Hi there. i've been reading along this forum for some time now. But until yesterday i was not a member. The reason i joined in is because im falling deeper and deeper in love with boating and now has the opportunity to make a great deal on a speedboat.

It is a Crhis Craft 245limited, 88 with a 454 and an OMC drive.

What things should i be aware of before bying the boat? Also, how do you protect your boat?
The gelcoat has a few chips, and in general it needs a lot of tlc. But i have never owned a boat before so i don't know what to look for before buing it.

Any help would be appreciated.
Regards Tim

Hi CiseeRalevasp

Welcome to the fishingreminder forum.
I hope we have some boaties here that could give you some advice.
Unfortunately I could only provide advice on buying a kayak

When you own a boat there will always be maintenance issues. Just get use to it. It is all worth it. Anytime you see a used boat for sale you have to realize there is a problem somewhere. If not the boat would not be for sale. Not trying to talk you out of buying it. May not be a problem with the boat but personal reasons, financial, divorce, etc... Don’t be afraid to ask why they want to sell the boat. Take a mechanic with you that has lots of experience with boats. There may be some issues that are not readily visible. If the boat has carpet you may want to check for soft spots. This can come from cracks and pin holes in the jell coat allowing water to get in and cause rot. Check the areas that remain wet the most, like at boarding ladders.

Thanks for the advice Capt. Larry
Yeah the whole maintenance issues always put me off buying a boat + the fuel costs. Thats why I love kayak fishing - its so simple

CiseeRalevasp ,, aren't you concerned about Fuel costs ? with these prices going up ? and when you buy those big monsters, there are few places for homes , if you want to resell it. I know they are a turn on to Run, i would consider renting speed boats , first, if you see that you can put up with all the costs,and still want one after a couple seasons, then reexamine it. There will always be classics to buy. Good luck with all, Aj