It's just not done?

woodster · Nov 14, 2015

justsomeguy said:
I've got that Challenger ketch back in my sights, and received an in-the-water infomal survey from an unknown source. During early communications, he mentioned that there were more possible buyers than myself,
Anyway, the guy wasn't too excited about my thoughts regarding the haul out and bottom cleaning expenses shared between all these possible buyers.

Is this just not done?

Occam's razor?

that's because there is not any other buyers on the horizon at this time

woodster · Nov 14, 2015

or he plans on charging everyone for the job

Meriachee · Nov 14, 2015

Of course there's more buyers. They're all lined up over there. Creates a sense of urgency and removes the ability to negotiate.
Just like all the commercials on the telly - the one resounding message - "hurry".

woodster · Nov 14, 2015

the place where i have a slip the guy said the exact same thing about 11 weeks before i took position of my slip and keep wanting me to send money to hold the slip ...there were 4 unoccupied at that time ...guess what there are still 3 and i have been in the slip 3 weeks now ...i knew that marina very well and the demand for space before i made the final decision to be there and no way was i going to pay slip rent on a slip that my boat was not tied up to for 3 months ...i actually know more about that marina than he does as the dockmaster of about 10 months

centerline · Nov 14, 2015

Yep, everything that has been said already... and there is usually no advantage to a seller to have the boat hauled or surveyed. all he wants to do is sell it with as little trouble, effort and thought as possible.
by having each of the interested buyers pay for their own haul/survey, it minimizes the seller from dealing with all the dreamers and lookers who may otherwise waste his time...

Phil Herring · Nov 14, 2015

Yep, in my (not-so) vast experience, the buyer pays the costs of the survey and then negotiates the cost of repairs, if any. As if there won't be any. /s It's true, from a seller's perspective that signals commitment to the boat, kind of like earnest money on a house.

Jackdaw · Nov 15, 2015

It's not done.

Not everyone will want or need to see the bottom. You want it, you pay for it. It's really that simple.

Bad Obsession · Nov 15, 2015

Jackdaw has a point. If you are truly interested in the boat survey it. Most of the time you can negotiate the price of the survey out of the price. I have never heard of a boat going through survey without having something wrong. It is a great thing to know the shape of the boat.

Oh, and a survey won't catch everything. You will find stuff later on. No matter how thorough a surveyor is, he will miss something or a few things. Most of the time they are not major, but I have heard of that too. Use a reputable surveyor though.

If I was the seller, and I was in that position a few years ago, I would not negotiate with the survey. The survey is buyer's expense and why would another buyer survey a boat if someone else is going to buy it. Think of it, if the shoe was on the other foot and someone was ahead of you in line to buy the boat would you risk a little money to see if the person backed out. I sure wouldn't.

If you like it, survey it yourself.

centerline · Nov 15, 2015

justsomeguy said:
I'm going to push the collective haul out.

Hello, war room!

You obviously cant see the problems with your plan....
What if you DO find another prospective buyer who would be willing to go in with you on a haulout/survey, and it so happens that you both decide you want the boat?
at that point you cant trust the other buyer and he wont trust you... you have just lost a lot of your negotiating power because now there ARE two buyers wanting it... and how are you gonna decide who walks away?..and if you do the gentlemanly thing and bow out, how are you going to feel knowing that you just paid half of the haulout/survey costs to help the other guy buy a boat that you wanted?... or maybe you think he will bow out and let you have it?..

How are you going to locate the other prospect buyers?... the seller wont tell you because he doesnt want prospect buyers getting together and attempting to conspire against him.

its just a bad idea all the way around. The ONLY good that could come from it, is that neither of you want the boat and you both walk away from it, having each only paid half as much for the knowledge.
BUT, moving forward on the premise of this theory, it brings up another problem/question.... when one is ready to have a survey done, they are reasonably certain that the boat will be found to be in buyable/affordable condition. it not always is, but the initial feeling is there.
from all your thoughts in trying to get someone else to pay for part of the "discovery" costs, it sounds as if you doubt the boat will meet your demands. (or you doubt yourself in being able to choose one in reasonable condition) If thats the case, you should walk away from that boat now, and find one that you are more excited about...

centerline · Nov 15, 2015

justsomeguy said:
if it came down to it, there'd be a bidding war.

So either way its a gamble... one way its just you and the seller, the other way there are more bidders in the game... myself, I dont like the odds on that.

good luck... let us know how it works out for you.

woodster · Nov 15, 2015

as i have followed this thread only one thing comes to mind at this point ...penny wise and pound foolish......i can't read your mind nor do i know your purse ...if you really think you want that boat ...go after it and don't take on any partners in any part of the preliminaries....a wise man once told me if you rub elbows with the rich you will walk away with a very sore elbow...good luck

woodster · Nov 15, 2015

justsomeguy said:
Woodster, if you didn't already have 46 "likes"...aw, what the heck!
The seller's asking 29k.

so now in my mind you need a total of $50,000.00 ...$30,000.00 for the boat and $20.000,00 to make it really yours ... to make that happen so the reality of this is do you really want that boat ...

woodster · Nov 15, 2015

add $ 10,000.00 for attorneys fees and all the rest of your income for the rest of your life

...

Meriachee · Nov 15, 2015

Only all the rest of the income?

BigEasy · Nov 15, 2015

So, you are considering buying a 40+ year old boat and don't want to pay full price for the survey?
As others have mentioned, it is not practical to share the survey expense with other "potential buyers" as it would create a
bidding nightmare favoring the seller. And, speaking of "potential buyers" the owner is likely baiting you to secure an offer; oldest "trick" in the book. The surveyor won't be too excited about taking 2 or 3 prospective buyers on a sea trial and issuing several copies of the survey report; will probably charge more for the survey and reports. If you are convinced that you seriously want this boat, the $750 spent for a survey & quick haul is money well spent. Suppose there are serious blister problems, keel problems, rudder problems, etc.; you need to know these things to make a well informed decision to buy or walk away. As BO mentioned, an independent survey may provide you with information to renegotiate the price of the boat, essentially making the price of the survey a moot point. Pay the price & hopefully things will work out in your favor. When I purchased my boat three years ago, the boat was only 6 years old; the $750 gave me "piece of mind" that there were no major problems. You will need the survey to obtain insurance since it is an older boat.

It's just not done?

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