(Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part article on buying and commissioning a new boat.) Now you get to the fun part - haggling over the price. Use every bit of information at your disposal: dealer listings, other owners experiences, internet and sailing magazine reviews, HOW feedback, manufacturer's discounts. Remember that the dealer must pay the manufacturer a bottom line price, so the most flexibility is usually in the options pricing. With the assumption that you are going to sign an order and give the dealer a deposit, you should discuss delivery, especially if the boat is coming from the factory. The process is a bit convoluted, but the factory will not outlook delivery until a signed order is received in house. Then they will give the dealer a targeted shipping date. The dealer adds some number of days onto the shipping date to get the boat into their yard, and then outlooks a delivery date to complete the commissioning. Make sure you take very good notes of all discussions between you and the dealer. If they contact the factory for you, have them do it in writing so that you have a record. If you don't get timely responses, escalate your issues within the dealership first, and then to the manufacturer. Expect the commissioning to take at least a month, if not longer. (Editor's note: Commissioning time is typically less for smaller boats.) While a number of boat parts are supplied and shipped with the hull, they are not assembled until they are in the dealer's yard. And the dealer needs to get all the options installed and all systems checked out prior to delivery. But once you have a committed delivery date, hold the dealer to it. If you add any options after the initial order, expect the delivery date to slip. Unlike a house or car that you don't have to insure until the actual time of possession, once the boat leaves the factory, it is your responsibility to have it insured. However, you probably won't be able to get funding or insurance confirmed until you have the hull ID number and engine ID number, and you can't get those until the factory ships your boat! And unlike a house or car, your dealer will want a sizeable chunk of money from you as soon as the boat gets to their yard, even if you don't take delivery for some time. You can probably withhold 10-20% of the contract price until the day of delivery. Your dealer can provide you with the names of lenders and insurance companies in your area - it may be a challenge finding a lender if your boat is your primary residence and you want to finance it as a mortgage, but it can be done. Try to get to the dealer's yard to see your new boat as soon as it comes in. Come armed with camera and/or video cam. Get lots of pictures of the boat in it's arrival state inside and out. Don't worry about the road dirt, or the fact that it looks quite bare. "Some assembly required" was coined in a boat yard. Spend as much time as you can with the commissioning team but stay out of their way and feel free to ask questions. It's a great way to learn how the boat systems are wired and run, and will come in quite handy the first time you need to do any maintenance. These teams do a lot of boats and have great ideas and recommendations about mounting and using the options and systems - a pizza lunch will buy a lot of goodwill and information. And take lots of pictures. It seems like commissioning is taking a lifetime, but sooner than you know your day will be here. Confirm your waterway regulations prior to moving the boat off the commissioning dock. Have you got the proper documentation and/or registration? Are CF numbers required? Is a vessel name required? Will you have the minimum set of required Coast Guard safety gear on board? Get a good night's sleep the day before - you'll be going all day when your boat is delivered. Again, take lots of notes because there is a ton of stuff to go through. Confirm fuel, water and oil before you sign the delivery papers. Write everything down, no matter how small, on the exception sheet. It's only the beginning of your punch list. Carefully review the dealer warranty and service procedures. And make sure you get your chandlery discount card - you'll be making regular visits over the next several months and these cards will save you a lot of money. Wow. She's finally yours. You are looking forward to spending your first night on your boat. She smells new, there is a pile of paperwork and manuals just waiting to be digested, and the electrical panel is cleanly wired and labeled. Okay, someone else could have broken her in for you, but you are now one of the few people to experience the thrill of being in command of your boat from the first day. There is nothing quite like it. Enjoy! Fair winds and calm seas, S/v Twilight H410
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Wynn Ferrel
Great Job!
What a nice job you have done capturing the essence of buying a new boat. This will make a world of difference for first time buyers who are fortunate enough to see this article. Thanks, Wynn Ferrel S/V Tranquility
What a nice job you have done capturing the essence of buying a new boat. This will make a world of difference for first time buyers who are fortunate enough to see this article. Thanks, Wynn Ferrel S/V Tranquility
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JB's Alter Ego
New Boat Receiving
I am in agreement with your article, but here are a few things for new boat buyers to consider. Assuming that the commissioning crew are actually part of the yacht sales these considerations apply. You are on your own if the yacht sales subcontracts to an outside marina force. The sales force will always give you a delivery date based on optimism because they don't have any idea of turning a wrench and the fact that mechanical/electrical systems can fail or be improperly installed by the factory. If you want and push for your boat badly on a promised date, you will get it bad!!! Reasonable patience and a working relationship with the commissioning foreman will go a long way towards receiving your boat in the best possible operating order. You may find it best to slip the date a few days or even a week to receive a properly commissioned boat. DO NOT MAKE YOUR VACATION PLANS BASED ON A PROMISED DELIVERY DATE!!! It only makes the situation more emotional. You should receive a thorough familiarization walk-through on your boat prior to signing the warranty registration and pre-delivery service sheet. It will take approximately 3 to 6 hours depending upon the size of the boat, your level of boating knowledge and your interest/questions. Prepare to spend this time with the commissioning foreman and you will learn the boat systems or at least have a basic exposure to the operation and where all of the hardware is located. Deal with the yacht sales commissioning foreman concerning all warranty problems first. Expend all efforts on boat matters with the dealership prior to contacting the factory. It may surprise you to find out that the factory does not stand behind any work done by the dealership. Their warranty only covers what they actually constructed in the factory. The factory is your last resort if problems cannot be resolved within the dealership that you purchased the boat from.
