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How can the very thing that floats your boat, and provides endless hours of enjoyment, be the same thing that can spoil your fun just as quickly? It just is, however you can easily prevent the bad stuff from happening, by simply snooping around your boat every once in awhile.
Start by inspecting the side cabin walls. They will most likely be your first indication of trouble. Look for walls that are not flat and smooth, and have a slight wavy look. Also look for rusty looking stains that come down from sides of the roof, and sometimes continue down the side of the cabin wall. These tell you there is moisture inside the roof or wall, and it is escaping out onto your wall. If you see this you can often detect dead wood spots by pounding the wall with your knuckles or a blunt object. Sometimes you may even find a soft spot. When you locate an issue with a side wall, chances are there is something happening on the roof that caused the issue. Most of the time it is where an arch support for the party top is attached. The arch flexes with the wind, and movement of the hull. Each times it flexes it stresses the attach points and caulk that was placed into the screw holes. The arches are sealed, and you cannot visually see where they connect to the roof. Look for spacing at the bottom of the arch that is uneven, or different from the arch on the other side of the boat. This can indicate screws that are in soft wood, and are coming loose.
The next area you should check is around all the windows inside and out. Check around all inside windows, looking for discoloration around the windows, and especially in the lower cuddy’s, which are often overlooked, since they may be more difficult to get to. This may give you an indication of what to look for on the outside windows. Check all caulk for any that is pulling away from the cabin, or has gaps. If you find any issues with the caulk, hopefully you found it before it became a problem inside. To find problem areas along bottom of cabin walls, crawl through the hull with a flashlight, shining it along the flooring where it meets the sides of the hull. If there is a moisture problem the plywood will be dark and discolored.
When caulking the cabin walls and windows be sure to use a quality caulk like Starbrite Marine Sealant. Remove all old caulk from windows and bottom of cabin. There are tools available now in the caulk section of stores, that makes caulk removal much simpler and removes caulk better. Wipe area to be caulked with acetone first, which will make it adhere better. Be sure to follow temperature recommendations on the caulk when applying.
As you can imagine, replacing soft walls can be quite expensive. Sometimes the boat must be pulled and taken back to the factory for repairs. Paying attention to the often overlooked areas of your boat will help you prevent issues from becoming an expensive problem. We want your boating time to be smooth sailing!
by Tom Miller
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First Spring Cruise-What can go wrong?
Do you have a checklist when you prepare for your first trip of the year away from the dock? If not, here are some things to help you.
-If you have a lake water system, you will need to crawl through the hull, turning on the valves to all the exterior water spickets. Before turning on the water pump, turn off each outside spicket valve, which were left in open position after they were winterized. Then turn water pump on, and place a bucket beneath spickets turning valve on to clear out the pink anti-freeze. Continue to each outside water spicket. If you have a slide, turn on water valve to it as well.
-Check all inverter, house, and engine batteries for swelling and make sure water levels are full.
-When was the last time you replaced engine and generator impeller. They have been dormant all winter, and can become brittle. If they are more than a couple of years old, expect them to cause you issues sooner, rather than later.
-Make sure all hoses are properly connected on I/O engines, and that water intake valve to generator has been turned on.
-It’s best to open engine hatches during first start up of the season. Check for fuel and water leaks.
-Immediately after starting generator, check water discharge flow. It should be a solid steady stream. If not, shut generator down, check water intake valve is on and inspect or replace impeller.
-If your boat is equipped with thrusters, try them first while still tied to the dock.
-Keep a close eye on engine temperature and oil pressure gauges after start up. Continue to watch these gauges as you depart the dock. They will alert you to water pump issues quickly, before it can harm your engine.
-As you untie the boat for departure, inspect all dock lines to insure they are still capable of keeping your boat secure in spring winds. Chances are at least a couple will need replaced.
-With spring rains, your lake or river will most likely have plenty of floating debris. Stay alert as you cruise along so you don’t get surprised with a prop strike.
Hopefully all will go well, and this will be the first of many enjoyable cruises this summer.
by Tom Miller
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Renewing Coast Guard Documentation
There are a lot of third party companies that will send you a notice stating that your documentation needs to be renewed. This is not coming directly from the Coast Guard. There are several third party companies that will charge you $75 to renew. One of our customers received the letter below in the mail. It stated the vessel name and vessel number; leading you to believe this is a necessary step in the renewal process. That is not the case. Renewing your document should only cost $26.
The Coast Guard offers a fast and easy way to renew your documentation. Below is the link to file your renewal online.
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Deputy-for-Operations-Policy-and-Capabilities-DCO-D/National-Vessel-Documentation-Center/
Quick, simple, and you are saving $49 each year by going directly through the Coast Guard.
