

Use the knowledge available here. There will probably be owners of similar boats who can tell you what to look out for, plus one of us may know the actual boat.

 

[jandnrowe]

Hey all! I’m fairly new to boating and I’m about to take the plunge a purchase my first boat! I want to enjoy it while I can! Does anyone have any tips to help avoid being scammed or ripped off. I will definitely use a surveyor, but is there certain things I should check or is just a regular survey enough? Any help or advice is gratefully received along with a cuppa and a cake if our paths ever cross!

Apart from the usual 'if it sounds too good, etc' just take your time. Ask any questions you have. There are plenty of boats for sale and your original preference may change after visiting others as ours did. Personally I prefere the Broker route but we also met the seller at the boats Survey which helped our confidence. Good luck.

 

[FattyStan]

Have separate engine survey , make sure everything works , don’t rush your decision , it would help if you give more detail of boat. Is it sea or fresh ,inboard or out , one or two engines.

Thanks for that! So I’ve got a few that I’m looking at, but the one I’m leaning towards is a 1998 Sea Ray 215 Sea Cruiser. In board, single mercruiser. 5.0l

 

[FattyStan]

Use the knowledge available here. There will probably be owners of similar boats who can tell you what to look out for, plus one of us may know the actual boat.

Amazing, thank you!

 

[FattyStan]

Apart from the usual 'if it sounds too good, etc' just take your time. Ask any questions you have. There are plenty of boats for sale and your original preference may change after visiting others as ours did. Personally I prefere the Broker route but we also met the seller at the boats Survey which helped our confidence. Good luck.

Thank you!

 

[Momac]

If you buy through a broker they should already have some paperwork to prove who owns the boat.

 

[rafiki_]

Thanks for that! So I’be got a few that I’m looking at, but the one I’m leaning towards is a 1998 Sea Ray 215 Sea Cruiser. In board, single mercruiser. 5.0l

Our first Mobo was a similar sizes Sea Ray cuddy, with the 4.0 6 cylinder engine on an OMC outdrive. Nice boat. We didn’t keep her long, as we wanted more room for longer stays. We chopped her in for a 25’ sports cruiser with a small galley and sleeping for 4.

 

[ontheplane]

Just make sure you realise how much fuel a 5.0 V8 carb engine will use!!

In a 21’ boat it will be perfectly manageable - but I would try and get an EFI or MPi engine as it will start more easily and use a lot less fuel.

It will still burn about 15-20 US gal an hour flat out but in that boat you will rarely be able to go flat out so 10gal an hr is far more likely

 

[FattyStan]

Apart from the usual 'if it sounds too good, etc' just take your time. Ask any questions you have. There are plenty of boats for sale and your original preference may change after visiting others as ours did. Personally I prefere the Broker route but we also met the seller at the boats Survey which helped our confidence. Good luck.

Yes, I’ve been searching mostly through brokers but every now and then a nice one pops up from a private seller which, as you say, looks too good to be true! Thank you for the advice

 

[FattyStan]

Just make sure you realise how much fuel a 5.0 V8 carb engine will use!!

In a 21’ boat it will be perfectly manageable - but I would try and get an EFI or MPi engine as it will start more easily and use a lot less fuel.

It will still burn about 15-20 US gal an hour flat out but in that boat you will rarely be able to go flat out so 10gal an hr is far more likely

Thank you! I did not know that! Great advice, thanks again

 

[FattyStan]

Our first Mobo was a similar sizes Sea Ray cuddy, with the 4.0 6 cylinder engine on an OMC outdrive. Nice boat. We didn’t keep her long, as we wanted more room for longer stays. We chopped her in for a 25’ sports cruiser with a small galley and sleeping for 4.

Nice! My plan is to do the same, use the smaller one for a few years, learn and enjoy as much as possible, and then upgrade. Thank you for replying x