Need advise on inboard purchase

[cape resilient]

Hi all you boaters out there !!

I have always had a o/b engine and never purchased a inboard.
I am looking at purchasing a used boat (7yrs old) with a Volvo 3.0 L SX in it
I will have it checked by a certified mechaninc but
WHAT SHOULD I BE LOOKING FOR ON THE SEA TRIAL ? (OTHER than it just running LOL)


Thanks for all feed back , greatly appreciated
Cape C

[marko]

Check for an interchanger cooling system. This is a closed cooling system that keeps the salt water out of the engins cooling jackets and
all the corrosive damage that goes along with it. Most serious salties have it but some may not. Also look at the anodes for axcessive wear.
If there is this just means they are doing their job or they have recently been replaced to hide excessive salt water exposure.
....Also be mindfull of a recently polished motor that may be hiding any weepage....check to see if the motor is cold when first starting then
run the motor for a bit while testing. Check compression before and after,easy to do, and look for even numbers within specs. Should be
atleast 135lbs cold I believe or you will have problams starting due to low compression.
....If satisfied with the initial inspection, take it out for a spin, preferrably with some load to get a better idea of performance.

Good luck

Marko

[MichaelR]

To what Marko said I’d add finding out where and when the boat has been serviced (including winterization last done) and, if the owner still has them, the work orders made up in servicing. If you can get a chat with the mechanic who has worked on the boat so much the better. I’d also advise getting a survey done by a professional: this will make sure you get a lower insurance rate.

As for the sea trial spend an hour or more doing it making first sure everything does work (including fish wells and bait wells if equipped, wash-down pump, bilge pump, and so on) then bounce the boat around (if you can’t find rough water, circle over the wake). See how she handles with the trim tabs up and down.

Check the condition of the upholstery looking for cracks and/or tears. If there’s a bimini top check the stitching for breakdown of the thread.

Look at the batteries and see if there’s corrosion on the terminals. If so you can bet money there’s other corrosion in the wiring somewhere.

There’s a lot, really, to look at and that’s why I suggest getting a full survey done. Seven years old isn’t that old for a boat yet if the boat hasn’t been maintained seven years is a lot.

MichaelR