Inspecting used BMT

[Fab1]

My Bin that has moved up to Qld a few years ago is taking the plunge and getting into boating/fishing and has asked if I can give him some tips on buying a used boat,so I will be making up a list of things I look for with photos to send to him and thought I'd share on here also.

This is a question that is commonly asked so I thought I'd share what I've learnt over the years that may help others looking at purchasing a used boat giving them a bit more confidence and knowledge in what to look for.A lot of this stuff will cross over into doing used car inspections also.

First of all I take a small torch,note pad,pen,rag,empty lid,screwdriver/s,spark plug spanner and compression gauge.

Here goes.

When I am presented with the boat by the seller I like to start with a quick walk around the whole boat taking note of anything that grabs my attention to be inspected further a bit later.

The first thing I ask myself is does the boat look like it's been taken care of overall and is it in the condition described by the owner in the add?

Does the price asked fit in with the market value of the boat being looked at?

Keeping in mind at all times the CONDITION plays a big role in the money being asked as well as engine options and any extras.

  This is where homework on your part comes into play.(Know the market).

Once you've decided whether you walk away there and then (You'll know as soon as you see the boat)or have decided the boat warrants further inspection I like to start from the ground up.

I like to have a set routine so I don't miss anything and will always start at the tyres,wheels,trailer,hull,engine in that order.

Tyres-What to look for?

I look to see that all the trailers tyres are the same brand,size,tread pattern and are all showing the same wear pattern.

They should have no visible cracks,splits,bulges,cracked valve stems,dry rot,etc.

This tyre above  is showing the classic signs of dry rot with all those cracks running across the sidewall and should be replaced ASAP.This tyre has them in between the tread blocks and should also be replaced.This valve stem above has very bad cracks when bent back and should also be replaced ASAP.This is what a bulge in the sidewall of a tyre looks like and should be replaced immediately and not be driven on.

Also check the manufacturing date on the sidewall of the tyre falls within the last 5years or so.

In this example the numbers 1411 tell you that the tyre was manufactured on the 14th week of 2011.The first two digits in this case 14 always represent the week and the last two 11 the year.

So in this case April 2011 which would make this tyre almost 6 years old going by today's date and should be discarded.

That's just the basics on common things that happen to tyres to keep an eye out for.

In pt 2 I'll share what faults to look for in wheels.

If anyone has tips to help someone out feel free to add them.

Cheers.

[Swampgecko]

You have nailed it so far, Tyres are always overlooked until they go POP! The only other thing I would add for tyres is bulging on the roadface, for want of a better word. The tyre can start delaminating as it heats up and will let go. I had this happen to me a few years ago. Not a pleasant experience

[Trailcraft43]

Great knowledge.

Thankyou for sharing, so others can be safer.

Wheel Bearings are a big safty thing as well.

Usually overlooked as are tyres.

 

 

[Fab1]

On 18 March 2017 at 10:39 AM, noelm said:

Something that I always do when buying second hand cars or boats, or anything else privately is check the general condition of the house and yard (I know this is kind of offbeat) but in general, if a person looks after their belongings, it reflects in their living..if the grass is two foot high, there is a couple of old derelict cars in the yard, then that to me indicates someone who doesn't care about their "stuff"

Agreed.The road and driveway can tell you a lot also in regards to fluid leaks.

[Fab1]

On 18 March 2017 at 11:47 AM, Swampgecko said:

You have nailed it so far, Tyres are always overlooked until they go POP! The only other thing I would add for tyres is bulging on the roadface, for want of a better word. The tyre can start delaminating as it heats up and will let go. I had this happen to me a few years ago. Not a pleasant experience

Yes,I've had one that bulged on the tread face years ago as it can happen there also.The beauty of it there is you feel it bouncing as your driving along giving you time "hopefully" to stop and address the problem.

[Fab1]

8 hours ago, Trailcraft43 said:

Great knowledge.

Thankyou for sharing, so others can be safer.

Wheel Bearings are a big safty thing as well.

Usually overlooked as are tyres.

 

 

No problem.The wheel bearings,coupler and light check are the final things I do before I've purchased the boat before I tow it away.