Beginning stages of upgrading boat.

vyborny1

Good morning everyone, 

I am in the early stages of doing my research to move up to a 30ish boat. 

Right now we have a 2001 242 FV, we have owned this boat now for a little over 5 seasons & have loved every second of it. When we originally bought the boat, it was just my Wife & I, now we have a 3 & 1 year old boys. As you can imagine, when we stay overnight space becomes a premium.    

At first, I was thinking of moving up the next step up in size, (270, 280, ect.) but after thinking about it, it might just make more sense to skip this and swing for the fences.

 So, my very short list is 310 or 342. 10 to 12 years old & a budget of $50-75K. 
My questions are, when I start to craw around on the boats, what sort of things should i be looking for. ( Red flags). 
What years are better or worse, of course engine size, ect....

The next question are, what type of maintenance are unique to this size of boat that would be different than I currently have.  Right now I am on a trailer, what about picking a marina, stuff to look for. 

My time frame is to go 1 more season in the boat I have, then late in the season start to focus on the next one.
I do plan on hiring a marine surveyor on any that I plan on buying. But, if something comes up before, I would be game.

I am located in Central Ohio, so I do have a big pond 2 hours north. 

Thanks for any feed back

Stodge

Boat shopping is always fun.  You'll want to look for any signs of water leaks inside the cabin.  Stains in the carpet, below the port lights, etc.  Also look at the deck where the bow rail is attached and see if there is any weeping (brown/red stains).  The 342 has a TON of storage, but look in all the cubbies.  

As with any used boat purchase, get a survey from a reputable surveyor.  Attend the survey if you can.  You'll learn a lot.

Good luck with your search.

rasbury

survey survey survey!

Michael T

SURVEY .....after you have looked at the following to see if it deserves a survey: look for water leaks in cabin, musty smell in cabin, an engine compartment where there is a lot of rust or staining , oil or antifreeze staining. Ask for the complete records of maintenance from the owner or dealer. Ask if there has ever been an insurance claim, has there been hull damage, look at the props and skegs - are there signs of striking anything, is the skeg worn or chipped, what is the condition of the outdrives - do they look like they have been touched-up with paint and are clean or are they chipped and corroded - look particularly at the area around the bearing carrier at the back of the drive. Is the general appearance clean and attractive or neglected. maintenance records are a must - any owner/dealer who has maintained a craft is proud to show it.

vyborny1

Thanks for the comments, when looking for a surveyor, what type of questions should by asking to find out if they know what there talking about. 

Stodge

Check the registry www.marinesurvey.org

I'd also ask the financial institution you plan to use who they like.  You might want to check with some of the local boat brokers too.  They should know the surveyors in the area and their reputation.

Michael T

Oh Yeah, BTW mske SURE there are no bank liens on it. I have a friend who bought a boat about 20 years ago and found out there was still about 30% of the purchase price owed. It was a fraud and he never did get the money back.

Michael T

@vyborny1 - Surveyor - are they certified and can they show you proof. Are they bonded and insured. how long have they done this. Will they provide you with the names of three customers. have they worked with a brokerage, if so will they give you that name. Are they affiliated with the seller? Are they a full-time surveyor. how many boats have they surveyed in the last year. Have they ever surveyed this type of boat before. Will you receive a written, SIGNED report?

MarkB

I support going to the 310. We have a 260, the 270 is not that much different, neither is the 290 (6" wider, woo hoo).  The big step in beam happens at the 310. So good choice to start there.

And yes, get a SURVEY.

Dream_Inn

I had a 310 for 6 summers. Absolutely loved the boat and it was perfect as my kids were growing up.  The 342 is also a great boat, particularly for the separate shower.

Make sure to enjoy the looking and look around at all brands as well. Surveyor is a must, but there is plenty of checking you can do well before the survey. Look under every cushion and in every nook & cranny.  Look at hoses for cracks, make sure seacocks work, look for signs of water leaks, cracks on bottom of arches, condition of canvas, & ask for any records of maintenance.