Would you buy this boat with all these problems? First time boat

[MtB]

Thing is, as MartynG says, most of those faults are probably easily fixed taking perhaps an hour or two each. But several of them are very indeterminate and could easily turn out to be problems costing thousands to fix. "STBD engine very hard to start, cuts out and misfires" for example. Might just need new spark plugs, or might be no compression needing a whole engine re-build.

 

Could even be the whole reason for selling the boat - rebuild needed costing more than the boat is worth. Similarly for trim tabs not working. Could be really expensive in parts and require docking to fix. 

 

Best to walk away and find another one where the owner actually fixed stuff that went wrong. The incorrect sales description now proved wrong claiming "no problems" is reason alone for getting the deposit back. 

 

 

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, MartynG said:

 

 

A lot of people buy a first boat bigger than that.

It's not the size per se, it's the amount of trouble they can get themselves (and others) into! These boats are complex and the one he's looking at is knackered - that's simply not a boat for a novice.

[Naughty Cal]

3 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Thing is, as MartynG says, most of those faults are probably easily fixed taking perhaps an hour or two each. But several of them are very indeterminate and could easily turn out to be problems costing thousands to fix. "STBD engine very hard to start, cuts out and misfires" for example. Might just need new spark plugs, or might be no compression needing a whole engine re-build.

 

Could even be the whole reason for selling the boat - rebuild needed costing more than the boat is worth. Similarly for trim tabs not working. Could be really expensive in parts and require docking to fix. 

 

Best to walk away and find another one where the owner actually fixed stuff that went wrong. The incorrect sales description now proved wrong claiming "no problems" is reason alone for getting the deposit back. 

 

 

As a friend of ours found out on his firs trip out with us last year. Destroyed the V8 petrol engine on his new purchase and we ended up towing him back 25 miles to the marina.

 

He ended up replacing the engine at a cost of £4k doing the work himself.

[Nightwatch]

I know little. Full Stop. I wouldn't walk away from this. I'd run, quickly, with the deposit in me back pocket.  If the deposit is subject to survey then take it and scarper. 

 

Find another nice hoat with no issues. 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Nightwatch

[Momac]

10 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Yup - but as far as I know there is only Farndon that sells petrol (unless you detour down the Fossditch)

Refuelling is a problem . There is a petrol station within walking range of the pontoon at Gainsborough.  But not much fun lugging jerry cans.