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Cold weather seems to have arrived early this fall. Is your boat safe from the freezing temperatures? When we first see temperatures dipping into the twenties, their is no need to panic just yet. The first area of concern is the outside water valves and sinks, such as those on a roof top bar, or lake wash down. These should be drained down to get the water out of the lines, simply by opening up the spickets, with the water pump off, and the dock water disconnected. You should not have to worry about freezing issues outside, until even colder temperatures arrive. By then, you should have marine antifreeze in all your outside water lines. Freezing temperatures at night only, are not necessarily a reason to be concerned. One of the wisest boat experts we have ever known, Eugene New, a long time dock manager in Somerset,KY explained 25 years ago, When temperatures dip below freezing for three consecutive days and nights, your boat engines should be winterized. Now this isn’t to say, when temps. drop for 2 out of 3 days, I don’t get nervous. It’s always wise to err on the side of caution in my opinion. Water temperatures are still relatively warm in November and early December, and for this reason your engine compartment is warmer than you might think.
Once your engines are winterized, you have protected your biggest investment. Winterizing your interior water system depends on your particular boat, and how you might use it in the off season.
We always turn our heat to 55, fill our water tanks, and that way, we can still use our houseboat later in the fall, and earlier in the spring. We’ve even spent New Years on our boat, and that was a great memory.
Be sure to top off your inverter batteries, since they will be charging all winter long. It’ a good idea to leave your under sink cabinet doors open, to allow heat in to those pipes, as well as the doors to your washer/dryer.
Be sure to check around all windows, especially in the cuddy’s, to see if there are any signs of moisture stains. And each time you return to check on your boat, do the same. We have seen these areas surprise people in the spring. The cuddy’s are not usually an area that is seen that often by adults, so pay particular attention there. You can turn your water pump off, and make sure to lift the ice maker arm as well.
As for the exterior, your dock water hose should be removed and stored away. Fan blades are best removed, to protect from the winter winds. Roof furniture and grill covers should be tied down. The last thing to check is your dock lines. Any old, frayed ropes, are inviting trouble. Adjust your bumpers and lines holding them, to insure they are protecting your hull from the dock. These are just a few tips to make you feel comfortable your boat will be in good shape when you return. The process of winterizing a boat begins right after Labor Day with planning and scheduling, and culminates with the first hard freeze of the season. If you plan far in advance, it isn’t a daunting task to complete.
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You’ve been researching buying a houseboat for quite awhile. You have a pretty good idea what you’re looking for. You’ve even said to yourself, “I’ll know it when I see it.” You found a boat from the website that looks like it checks most the boxes on your list, and you make an appointment with your friendly broker to show it to you. You have your spouse, and your children with you to help you decide. It looks nice from the outside, but when you first walk in the front door and step inside, it looks better than the pictures, and it smells good. Yes, smell is a big deciding factor in the purchase of a boat. If it smells funky, there is usually something funky going on somewhere. With each room you walk into, it just feels right. You can picture this room for this child, and then realize another one of your children is missing, and low and behold, you find them. They have found their room, and they love it.
You are preparing to leave, when the broker asks if you would like to take one more look through before they turn out the lights. You oblige them, and confirm your feelings. As you shake their hand and prepare to leave, you tell the broker, you have several other boats you are going to look at, and you will get back with them early next week.
Sometimes a customer kicks themselves for a boat that got away from them. A majority of the time, it just wasn’t meant to be, and there is something out there even better and more perfect for their family. We love helping make that happen. But occasionally, the customer knew it was perfect. They realized this was THE boat. It’s just not in their nature to make such a quick decision. They like to mull it over for a few days. Then here comes customer number 2. They also know what they want. They walk in, and just know it immediately. They sense that if they loved this boat, there is a good chance others will love it too. They have been looking for awhile, and are not going to let this one get away. They make an offer, and after a few phone calls they have agreed on a price, and are on their way to enjoying boating more than they could have ever imagined.
Our first aluminum hull houseboat was a 1993 Sumerset 16′ x 73′. It was a very nice houseboat in it’s day. The moment we saw it we knew it. We also knew it wouldn’t last. We never regretted buying that boat with a quick decision. The memories we made are etched in many of our family members minds to this day.
It’s painful for a broker to see someone miss out on a boat they really wanted, but a broker can’t talk you into making an offer, and you wouldn’t want them to. Only you can do that.
The moral to this story is, do your homework, make a list of what you and your family members all are looking for. And when you find that boat, and you’ll know it, squeeze the trigger. Life is a journey, and you can’t erase memories, ever. Good Luck!
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“More than anything else, we want the boat that’s best for you!” It’s not just a quote Terry said, it’s a philosophy that we have adhered to since we began selling boats. What does it really mean? It means that whether you are selling a boat with us, or buying a boat from us, in the end, we want what’s best for you.
