Do NOT Buy These Boats Part 2 (You'll Regret It If You Do)

[@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon]

FREE For Boat Shoppers: www.BoatersSecretWeapon.com/Toolkit FREE Boat Buyer's Toolkit for new or used boat shoppers will give you 28-pages of checklists, questions to ask and how to demo the boat the right way so you don't miss a thing. Plus, get the cost of ownership calculator so you know precisely what your cost of ownership will be. FREE For Boat Owners: boaterssecretweapon.com/pages/boater-bootcamp FREE Boater Bootcamp for newer boat owners gives you insights on boat ownership basics, navigation and practical rules of the water and how to avoid, be prepared and handle emergency situations. No more not knowing what you don't know in the boating lifestyle.

[@scottjersey6119]

I’m a first time boat buyer. I can’t express my gratitude for you guys, enough. I’ve been looking at used boats through FB market place. I just stopped in my tracks and decided to go through a a dealer that’s been referred to me by local boat owners. Thank you!

[@mtblantonjr]

I’ve been doing the same. I think I’ve decided against buying one from a private seller.

[@OB1974]

I almost purchased a very nice 1997 Four Winns Cuddy. The owner had the motor rebuild step years ago because he forgot to winterize it. The outdrive looked excellent. With the name Volvo I figured it was a good thing. Based on advice from our local marine shop I was told to walk away even though the guy dropped the price to $5K. Now I know why. Great information here. Thank you very much.

[@JC-bu8zd]

10:00 I Love how you showed the comments including their names !!!

[@erikb8877]

I completely understood when you said “leave the plug in”. I’ve seen it a hundred times

[@ststele]

I understood what you said in your last video about sinking with the plug in. You clarified it if I remember correctly. :-)

[@Eluderatnight]

I have a 99ocean pro 130hp johnson on a 01 four winns horizon with minimal issues. I have owned it 4 years and use every other weekend.

[@SkypowerwithKarl]

Sunk on trailer or rain sunk boats may have another issue people don’t realize. Once the water gets into the under deck compartments it may be impossible to remove all the water from all the foam flotation, ribs and stringers without a total gutting out. What you have is a “heavy boat “ or water logged boat. I seen runabouts 600 pounds heavy and run like they are at full capacity when there’s only the captain. Also, once the wiring in submerged, the harness becomes a problematic gremlin. The wire strands act like a wick and can draw water many feet into it and later continually feeding a corrosive mix to connections.

[@aekerr6080]

Capt. Matt, great info and I love the channel. I am one of those guys who bought a trailer sunk boat, but I knew what I was buying. I took the time, gutted the boat and replaced all the wood in it and glassed it in with epoxy, big job yes, but I still have that boat now. So if you are handy you can get yourself into a almost new boat, and sea worthy boat, for way cheaper than a new boat. One thing to add to the stringer rot topic. That is, if the floor has soft rotten spots or a whole in it, then the odds are very likely your stringers are shot too. And while your at it, might as well replace the transom too.

[@JoshSees]

I'm still working on my covid project boat :-)

[@aekerr6080]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Research research research, youtube, blogs, forums what ever you can. There is somebody out there who has, or is doing what you want to do. Research materials. Don't go cheap on materials! Get the best that you can afford. I did mine with marine grade plywood (composites were way to expensive for me at that time) epoxy and 17oz biaxial glass and way over engineered it.... Also I decided on my next one some day, I am going to split the hull and deck and do it that way. That would have made my job a lot easier on the one I have done. Finally hope for the best, but expect the worst when you dig into it.

[@robormiston2841]

I've never gotten a title for an outboard motor in Wa. State. I got a good deal on a boat that was "sunk on the trailer". Water had got to starter and alternator and the guy took it in for an estimate and they wanted More then he was willing to pay. And he was to large to get in there and do it so I made a low-ball over not being able to hear it run and he took it. I put a new starter in it and reconnected an alternater wire and it's been a great boat for years and I still have it.