I am in agreement with your article, but here are a few things for new boat buyers to consider. Assuming that the commissioning crew are actually part of the yacht sales these considerations apply. You are on your own if the yacht sales subcontracts to an outside marina force. The sales force will always give you a delivery date based on optimism because they don't have any idea of turning a wrench and the fact that mechanical/electrical systems can fail or be improperly installed by the factory. If you want and push for your boat badly on a promised date, you will get it bad!!! Reasonable patience and a working relationship with the commissioning foreman will go a long way towards receiving your boat in the best possible operating order. You may find it best to slip the date a few days or even a week to receive a properly commissioned boat. DO NOT MAKE YOUR VACATION PLANS BASED ON A PROMISED DELIVERY DATE!!! It only makes the situation more emotional. You should receive a thorough familiarization walk-through on your boat prior to signing the warranty registration and pre-delivery service sheet. It will take approximately 3 to 6 hours depending upon the size of the boat, your level of boating knowledge and your interest/questions. Prepare to spend this time with the commissioning foreman and you will learn the boat systems or at least have a basic exposure to the operation and where all of the hardware is located. Deal with the yacht sales commissioning foreman concerning all warranty problems first. Expend all efforts on boat matters with the dealership prior to contacting the factory. It may surprise you to find out that the factory does not stand behind any work done by the dealership. Their warranty only covers what they actually constructed in the factory. The factory is your last resort if problems cannot be resolved within the dealership that you purchased the boat from.
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Richard Owen
One important item
Having just recently been through the process, I want to make one comment which seems in retrospect to be very important. Quite often, when you are asked to sign for ther deal, there are still many things to overcome before it is really a deal - things like sale of current boat, availablilty, delivery date, etc. etc. It is important to stop for a moment before signing and think of this document as the final agreement - give some thought to all of the details like payment schedules, surveys, sea trials, and have your wishes put on that agreement. Perhaps it is best to take it away for an evening and think it through thoroughly, then complete the next day. Sometimes we may sign something which isn't complete because a deal seems so tentative at first. My advice is treat it like a final and binding contract from day one, it is less likely that you will be disappointed later.
Having just recently been through the process, I want to make one comment which seems in retrospect to be very important. Quite often, when you are asked to sign for ther deal, there are still many things to overcome before it is really a deal - things like sale of current boat, availablilty, delivery date, etc. etc. It is important to stop for a moment before signing and think of this document as the final agreement - give some thought to all of the details like payment schedules, surveys, sea trials, and have your wishes put on that agreement. Perhaps it is best to take it away for an evening and think it through thoroughly, then complete the next day. Sometimes we may sign something which isn't complete because a deal seems so tentative at first. My advice is treat it like a final and binding contract from day one, it is less likely that you will be disappointed later.
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Jim Bohart
Need a Job?
please send your resume tooo...not to one of my bosses! I like my job...that was good, thanks.., for taking time out to record it. JB
please send your resume tooo...not to one of my bosses! I like my job...that was good, thanks.., for taking time out to record it. JB
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Bob Knott
Choose dealer carefully
I have purchased four boats now from the same dealer and from the owner on down they are great...... until they have all the my money... then unfortunately you can't get the service department to work on your warranty issues because they are busy commissioning somebody else's new Hunter. My advice, try to hold back some money till after the warranty issues are settled, although this is impossible if you finance beacuse the finance company won't let you do that. Hunter customer service department has always been there for me, and is responsive, but the yards service department moves on to another project and I'm outta sight, outta mind. I now have an 8 page punch list on my new 380 (all little stuff, we're thrilled with the boat) and can't get the work done. Geez the teak still isn't done and I took delivery 4-1-99!! Wish now I'd held back just that last little 2K I owed em, so they'd come back and do their job! Bob
I have purchased four boats now from the same dealer and from the owner on down they are great...... until they have all the my money... then unfortunately you can't get the service department to work on your warranty issues because they are busy commissioning somebody else's new Hunter. My advice, try to hold back some money till after the warranty issues are settled, although this is impossible if you finance beacuse the finance company won't let you do that. Hunter customer service department has always been there for me, and is responsive, but the yards service department moves on to another project and I'm outta sight, outta mind. I now have an 8 page punch list on my new 380 (all little stuff, we're thrilled with the boat) and can't get the work done. Geez the teak still isn't done and I took delivery 4-1-99!! Wish now I'd held back just that last little 2K I owed em, so they'd come back and do their job! Bob
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