Recently, w
e have learned not all brokers operate with this mindset. Some of our competitors, who will remain unnamed, put profit above the customer. When you sign a contract with a broker to sell your boat, be sure to read what the exit clause is, if they fail to sell your boat in a reasonable amount of time. You may find that you could be tied into a contract with them for as long as an entire busy summer selling season. This could result in you having to wait another year to have the prime boat selling season working in your favor.
We realize sometimes customers put their boats up for sale, not just because they have “two foot itis”, and want a bigger or better boat. Sometimes the children are selling their parents boat, because Alzheimers has effected their family. Sometimes both parents are now deceased. Sometimes a serious illness has caused the boat to be put on the market. And over the past 10 years, when the economy was struggling, we have seen customers forced to sell their boat because of lost jobs, or income. These are all instances that cause us at Houseboats Buy Terry to take extra care, and extra compassion, to help the customer through this difficult time, and come out with the best result possible. We have boats for sale with some of the examples I have noted, at this very moment.
One of our new listings, has learned they are tied into one of these contracts that they cannot get out of, even though the brokerage had not had any success, or kept in contact with them throughout the time their boat was listed. This particular customer recently had a family tragedy related to tornadoes that have effected parts of the country. This customer was threatened with a lawsuit, by a brokerage that lacked compassion, and did not adhere to the “what’s best for the customer” philosophy. Houseboats Buy Terry has also experienced recent hardships with the loss of our office and pontoon boat we used to show customers boats. Not to mention the marina that we so love from a tragic fire. We were also threatened with a lawsuit, when we tried to help a customer, and were unaware of a contract they had signed, and how it was worded.
These are issues we can handle. However, our hope is that we can prevent customers from entering into these type contracts, without their full knowledge of what they are signing. Just be careful when you list your boat. Do your homework, and get references. Ask them if they have ever brought or threatened a customer with a lawsuit before. If they are the type business that would rather “lawyer up”, than help you, please beware. At Houseboats Buy Terry, we like making a profit as well as any company. However, we try to never let money rule how we treat customers. The customer comes first, period.
“I know of nothing more despicable and pathetic
than a man who devotes all the hours of the waking day
to the making of money for money’s sake.”
John D. Rockefeller
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Things to check on your boat this spring.
-Batteries-First check the exterior of the battery, looking for leaks or swelling. In either case, they should be disconnected immediately and replaced. Look for any corrosion on the terminals, and clean where needed. Last, top off water levels.
-Engines-Check all fluid levels, including lower unit reservoir. Lower unit oil should be up to fill line, and make sure you have no leaks. Always keep extra lower unit oil on board, and re-check after each cruise. It’ a good idea to have engine hatches open when first starting engine. After checking oil pressure upon starting, Then observe engine compartment, and check for leaks, vibrations, etc. Put engines in forward and reverse, to make sure everything appears normal.
-Generator-Turn water intake valve on before starting. Check oil level. Immediately after start up, check for a solid stream of water exiting hull from water pump. Replace water pump impeller if needed. Always keep an extra impeller on board. You won’t be sorry. Once generator is running, check thrusters in all directions.
-Check shore power cord connections, as well as length of cord, looking for any signs of wear. Insure electric cords do not hang in the water, regardless of what position the boat moves to and from the dock. Check integrity of all dock lines, and replace if they show signs of being brittle or fraying. Don’t be the dock neighbor who only replaces dock lines when your boat breaks loose during a storm, and damages a row of neighbors boats. It happens.
-You may be anxious to remove the winter dirt, just keep in mind, the trees will bring their own layer of pollen, to make all your efforts need repeated in a few weeks. Patience is a virtue in the spring. Do the things that won’t soon need repeated first.
-Check all exterior canvas to make sure it is all secure. Canvas enclosures and covers may need a snap or two replaced. You can call your local canvas repairman for that, or purchase your own snap installation kit. Handy if you are a commtted boater. Clean Isinglass with soap and a soft cotton or microfiber cloth.
-You can add plenty to this list, but this will help make your first cruise a smooth one.
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Springtime is the most exciting time of year for a boater. You’ve dreamed of your boat on the coldest of winter days, and 
now you can finally get back in the boating groove. Be sure to give your boat a close inspection from top to bottom, including down in the hull, and behind all the windows hidden by curtains and blinds. Anywhere moisture can seep in, you should check, so a small problem, doesn’t soon grow into an expensive problem. Be sure to have a notepad to make a list of things you notice that need attention. Then you can prioritize things according to importance. With each item you check off, you are one step closer to your first cruise, One of the first things you will want to do is start your engines. If you had a mechanic winterize your engines, be sure they have all the hoses properly connected first before turning the key. Some mechanics come back in the spring to de-winterize the engines before they can be run. It’s best to let the engines come up to temperature and run for at least 20-30 minutes.. Be sure to check the oil pressure as soon as they fire up. When starting the generator, always check for water flow from the exhaust, usually on the side of the hull or sometimes under the swim platform on older boats.
