Re: center console
Do not fixate on the brand or whatever percieved problems the brand may have had. You want to focus on the actual boat you are looking at. The older the boat, the more the odds go up that it was neglected. It is true that some boats are more abuse tolerant than others, but they all succumb to the Death By Stupidity. You want to look at the boat and decide if it has been left out in the elements year round with no cover, has it had snow left to pile in, thaw and freeze. Has it has a continuous exposure to rain, and water left to collect and stand in the bilge. Look at the registration sticker, if it hasn't been registered in four years, that means it hasn't been ran in four years. The seller will say "It ran great the last time I used it", but it is highly unlikely it has been touched since it was registered so you are looking at possible bad gas, gummed up carbs, bad water pump, etc. Most people who decide to sell their boat after years of no registration do it because something is wrong and they do not want to mess with it. They just stick a For Sale sign on and then you get to sit there while they try to get it started for you. They don't even bother to make sure it is squared away when they go to sell it. If the registration is current or at least last years, you know it has still been in use, then you can go about checking for corroded wiring, soft floors, and all that. Look at the hull design, is it a flats boat and you will be in heavy chop all the time? Consider everything, and if you feel comfortable with the boat, and the price is acceptable, then you can ask if the brand is a decent one, but I wouldn't worry about the brand too much unless its a Bayliner, and even then you can find a decent on of those too...Good luck.
