Wanda_Ra wrote: Was doing a search and came across this thread just now.  Glad it turned out awesome in the end. Selling a crapper to someone is the lowest of the low,could be kids out in it when it goes kaput. Happened to me about 7 years back, bought a beauty via trademe 6 hours drive away.Nice wooden trailer boat with a near new 50hp tohatsu. Ad said painted 6 months back good to go etc and bought new boat so out it goes. Turned up to look at it, noticed it looked newly painted in some areas,others looked as if not painted 5-6 years, i mentioned this and husband started to agree when his wife elbowed him and said SHHHH.   Everything else seemed ok and engine was mint so i bought it.   A week later took it out on lake Karapiro, spent 30 mins zooming round for a safety check,then picked up the kids n missus off the shore and went for a cruise. After an hour headed back. got home and noticed there was water leaking out from around the bung.  Dug into it with a knife and turned out the whole transom was severely rotten,just pretty much bogged and painted over. Drove down and gave her **** about it, she denied it,but the guy said yea its true. My kids could have been drowned i told her, she just shut the house door on me and refused to talk to me. The guys was pretty ashamed, got my money back and he said for me to keep the boat. Sold the boat for $1 on tm as a do up with details all about it.    Selling a broken boat as in good condition is low, i couldnt do it.

Thanks for posting as an instructive, sad and frustrating story got to wonder if that couple are still together sounds like he has a bit more conscience than her?  Though I suspect she did not realise what would likely happen - as you say imagine if you or kids drowned how would you feel.. "let the buyer beware"

Congrats on a wonderful job and experience I bet. I can relate to that as I have also completely gutted a moored 22 foot clinker inside and out and finished a year later but what a journey of satisfaction (And expense)