(Added Pics) Buying my first used boat

[Tommy1979]

New member here. I have made an accepted offer (pending lake test, $4700) on what will be my first boat. I wanted to run it by everyone for opinions on the purchase and also to get answers to some questions. It is a 20ft closed bow 1989 Malibu Euro F3. It currently has 925 hrs and has a Chevy 350. It comes on a single axel trailer. My immediate needs would be for a cover that fits with the swim platform. I also would like to know if there is a way to decipher any useful boat information through the HIN? The title says it's a make/model "MB2" and the series/body is a "PIGPR". Does anyone know what that means? Again, I'm a newbie so please excuse my ignorance. 

Edited March 13, 2016 by Tommy1979

[Steve B.]

Welcome !

Goodness gracious, that boat looks clean. I have a feeling you stole that boat at that price. Some folks may chime in, but you can call the factory and a nice gal will tell you the details with the HIN's you mentioned. She did it for me over the phone too.

Let us know how it runs,

Steve B.

Your link to the pic made it fine.

Steve B.

[Tommy1979]

Thanks man, I appreciate your reply!  I finally figured out how to post pics without just putting in a link to go to. Here they are!! 

Edited March 13, 2016 by Tommy1979

[ahopkins22LSV]

Interior looks great! I am guessing it was redone recently? Gel looks pretty good but looks like it could use a decent buff and wax, not a big deal if there isn't any major repair needed. I would say price is very fair if the water test goes well!

[MalibuNation]

Very nice for that year.  We'll help you with the teak swim platform when you are ready.

[Nitrousbird]

Those have wood stringers. Check them carefully.

[chris4x4gill2]

Yea, you need to check the condition. Of the stringers as best you can. Interior looks great. Outside is hard to tell from the photos if it has much oxidization. Hopefully a good polish and wax is all it needs. 

[Tommy1979]

Interior is great because it is new within last 2 years. The outside definitely needs some attention. Nothing bad, just heavy oxidation. How do I check the stringers? Again, first boat so this is all new to me. 

[Bill_AirJunky]

33 minutes ago, Tommy1979 said:

Interior is great because it is new within last 2 years. The outside definitely needs some attention. Nothing bad, just heavy oxidation. How do I check the stringers? Again, first boat so this is all new to me. 

Poke into the stringers with a small screwdriver or ice pick around the engine & trans mounts.

[chris4x4gill2]

Check the lag bolts holding the engine cradle to the stringer.  Make sure they still bite into solid wood. Poke around like mentioned above anywhere you can get to. Look for soft spots in the floor when you put weight on them. Any spot you poke around though will need to be sealed back up with some 5200 or something or you just introduced another place for moisture to get in.  The mounting brackets for the swim platform probably don't go into the stringer but will have some wood laminated to the transom that they bolt to. That's another place to make sure the bolts bite. 

 

 

Oxidized gel on the outside? Time to wet sand. A decent size compressor and an air sander is the ticket there.

I'd also move the blower vent hose down to the bottom of the bilge.

[GaryB]

Tap on the stringers with the back of a screw driver, should get a nice thud, thud, thud, if you get a pop, at a minimum the glass has delaminated from the wood. Poke hard with an ice pick at any wood you can see. 

The lag screws should bite hard into the wood, but that test is only partially conclusive. I installed new stringers in a boat that had tight lags.  The top two thirds of the stringers were fine, the bottom third was gone, as in dust and air! 

[Lanman]

Nice find. Enjoy, I love my 93.

[Tommy1979]

1 hour ago, Lanman said:

Nice find. Enjoy, I love my 93.

Thanks man! Question for you, what kind of cover are you using (assuming you have one)? 

[Lanman]

I went with this one.

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?r=view&i=74768

Doesn't cover the platform, but I am very happy with the quality. Great looks and fit. With that said, I keep my boat in the garage, so the platform comes off after every outing and hangs on the wall. After the boat dries out, the cover goes on. Only trailered with it on once but it stayed put. Very happy with it for the price.

[Tommy1979]

^^^ I think I'll take your recommendation on that one. I haven't been able to find one yet so this should work just fine. I don't mind removing the platform when covered. 

[Tommy1979]

Update: I still haven't been able to lake test the boat due to weather and work schedules not cooperating. The seller is anxious to get the cash in his hand and is still offering it for sale to the first buyer. He messaged me and said that he has another interested buyer. So, I may or may not end up with it? 

[skyskier]

Your approach is extremely casual and the seller is very patient. You should have lost this deal already. An under 5K inboard boat in great condition just does not last.

[pauley71]

Sellers often use the "I've got another interested party" line to politely say - HURRY THE ___ UP! He may need this deal to go through to do something else. The deal will go smoother if you make time for him. 

I agree with skyskier, he's been patient.  Don't spoil it.  Take it or leave it. 

[90oldskool]

Im running a 1990 skier as my first boat (pretty much the same boat) I love it , simple and gets the job done . jump on that before it gets gone . Ive looked this week at boats for sale and these are still pulling $7000-$9000 in DFW . 

[skyskier]

Oh boy, it doesn't get any more real than this. I sold a boat a couple of years ago using the "I've got another interested party" tactic..............and the other interested party was actually pauley71. Sometimes it's true! Hey pauley, congrats on the new boat. Can't wait to see it!

[pauley71]

^^^^^ True story.  Sometimes there really is another "interested party".  

skyskier - Pick it up on Monday and hope to put a few break in hours on it.

[skyskier]

While we are talking about what a small world it is..................5-6 years ago I went to check a "for sale" boat for a fellow TMC member and guess who the seller was? If you guessed pauley71 you are correct!