So you want to buy a new boat? No doubt, you want to buy a quality vessel that will best fit your needs. But how will you know exactly what you're looking at? Even experienced mariners may have a tough time looking at a new boat and accurately judging how it will stand the test of time and rough seas.
Having tested hundreds of boats ranging in size from 13 feet to 72 feet for marine magazines, and being brought in as a consultant to boat builders, I've developed a few check lists, tests and sea trial tricks that help expose whether a boat is top–quality. You too can apply these techniques to boats you have in your sights, whether they are new or used.
LENNY RUDOWOn a sea trial, you should be at the wheel — not a salesman. You want to test the boat rigorously.
If you use these tricks, you will get a fairly reliable judgment after only an hour–long walk through, and an hour or two off the dock.
ANCHOR LOCKER ORACLE
The first part of your boat test should begin with a walk–through. You can do this either at the dock or on dry land, but doing it adrift in the middle of the bay or river, sea conditions allowing, is even better. You'll be hit by unexpected boat wakes, breezes, who knows what–and you'll discover how the boat reacts. The more time you spend on the boat away from the dock, the more you're going to learn.
Don't even consider buying a boat without a sea trial, and if a dealership or salesman doesn't want to let you go for a test run, there's probably a good reason for it–a reason you want to discover before you stroke a check.
Before getting started, let's check for all our tools: Notepad and pen, measuring tape, mirror on a telescopic arm (you can get them in most auto–parts stores), flashlight, a small magnet and a GPS if the boat isn't equipped with one. You can also invest in an inclinometer and a sound meter, if you really want to do this like a pro.
Start your walkthrough at the simpler end of the boat–
the bow. Whether the boat has an enclosed cabin or an open bow, there are some standard items to check.
HYDRA–SPORTS BOATSAfter the test, inspect the cabin again. Is everything in place, or have objects been flung around?
Start with the anchor locker. Check it for size, access to the rode (if you can't get an entire arm and shoulder through the opening, you'll have trouble if the rode tangles), anchor security and an anchor rode tie–down. Also, be sure that bow light wiring running through the anchor locker is well supported and won't get tangled in or ripped out by the anchor.
Next, take a peek at the bow rails; grab them and push to discover if they shake, bend or move excessively. Is there any crazing in the gel coat at the stanchion bases? If so, you should know that it will only grow worse over time. Also check to see how many fasteners hold each stanchion; three is ideal and, generally speaking, more is better. Next look to see if they're secured with screws or through–bolts, and if they're backed with backing plates. You can't do this from above, and this is where one of those boat–testing tricks comes in handy: Go back to the anchor locker, insert your flashlight, then your entire head and shoulder. The boatbuilder never planned for anyone to do this, so from inside the anchor locker you can get a look at the underside of those stanchion attachments, and the unfinished hull–to–deck joint–gobs of knowledge is exposed to those willing to take a dive into the anchor locker.
SCOUT BOATSCheck out every seat in the boat; don't just look at it, sit in it while the boat is underway.
From here, you can see if there are backing plates behind the rail stanchions, bow cleats, and windlass fittings, if the boat is so equipped. In all cases, aluminum, steel or phenolic (a super–dense fiberglass) plates are best; Polyboard is also good – and wood is a whole lot better than nothing. Light–duty boats will be backed with washers, and el–cheapo boats have screws with nothing backing them up.
While you're head is down there, look closely at the hull–to–deck joint. You're likely to see screws, but don't let this scare you off; the joints in most modern boats are chemically bonded with Plexus or a similar adhesive–you should see some of the hardened goop spilling out of the seams–and the screws are only there to hold the rubrail in place. Heavy–duty boats, however, will add through–bolts on four–inch centers, fiberglass over the joint entirely, or will run a backing strip around the joint and bolt through it.
Before you extricate your head from the anchor locker, look for one more detail. Turn around, and look aft to check the aft bulkhead. Make sure it meets the deck, and where it does, fiberglass putty or an adhesive/sealant should be evident. You're looking to make sure the builder attained uniformity in its major parts, including bulkheads, stringers, and hatches. A bulkhead that stops half an inch shy of the deck (or hull) is a dead give–away that some parts may not fit into place as they should.
