How To: Buy A Used Bass Boat

A pivotal moment in any angler’s life is buying their first fishing boat. Whether it be a sleek, skinny shallow drafting fiberglass boat or a tough “go anywhere” aluminum hull, there are many things to consider before opening the checkbook and forking over your hard-earned dough. Some considerations to buying a secondhand bass boat we will discuss are: Fiberglass hull or aluminum hull? Hull inspection, motor inspection, trailer inspection and general considerations  

Fiberglass Hull or Aluminum Hull  

A battle that has waged longer than “is it a pickerel or a walleye?” is the fiberglass bass boat vs aluminum bass boat. There are entire hundred-page threads on many internet forums discussing to pedantic levels which is better, with statements like “if it ain’t glass, it ain’t bass” and “aluminum catches slews of ‘em” but what it really comes down to are your individual needs as an angler, and often what your local waterways are like.   

Both hull materials are somewhat trapped in an “anything you can do I can do better” exchange, in where either boat can perform the task at hand, but with mild compromise on both ends of the spectrum. Not much compares to beautiful, chunky metal flake fiberglass bass boat glinting away in the morning sun as you effortlessly plane across a flat lake at 80mph – That is until you’re pulling up to your favorite spot and a new deadhead decides it wants to become one with the fibers of your hull, in this situation, you would have been thankful for a heavy-walled aluminum hull as you bounce over the floating stump without paying much mind to it at all (other than scaring off the fish!)   

For easier digestion I’d like to breakdown the key thinking points for comparison of the two hull materials 

Cost: 

Aluminum boats are generally cheaper than fiberglass boats as they are easier to manufacture 

Fiberglass boats generally retain a higher resale value 

Ride: 

Aluminum boats will often have a sub-par ride to fiberglass boats as they are limited to what hull design profiles they can use. In addition to this, they can “buck” quite badly due to their light weight, causing the boat to “cork” in rough water. 

Fiberglass boats offer a silky-smooth ride through many years of hydrodynamic developments and the endless possibilities of new hull design technology. 

Aluminum boats tend to ride “loud” through rough water as there is little to dampen the water on the metal hull. 

Fiberglass boats added weight helps them feel stable and smooth in choppy waters, both in motion and while you’re on the deck fishing. 

Fiberglass boats will handle much better than aluminum boats, plane faster and turn sharper 

Maintenace 

Aluminum boats require much less maintenance than fiberglass hull boats and are much less susceptible to cosmetic damages like scratches, gouges and dents. Even if they do occur, they are nothing to be concerned about. 

Aluminum boats constructed using rivets can start to form leaks at the seams over time 

Fiberglass boats require frequent washing, waxing and polishing to keep them looking their best 

Durability 

No question here, that for impacts and general fishing abuse an aluminum hull takes the cake for durability. Small dents can often be hammered straight, although with the effects of work-hardening, this will eventually lead to cracking of the panel if done improperly. 

Fiberglass is almost infinitely repairable, time consuming and costly as it may be, no amount of damage can’t be fixed. 

Looks 

Nothing looks better than a freshly waxed, bright metal flake bass boat. End of story. 

The general consensus for most is if you plan to fish shallow, rocky areas, which are mostly calm and you are more a “function over looks” person, an aluminum boat might be for you.  

On the other hand, if underwater dangers are less of a concern and you value ride comfort, handling and looks, a fiberglass bass boat is more up your alley.  

Inspection 

So, you’ve made your decision about what type of bass boat you’re in the market for, and after many hours hunting on Kijiji, Craigslist, eBay, etc. you’ve found one that piques your interest. You make arrangements to go have a look at the vessel, but what exactly should you be looking for? 

For starters, where is the boat being stored? In a heated garage or is it left out exposed to the elements uncovered? Keep that in mind as you start your inspection. We need to do a visual inspection on the hull, if you can, view the boat out of the water and on a trailer. Bring a flashlight and something to lay on. Start on the topside of the boat, how does everything look? Sun faded? Gelcoat cracking, chipping, damaged or otherwise? Do you see any make stress cracks, previously repaired areas or exposed fiberglass? 