[@juliannal3157]

Completely agree on first production years on boats. One example is the 2012 Chaparrall H2O with 4.3 Mercruiser and a non remote oil filter that is almost impossible to access when doing oil changes. They added remote oil filter kits for all the following years.

[@mikemurel1917]

Bought a boat this spring from an estate. The owner died tragically 2 years earlier. The title could not be found. They had the trailer title. I took the registration number to the DNR . They confirmed the correct owner. Part 1 complete. The executor of the estate was a real gentleman and agreed to meet at the DNR with us and he got his money when the DNR issued the title. Such a smooth transaction!!! I almost didn't even go look at the boat because of the title issue. Love the boat!! Do your homework.

[@NipItInTheBud100]

I get why you got crap. Sinking on a trailer while at the same time showing a boat at the bottom the sea was only going to cause confusion! Thanks for the clarification!!

[@bryangadow1459]

"Sinking on a trailer". A tough lesson I learned many years ago. I really didn't think about it at all; not wanting to lose the drain plug, I left it in. After a heavy rain, I wondered why the tongue of the trailer was way up in the air! What a mess.

[@myopinioncountsmost2419]

The 4 stroke Yamaha issue is / was the exhaust corroding at the junction with the block. Most were the 225HP models and some earlier 250s. A Yamaha mechanic can scope the exhaust internally to determine if that particular engine is suspect. A telltale sign is large bubbles when idling (drive down in water); there are kits available to replace the exhaust. If the engine is not a "bad one" they are very good and go 3k hours no problem. I have had 2 sets; the 225s were effected and repaired, the 250s are currently at 2300 hours without issues.

[@keithscudder7136]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Along with those comments about the Yamaha engines, they used a poor quality aluminum in their engines, but it showed mostly in the 225HP and the 250HP engines. I work on outboard engines down here in Miami , FL.

[@gunnerneikoify]

No title, no buy/sale!!! That's just common sense and something that shouldn't need to be taught to someone.

[@biffjohnson7107]

New sub here. Fantastic information for me, as I am researching a first boat purchase. Can’t thank you enough!

[@jaquigreenlees]

There is one thing that in my opinion is an absolute do not buy signal that very few even think about. Large "windows" in the midship master stateroom. While they let in lots of natural light and help give a great look in the stateroom they are a serious safety concern. There has already been at least 1 incident where a 26 foot rhib drove through such a window. This was to a super yacht, so it was fairly stable with this rhib hanging out of it's hull but those same style windows are being put into much smaller boats. A gaping hole in your 40 foot boat that can easily wind up with a good sized rhib hanging out of it will wind up with water flooding into your boat through the hole in the hull. ( check the largest of the Ranger Tug line, 41 feet with such windows )

[@jaquigreenlees]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon You are pretty much guaranteed leaks will happen even with portlights / portholes, it is the nature of the beast. My personal focus is on distance capable salt water boats, there are a whole plethora of things you need to watch for that you don't need to on the smaller fresh water boats. The funny part is, most of the smaller outboard driven fresh water boats are also used as a tender on the bigger salt water boats so the cautions you regularly mention in these lists are applicable to a lot of salt water boaters as well.

[@kwestflooringservicesinc4038]

I dont know anything about boats. Currently looking to get a small one for lake fishing and this is by far the best info I've got so far Awesome and valuable information, highly appreciated 👍 👍 👍 👍

[@juliannal3157]

Great content. I would like to add Yamaha sterndrives, Mercury Mercruiser Vazer. Also any joint venture Mercury/yamaha fourstrokes from around 1999-2005ish Merc has made most of these parts NLA

[@seangoodman665]

I have an SEI on a 115 Yamaha 2 stroke. They did reseal it under warranty. It has been good. I’ve had it 4 years. Perhaps not as good as an OE Yamaha, but was better than anything used, not many available at the time or rebuilt that I could find . My case had a split in it . It came with a warranty which you don’t get on a used or rebuilt one ( not in all cases) some will warranty used and rebuilt lowers. I wouldn’t be afraid of one , but I realize it’s not an original or OE quality.

[@beefcakes27]

Capt. Matt, all true about the wood stringers and motor mounting positions too on the lower priced open bow's of the 90's and before...

