Jumping the gun on a used bass boat purchase can be a precarious endeavor. It’s tempting to pull the trigger on the first good deal you run across, but if you’re not careful, it can quickly turn into thousands of dollars in repairs and very little time on the water. It’s hard to catch bass when your boat is constantly in the shop.

I’ve been there. I’ve been the guy who had to show up at 4:00am before a tournament just to make sure my old boat would crank. It’s not fun and I want to help you learn from my mistakes.

Wired2Fish president Terry Brown and I teamed up to make a quick checklist you can bring with you the next time you go boat shopping. TB is the man I turn to when I have any mechanical issues and his decades of experience make him an incredible resource on this subject.