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View Full Version : I have found a 24 ft boat to buy but what now?



Navi
09-04-2007, 01:10 PM
hey guys and gull's,
I have found a 24 ft boat to buy, but it has no trailer and is sitting in a canal behind the guys home ? so what do I do now, I have never owned any thing like this, my boat is arunabout which was sitting on the trailer where I could see the hull, and every thing else, do I worry about the hull or take a risk that there's no cracks etc...not sure what the next step is. any help would be great.

cheers chris.....8-)

p.s. going a way tuesday so wont be able to get back on line till saturday.

PinHead
09-04-2007, 01:15 PM
what make of boat is it? If in the water has it been antifouled? I would suggest getting it lifted out and having a good look at the hull and anything else under the waterline.
Your storage options could be:
1. Get a trailer made if it is trailerable
2. Rack storage at a marina
3. In a wet berth
4. A ramp dolly and kept at a marina

trueblue
09-04-2007, 01:20 PM
Ask when it was slipped last... if it hasn't been out of the water for a while, ask the owner to slip it (lift out of the water) for anti fouling and under hull inspection.

If it hasn't been antifouled recently, it is reasonable for the owner to sell it antifouled - ie, properly maintained.

He may say no though, and thats his perogative.

Next option is for you to pay for it to be slipped and anti fouled, which is good insurance so you know what you are buying, and also you will want it antifouled yourself anyway. This is just added expense on your part.

Another option is to ask the owner, or anyone else you know, if they know a canal owner who has one of the boat lift pontoon arrangements set up to keep their boat out of the water at their canal block. Get it lifted at a borrowed canal pontoon, and then at least you will be able to see the hull.

Cheers

tigermullet
09-04-2007, 06:00 PM
If you can, get a shipwright to have a look. It is a bit costly to have it hauled out and inspected but could be money well spent. About ten years ago I found a 28foot aluminium selling for what seemed like a reasonable price.

An initial inspection indicated that it should be okay so I went ahead and had it hauled out and inspected by a shipwright. The bottom looked fine - it had just been antifouled but something caused the shipwright to investigate further. The previous owner and I agreed to have it sand blasted. He had bought it in good faith but decided to re-sell without having used it. Too long of a story to go into but he agreed to share the expense of having the sand blasting done.

Both of us were very surprised - the bottom was full of corrosion. Repair would have been difficult and enormously costly.

My expenses were in the region of $800 but saved me from buying a wreck and, potentially, thousands of dollars.

Any boat can be a trap and lots of faults can be hidden from casual inspection.

I think that most people are honest but, with boats, even the owner might not be aware of costly problems and the only protection is to have an expert check them out.

FNQCairns
09-04-2007, 06:56 PM
Hi Navi this is probably bad advice because each to their own.
Why do you want such a large boat esp if you have not owned say a 20foot before (thats a guess).

For me anyway a 24 footer amounts to more fuss and bother, harder towing, higher upkeep, higher running costs and an overall decrease in the enjoyment factor due to the problem of dealing with it anytime it's not on the water.

If moored a person is stuck to uses within it's range, antifoul, fee's etc.

Better imo to go with the biggest boat that can be towed without breakaway systems as much of the enjoyment for me anyway is discovering new ground and that means road trips and adventure, I have been where you are before and I will not go back, I would jump to 30foot to make good use of the extra size, the 22 to 27 foot range is a grey area for me too big to enjoy like a 20 footer and too small for a true cruiser.

cheers fnq

Brumby
09-04-2007, 08:29 PM
Hi Navi,
Lots of good advice there, like everything with a bigger boat, pre-purchase inspections are more complicated and expensive. It can all be done though.

FNQ is right on the money, you'd need to be sure what you want the boat for before getting involved. For what it's worth I went through exactly the same process and traded up from a 16' Signature to a 24' Mustang about 2 months ago. We have friends with boats in the same size range so it wasn't done entirely blind.

Pluses; being able to stay out overnight - 3 of us and dog (brilliant), much better ride in rough water (missus has crook back so big plus), lots more room in cockpit for us to lounge around out of the sun, can take guests out (we seem to get more than our share of visitors, Mustang seats 9, Signature 4).

Minuses; costs me more than twice as much to run, its on a mooring (about to change), towing will be more expensive and has some extra complications - I've seen people handling similar size boats on their own, but needs organisation and a good ramp.

All in all, for where I am at now, I still think that it was the right move for us, but certainly wouldn't suit everybody.

Good luck whichever way you go,

Carl

Navi
16-04-2007, 05:39 PM
I wanted a bigger boat because my boys are getting bigggeer and I wanted a boat that the whole famly can stay out on, I have been out on the water most my life and my father has owned boats 19-24 ft so I know a fair bit about them, but we have never brought one thats been based in the water, some have been in dry storage others on traliers,

any way I'm not getting the boat just yet I have other projects to get done now, so past the boat on to my old man in hervey bay, now he's looking at getting it..

so thank you for your advice...
cheers chris