[@gunnerneikoify]

If you can afford 4 of the Mercury 600's, you have MORE than enough money to deal with problems that might arise from buying the 1st gen of them.

[@emmanuelspromisefarm6118]

Great video and great information thanks for Both Parts very valuable.

[@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon]

Glad it was helpful!

[@robormiston2841]

I fix boat's at a boat place and there is a motor fix it place across the street. I always see all of the newer outboards in never the old ones. I like my old Volvo Penta 280 outdrive. Very simple and works great all these years. Parts are expensive but you never need any. And it not that I can't afford a nicer newer one, I have a 2.5 Drag Mercury outboard and others. I just think they are one of the most reliable ones out there. Alot of the older boats were made with pride. Not so much today. And I used to own a boat company. Made in the USA.

[@charlesboyer61]

All of the advice is great -- I wish I had seen this before I bought my first boat. It had a couple hand-sized soft-spots on the transom, which didn't take long to be a real problem with the only fix being a transom replacement. That was a fun job. Thought I had learned my lesson and was careful with my second boat, but within 100 hours it needed a new rear engine seal. I think the seller willfully screwed me but I should have seen it. Third boat, had it for 25 years by using most of the advice you give in the two videos. It was a Four Winns, and the engine was a 3.2 Chevy that was virtually indestructible. I looked it over every which way to Sunday and it came up aces everywhere. I made sure to do the maintenance and only had a couple issues -- failed fuel pump relay, failed solenoid for the outdrive. The only reason I sold it was because it was an i/o and I had moved back to the Florida coast, a place where i/o's go to die IMO. The guy got a deal and I took an hour to point out every single problem I knew of (little ones) and I even pulled up the inspection plates so he could look at the stringers and fuel tank. He was a man with a young family and I didn't want him to spend money without knowing he had some projects like replacing the depth finder. My free advice is not to buy a boat with a checkered past, with signs of decay or with crappy engines or outdrives that you can quickly learn about by Googling. Pretty much what you're saying here. Take your time, make a checklist of things to look for, and go through it slowly enough to be sure. Waiting an extra week to get on the water is better than waiting seven weeks in the middle of summer for the mechanic to get your boat fixed.

[@Jb-uy5zx]

Just curious about the i/o thing in Florida, why is that where they go to die?

[@1winmoney]

My boat sunk on the trailer with the plug-in and the starter went. Good video!

[@bryank4649]

Brand new boater here and I knew what you meant by the boat sinking with the plug in. Thank you for the great content and keep the videos coming!!! -from Connecticut.

[@bryank4649]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon lol, sitting here watching more of your videos

[@fernandoalfonso4330]

We run a heavy SEARAY Have run an SEI counter rotation now for three years good so far.

[@fernandoalfonso4330]

Alpha 2nd Gen. not Bravo

[@bubba0701]

I want to buy American first but there are always potential problems with first production. My Suzuki Outboard first production line had NO ISSUES! still runs like a champ..

[@TIMEtoRIDE900]

I heard this story - a guy had to get rid of an old boat. The dump wouldn't take it. He hatched this plan of sawing up the boat, putting the pieces in 55 gal drums and burying them on his land. He had his neighbor help with the work. Years later he had a "falling out" with his neighbor, who reported the incident to the EPA. They put him IN PRISON for 2 years !

[@imududeplaynududedisguisedasa-]

Pull the plug in the middle of the lake problem solved

[@michaelschuler7397]

I have sawed a few parts up but just put it in my trash

[@yanassi]

Two choices if you’re inexperienced. Bring someone to survey and inspect the boat that has a low price or pay a lot for something new.

[@davemc162]

Exceptionally good guidance. Thank you!

[@wb2989]

Your friend that commented on "shearing off the lower unit of his OMC sterndrive' would not have happened if the leg lift clutch was maintained properly, that said.. the lack of parts and the giant bellows transom hole are notable weak spots. but my SRV 200 is still rocking the water with its OG stringer 800 and upgraded ford(omc) 302. cheers man thanks!

