Nearly all boats bought in the UK every year tend to be pre-owned. It is estimated that sales of used boats have a value of at least four times the ones of brand new boats. Your average boat buyer keeps his or her vessel for just three and a half years before falling for the deadly disease "footitis" where the boat needs to be a foot longer or wider in order to remedy the condition. As you might imagine, it can be a costly sickness to remedy!. The point is, there is always a very good selection of used boats on the market if you are aware of how to find them and what to look for when you do find something that you're interested in.

When searching for a pre-owned boat, whatever the size or type, it's very useful if you're acquainted with the different boat manufacturers as well as their own particular reputations with regard to quality, how well their products hold their value, period of time in the business, as well as share of the market. Knowing, for instance, that your boat has been built by a company that has a track record for high quality will mean that you should have less worries than if the boat builder has only been established for a couple of years. Normally, the best built boats from a builder with a good reputation are likely to maintain their values much better than those from a new builder. It's also wise to be familiar with the different motors, regardless of whether inboard or outboard, and their respective drive units. . When there is a particular engine or drive unit which is renowned for difficulties, it might be better to avoid them. The ocean is a big place and there's no roadside recovery service when things go wrong. If you're at all unclear about the reputation of a particular engine / drive unit then you're well advised to seek the opinion of owners or specialists who will be able to answer any queries.

Obviously, there are specific benefits of buying a brand new vessel vs the pre-owned type. Brand new motorboats as well as motors have a maker's guarantee which should ensure that you are aware of maintenance costs during the quarantee period. Funding is usually simpler on a brand new vessel compared to second-hand, and the actual loan period will tend to be longer on a new boat. The deposit amount could very well be lower on a new boat, you might even be able to find a dealer offering a no deposit deal on a boat that he's finding difficult to sell. Bearing all this in mind, you must also realise that the typical value of any boat will depreciate by at least 20% in its first year. A one year old boat might have hardly been used and it could be in showroom condition but much cheaper than a brand new one. You might also find a dealer that has one of last year's models still in stock and in that case you could save a goodly sum and still get a full warranty on the boat. It definitely pays to shop around before spending what can be a considerable amount of money on a boat.

There are many sources of new and used boats, dealers, specialist magazines and of course the biggest auction site in the world eBay. Dealers prices will be higher than other sources but they will normally offer some sort of guarantee on their vessels. On the other hand, prices will normally be much lower on eBay where people tend to sell their goods when they are in a hurry for a sale. If you're looking for a bargain then I'd always start with eBay.

There are numerous factors that need to be considered when looking for a pre-owned vessel. Mechanically, you have to make sure that the actual boat has been taken care of and never mistreated. Lots of boat engines are fitted with an hourmeter. Believe it or not, the average boat is only run about 60 hours per year of service. Any engine with more than 350-400 several hours would be expected to need some repair expense within the next couple of years. It might be worthwhile having a competent marine engine specialist take a good look at the motor. It would also be useful to check the engine compression as well as hooking the engine up to an Electronic Control Module (ECM) which will record many readings from the engine such as actual engine hours or RPM's that the engine has been run at. The ECM also records any electical, mechanical or fuel problems that the engine has been experiencing. This engine testing should cost less than £100 and is most definitely money well spent.

We would always advise anyone contemplating buying a boat to take a test drive. Every boat lokks good when it's sitting on a trailer or boat stand, but it's not until the boat is actually in the water that you can truly judge its merits. A test drive will also indicate if the engine has sufficient power to drive the boat whilst it has passengers aboard. Other things to check include the upholstery and canvas for any rips or tears. Also be sure to check under any carpets for wooden floors that may have started to rot and if relevant then be sure to check the condition of any fibreglass on the boat. Scratches on the fibreglass finish are an everyday fact of life but any deep scratches that have gone deeper than the coloured gelcoat could signify serious (and expensive) problems.

Some diligent homework should ensure that your purchase of a new or used vessel is simpler and less stressful. In any event, it will bring you a degree of confidence that your new purchase will bring you many years of boating pleasure.