Before you buy a boat, when you're thinking, "I can spare $500 to buy the actual boat I'm going to fix.. woo!", here are a few things to consider. If you're as frugal (and or broke) as I am and every dollar counts, make sure you know what else you're going to need, it can add up fast!
Pre Boat Sale
-Vehicle; make sure that you check the towing capacity of your vehicle, what the motor can handle and your tow hitch. Usually you can find it out pretty easily online or if you have the owners manual to your rig. Research the weight of the boat you plan to buy, the size and whether it is aluminum or fiberglass makes a difference - Aluminum tends to be lighter. Don't forget to add the weight of the trailer.
- Tow lights; If you're vehicle does't have a harness for the trailer lights already, don't worry, you can usually purchase a kit that is made for your make of truck or whatever you are going to use to tow the boat with. Example; I was able to buy a harness for tow lights from the local auto parts chain. It was easily installed on my 2002 Toyota Tacoma in about 30 minutes. It connected to the tail lights on the truck and cost's about 40$. You may wan't to get some magnetic trailer lights as well. You wouldn't want to be pulled over because your trailer lights are out. I always use them every time I take the boat out, since you can take them off the lights won't be submerged in water. (moisture + light bulbs just seems like a bad idea to me)
- Tow hitch; Sure you already have a 2" ball hitch set up on truck. Unfortunately the trailer you just bought that comes with your boat has a hitch that accepts a 1 7/8" ball. Not a big deal, a new ball hitch is easy to find/install and costs about 10$. Just another cost to keep in mind. Make sure to bring some tools with you when you come to pick up your new boat.
- Wheels; Call ahead and make sure the wheels aren't flat on your new prospective trailer. I got lucky and despite sitting in someones yard for a year, the tires were fine. Make sure to be prepared for the worst.. who know's what kind of shape the tires are in on that half rust covered trailer.
Post Boat Sale
- Cover; If you're like me; the first thing you do is clean out all of the crap. I pressure washed the inside and outside of my boat as soon as the weekend rolled around. Even with an awning over the boat, it still only took a week for it to get pine needles all over the inside. To avoid this, I recommend getting a boat cover as one of your initial purchases. Your neighbors will also like this.. or at least not glare at you for having a big eye sore in your driveway. By the way, they ain't cheap! unless of course you get one at Amazon.com
. I bought mine for around 40$. You will probably have to look through a bunch of pages to find a cheap one that fit's the length of your boat. Shop around, but that was the best deal i could find.- Legalities; If you plan on using your boat while fixing it up, assuming it floats and the motor works, there are a number of things you will need to make sure you are boating legally and safely. Where you live you may need a boating license. In Washington you do (depending on how old you are)- you can take the test for it online for a fee and they will send you a Washington Boaters Education Card. There are also classes you can take, but they book up pretty fast. The internet is your friend for finding out these details. Be prepared to buy fenders, flares, lights, horns, Lifejackets ect. Make sure to do a little research on what your state requires and what you feel comfortable with in case of an emergency out on the water. If you live in Seattle, Second Wave in Fremont is a great resource for used boat parts and equipment.
Next Week: Brainstorming on how to replace the shitty plexiglass windshield!
