What to Look for When Shopping for a Boat to Restore

Dave Singer from Rock Point Boatworx covers essentials you need to look for when shopping for an old boat for a restoration project. On the outside, some key things you'll want to do are a motor inspection, compression test, check the trim unit for leaks, ensure there's no water in the gearcase, inspect for cracks and corrosion and look at the quality of the seals. Moving to the inside you'll want to look for stress fractures, status of the washers, listen for hollow spots in the fiberglass, condition of the fuel tank, feel for soft spots in the deck and inspect mounting bolts, hatches, metalwork and wiring. Also be sure to look for additions that add value, like an armstrong bracket.