So after renting the 17" double eagle at pedder bay a number of times this fall and FINALLY bringing in a 14.5lb beautiful coho with the girls last weekend I am seriously gonna look at getting my own boat over the winter/spring....
I'm interested in a 17 or 18" well kept 80's era double eagle or like....Obviously I want a SOUND starter kind of boat and I'm not gonna pay a ton of money for it.
I am going to need to find someone who can honestly take a look at a boat for me cause I really have no idea how to determine if its a rotter lemon or not
I will however get a compression test on the motor, I do know that much!
Anyways if any of you guys know of a sound starter boat, the more turnkey for fishing the better, for some ladies who love to be on the water let me know...

good for you karrie and good choice to go with a runabout around 17-18'. At that size they are pretty basic, with fewer things to go wrong and cheaper to maintain then something bigger.

Where are you located, I'll keep an eye out for a good started boat.

I owned a 17 Double Eagle for 28 years, great boat for Sooke.
Good ones sell within a day or two most times, you have to be quick.
Transom is the weak spot, right where the upper deck and hull join.
Tap on the outside it should have a sharp sound, if it goes thud its not good.
Also where the deck joins the hull in the front of the motor (motor well) look for cracks there.
Look around the guys yard and at his truck / house etc. if everything is a mess and falling apart thats a good indicator of how things are cared for.
Dan.

here's what looks like a good deal,
not a double eagle, but similar style boat.

http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified- ... r_13171685

Buy yourself a 2# rubber mallet. Start tapping by tapping hulls that are thought to be sound. You will get a feel for the sound and rebound that you are looking for. You are listening for a tight drum rebound, ANY deadness or thudding, walk away. I have learned this the hard way on more than one hull. Transoms are the trickiest. Stringers can be tough too. Older boats it is best to assume the floors are pooched, unless there is evidence of replacement or repairs.
You may in the long run want to buy newer and save yourself a pile of grief, as even Double Eagles left out in the elements will decay.
As far as power and drives go... O/b are best but Volvo I/Os are ok if found in decent shape. Do not buy an old Merc sterndrive. Good luck.

It is probably more important to get the maintenance records, component replacement, and any rebuild dates than worrying about the age or whether it is inboard, outboard, or an I/O. Buy what you want based on your needs and what is going to make you happy. I have one friend that owns a very old wooden, gasoline, inboard which I wouldn’t dream of owning, but it fits his wants and needs and he loves it!

Just be careful when going that far back and take a good hard look at it, so you know what you are buying. I believe Apr. 18, 1977 was the magic date, when the U.S. law went into effect on boats under 20 feet having to have floatation? I would not buy a 17 or 18-foot boat to use in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, unless I knew for a FACT it had flotation and was unsinkable!

Yes, it would be a good idea to find someone to help you. It is also a good thing to take your time and go slowly. When I buy a used boat, I have been known to spend all day inspecting it, before I even have the engines looked at. And, don’t get someone who thinks they know boats, but someone who DOES know boats. There is a difference. I have a couple of friends that have owned boats for over 30 years and they still don’t know their own boats, let alone what to look for when buying a boat.

Along with a compression check on the engine, the hull inspections, and everything else already mentioned, make sure you have the lower unit pressure tested. Open up EVERY compartment on the boat EVERYWHERE and look for signs of mold, mildew, rot, or separation on anything and everything – take your time and LOOK. Look at the clamps and all the wiring for any white powdery substance (that would be corrosion). Turn all the pumps, radios, and avionics on to make sure they work. Not just hum, but actually work!

If the above passes your inspection then check the rest of ALL the fluid levels, including engine oil and lower unit. Take a gas sample (from the bottom of the tank). Take a sample and clean check the fuel separator/filter for any grim, grit, sludge, or water, but don’t bother with any engine or lower unit oil samples, yet – just check the levels. The fuel samples should look fresh. Check the oil and make sure it looks clean and the dipstick does not have any burnt looking oil on it. Do all these before you even think about starting the engine.

Now if all that passes your inspection, you want to take the boat out for a ‘Sea Trial’. Run it for a couple of hours on plane and don’t be afraid to run it hard and at WOT (boats are designed for that) and you want to do that on the Sea Trial - there is a reason. When you get back from the Sea Trial is when you want to take your engine and lower unit oil samples, and you want those samples sent and tested for any metals in the oil. If you have any internal components failing or going bad, it will probably show up after running WOT at the Sea Trial; whereas, if someone just changed the oil – it won’t show up. Told you there was a reason! Most people don’t know that, but I do admit I change all oils before any engine inspection is ever done and it is just for that reason!

Hope this didn’t bore you too much and helps – Good Luck and enjoy your soon to be new boat!