[@dwightbernheimer331]

Know what boat you'll NEVER regret buying???... Dusky... 'Nuff said!!!... good stuff thanks for posting.

[@ngtatsang7690]

Awesome video. I'm a newbie and this video its an eye opener. Suggest doing same type of video on popular boat types like open bow 26 footer and power cats

[@johnwisniewski5118]

I almost bought a Boston Whaler with an Evinrude Ficht motor. I'm glad I watched this video before I did.

[@N4CR]

Thank you!!! This new mic sounds way better, no sharp, harsh distortion. A pop filter will help for final bit of easy, 'left on table' quality. Then if your channel grows you can look at room treatment. Welcome to the rabbit hole of sound xD

[@darthkek1953]

I love that guy who is saying "don't be so hard on XDP drives, some have HUNDREDS of hours on them." Put five thousand hours on it and get back to me.

[@jasonwatkins4277]

I had an XDP on a 2003 2301 Striper. That was the biggest P.O.S. ever made! Had to put 2000 rpm on to get it to get in gear. Almost throw you out of the boat when it finally hit. Contol linkages froze, exhaust tubing rotted out, pure garbage.

[@normsve2120]

Enjoy the videos and would like to comment on the 2003 to 2006 Yamahas. They definitely have had corrosion problems in salt water applications. Unfortunately Yamaha wouldn't step up and fix them at no charge, however they did and still do offer the new parts that are properly coated at cost. So I would suggest rather than passing on a boat you want, first ask if the engine mid sections have been updated.

[@normsve2120]

sorry no link, as I looked into the problem Yamaha has put together exhaust kits for these engines and have them priced at their cost. I have purchased a couple from Andy at SIM YAMAHA, no special program numbers just have to order the kits@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon

[@melrose9252]

I think it was in 94 OMC and Volvo worked together on a outdrive and called the SX Cobra. It combined the Volvo cone clutch and the OMC HD V8 Lower unit. OMC and Volvo sold them with their respective logos until 96 when OMC pulled out of the stern drive business leaving Volvo with a great stern drive. For a while they offered Ford Engines as an option. These units are better than the old Volvo 270’s and the old OMC’s. The problem is now they are getting aged so I would use caution buying an old stern drive from any manufacturer. Most marine engines don’t wear out but age, misuse and neglect lead to their demise.

[@melrose9252]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon < I think that wound be very close. We had one customer that had a Dynatrac bass boat with a 140 Evinrude looper. I think this motor was as close to being worn out than any I had ever seen. I tried to sell him a new 135 Mariner that we had in a crate and the owner told me not to because we were making more money on service than we could have on the sale of a new motor. Ouch lol. .

[@44bett]

Excellent video -Pts. 1 and 2 very informative, thank you.

[@aaronharley4828]

Those Yamaha 4strokes were F250's the first VVT (variable valve timing) 4stroke

[@jml7916]

Some OMC Cobra (V6 and V8, not the 2.3 or 3.0) can be converted using a kit from SEI and some others to a Merc A Gen 2 out drive for a bit more than the cost of a rebuild. You also have the option of converting to a Volvo SX drive but that is pricey. My OMC drive is in good shape but I’m already shopping for a cheap Merc A from a junked boat to rebuild and have ready for when my drive packs it in. Factored this into the purchase price and got a screaming deal on an older boat in great shape. I do my own work and have a limited “toy” budget and live on the Great Lakes, no salt. I would recommend OMC Cobra to avid DIY looking for a good deal. Parts are available, information is available etc. But if you want a shop to work on it, Mercruiser strikes the right balance of affordable, reliable and available. Volvos could be better (idk, I’ve never owned one) but to expensive for my pocketbook.

[@bobbohlsen3995]

How cold is too cold 350 io older 22ft chris craft scorpion lake superior out of water storage

[@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon]

Not sure I understand the question

[@doolittlegeorge]

I use my boat as a backup power generator should the power ever go out. Never leaves the driveway if I can help it. The only boat I would never buy is one that cannot be serviced properly...which is pretty much all of them save Hinckley Yachts. Boston Whaler and World Cat hulls and trailers seem to hold their value exceptionally well. "Never buy a boat that doesn't include a top of the line boat cover." Other than that...just don't ever buy one in the first place!

