Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

[mphy98]

I have the old Canadian fishing boat that I am going to be selling this spring. It is a 1979 Thundercraft Viking SS180. It has a 140hp merc IO. I have replaced the lounge seats with pedestal seats, recarpet, good floors and stringers and transom. Boat was stored indoors and never in the water for more than a week at a time. I just this fall had the lower unit resealed. The waterpump impeller was replaced 4 years ago. I had a nice convertable top made with side windows and a rear as well. I added a livewell in the front where I believe it was for an ice chest, it has a drain. New tires 3 years ago for the trailer. It is a shorelander with roller bunks. No rust but could use new paint. Carb rebuilt this year due to the type of gas we have around here. I just waxed the darn thing before I put it up for the winter as I had no intention of getting another boat. The tinny was just too good to pass up!! So my friend said i might want that old boat. I would ask $2000.00 to anyone else, but to him $1500.00. So would you? Or would you tell him I would rather sell it to someone I do not know? I trust this boat up in Canada every year for the last 4 years, twice a year and have been 20 to 30 miles away from camp and it has never let me down. Heck even last year when I threw the alternator belt I was able to limp home with no overheating problems. The impeller sent enough up to keep it under the hot range by a lot. So would you or wouldn't you?

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

We bought the lil' Ray from a friend, but the boat had been part of my household for a few years while he was my roommate.
Any problems that we had with it were my problems once I signed the check.

I'm not clear on your connection between alternator and overheating, though. Why would the impeller even care about a thrown belt?

 

[mphy98]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

It is an IO and it has 2 pumps

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

Sure I would & you'll save your friend $500 bucks.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

Hey it's your buddy and make him well aware of the boat's history. The impellor is long overdue, the trailer tires might not be the greatest and such. But the key to keeping good friends and doing business with them is not unlike anyone else. Do your best to state the condition and have CLEAR agreement that the boat is "as is". If he wants it, there's an inherent risk in any used purchase and he needs to accept that fact. If he can't or expects something else, he had first crack at it but it's his decision to buy it. If he's never had a boat before, he needs a good "sit down" as to what are reasonable expectations. If he bites for it, he's got to accept the fact that if and when it breaks in two pieces, he owns both. Just because he's a friend doesn't mean that you're responsible for anything that goes wrong in the future. If he gets that, then deal. If not, move on.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

You could suggest a mechanic give it a good check.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

Ayuh,... As long as you, 'n yer Bud go into it KNOWING it's an old barge, 'n Anything is possible...
Sure, No problem...
As long as you, 'n Especially he knows that it's a deal, As IS...
Sure, No problem...

If he's the kinda guy that thinks yer gonna maintain the stuff He busts up,...
You're not gonna be Happy, 'n neither is He...

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

As said just tell him what to expect as aboat owner and what you have done to the rig over the years to maintain it. And it's as is !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

It is an IO and it has 2 pumps

I read the IO part, just not the alternator connection to a water pump.

 

[reel clownz]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

i just sold my last boat to a friend of mine. It was a 1989 starcraft islander 221 hardtop. Now i bought the boat from a friend and sold it to a friend. It had a 150 hp yamaha 2 stroke v6 oil injection out board and a yamaha 9.9 hi thrust kicker. Now when he came to look at it i told him everything that was wrong. I told him what i did to the boat.. And before we left the dmv and his cash in my hand i told him its 22 yrs old. It needs some work. If you have questions i can help as much as i can but it was a as is deal. I sold it to him for a good price. Heck you couldnt buy the motor for what i sold it to him for. lol But anyways as long as you lay it out up front.....there shouldnt be any problems. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[CVX20SPRINT]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

I read the IO part, just not the alternator connection to a water pump.

The same belt probably runs the alt and the pump.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

The same belt probably runs the alt and the pump.

Without any other information, I'm guessing that's the connection.

I wouldn't have a problem selling to a friend, but I would make sure they knew every idiosyncrasy and fault with the boat.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

Here is a story about what can happen. Sold a boat to my neighbors boss with clear understanding what it was and once it left my property the warranty expired. All agreed. Midway through the first season my neighbor comes to me questioning the condition of the transom. OK I responded -- why??? Transom tore out. Tough I said. A month or so later my neighbor shows up with the boat to show me the repair. Good job I said. What happend when the transom gave way. Owners son had the boat on the Mississippi River. Now the outboard was laying in the boat ready to be reinstalled. A look at the prop provided the answer as to what happened. Blades folded over and skeg tore off. My response to the neighbor was: "See anything wrong with this picture?". End of discussion. So the long and short of this is make darned sure the buyer knows exactly that once the boat leaves your property it is his to deal with complete with the $500 discount. No phone calls, no bitching.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

Agree with all who said that they would have no problem selling to a friend so long as (1) you are up front about what you do or don't know about its condition (2) your friend acknowledges that it is an "as is" sale. And, in the event that something was later to go wrong with the boat and it affected your relationship, you probably weren't as good of "friends" as you thought. Just my .02. Good luck.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

I sold a boat to a total stranger and he called me 2 days later.

Yelling at me for not telling him to mix oil with the gas. :facepalm:

Him .. Are you going to pay for the rebuild .. Me...NO & Good Bye !!

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

I bought my 230 Coastal from someone I know on a local fishing site. Never met the person before, but knew I'd be conversing with him in the community after my purchase. When doing this kind of deal with a friend or someone you know, the buyer should be aware ait is as is and know that boats tend to have issues from time to time.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

I have given cars to relatives, but I would never sell a boat, car, vehicle of any kind to a friend or relative. You will become their "tech service" person for life; at the very least, you will hear about every little problem. Just not worth it, IMO.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

If you have a real friendship and it's understood that the sale is "as is" with all known issues divulged, I see no problem. If problems arise in the future, near or distant, and it ends the friendship, then there never really was a "friendship", just an aquaintance that obviously wasn't worth much... Just my .02.

ajgraz said you'd be his tech person for life. If he's your friend, you'd be happy to be there for him whenever needed for whatever reason... No problem... Another .02

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

I sold my old toon to a fellow member of a service club we both belong to. I am always uncomfortable selling to someone I know. I made it quite clear to him that it needed some work, and I pointed out everything that I knew was not 100%. He was happy with what he saw and the price I quoted. No problem.

 

[oldfordcrap]

Re: Anyone here ever sell a boat to a friend?

hi yes i have gave him a break on price he new the history of the boat and the work that was done to it and are still good freinds just be honest with who ever your selling to and it will sell !!!