Locating And Checking RIGID RAIDER Boats For Sale

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Author Topic:   Locating And Checking RIGID RAIDER Boats For Sale

WAYNEC posted 11-30-2009 12:37 AM ET (US)
[The author seeks a] Boston Whaler RIGID RAIDER boat. [He] saw one on Ebay, but did not move fast enough. [He is] not sure how to locate and check one out. Any [advice] greatly appreciated. Thanks for the opportunity to be on this site. Happy Thanksgivings to all.
Jeff posted 11-30-2009 08:42 AM ET (US)
Wayne,
I have links to government auction sites listed on my "Searching for and inspecting a Classic Whaler "site listed below. At those linked sites you can find Rigid Raiders, Gaurdians and other CPD Whalers as they came up for auction and sale. Also, on there is an extensive inspection checklist in a downloadable PDF form.
http://sites.google.com/site/rohlfingswhalersite/
jimh posted 11-30-2009 08:54 AM ET (US)
A Boston Whaler RAIDER listed on an auction site like eBay is most likely a boat that was recently purchased at a government property disposal auction, and the seller is attempting to re-sell it at a profit. If you want to buy surplus military models of Boston Whaler boats, you will be better off to buy them from the government directly, and not from a re-seller on eBay who intends to make a profit from owning the boat for a very short time.
The hulls which Boston Whaler made (and still make) for the military are generally built with a heavier laminate schedule and contain aluminum reinforcements. Many components, such as the console, are also made from aluminum instead of being a molded laminate structure. These variances result in a hull that typically weighs more than a standard model Boston Whaler hull. Increased weight will generally mean more horsepower will be needed to push the hull. It is also common that these hulls are fitted for twin engines.
vayase posted 11-30-2009 09:53 PM ET (US)
I launch and boat out of the Oceanside, CA marina which abuts Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. The Navy and Marine Corps share this harbor with pleasure boaters and sometimes share refueling at a gas dock near the neck of the harbor. (Pendleton is northernmost San Diego county).
I have shared the refueling dock on more than one occasion with Marine/Navy small boat drivers and when asked about government auctions re: their smaller craft...the consistent answer was a chuckle and the retort: "When they are up for auction, they are thrashed".
Pendleton is the base for the LCAC amphib craft: :"No Beach
Out Of Reach" group; i.e., serious sailors, the lot.
Vayase

(PS If you've got a lot of money and time...good luck!) (I expect that some of the "Old salt Experts" on this site will refute this observation.)
AZdave posted 12-01-2009 01:37 AM ET (US)
While I don't want to refute vayase's points, I have been to Camp Pendleton to look at one of the boats offered by Government Surplus. I'm not sure that it was thrashed, but there were a lot of unknowns. The condition of the outboards was pretty much a black box. You were not allowed to bring a battery or equipment to turn them over or check compression. There was some hull damage, although it appeared to have been caused by a forklift while in storage. Then you have to get it off the base on a trailer with about 57 pins coming out of an extremely non-standard plug. That looked like a long period of head scratching with a circuit tester in my hand. Finally there was the green paint or gelcoat. It was hard to tell which it was, based on my information. So was it a dumb thing to buy? I think it depends on the buyer. If you only invest in CD's because of the safety and knowing exactly how things will turn out, then this would be inappropriate for you. You would worry and second guess yourself through the whole renovation process. If you invest in growth stocks, you are already playing in an arena where highly paid professionals gloss over the shortcomings, and emphasize the positives. If you take those risks for the potential for a higher return, why not do the same with a boat? By the way, I hope to launch from Oceanside later this year myself. Dave
BlueMax posted 12-01-2009 07:58 AM ET (US)
I would look at the military craft same as purchasing a rental car. They have "been around" and used by many different operators who could care less of the actions they take so long as nothing breaks that costs out of their pocket. All is fair so long as they don't "get caught" and wind up in trouble for extreme stupidity like "unnecessarily" endangering craft and crew (probably in that order too).
Being that it is on Ebay - then I would guess that it already was purchased through gov't auction and the seller is either A) trying to quick-flip for a profit or B) trying to cut losses and throwing in the towel on his project boat (maybe it was purchased not realizing it need work/as much work)
Yes - the Navy/USMC rides hard and puts their toys away wet, BUT - they are also routinely inspected and serviced on a regular schedule to keep them running hard and ready for use at any given time in any location they may find.
So, like purchasing a rental car at the end of its service life, it is an open question as to what kind of life it truly had. However, Unlike most rental cars, there is no set "end of service" marker (i.e. 30k miles or whatever). They simply use the equipment until they can no longer be repaired or used for parts, or they eventually get replaced by newer equipment after maybe 20-25 years of service.
Again, I say look at it like purchasing a rental car - you know it "had to" be abused at some point but how badly is what you have to try to determine from the "sight only" inspection - biggest question will be condition of those OMC (or whatever) on the back if you cannot run them; and they likely will not have the manuals for them either. Go in with the thought that even if the hull appears to be in good shape, you may need to re power.
Being that it is on Ebay you can ask the seller why he wants to sell and what additional work/servicing may have been done after purchase when he was thinking to keep it.
My .02,
Max