Now let’s move to the bottom of the hull. Take a really good look, crawl around. Try to imagine where the boat would be most likely to take an impact (lowest, most forward points) and look there for damage, or any obvious signs of previous repair. Has the boat slid backwards off the trailer and impacted the pad or bottom of the transom? This is common damage. The cleanliness of the lower hull will often reflect the amount of care a boat has received. 

Inspect at any thru-hull fittings the boat may have, look for signs of leakage, or a poor caulking job. These can spell out big dollar, long term water damages on glass and aluminum boats alike.  

Has the boat had any servicing or replacement to items such as the bilge pumps, live well pumps, interior plumbing to either. What does the electrical look like? Is it factory fresh or has it been monkeyed with? Do all accessories receive power and function properly?  

On a boat with a wood floor, ensure to walk the edges with a heavy foot, as the carpeting may be hiding rot and weak spots not immediately apparent to the naked eye. Look for staining and discoloration often associated with repeated standing water.  

The most critical area to check on the entire vessel is the transom. If the transom is waterlogged, rotten or otherwise the boat may not be worth purchasing. Do absolutely anything you possibly can to gain access to anywhere you can see the transom. With the way some boats are built, this may not always be a possibility, but try your best. Sometimes they can be seen from inside the boat. 

Once you have ascertained the condition of the hull, move on to the next big-ticket item – the motor. 

Motor 

Diagnosing the overall condition of an outboard motor from a visual inspection is fleeting at best. With so many systems working together at once, it’s nearly impossible to judge the overall condition. If at all possible, have the seller run the motor on muffs, or better yet, drop the boat into the water, fire it up and go for a cruise.  

If running the motor is not an option, here are a couple ideas to help you at least get a sense of the motor.  

Remove the cover: visually inspect for corrosion, frayed/damaged electrical components, cracked or damaged plastic parts, and just the overall cleanliness and apparent level of care taken.

Look into the carburetors: are they clean? Black oily residue can be a sign of a tough running motor, especially if the residue is uneven between carbs 

Remove the sparkplugs: inspect for burnt up, or overly rich plugs, look into cylinders and inspect piston tops. If they are shiny, the motor has been run very lean and may have issues. 

Inspect inside the prop: this is where the exhaust exits and can be a telltale sign of how the motor runs. Light carbon should be all you see in there, heavy carboning and oily residue are signs of a poorly maintained motor. 

Look at the lower unit oil: bring a drain pan or a piece of cardboard and pour out a little lower unit fluid. It should be gold to slightly golden dark if it is healthy and changed with any frequency. Beware of milkiness as this is a sign of water in the lower unit, also be on the lookout for metal flakes as this is a sign of heavy gear wear. 

If you’ve either taken the boat out for a rip, or are feeling comfortable with the motor from dry land the last piece of the puzzle is the trailer. Fortunately, this is the easiest piece to inspect and the easiest to remedy should there be issues. 

Trailer 

The first place to start is the overall condition. Inspect for damage and heavy corrosion (all trailers will likely have a little rust, we’re talking about “going to fall apart” rust). Next let’s make sure all of the lighting on the trailer works, this is more so for the haul home, but still, check.  

Inspect the bunks and rollers for wear and tear, the last thing you need is to get the boat off the trailer on its maiden voyage only to realize you’re going to damage it putting it back on the trailer.  

Most important is to check the condition of the wheels/tire and wheel bearings. Casually inspect the tires for cracking, checking and previous repairs, ensure they are properly inflated. Wheel bears are next, if possible, pop the dust caps off the hubs and make sure they are sufficiently greased. If you are able, jack up one side and at time and check for in/out play on the hub, as well as how freely the wheel spins. If a wheel bearing fails at highway speeds, that can spell disaster!  

Well, everything looks pretty good! The boat is in great shape for its age, as it has been stored in a heated garage. The motor runs well, thanks to the previous owner preforming regular service and the trailer ain’t too bad either. Congrats, you’ve found a “buy-able” boat! All that is left now is to load up some tackle, gas er’ up and hit the lake. 

See ya out there muchacho 😉