Looking for a Used Boat in the Treasure Coast? Time to Inspect the Hull.

Are you in the hunt to buy a used boat around Stuart, FL? Are you looking to find the ultimate deal but still on a tight budget? There are some things you should know before going out and buying a used boat. If you are new to the boating world, there’s some major hidden issues that come up with boats and maintaining them. This article will point out some major pitfalls and problems that arise when purchasing a used boat, and explain how to avoid them completely.

When looking at a boat, the first thing you will want to do is examine the hull. Boats have three types of hulls; they are aluminum, wood, and fiberglass.

Aluminum

Aluminum hulls were very common in older boats. Some deep-water boats use aluminum hulls for the toughness to stand against large waves. Much of the boat construction converted over to fiberglass due to the cost of aluminum and manufacturing this type of boat. If you find an aluminum boat that you are interested in purchasing, you can inspect the hull. This hull is very tough, so finding damage like a crack will be very noticeable. Where you will find leaks is where two plates of aluminum hulls are riveted together. Inspect the rivets on the hull for damage.

Another potential issue is corrosion of the aluminum. Check for a white rust on the boat. This is the corrosion of the hull. Corrosion can be an issue with aluminum since it will weaken the hull; keep an eye out for that.

Wood

Wooden boats are very rare because they are very difficult to maintain. Wooden boats require moisture. Why? To help close the seams of these types of boats, the boat is exposed to water to cause the wood to swell. This helps close out the seams of the boat.

If you find a wooden boat that has been out of the water for a long time exposed to the elements, you will probably spend a long time restoring it. You will need patience and time to restore it properly.

Be sure to inspect the hull for a few things. Make sure that there is no dry rot or discolored boards. This is an indication of the wood rotted. Check to see if the boat has a sealer or varnish that is intact and not peeling. The varnish or sealer helps keep the wood from dry rotting. If the hull has been compromised, you will see the sealer or varnish peeling off or worn completely away. Avoid the boat hull if you see this happening, because it will take a huge amount of work to fix this.

Fiberglass

The boat hull you have to be careful about is fiberglass. Why? A visual inspection of the hull may not reveal structural issues with the hull. Fiberglass hulls can hide a crack inside the resin of the shell. Once you fracture the fibers inside the resin, you have a structural integrity loss. If the boat hull is patched or repaired, the damaged area is still weak and can potentially fail again.

When checking for leaks, ask to have the boat put into the water. Once the boat is in the water, you can wait, then do your inspection. Check for water leaks coming through the hull. If you have a water leak inside the hull of the boat, you have a potential crack in the hull. What is happening? The hydrostatic forces of the water outside of the hull will force any water into any crack or opening. This is how you can tell if there is a small crack or damage that could be hidden from view.

Overall, buying a boat starts with the hull. The boat hull is the base of the vehicle, which everything is built around. If you plan to buy and fix up an older boat, be sure the hull is in good condition.

About the Author

Jane Warren is an avid outdoor water enthusiast who enjoys swimming, diving, boating, tubing, and anything else related to outdoor water sports. She also publishes a website that provides reviews and information on some of the best quality watersports equipment, and boating related items. Some of the boating items include Uniden MHS 350 Marine Radios, and Garmin handheld GPS devices. Jane also writes blogs on water safety and various boating activities.