[@erikb8877]

If you do a part III, do some research on the MerCruiser 3.7. I don’t recall the exact years. It was an engine that MerCruiser developed in house. It was an Iron sleeved four-cylinder aluminum block designed to except the iron cylinder head from a Ford 460 big block. I hate to condemn anything out right but in my experience it was horrible. I had one that completely disassembled itself on a test drive.

[@erikb8877]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon mid 70’s to late 90’s...I think

[@erikb8877]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon They had a stator type charging system on the front and the top of the cylinder liners weren’t attached to the block. They had head gasket problems for obvious reasons. They are getting pretty rare but I still see one once in a while. Many parts are NLA but still a lot on ebay

[@erikb8877]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon now I remember it was called the MerCruiser 470.

[@melrose9252]

If I recall correctly the 470 came in 2 and 4 barrel option and came standard with closed water cooling. The GM 4.3 V6 was just a better engine I think.

[@erikb8877]

@@melrose9252 yes! I forgot about that.

[@yanassi]

Woof bark growl commented “…if the foam is not already waterlogged,…” i thought foam didn’t absorb water. Please explain. Hull issues i read was woodcore has rotting issues while foam has issues with de-lamination.

[@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon]

Closed-cell foam does not absorb water... until the closed cells are broken. Like someone puts a screw thru it or cuts it, then it not only absorbs it but its near impossible to get it out

[@user-cj2vu4jn7v]

Not here in Rhode Island there are no titles issued for an outboard motor if the boat is 14 feet and under you do not need a title

[@aaronharley4828]

Buying a SEI unit was the same price as rebuilding your Merc. Alfa drive without the wait.

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Not sure an SEI will have the durability of a real Mercruizer out drive. Forums are filled with stories of low hours SEI failing while out offshore.. My most recent boat came with an SEI lower half and its going to get scrapped.

[@ScottieFindsFish]

i accidentally “sunk” my boat on the trailer. had to get it completed rewired, new fuel lines everything. it was a nightmare but shes in tip top shape now! i will never make that mistake again

[@chadjohnson5917]

Not all states title trailers. I live in South Carolina and titling trailers are not needed. I would required a notized BOS

[@chadjohnson5917]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon we are in the same area. I live in Great Falls

[@mrnotnomis]

I got an untitled trailer from Alabama, I think. The issue I ran into is that my state requires a title, which requires a safety inspection, which requires trailer brakes...which didn't come with mine. So THAT little surprise will cost me some money.

[@Draculas_Raven]

WOW amazing info!!! .... THANK YOU!!!! i have been looking for ever for an old afordable boat, its been a NIGHTMARE.....I fINALLY came across a 1970 Mark Twain V-Sonic tri haul with 140HP mercruiser ...solid all original even the interior, 2 owner both new each other ...ALWAYS INDOORS FIRST OWNER heated garage, seconded in NICE BARN, Always maintained ....Would this make a great first time boat...OPINIONS PLEASE!!!!

[@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon]

Sounds pretty good just make sure you put it on the water and do a sea trial before you write that check If you haven’t yet grab our free Boat buyers tool kit that has a demo checklist of what to do

[@loribernard6258]

Any comments on caravelle 190 ebo? 2016

[@loribernard6258]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon would you discourage someone from buying bc of the fact not as deep

[@upstatedigger7361]

I pretty sure that law was changed in South Carolina. Changed at the end of 2019 according to the DNR website. You pay every year not every 3 years like in the past. If you buy a boat that hasn’t been registered for years it doesn’t matter. New owner pays for his own new stickers From my understanding. For what it’s worth.

[@ear4980]

Illinois just started charging you more if you want a paper title for a boat. No engine title required either.

