Our editor George Sass called himself demented in his January editorial. I know that side of George, especially when it pertains to boats. He is certifiable indeed! Being with George at a boat show or open house is like taking a Jack Russell Terrier to a zoo. The foxhunter by breed, turned loose in a zoo will have to take a sniff of every pile of dung from hippopotamus to parakeet!

The other evening I ran into an industry friend who was looking for a different boat. For someone in-the-know his knowledge of buying and selling was surprisingly lacking. It convinced me that everyone buying a used boat should consult a broker.

Has the algae grown noticeably thick around your yacht's waterline? Has the "For Sale" sign turned black from mold? Did you just attend your yacht broker's retirement party? If you answered yes to any of these, chances are the sale of your boat has fizzled.

Our technical editor Ken Fickett has built more than 1,000 boats during his boatbuilding career. So it would be safe to say that he knows a few things about what to look for when purchasing a used boat. We walked the docks with Ken during a little Q and A. Here are his thoughts. If you would like to ask Ken questions, e-mail him at kenfickett@aol.com.

What can I determine about vessel construction from a dockside inspection?