Finding a boat

Check out the used boat page on our website to see what boats are available. The page is updated daily as adverts come in, so make sure you check the site regularly to make sure you don’t miss out on an ideal boat for you. If you do not see a boat to suit you it is worth placing a wanted advert on our website as sellers look at the site too. It is also worth putting an advert up on your rowing club notice board saying you are looking for a boat as other members may have one sitting on a rack, not getting used, and be happy to sell. This also avoids having to transport the boat and you may even be able to keep their rack!

Finding out about the boats history.

Before you travel to see the advertised boat you should ask the seller a few questions about the boat:
1. How long have they owned the boat?
2. What condition is in?
3. Why are they selling it?
4. Has the boat been involved in any accident?
5. Have they had it repaired?
6. Does it come with any extras (a set of oars, a boat cover or a rate meter)?

Checking the boat

It’s important to have a good look over the boat and areas to check are:

1. The hull. Look for any holes, cracks or areas of compression. If you run your hands over the hull it is sometime easier to feel for defects rather than see them. Any holes, cracks or compression areas could allow the boat to take on water and will be expensive to repair. Check carefully for blistering of the paintwork or gel coat and any pin head sized spotting as these can be signs of internal water damage and problems like this cannot really be fixed. If you want to buy the boat with the damage you should ask the seller to either have they boat repaired before you do, or to take money off so you can have it fixed. If there are small chips in the paint work these can be touched up easily and are not too serious (and might be expected on a used boat).
2. The fin. Check that the fin is not loose and that there are no long cracks around it. Tape around the fin is not a good sign. Serious damage to the fin housing can be expensive to repair.
3. The decking. The decking sometimes gets compressed where the boat has been tied down too hard onto a trailer or tack, this is difficult to repair but may not greatly affect the feel of the boat in the water.
4. The bow ball and number slot. Check that the bow ball is firmly attached and that the number slot is not broken or loose, but these are easily replaced if they are.
5. The cockpit. Check that the breakwater is not broken or loose, as this sits high on the boat it is often one of the first things to get damaged. Check that the sax-boards don’t flex too much and aren’t cracked.
6. The shoulder. The shoulders take the force from the riggers so it needs to be strong. You should check that there is no flex in it and that there are no visible cracks, shoulders are expensive to replace. Also look to see if the rigger bolts have started to squash the shoulders, this weakens them and exposes them to possible water damage. Wing rigger boats don’t have shoulders.
7. The taping. Check how warn any trim tape along the side of the boat is, if it is badly warn or frayed then it can be replaced and will improve how you feel about the boat, although it is not structural.
8. The riggers. Riggers can have weak areas, so check that there are no cracks in the joints or on the tubing. Cracks or broken joints can be repaired on Aluminum riggers but may affect the price you offer. Carbon riggers are very strong and stiff and should be inspected carefully as any cracks will mean a new rigger is needed as they cannot be properly repaired, this could cost in excess of £500. Check the oarlocks to see if they are heavily worn and may need replacing, cost about £20 for a single scull.
9. The foot stretcher and shoes. A lot of force goes through the stretcher so make sure that there are no cracks or broken fittings. You may be able to feel them flexing when you try the boat if there are any problems. If the shoes are worn out and need replacing it is a simple DIY job but might cost over £50 for the shoes.
10. The slides (seat runners) and the seat. Check to see if the slides are excessively worn as you may need to replace them but again is a simple job but may cost from £15 to £45. The seat should run smoothly and not flex when you sit on it, if the seat is cracked or broken it could cost you over £100 for a new on. Check the wheels turn easily as the bearings do wear out, a set of new wheels might cost £25.
11. Hatches and covers. Open the hatch covers and check the inside of the boat. If it is very wet it might be a sign of a leak although you can expect some moisture in there from condensation (tip: to prevent condensation it is good practice to leave the hatches open when you are not using a boat).

Trying the boat

• When you try the boat make sure you can lift it, there is no point getting a boat that takes more people to lift it than row in it.
• Try not to view the boat in the rain or in the dark as it will make picking up any faults all the more difficult.
• Don’t just be convinced it is a good boat because it is shiny, make sure you check it over thoroughly. Often boats that have been resprayed look the best but weigh more.
• When you get on the water don’t expect to feel comfortable straight away. Nearly every boat will feel different to another and it will take you about 20 minutes to start getting used to it, so make sure you have a proper trial in it.
• People are selling a boat for a reason (retirement from the sport, selling to buy a new boat, or they don’t like the boat) but just because they did not like the feel of it doesn’t mean it won’t be your perfect boat. It may be that their skill has developed enough that they can cope with a more delicate boat.

Price

You should have done your research and know the price you are happy to pay for the boat, but take into account any damage or faults that need to be fixed and make the seller, also remember the seller will have other plans for their money and are normally keen to get a sale, so make them an offer and you might be pleasantly surprised to get a boat you want for less than you expected.
The resale price for used boats remains relatively high so you can expect to recoup some of you money should you decide to sell it on in the future, and you will have hopefully had many an enjoyable outing in it.