Looking To Buy Used Sunfish. What should i be looking for??

D

daverichards78

New Member
I'm looking to buy a sunfish for my son for his birthday. I am new to the Sunfish and have do not have that much experience with boats. Not technical stuff anyways.

What should i be looking for when i am looking at a used sunfish? What kind of questions should i ask about the boat in terms of condition of/any existing damage to the boat? I have looked at one boat for sale but when i was there i was not quite sure what i should be looking for exactly. The boat seemed to be in good condition but i do not have the experience to truly tell.
There was a few hairline cracks on the top of the boat near the front The guy said "There are a couple of hairline cracks in the gel coat, but nothing that will cause any problem."
There was also some kind of epoxy repair right at the nose of the boat where everything thing comes together (the two sides and the top. Right at that front tip of the boat)


Here is the ad on craigslist for the boat:
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/820176983.html
He's asking "$600 OBO"
is that a good price. 1980something with everything ready to sail. New-ish sail in good condition. And trailer
i wanna offer him 400. 500 if necessary :confused:
 
Hi Dave,

It's hard to tell from the pictures as to whether there is any damage, but the boat looks OK from a distance. Judging from the accessories that have been added to the boat (compass, mainsheet swivel, and anti-slide strips) it appears that the owner knows what he is doing and probably treated the boat nicely.

The hairline cracks in the gel coat are normal for a boat this age and are not a problem.

I would look for major cracks or other damage, rips in the sail, and make sure the mast and booms are straight and not damaged. Put the mast in the mast "well" and move the mast to make sure the well is firmly connected to the boat and has not broken loose. Also check the centerboard and rudder for any cracks.

Ask the owner if the boat leaks and if so, how much does it leak and what is the cause of the leak. Also ask him why he is selling the boat. As to the damage at the front end of the boat, you will have to make your own judgement as to whether the repair is adequate. Also inspect the tires on the trailer and find out if the lights work (lights are cheap, you can buy a complete replacement set at Wal-Mart for less than $30). Finally, ask him if has the title to the boat and trailer. If he doesn't, you can get replacement titles, but it is a real hassle.

The price of $600 for boat and trailer seems fair. If you can get it for less so much the better. I bought a Sunfish in Los Angeles several years ago similar to the one you are looking at (including trailer) and paid $650 and thought it was a good deal. I still have the boat and I am very pleased with it (my 5th Sunfish). Finally, the Sunfish has good resale value so if you decide to get rid of it you can probably sell it for a least what you paid for it.

Hope this helps.

Judkei
Reno, NV
 
You can check with the DMV for requirements for California titles and registration for boats. Online.

The trailer should be titled, if not like mentioned before it will be a real pain to get it titled..its meant to be a pain because it might be stolen. I don;t know if I would want to even deal with it..I would just keep looking.

The price seems fair if the trailer is in good condition.

good luck.
 
If the seller doesn't have the title to the trailer you can check with the California DMV to find out if the trailer is stolen. You will need the VIN/Serial Number which should be somewhere on the trailer. The number can be hard to locate and if it was just a "paste-on" sticker there may not be any VIN/Serial Number.

If you do have the VIN/Serial Number the California DMV will run a computer check to determine if the trailer is stolen. If it is not stolen then you will not have a problem (other than some paper work) in obtaining a replacement title for the trailer.

Same process for the boat. The HIN (Hull Identification number) should be engraved or stamped in the upper right-hand area of the transom. It will look something like this: AMF12345M73A. The last 2 numbers (73 in this example) indicate the year the boat was manufactured.

Of course if the seller has titles you don't have to fool with all this stuff. If he doesn't have the titles you can use the "hassle factor" as leverage to negotiate a lower price. If it is a good boat (and this one seems to be a good one) it is worth going through the process to obtain new titles.

Judkei
Reno, NV
 
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