New boat buying tips

Just wanted to give some folks some things I have learned from my past boat buying experiences.

1. Make sure all items like transducers and skimmers are secured to the boat with stainless steel screws. It is best to ask that are installed on a plastic board like a cutting board material but thicker. This will enable you to move the transducers easily without having to drill more holes in the transom. Also prevents them from falling off from rusty screws.

2. Make sure the cranking battery is the biggest that you can get if you are running live wells and electronics. It is no fun to be stranded on the lake without cranking power. A lot of times the new boat dealers throw in a small battery without the above consideration.
Hence, it is best to buy a set of small jumper cables to leave in your new boat. If a used boat make sure to check the battery water levels.

3. Make sure the electronics are hard wired In and no wire clips used as they will work loose and give you fits as the electronics go out.

4. Make sure your Trailor has a spare for future needs and that you have the tools to get it off as you will need it one day.

5. If buying a larger boat make sure the Trailor has radial tires as they will wear better for you.

6. Make sure you fill out the warranty information as it is easy to forget if it's a new rig.

7. Make sure the bearing covers are on good as it's no fun going down the road slinging grease.

8. Make sure you know where the fuse block is and carry extra fuses.

9. When buying out of area, know that you are probably not going to be serviced by the place you bought your boat from. This poses problems as local boat dealers sometimes shun you and put your rig to the back of the maintenance line or plainly tell ya to go get serviced where you purchased the boat.

10. For warranties, make sure you keep a service log with receipts on the outboard. If any issues arise the manufacture may want proof maintenance was performed if it wasn't by a service center.

11. Get all your serial numbers for equipment, boat, electronics, etc on one piece paper as it will make it easier for you to reference in the future.

12. Make sure you follow engine break in guidelines if it's a new motor

13. Buy the biggest motor for the rig you can afford as you will always wish you had more horsepower.

14. Take the boat for a test drive if possible

15. remember that with a new rig most places just slap a prop on the boat. The prop may not be best for your needs and so research a little on this before hand or you may end up spending another wad of money on a prop more suitable for your boat and motor.

16. Consider going ahead and having an onboard charger installed as it really is a time saver when returning from the lake.

17. If you like to crank bait fish then you may opt to not buy the deep cycles the dealer installed as you will probably like golf cart batteries better and this will save you the hassle of swapping out later.

Hope this helps someone for future boat purchases. Feel free to contribute more tips for folks.

Very good advice, J.W., and should be very helpful to a lot of folks.

18. Make sure all electronics have 5 amp fuses and nothing higher. You want the fuse to blow instead of the unit.

19. Trailers may come with regular lights but you can ask for them to be upgraded to Led lights as they will save you in the long run.

NOW GO U A NEW BOAT !!!!

20. Make sure you check the navigation lights are working as that's something overlooked often and when you need them and they don't work you will be upset lol.

Sounds like you have wore yours out !!''

21. When you look at the used motor market make sure you check compression on the cylinders.

22. When looking at a used motor also check the lower unit oil. You want it clear and not cloudy as it may indicate a seal leak.

23. If the previous owner can't recall when the water impeller was replaced go ahead do your self a favor and change it out soon.

24. If a buying a used trailor then go ahead when you get it home and pull the hubs and check the bearings and grease. May jack the Trailor up and spin the hub to hear any noise and also check it for heat from the tow home. If you travel far distances to fish you may consider carrying a spare hub kit in the truck.

I hope this checklist of a sort will help other folks. I know I forget things and it's nice to have a guide being a first time or an many time boat owner.

25. If it's a used boat, pull the prop and tm prop off and check for line on the shaft. The line can cause seals to leak.

26. Buy yourself and carry a small Tupperware box in your boat and fill it with a screw driver (Philips and standard) , spark plug wrench, electrical tape, extra fuses, small can oil, pliers, etc for small on water fixes.

27. When you get your boat home and all registered, place your important papers and insurance card if required in a ziplock bag and stow them somewhere you can easily access.

28. Invite JW along when purchasing a new boat so he do all this for u !!!! Lol !!!!

29. Always buy a bigger boat than you really want because someday you'll wish you had !!!

All of the above reasons is what made me sell mine and upgrade to a kayak. :Rofl

30. Never under estimate the need for storage and how the storage is laid out. In other words are the things I put in there going to shift around to where I can't see them or get to them without standing on my head. And number 4 is really important, you need to be sure you have a jack and a lug wrench that will fit you boats lug nuts. More than once I've stopped to help someone change a tire on their trailer and they have a spare but their car or truck jack and/or lug wrench won't fit the trailer.

