The season is about to begin and many of you will be getting ready to replace the old boat

or purchase one for the first time. Due to fast rising prices used or pre-owned boats are more atractive than ever. Please, if you take no other advice offered than this, get some pro help in evaluating that used boat before you buy it. I can not count the number of times people have bought what seems to be a nice boat and end up spending thousands in repairs after one or two outings. Almost  every one of these problems would have shown up with a pre-purchase survey by a competent marine mechanic. Many times it is a problem even the seller is not a aware of.

Find a shop or mechanic you trust( we hope you chose us) and have the boat inspected before you buy it. They can spot any problems, give an estimate of cost to repair, give you peace of mind as well as project costs for any changes or accessories you may wish to add. In addition a written sruvey with repair estimate attached can be a big help in negotiating a fair price for your next boat. No honorable seller will object to this and if they do it is a "red flag" to you .... DO NOt BUY IT !!

Finaly, I am sure you all have someone you know who is a boater or you feel is knowlegable about boats and you may ask them to inspect the boat rather than pay a marine mechanic. The modest fee you pay ( usualy $100.00 -$200.00) is cheap compared to repair bills. Your friend is no doubt an expert at whatever he does but he is NOT a marine mechanic. You would not get your friend the electrician to repair a leaky toilet I hope.

Happy Boating