Potential new boater - any pointers?

[osuart]

morning all, this forum has been extremely helpful. been searching, reading , and have a test drive in a few hours. used ar192 and under 100 hours. I cannot get any of the FAQ links to open on my Mac. can anyone point me to a useful thread of what to look for etc? I'm a huge car guy but first vessel any help appreciated!

 

[Irial29]

I certainly don’t put myself out to be an expert, but just like a car I’d get a marine mechanic (that you are paying) to look it over.
If that’s not possible, you really should bring it out for a spin.
Off the top of my head:
Check for any damage to the hull before putting it in the water. Run your hand up and down the length of the boat to check for anomalies.
Is the steering wheel smooth to turn, does the throttle move smoothly?
Is the tower secure or is it rattling a bit?
Check for water in the engine bay before and after to make sure there aren’t leaks.
Is there any unusual smell coming from the engine bay?
Are the gauges functioning fully?

Good luck! I hope it works out for you!

 

[osuart]

my older son is hoping it works out well more than anyone else..... appreciate the advise!

 

[Mike190]

Irial29 covered it about good as it gets

 

[osuart]

Super helpful and used this to explore every angle and square inch. Only issues was know prior to test drive that Speedo was not working. Hoping as the small wheel spins free it’s only the transducer. Otherwise we are super happy and it drove great!

We bought it!

 

[Mike190]

Super helpful and used this to explore every angle and square inch. Only issues was know prior to test drive that Speedo was not working. Hoping as the small wheel spins free it’s only the transducer. Otherwise we are super happy and it drove great!

We bought it!

Congrats

 

[WREKS]

Please, do not run your engine(s) in shallow waters. You'll be happy.

@Julian