| Whatever type of boat you are buying, the
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| | registration and title documents. Missing
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| same general rules apply. Follow these
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| | or altered hull registration numbers
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| principles and you can buy your boat with
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| | indicate that the boat may be stolen. It
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| confidence.
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| | is crucial that you ensure that you are
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| When buying from a private seller, the
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| | not buying a stolen boat; if you do, you
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| boat will usually come with no warranty,
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| | risk losing the boat and your money.
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| so you need to check it carefully to
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| | Although it may not be practical to do
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| avoid making an expensive mistake. Many
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| | so, viewing your boat out of the water is
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| brokers and dealers sell used boats as
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| | very useful, allowing you to check the
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| well as new, and may offer a limited
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| | hull below the waterline. Is the keel
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| warranty. Whilst this may provide some
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| | running straight from fore to aft? Make
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| peace of mind, the dealer's commission is
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| | sure the rudder, shaft and propeller are
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| usually reflected in a higher price.
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| | straight; do they show any signs of a
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| Before inspecting the boat there are some
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| | collision? Look for signs of cavitation
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| checks you can make so you don't waste
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| | which manifests itself as an erosion of
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| your time and effort:
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| | the surface of the propeller blades - an
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| Check out the builder of your chosen
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| | indication of poor performance. Make sure
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| boat. Is it a highly regarded brand? Are
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| | that the propeller and shaft do not
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| they still trading? If not, getting
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| | wobble.
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| replacement parts may prove difficult.
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| | On a sailing boat, check that all sails
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| Why is the boat being sold? This can be
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| | and rigging are in good order.
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| an indication of how well the boat has
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| | If possible, contact the previous owner
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| been looked after. If the boat is a
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| | to get any further information; as they
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| repossession, it may indicate that the
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| | no longer have any interest in whether
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| boat has not been looked after; if the
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| | the boat is sold or not, they can give
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| owner didn't keep up payments to the
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| | you an impartial viewpoint.
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| financer, then he may have shown the same
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| | Engine Checks
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| lack of care for the boat's maintenance.
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| | Unless you're an engine expert, it would
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| If the boat is being sold because the
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| | be best to get a mechanic to look over
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| owner is upsizing, this might indicate
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| | the engine for you.
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| that the owner is a real boating
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| | Look out for the presence of oil in the
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| enthusiast, and thus may have taken
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| | bilges - a sign of an oil leak.
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| greater care in the boat's upkeep. If
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| | Inspect the gaskets and hoses for oil
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| the reason for selling is that there's a
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| | leaks.
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| problem with the boat, then be aware that
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| | Inspect the level and condition of the
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| if you buy that boat, you will be the new
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| | oil. A milky appearance signifies that
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| owner of that problem!
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| | water may be leaking into the engine. A
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| Does the boat have a full maintenance
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| | burned smell or grit in the oil, are
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| log? This should list all services,
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| | indications of mechanical problems,
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| repair, and oil changes. If it's missing,
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| | whilst a chalky residue on the engine or
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| it can be hard to tell how well the boat
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| | drive signals that the engine has been
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| has been looked after.
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| | running hot.
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| Is all the equipment you need present?
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| | Pull out a spark plug and examine it for
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| For example, navigation, lights, winches
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| | age. If it's old, perhaps the engine
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| etc. If not present, you will have to buy
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| | hasn't been serviced as often as it
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| some equipment separately, so build this
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| | should.
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| into your budget.
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| | Examine all hoses and belts. Are they
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| What was the main use of the boat? The
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| | cracked or degraded? Smell for fuel leaks
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| use of the boat can affect its condition.
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| | from hoses, and check that the fuel tanks
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| For example, boats used mainly for
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| | are sound.
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| fishing often run up high engine hours.
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| | Are the engine mounts sturdy?
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| Inspecting The Boat
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| | Check the sacrificial anodes. Do they
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| It is recommended that you use a surveyor
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| | need replacing?
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| to carry out a detailed inspection.
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| | Compression check the engine.
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| At the moment, anyone can call themselves
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| | Sea Trial
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| a marine surveyor, so it is important to
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| | If everything is up to your standards,
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| make sure that yours is accredited by the
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| | take the boat for a test drive.
