
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 19, 1995                   TAG: 9502180003
SECTION: BOAT SHOW                    PAGE: BS-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

USED BOATS ARE BARGAIN BARGES

One of the best selections of used boats in recent memory is showing up in dealers lots and in classified ads, thanks to brisk new boat sales. This means if you are looking for a used boat, there are choices and bargains available.

But most boats on the used market need some maintenance or repair and should be thoroughly inspected, advises the Boat Owners Association of the United States, the nation's largest organization of recreational boaters.

"A used boat is no bargain if you're faced with costly major repairs after the sale," said Caroline Ajootian, the consumer affairs director for BOAT/U.S.

Here's some detective work a buyer can do:

Check with your state boat registration agency (the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in Virginia, 804-367-1000) to make sure there are no liens or encumbrances that would prevent you from taking clear title to the boat.

Call the Coast Guard hot line (1-800-368-5647) to see if any defects or recalls have been reported for the boat.

Take the boat for a test run.

Have an expert check to see if the boat's fuel and electrical systems meet U.S. Coast Guard safety standards, if there are any structural defects in the hull or deck or if there are engine problem symptoms such as leaks or unusual noise and vibrations.

by CNB