[@ear4980]

Not sure on digital. When I titled my new/used boat they asked if I wanted a paper copy of my title and said it was an extra 30 dollars

[@ear4980]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Not sure on digital. When I titled my new/used boat they asked if I wanted a paper copy of my title and said it was an extra 30 dollars

[@jonesjones7057]

Yep. In AZ they've always been digital titles but in the spirit of higher revenue, they have now started digital for cars too and, yep, a charge for paper titles.

[@nathanrendelman]

so years back, I bought a boat when I lived in TN, no problems, TN doesn't require title or registration for the trailer. fast forward to moving to VA, VA was more then happy to deal with the boat, but refused to acknowledge that I actually owned my trailer that the boat sat on because of no trailer title requirements from TN.

[@jml7916]

Boat I recently bought was on a trailer running around without a title and illegal plates. I was able to register it as a home built to make it legal.

[@jml7916]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Canadian province of Ontario. It wasn’t much of a hassle. A quick visit to the DMV, declare the weights, pay the fees and be on your way. Be careful to not overstate the weight capacity, there is a certain weight that triggers an inspection as does tandem axles.

[@bertram46]

Mercury engines are all they put on new Intrepid yachts never had a problem

[@thomasjml82]

Lucky for me my Ranger 330v was free!

[@stevieg2755]

Friend had a Ficht a 225 if i remember,piston came right through side of engine only moments after s alarm sounded,believe the oil system failed,i never trust a oil system vs directly mixing in fuel tank

[@mickmulcahy7463]

Any knowledge on 90hp Johnson 1995

[@mickmulcahy7463]

2 stroke outboard

[@mrgunandknife]

Had my OEM Alpha One fail at only 77hrs. Catastrophic failure, the main bearing in the upper part of the drive blew out while cruising over deep water. All the regular maintenace its whole (short) life. Made the decision to replace with an SEI drive and havent looked back. Much better warranty, good bit cheaper, and hell - if the OEM is going to fail in 77hrs, how much worse could it possibly?

[@knoslo2058]

Thanks for the comment. Im looking at a boat with the alpha one and its nice to know my options if this one goes bad.

[@richardford942]

I have used an SEI alpha one gen II replacement. The SEI company has a MUCH BETTER warranty than Mercury. My customer currently has six seasons on the SEI out drive pulling skiers and tubes with no issues. I've had good service from SEI.

[@TheKrisg]

well its nice that there is a aftermarket version of oem, because most of the factory equipment is way over priced, even when its 10 plus years old, they corner the market and if you can get something new with a 3 yr warranty for a thousand or more so be it

[@franklosh2110]

As of 2022 a boat under 20 foot does not need a title. I just bought a 2007 17' nitro. And when I went to do the title transfer they asked me if I wanted to do away with the title so all I would have was the registration. I said no and paid extra for the title.

[@BlowmoldGuy123]

In Texas they do.

[@liamfirebird6922]

I'm a new subscriber and doing my due diligence before I buy my first boat ever! I have a question when buying a used boat. How old is too old? Should I stay away from boats that are more than a couple of years old?

[@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon]

Check out my video How to Buy an Older Boat

[@norbertogandara17]

Which engine is a known solid dependable workhorse?

[@norbertogandara17]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Hi thank you. Stern drive. Fresh water

[@johnmichaeltitus4334]

I bought a Hurricane 23' deck boat with a 2001 OptiMax 4 years ago. It now has 480 hours on it. I was concerned about your comment regarding OptiMax as my Opti fell into the category you covered. It has not been entirely trouble free and now has almost new ignition system and some new reed valves. What on the power head is prone to failure? I only use real Merc Opti oil. Thanks

[@johnmichaeltitus4334]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon thanks. The little oil tank has been replaced due to malfunctioning of the float was setting off the oil alarm on the "smart craft"

[@Fljeff7]

Just have a local sheriff do a V.I.N. verification before you buy it at the place where you buy it. Give them a call on there non emergency line.they are usually very helpful and don't mind taking a few minutes to call it in. I've called them in past and speak from experience. A good seller will have no problem with it

[@william043]

in Texas , a boat with out a title is yard art, ONLY the registered owner can get a replacement title

[@BlowmoldGuy123]

Unfortunately lots of people in Texas do not know that it is illegal to sell a boat or outboard without a title.