One of the most shocking things you will notice, is your boat is no longer sparkling clean on the outside like you left it in the fall. Just don’t get overwhelmed with trying to bring it back to perfection in one hard working weekend. Pick your battles wisely, and whittle the cleaning chores down over 2 or 3 weeks, so you take time to enjoy each visit to your boat.
Boating Tips
Have you checked your batteries lately?
Batteries should be checked often, and at the least going into each new season. Check water levels, and look for signs of corrosion in the hull from battery gases. Battery corrosion can be your worst enemy to an aluminum hull if they are not vented properly and stored in an enclosed battery box.
How long has it been since your batteries were replaced? If you’re not sure, your luck may be running out. There is nothing worse than finding your MMC shifter’s will not work because your battery is dead, and your generator will not start to charge the batteries up, because that battery is dead. Since these batteries were originally installed at the same time, they seem to all begin failing at the same time too. Batteries are one of the cheapest insurance policies you will ever buy.
Houseboat
Why should I choose a broker to help sell my boat?
The decision to choose a boat broker over selling it yourself is a complex one. No one wants to pay money to sell a boat they have enjoyed when the possibility exists to sell it yourself, and not have any other costs. However, when the goal is to move the boat to a new owner, without many of the hassles associated with selling a boat, it is better to rely on someone who does this every day and knows the “ins and outs” of making a deal fly. An experienced boat broker is usually “experienced” because they have been doing this for quite some time. They know what can kill a deal, and what steps are most important to make the closing a smooth and happy experience for the buyer and the seller. The goal is for both parties to walk away happy. After all isn’t that why we boat in the first place?
Below are some key points to analyze before you try it on your own.
- An experienced broker will have valuable knowledge about certain manufacturer’s, and the particular problems the aging fleet is having. The broker will ensure you inspect, and have your marine surveyor check all critical areas, so you have a good experience, and when you decide to sell your boat, it is still in top shape, for the next buyer.
- Many times an experienced broker has sold certain boats several times. They have a library of knowledge about many boats and can steer you towards the best purchase decision possible.
- An experienced broker will know what a marine surveyor looks for, and make sure the seller has addressed all issues before a marine surveyor does their inspection. This helps make the sale process smooth and successful.
- As a boat broker, I want to sell you a boat and have you tell 10 people about the great service, and what a nice boat you purchased from Houseboats Buy Terry not give you bad advice and have you tell 20 people how disappointed you were with me.
- Ask your broker how long they have worked for the brokerage they are representing. If it is only a season or two, then ask how long the broker they replaced had worked there. These are telltale signs of who not to list with.
- Ask your broker how many hits their website gets per month? If their website is strong, they will know the answer and be proud to tell you.
- Managing broker has 25 years experience selling and living on boats like yours. In addition, all our brokers came on board our team because of their love, passion, and history with boats.
- We operate our business full time all year long. We never consider any season the “off-season”.
- If your boat has been for sale for quite some time, with little or no interest, there is a reason. We have the experience to help you “zero in” on what is preventing your boat from selling and put it back on the fast track to sell quickly.
- In addition to listing your boat on this website, we also advertise on many other commercial boating sites, and print media nationwide. As a result, we receive phone calls from customers weekly, from every corner of the U.S. and beyond.
- We sell boats worldwide and have the experience to help with safe and secure international sales with delivery to your home port.
- By marketing to areas where houseboats are in high demand, you may be able to sell your boat for a price much higher than you thought possible.
- We can help you determine the right price to list your boat at. Sometimes customers price their boats with little knowledge of what the market is bringing. We have an extensive database of “recently sold boats” to help you in pricing your boat at a fair and reasonable market value.
- We are at the lake when you cannot be. We will take notice when PWC, grill, and patio covers blow off by the wind, ropes come untied, cleats holding your boat break off from the dock, water pools on your roof, bilge, or even ceilings become water stained, and alert you to them, before they damage your investment and possibly cost you a sale.
- Our website is maintained daily from our floating houseboat office by our knowledgeable staff. As a result, our site is always current so potential customers are not distracted by old or outdated listings.
- We assist you with proven marketing ideas for your boat to increase your opportunity for a rapid sale. The “Houseboats Buy Terry” Floating Office can be seen beneath the Light House Cafe restaurant at Conley Bottom Resort on Lake Cumberland in KY.
- We refer qualified potential buyers to you so that you are not wasting your valuable time.
- We have a VERY reasonable brokerage fee, and many times you are able to sell for more than you could have on your own. This is because of the wide path of exposure you will receive from our advertising.
- To help complete the sale, we offer a large network of proven people, eager to assist you at every turn in the buying and selling process.