JW ... saw on another thread that your boat caught fire??? how did that happen if it did?? is your boat going to be repairable?? I caught a boat on fire bowfishing because I had run to wire to small to far!!!

Justdriftin sent ya pm. Greg I learn a lot of things the hard way and just hope I could save some one else a heart ache or two.

Allot of good tips buddy, you always share useful info !

would like to hear what your ideal crappie rig would be. Two girls in college and one of them about to get married when she graduates. Hopefully will be able to upgrade boats soon. Starting my wish list now.

Left handed, first have to start with what is your budget gonna be for your boat?

$20K ?. I don't need a Creekslick boat but a 18' Aluminum Express,Lowe, Ranger with trolling motor and electronics up grade. You seem to put alot of thought into your setups and was curious the what you would if you had the chance to start fresh.

Buy a Ranger Fisherman Series 620 and be done with it

Call bill at big River marine tell him what all u want and be finished! !!!!! He has xpress, excel and rangers can't beat his price !!'

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Originally Posted by left handed

$20K ?. I don't need a Creekslick boat but a 18' Aluminum Express,Lowe, Ranger with trolling motor and electronics up grade. You seem to put alot of thought into your setups and was curious the what you would if you had the chance to start fresh.

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Check into good used glass boat before u buy aluminum, you'll be surprised what you can get for $20,000

Send me a number pm and I will be glad to talk with you. I seeking a new boat I would first buy local if I could as that is who you are gonna need to service your rig. If it is a used boat then really not gonna matter where you purchase imo.

Depends on what kinda of lakes you will fish also. Metal boats have there place and so do fiberglass boats ink. But I can and will be glad to tell you over the phone. Too many folks will want to disagree and I am not into all that. I just wanted to post what I have learned from buying new and used boats so that others may not share in the same heartaches I have encountered.

Boats are like a Chevy and a ford. Some are gonna be die hard users of there favorite no matter what.

Fuel economy with motor size and type 2 stroke or 4 stroke also can play into the decision as on some big boats it takes $150 to fill it up and you will guzzle through that in a half day fishing if you run much.

A few more tips from post on the main page.

If optimal performance is one of your goals (as I believe it should be), then make sure you have the correct shaft length of engine, relative to the boat transom. The cavitation plate (the plate right above the prop) must be level with the lowest point of the transom. That way, you will get top performance and reduced chances of over/under rpms on your engine; thereby increasing engine life and optimizing your top end speed.

Some marinas try to stick any engine they have in stock on your boat if they have excess inventory, so it's best if you know what is needed up front.

Another tip from someone Buy 4 or 5 extra transom plugs. Put one in the boats glove box, your tackle box, truck glove box, buddies truck glove box, etc. Also, a first aid kit should be high on your list. Outboard motor support for trailering keeps the motor from bouncing on the transom. Also, a second trailer jack on the back of the trailer is very handy for storage to keep from getting flat spots on the tires or even changing a tire. Check the size of the bilge pump, if it is on the small side or at max rated capacity for the boat get a bigger one. Don't forget fire extinguisher too.

Locking chains for the trailer safety chains and spare are nice if using public ramps. Same goes for keyed lug nuts. Don't discount dock lines and fenders, also a line suitable for towing or being towed, preferably polypropylene so it floats.

I buy and sell well over a million dollars worth of aluminum boats a year. If you need advise, give me a shout. Some of these tips are good, some not so much, but I'll do my best to help you if you need me to.
870-635-0202
Xpress, Ranger, Alweld, Havoc, and Excel.

Here's my BEST tip. Buy what YOU like best, not what someone else wants you to buy. You know what they say about opinions, and only YOURS counts when spending YOUR money!!!!!

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Originally Posted by BigRiverMarine

Here's my BEST tip. Buy what YOU like best, not what someone else wants you to buy. You know what they say about opinions, and only YOURS counts when spending YOUR money!!!!!

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Good tip.

Thanks for all the pms. I try to answer everyone questions. If I missed anyone send me your name and number. This thread is to try and help the future boat consumers out before making the plunge.

I will give a review and unbiased position on boats soon as I have time to sit down this weekend. There are multiple factors that play into a decision when making a boat purchase imo.

Hope this helps folks. Man from the pm and calls I didn't realize so many folks interested in buying boats at this time of year.

Thanks for the great tips JW, I will consider these the next time I buy a boat. Sorry to hear about your boat buddy you know there is always an open seat in the dark angel for you bud till you get yours back. Talk to ya soon.

Hope the many folks that I talked with were helped in some way. Wish I would have thought of a lot of these things before I bought boats in the past.

Somebody should make this thread a sticky. It's good information. If that's what it's called anyway.

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