[@PurpleNova9]

Just wanted to say that the Ranger Truth guys issue was not that he bought the first year of the model but that he bought the boat sight unseen without a survey then was shocked to see a very large and obvious crack under it that even someone who knows nothing about boats could have spotted. he has been blaming everyone on youtube and forums ever since.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

"I just had a Freind that the boat sunk on the trailer, it was in the water and ...." Your Freinds boat was still attached to the trailer while it was in the water? Dude, that is even worse than your first video blooper!

[@rev9fan1]

It can also be on the trailer in a driveway and it could rain and also "sink" I only found this channel yesterday and seen him talk about it. Stop being an internet smart ass bitch boy, and go learn common sense.

[@melodycline9264]

My drain plug in my boat cost $4,294.64 beat that!

[@NKetcham]

What makes the later years of Mercury the cutoff? I’ve got 2 115hp mercs 2004 and 2005 and am wondering if they have the same problem. Both previously had blown power-heads snd from what I can tell it’s because the loose oil reservoir cap lets condensation build up in the oil reservoir and the engine ends up running on water instead of oil.

[@waltrogers9770]

Heard anything about oil issues with Yamaha f115s? They seem to have had issues in early 2000s

[@markward38]

Hi I’m looking at getting a boat half cabin 14’ Mercury 75hp outboard 30 years old and the owner told me over the phone that there is a small area on that’s soft on floor at the back of the boat about the size of a 1’ by 1’ area. The rest of the floor is good. He also told me at one time the transom had been replaced. Should I proceed with the purchase and deal with the floor later?

[@kendaleklund7475]

If a Boat has ever been Titled in a State that requires a Title you will need a obtain a clear Title to Register it in another State even if the new State does not use Titles!

[@1988oleshka]

Need advice for my friend , he bought fletcher speedboat with Yamaha l4 3.0. Is it possible to get parts for this engine ? Does the manifold same as on Mercruiser?

[@onenation7784]

Just sub Thanks for the info

[@callmebigpapa]

I searched your channel and didn't find a video for buying sailboats can you do one? If you did one and I missed it can you link it here? Great content, lik'd and sub'd

[@erikb8877]

You can get out of registering any vessel with the state and exempting it from state issued stickers or numbers by registering and having it inspected with the Coast Guard. You may still have to pay state tax annually but cannot be held liable for previous owners back taxes. In my home state, my boats are always USCG registered and inspected and the state can’t touch me.

[@erikb8877]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon as far as I know, there is no size limitations. I’m a bit rusty in this specific area. Been pushing 30 barges back and forth from Nola to Cario for the last 20+ years and haven’t kept up to date.

[@erikb8877]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon if you manage to get it USCG registered and annually inspected, you use a vessel name and home port painted on the stern in lieu of the state issued sticker and registration numbers

[@J_Addison]

I flooded my boat on the trailer. Dead batteries and had 2 feet of water in the bildge. Ruined my wash down and live well pumps.

[@Rick_Sanchez_C137_]

As a tanker in the army, we would tell the new guys to take a hammer and tap on the armor and to mark the soft spots with chalk (a different sound)… so I’m suspect of you telling me to tap a boat with a hammer to look for soft spots…

[@gmgmlasvegas5375]

Hi, what do you think about a 04 glasstron sx 195 for 10k ? It has the volvo penta 5.0. Good deal ? Thank you 🙏

[@bradbryan9137]

Hey boys, good info..Im a first time buyer and looking at a tri hull 1983 Manatee with a Merc 80.. Any thoughts? Floor boards were redone and the motor has 100 hrs on it with a mechanic giving a full tune up prior to sale. Seller asking 2900. I will be using in salt on the Peace River in Fl and heading as far as the inlet of Charlotte Harbor... Is this a good choice?

[@prophetseven728]

Went to your Website. It does not say where I could find. Where the Boat Expo is? Also was going to Call or at worst Email you guys. First time Ive been to a site that has none of that. Or I could not find it. Which makes it seem Shady.

