Willowhaven

Thanks again for all the replies. As it turned out, we took it for a one hour test drive and fell completely in love with the boat. I had never been in any type of speed boat before, and it was exhilarating. Immediately afterward, we quickly settled on a price pending a technical check. It was hard to attempt serious negotiation when I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

Took it to the techs the same afternoon (yesterday) and had them report back to me this afternoon. Result was that the boat had only 146 hours vice the owners 300 estimate. Compression was also spot on. Only real points were minor (cracked boots, seats, engine compartment a little dirty). There were also 3 recalls outstanding which I will attend to next year during the pre-season check since the dealer has to order new parts and this season is pretty much over anyway. The boat is currently in my garage and i will be taking it up to my cabin tomorrow after work for the long weekend. Hopefully the wx forecast holds up and we will be doing 360's out on the lake.

Thanks again for the advice.

Thanks for the response.

I intend to take the boat for a test drive tomorrow, and if all seems Ok at that point I will take it to a dealer for an inspection. They will check the compression and also read the hours on the engine. It turns out that the seller was just guessing at 300 hours (the boat has no hour meter). I have a feeling he was over-estimating. If all goes well the tests will be good and the technicians will have good news. Then, if I can negotiate a slightly better price, I will be able to join these forums on a permanent basis as a new jet boater!