I found this boat on Craig's list. I am looking to buy my first boat and I ran across this. 16' carloina skiff flat bottom 6 gallon tank center console. Has a 2004 mercury 25 hp motor and the guy said its runs great and has a bench seat not shown. What else should I be wary of? He said I can get it checked by a mechanic at my own expense. I have pics on my iPhone but they won't paste into the text box.

Get a compression tester at auto zone, $10 and check lower unit for water, run it on muffs on a hose, they are sturdy little boats and that's a stout motor.

about the lower unit..he said he replaces it every year and he said i will need to replace it this summer. This is all depending on if he doesnt sell it in two weeks, i wont have any weekends free until then. Does anyone know how much it costs to maintain a boat this size per year? I dont want to get in over my head. I was thinking about spending a good chunk of money on a kayak but this seems like a pretty good deal and a 6 gallon tank is cheap to fill and i really only plan on using it in Christmas Bay. This will be my first boat and i dont really know much about boats, cars yes, boats no.

and i live in dallas but i travel to houston or rockport to fish throughout the year. So, storing it is an issue. I do not know if I should store it up in dallas or in houston, and would it be okay to store it outside if its covered? Thanks

Annual boat maintenance is not rocket science. It's not difficult. YouTube has many tutorials on specific motors. I would replace the impeller/water pump, thermostat(s), lower unit fluid yearly. Especially if you are running in saltwater most of the time.

If I was using the boat exclusively on the coast then I'd find somewhere to store it and leave it. Preferably indoors, out of the weather. The sun can be brutal on them. Besides, with the cost of fuel what you pay in reduced economy while towing will probably cover the cost of storage.

The saltwater will be brutal on some of the trailer's components. Most boat trailers that routinely go in the salt have non-functional brakes. I know lots of guys that just remove the brakes altogether. The leaf springs will rust and eventually break. You'll need to replace them every 2 or 3 years. The hubs will need annual service. Other parts like rollers and bunk boards will need attention every couple or three years.

Corrosion on the jackplate (if equipped) can render it worthless. The hydraulic rams on the tilt and trim can get corroded as can steering arm (if equipped). You'll have to routinely check electrical connections on the boat and trailer.

Cool boat and motor for sure...

If you're truly worried about getting in over your head, boats aren't for you! haha... kidding... kinda...

Boats require maintenance... and money...

Kayaks are pretty nice... I have both... and take the kayak out 3 times for every 1 time I take out the boat...

Break Out Another Thousand!

If you can work on cars, you can work on your boat. Its not hard. Just get a good manual and read up on the maintenance. One thing I will say is definately check the compression. Also, change the water pump and lower unit fluid before you take it out. If he says it was done last year, that means three years ago when he actually used the boat.