[@mysticvalley2003]

Salt water eats cast iron risers & manifolds internally within 3 - 5 years. They may look good on the outside and the engine may run fine, but internal their ports are blocked which leads to overheating and warping the head. Hello New engine risers & ports and so on...... on another note swim platform outboards are a definite NO....think about the weight & pressure put on them....goodbye transom

[@kdxfile8972]

Not all States Title boats still.

[@kdxfile8972]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon I live in Alabama and we don't have Boat Titles; all we have is a Registration which we're required to keep in the boat. The trailer is included in the Boat registration fee. I sold my Sea Ray last year to out-of-State buyer and he had some concerns but all went well. Great videos and tips btw!

[@ReyesTyler]

Man, I'm looking at a Ford and Cobra sterndrive. Refurbished with 1 warranty. Good deal on the boat as a whole. Should I buy it? It's difficult to find a sterndrive if it goes bad but as for maintenance parts, they're pretty much everywhere.

[@ReyesTyler]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Thank you so much, mate! I've done my reading and research like one should. I've decided that I'm NOT going to buy because I second your opinion. Obviously, discovering your video confirmed my worst nightmare. I can't thank you enough! P.S. First time proper boat buyer here! Keep up the good work. You never know whose life you might be saving from a world of trouble 🤠

[@billmegnin9288]

I have an omc cobra and as long as they are maintained and adjusted correctly you'll live it about all else. Parts are out there on ebay and Amazon plus many helpful pages and videos to put you in the right direction.

[@alanmorrison990]

Flooded, not sunk on the trailer

[@darthkek1953]

Sunk on the trailer sounds cooler. :-D

[@davidmann4533]

Don’t worry the first issue of anything car motorcycle boat airplane etc.

[@gotstars]

those yamahas with proper maintence will last forever I replaced my baffles it was not but 3k every 15 years

[@isaacgraham7261]

If you've got a 20 year old Ficht ram Evinrude, chances are she's gonna keep running.

[@mrnotnomis]

I have twin 99 200 fichts that run. I keep the water passages clear, the thermostats fresh, and I have addressed all the other issues (like the high pressure fuel schrader valve that can pop out). The trick is getting one good enough to keep running, then knowing where the weak points are and doing the maintenance to keep them running. I am not looking forward to the re-power that will inevitably come. What's a pair of 200hp outboards run these days? Yeah, I can't afford that.

[@mrnotnomis]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon Yes! I have invested in a few tools to make sure I have the right stuff - the most important one being the service manual. It's also kept inside enclosed storage, making the work a little easier.

[@bigdaddy3662]

Don't tell me what to do

[@michaelschuler7397]

I had a cobra drive and it was awesome . I wish they didn’t go belly up

[@whiskeybuilder6335]

We all know what the best two days are in a boat owners life. The day he buys it and the day he sells it.

[@jacquespoirier9071]

Now , you should realise that the OMC stringers are more than 30 years old, used with the 4 and 6 cylinders engines, this drive was OK, I.m using one now coupled to a 229 chevy V-6, the complexity of that drive makes that it needs more attention to perform well but in general, it is OK, I can't say that from the engine, a real piece of shit really not a good choice for marine service This engine was of limited production and parts as marine camshaft or electronic ignition conversion kits are difficult to find, the marine exhaust manifolds are badly designed and cracks simply by the heating-cooling of a normal service.

[@cynicalrabbit915]

They really need to do what the good software companies do. Give several of the new model to select people and let them *find* as many problems as they can. These are called Beta testers.

[@cynicalrabbit915]

@@BoatBuyersSecretWeapon I wasn't aware that the boat companies only created new models for one year only. I was thinking along the lines of car companies that introduce new models. If a company can afford atleast 5 prototypes that the testers could assure 3 months of intensive usage with an eye to not just fit and finish but also bare minimum of power needed to minimize complaints of being under powered. It would be like Quality Assurance on steroids. Just a thought

[@bertram46]

Don't buy a bayliner or a sea ray

[@deanjohnson4597]

Drone video

[@jonzoppa7593]

alabama has no titles for boats