4 Things to Do Before You Buy a Used Boat

If you love spending time out in the water, fishing or simply sailing away under the sun, then buying a boat can be wonderful investment or gift to yourself. Use the following tips to make sure you end up with the right one:

Test drive it

Boats, even used boats for sale in GA, could set you back for a whole lot of money. That’s why it’s best to take it out for test drive. Don’t skip this step. You could end up with a boat with a ton of problems if you do.

Pay attention to signs

Once you the test drive is underway, it can be easy to get lost in excitement and thrill of driving a boat that you might end up owning. Don’t be distracted, though. Be sure to be on the lookout for any signs of trouble, says ThoughtCo. For instance, does the boat vibrate? Does the boat take a bit too long to respond when you change the direction of the steering wheel? Does it jump when you slip into gear? These are just a few things you’ll want to check.

Check the hours

This is the same as you checking the mileage on your car. If the boat has more than 500 hours lodged, then you might need to spend money on a few upgrades as well as for maintenance costs. Be sure to factor that into your budget.

Look for floor rot

Wood and water aren’t the best of friends. That’s why you’ll want to carefully and thoroughly check the floor of the boat. Are there any signs of rot? Smell the floor for mildew. Doing this-along with all the other steps-will help you avoid bad bets. That way, you can continue to scout around used boats for sale in GA until you find the best one.