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Author	Topic: Locating And Checking RIGID RAIDER Boats For Sale
WAYNEC	posted 11-30-2009 12:37 AM ET (US) [The author seeks a] Boston Whaler RIGID RAIDER boat. [He] saw one on Ebay, but did not move fast enough. [He is] not sure how to locate and check one out. Any [advice] greatly appreciated. Thanks for the opportunity to be on this site. Happy Thanksgivings to all.
Jeff	posted 11-30-2009 08:42 AM ET (US) Wayne, I have links to government auction sites listed on my "Searching for and inspecting a Classic Whaler "site listed below. At those linked sites you can find Rigid Raiders, Gaurdians and other CPD Whalers as they came up for auction and sale. Also, on there is an extensive inspection checklist in a downloadable PDF form. http://sites.google.com/site/rohlfingswhalersite/
jimh	posted 11-30-2009 08:54 AM ET (US) A Boston Whaler RAIDER listed on an auction site like eBay is most likely a boat that was recently purchased at a government property disposal auction, and the seller is attempting to re-sell it at a profit. If you want to buy surplus military models of Boston Whaler boats, you will be better off to buy them from the government directly, and not from a re-seller on eBay who intends to make a profit from owning the boat for a very short time. The hulls which Boston Whaler made (and still make) for the military are generally built with a heavier laminate schedule and contain aluminum reinforcements. Many components, such as the console, are also made from aluminum instead of being a molded laminate structure. These variances result in a hull that typically weighs more than a standard model Boston Whaler hull. Increased weight will generally mean more horsepower will be needed to push the hull. It is also common that these hulls are fitted for twin engines.
vayase	posted 11-30-2009 09:53 PM ET (US) I launch and boat out of the Oceanside, CA marina which abuts Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. The Navy and Marine Corps share this harbor with pleasure boaters and sometimes share refueling at a gas dock near the neck of the harbor. (Pendleton is northernmost San Diego county). I have shared the refueling dock on more than one occasion with Marine/Navy small boat drivers and when asked about government auctions re: their smaller craft...the consistent answer was a chuckle and the retort: "When they are up for auction, they are thrashed". Pendleton is the base for the LCAC amphib craft: :"No Beach Out Of Reach" group; i.e., serious sailors, the lot. Vayase (PS If you've got a lot of money and time...good luck!) (I expect that some of the "Old salt Experts" on this site will refute this observation.)
AZdave	posted 12-01-2009 01:37 AM ET (US) While I don't want to refute vayase's points, I have been to Camp Pendleton to look at one of the boats offered by Government Surplus. I'm not sure that it was thrashed, but there were a lot of unknowns. The condition of the outboards was pretty much a black box. You were not allowed to bring a battery or equipment to turn them over or check compression. There was some hull damage, although it appeared to have been caused by a forklift while in storage. Then you have to get it off the base on a trailer with about 57 pins coming out of an extremely non-standard plug. That looked like a long period of head scratching with a circuit tester in my hand. Finally there was the green paint or gelcoat. It was hard to tell which it was, based on my information. So was it a dumb thing to buy? I think it depends on the buyer. If you only invest in CD's because of the safety and knowing exactly how things will turn out, then this would be inappropriate for you. You would worry and second guess yourself through the whole renovation process. If you invest in growth stocks, you are already playing in an arena where highly paid professionals gloss over the shortcomings, and emphasize the positives. If you take those risks for the potential for a higher return, why not do the same with a boat? By the way, I hope to launch from Oceanside later this year myself. Dave
BlueMax	posted 12-01-2009 07:58 AM ET (US) I would look at the military craft same as purchasing a rental car. They have "been around" and used by many different operators who could care less of the actions they take so long as nothing breaks that costs out of their pocket. All is fair so long as they don't "get caught" and wind up in trouble for extreme stupidity like "unnecessarily" endangering craft and crew (probably in that order too). Being that it is on Ebay - then I would guess that it already was purchased through gov't auction and the seller is either A) trying to quick-flip for a profit or B) trying to cut losses and throwing in the towel on his project boat (maybe it was purchased not realizing it need work/as much work) Yes - the Navy/USMC rides hard and puts their toys away wet, BUT - they are also routinely inspected and serviced on a regular schedule to keep them running hard and ready for use at any given time in any location they may find. So, like purchasing a rental car at the end of its service life, it is an open question as to what kind of life it truly had. However, Unlike most rental cars, there is no set "end of service" marker (i.e. 30k miles or whatever). They simply use the equipment until they can no longer be repaired or used for parts, or they eventually get replaced by newer equipment after maybe 20-25 years of service. Again, I say look at it like purchasing a rental car - you know it "had to" be abused at some point but how badly is what you have to try to determine from the "sight only" inspection - biggest question will be condition of those OMC (or whatever) on the back if you cannot run them; and they likely will not have the manuals for them either. Go in with the thought that even if the hull appears to be in good shape, you may need to re power. Being that it is on Ebay you can ask the seller why he wants to sell and what additional work/servicing may have been done after purchase when he was thinking to keep it. My .02, Max