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| relevant authority. Some examples are
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| | Before starting the engine, check if it
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| listed below:
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| | is already warm; if the engine has
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| The Yacht Designers and Surveyors
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| | trouble starting or smokes a lot when
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| Association, The International Institute
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| | cold, the seller may have warmed-up the
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| of Marine Surveying, The Society of
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| | engine prior to your arrival to disguise
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| Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS), The
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| | such problems.
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| National Association of Marine Surveyors
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| | Check the bilges at the start and end of
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| (NAMS)
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| | the trial; looking for evidence of an oil
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| Using a surveyor will give you peace of
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| | leak.
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| mind, and your finance and insurance
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| | See how the boat manoeuvres. Is the
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| companies may insist upon it. You should
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| | steering responsive? Hit waves from
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| never rely on an old survey - new
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| | different angles, looking for excessive
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| problems may have occurred since it was
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| | pitch or roll. Try out these factors
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| carried out.
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| | whilst above and below deck.
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| If you are experienced and confident
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| | Test that all the instruments are working
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| enough, you may be able to perform an
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| | correctly, and run the engine for long
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| inspection yourself. Here are some things
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| | enough to see if it'll overheat.
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| to look out for:
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| | If it's a sailing boat, put the sails up,
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| Has the boat been looked after well?
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| | and see how she manoeuvres under sail.
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| Examine obvious features such as the gel
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| | Try out different points of sale. Examine
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| coat, woodwork and upholstery. If these
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| | the mast and rigging under load.
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| haven't been maintained then there's a
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| | If the boat does not pass on any of your
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| good chance the rest of the boat has not
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| | tests, you do not necessarily need to
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| had much care either.
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| | rule it out, as long as you are willing
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| Check all wooden decking and interior
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| | to put some time (and money) into putting
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| woodwork for any soft spots.
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| | things right. You can use any
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| Are any parts of the exterior paintwork
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| | imperfections to try to agree a lower
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| poorly matching? This may indicate a
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| | price.
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| previous accident.
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| | Get It In Writing
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| Check that all the control cables (for
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| | If you decide to purchase the boat, you
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| steering, throttle etc.) are in good
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| | should get a Sales Agreement. This should
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| working order. The steering and
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| | state the terms and amount of payment,
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| transmission should move freely.
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| | and detail any pre-sale repairs that have
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| Look for water lines inside the boat or
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| | been agreed on - making clear who is
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| on the engine. These indicate that the
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| | responsible for carrying them out and
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| boat has flooded in the past.
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| | paying for them. It should also list
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| Open and close all the hatches and sea
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| | which accessories are included and the
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| cocks to ensure they're in good working
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| | delivery and payment dates.
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| order. Water marks inside the hatches
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| | Beware Of Fraud
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| would indicate that they are no longer
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| | Does the price seem too good to be true?
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| water-tight.
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| | If so, it probably is. The boat may
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| You should test all the systems such as,
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| | either be stolen or the seller may take
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| bilge pump, winches, freshwater system,
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| | your deposit and never be contactable
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| lights, heater and air conditioning,
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| | again. Make sure that you get the real
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| generator, stove etc.
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| | address of the seller; you should be
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| Check that all hardware is attached
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| | suspicious of anyone who only uses a PO
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| firmly, and that electrical items and
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| | Box.
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| connections are free from rust.
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| | Verify all the contact details of the
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| Examine the hull all over, taking note of
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| | seller. If there is an email address,
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| its general condition and looking for any
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| | make sure you can get a reply from them.
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| dents, cracks or chips in the gel coat if
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| | Get a telephone number for them and make
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| applicable. Tapping a fibreglass hull
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| | sure it works.
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| lightly with a rubber hammer, listening
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| | If the boat is in a different country to
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| for voids, can help reveal any blistering
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| | the seller, be extra cautious, and take
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| or delamination. Any fittings that go
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| | even more care if either are outside of
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| through the hull should be checked to
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| | your own country.
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| make sure they are tight and won't leak.
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| | If anything just doesn't seem right,
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| Find the hull registration number, and
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| | don't dismiss those feelings until you've
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| make sure it is present, doesn't look
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| | checked them out. Often your instincts
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| like it has been tampered with, and
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| | are correct.
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| matches the number on the boat's
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|
