"Budd Cochran" wrote in message
...
I'm getting the feeling that used is going to be the way to go but every
used boat I've had so far, like used cars, has come with a load of
problems.

I can only speak for the one I own, and what I'd look for. Look at the boat
with and without the motor on the transom. With the motor on, see if you can
spot any sag, which could mean someone towed with the motor up, but the
motor fell. With the motor off, give a transom a few good hard yanks and
look for any play that seems abnormal. As far as the hull is concerned, any
major dents will be obvious, but a properly designed hull isn't going to
suffer much from the occasional bump with a log or rock.

The Lund WC series boats are popular with Canadian guides who sometimes drop
the boat (without motor) from the fly-in airplane before landing to deposit
passengers. They're nothing but hull, and VERY solid metal benches with some
sort of composite board on top. I've encountered some obstacles in 5 years
which should've done more damage to the bottom, but still, I have nothing
but scratches.


I think there is a Lund Dealer in Grand Junction CO, about 3 hours away
from
me.

Call him. My dealer explained that he's more likely to TAKE a small boat in
trade if he knows he's got a serious buyer who's looking. This is especially
true as the season progresses. The dealers don't want to be stuck with
inventory, especially low-margin boats which take up space they could use
for fancier boats.