Buying A Yacht? Don't Overlook These 4 Areas

Articles

If you've finally made the decision to buy a yacht, there are several factors to consider, such as gas or diesel powered, new or used, and yacht size. These are all important details that make an impact on the performance of the yacht you ultimately end up choosing, but there are other factors that many buyers often overlook. If you're looking at previously used yachts, go beyond the sea trial and don't forget to take a look at some of these areas as well.

Trailer Condition

If your boat comes with an accompanying trailer, it's worth your time to take a look at the overall condition before you decide to purchase it. Check the following:

• Do the lights function properly?
• Make sure the coupler, tongue jack and surge brakes work.
• Check the wheels for leaking brake fluid or bearing grease.
• Look at the condition of the bunk rollers or bunk carpeting if applicable.
• Make sure there is no rust on the axles and springs or torsion bars.
• Is there any damage to the frame and fender areas?

Finally, familiarize yourself with your state's requirements for boat and trailer weight, legal width and brakes and verify the trailer meets them.

Indulge In A Cold Start

Hopefully the yacht you're preparing to inspect has not been started up yet so you are able to see how it performs with a cold start. If it has, you miss out on the chance to listen for initial noises. Otherwise, a cold start can reveal potential problems as the oil pressure between metal surfaces has had a chance to bleed off.

• Excess clearance in the main bearings and connecting rods produce initial ticking or knocking sounds.
• Extra clearance between the cylinder wall and the pistons will make a slapping or knocking noise.

Performing a cold start allows you to check for these potential engine problems.

Verify the Engine Hours

Of course you want your yacht to have lower engine hours, as this shows less wear and use on the engine and yacht. Checking the engine hour meter is a safe way to see for yourself, but take it a step farther and take a quick photo of the meter before embarking on a test drive. When your sea trial has concluded, check the meter again. If the numbers are unchanged, this explains why the engine hours are so low – the meter does not work. Steer clear of this yacht.

Get Dirty

Now that you've checked the trailer, performed a cold start and verified the true engine hours, it's time to get a little dirty. Many buyers overlook checking the engine oil and drive oil, but these are good indicators regarding the engine condition.

1. Engine Oil. Just as in a car, pull the dipstick and inspect the oil. It should look like new oil, amber and clean. Unless it's a diesel engine, the dipstick should not show black oil. Also, evidence of water in the oil means there could be problems with the head gasket. The oil should smell like oil and not gas. Finally, look underneath the oil cap for normal dark brown residue. Problems with head gaskets often produce milky-looking oil.
2. If your yacht has a remote drive oil reservoir, you need to take a look at it for signs of moisture. Open the cap to see if water has gotten into the drive oil. A leak in the drive allows water to seep into the gear case. The gears may even be corroded or pitted if the leak has been going on for a while.

If you're searching for a previously used yacht, checking the condition of the trailer, performing a cold start, verifying the true engine hours and getting a little dirty all help you find potential problems before you sign a purchase contract. 

22 June 2017