Buying a Pre-Owned Trailersailer
A few things prospective used-boat buyers should consider
After years of buying good old boats, when I see an ad for a used trailersailer that looks tempting, I’ve now got a list of questions to help decide whether a trip to take a look will be worth it—and hopefully avoid some surprises when I finally get there:
● Is the seller the original owner? Why is the boat for sale?
● Was it used in saltwater? Was it moored during the season, or mainly trailered?
● How was it stored over the winter off-seasons?
● When was the motor serviced? Who did the work?
● Was there ever any hull damage, or major repairs?
● What equipment is included in the sale? Is there anything excluded?
● What problems does the boat now have? What improvements would you make?
● And do you have the titles for the boat and the trailer?
Sometimes I can gather this information from the original ad and with a short phone call or email to the seller. But when the seller is not the owner, a visit to see the boat might be the only way to get the scoop. And if the boat is not sitting on a trailer, it’s always better to figure out how I’m going to get a good look at the hull before I get down to the boat.
When a visit is warranted, my first impressions always seem to be based on the fairness of the hull and the condition of the topsides and decks, and not so much on scruffiness. I feel that I can fix just about any problem with the rigging or engine, but I just don’t want to mess around with fixing broken hulls or major leaks. Brian Gilbert, who wrote The Complete Trailer Sailor, says he starts his inspection inside the cabin, which is not a bad idea. Strong smells, mildew, standing water, or signs of major water damage are an immediate red flag for him, and warrants more investigation and possibly a steep discount. Or maybe a hard pass, if you’re not interested in decontaminating and/or rebuilding the interior. I once found a sweet 24-foot yawl that checked all the boxes, located at a nearby marina—and it was even sitting on its trailer. When I actually drove down to take a look, however, the cabin reeked of leaking diesel fuel, which had soaked into the floorboards. It was a nice boat, but I figured it would take too much time and effort to clean and repair it to be worth the rather high asking price—and I moved on. Speaking of smells, since most small trailersailers are equipped with porta-potties, we usually don’t need to deal with leaking holding tanks and failing plumbing (thank goodness…). But be aware that there could still be leaking water tanks and broken thru-hulls for sink drains—and bilge pumps that can all become smelly problems. Or worse!
Back to checking on the condition of the hull… Many older trailersailers are constructed of fiberglass, which ages pretty well. A good wash and wax, and maybe a little compounding, is usually all that will be needed on most boats. I bring along a flashlight and a sheet of cardboard so I can crawl under the trailer to check the condition at the hull and the centerboard, and to look for any repairs or blistering. If you’re buying a wooden boat, you’ll need to look for rot and rusting fasteners. Decks on fiberglass boats might have a balsa or plywood core, and there’s usually a plywood stiffener at the transom if a motor can be mounted there; both should also be closely checked for any rot. It’s easy to take a hit on a bulkhead or dock, so look closely at how the hull and deck are attached, and note whether there are patches or caulking that could indicate leaking or collision damage.
While you’re inspecting the hull, remember to take a photo of the hull identification number (HIN) number so you can verify it against any existing and future paperwork. All boats sold after 1972 have a permanently-affixed HIN number molded (or engraved onto a plate, or directly into the hull) near the upper right corner of the transom. If the boat was built after 1984 and does not have a HIN number there, perhaps due to a repair, ask the seller to show you the second “hidden” HIN number. If he can’t, walk away— unless you want to take the boat apart to hunt for it yourself. Or you never plan to sell it. Boats that have been abandoned or stolen might have their HIN numbers ground off to make it harder to trace it to the owner…
Chips in the gelcoat are common on chine edges and cabin top corners. They’re an easy DIY repair, even if the gelcoat is colored, as long as there is no structural damage. Larger damaged areas, such as a hole from a collision, are obvious red flags (or reasons for a deep discount) unless you are ready for some serious fiberglass repairs. Some trailersailers are kept in the water and have their bottoms painted. You can scrape dried barnacles off, but I’d pass on a boat that shows substantial blister damage. Unless the boat will continue to be moored, I’d leave old bottom paint alone, and it will slowly slough off. Look closely at any boat whose bottom looks like it was coated with house paint (because it probably was…). And if the topsides were painted, I’d ask about who did the work and what was used. I’ll take a walk around on the foredeck and cabin top to check for any obvious core issues. If everything is stiff and rigid, all is good. If a deck is “springy” or spongy, or you can hear cracking, there’s a potential problem—maybe the coring is compromised, and you will need to look at this a little closer to decide if it’s acceptable or repairable. Is the cockpit comfortable? Is the cabin layout what you expected? If not, can you live with—or improve—what’s there?
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