Inspect boat in San Antonio, TX

Stargazer3 · Apr 4, 2011

I agree. NOT a good idea! I had an opportunity to buy a boat from Racine, WI. (I live in Lorain, OH) but turned it down when it looked like I would not be able to get up there to inspect it. Found one close to home and am still all but overwhelmed at the little things that keep cropping up prior to launch. I NEVER could have done this with a boat purchased "sight unseen!" Bill on STARGAZER

Tereza · Apr 4, 2011

FloatingDental's idea is great - get a few boats to look at and make the trip worthwhile.
If you can't find any others, than by all means, have someone take a closer look for you.

I can tell your intention was NOT to buy it sight unseen, but to make sure it was not grossly over-represented.

I also like the suggestion of making it into a fun day/weekend trip, so no matter what hte outcome with hte boat, you have a nice time!

Being from New England, I make 4 hour trips that cross 4 state lines quite often... Just think - you can drive that long and barely cover 1/4 of YOUR state...!
Good luck - post back here to let us know how you made out.

Ctskip · Apr 4, 2011

I think what you are doing is perfectly normal. I have bought and sold many vehicles without ever laying a hand on them. Some I have bought and sold and have never taken possession of. I've never had any complaints either. The truth never fails. Opinions are just that. As long as you understand they are nothing more than that. I will find a vehicle I know people are interested in and inspect it (give it the Ctskip once over) and take close up pictures of any questionable areas, not 20 footers and post them or send them and give my honest opinion. After all, what you are looking for is a honest opinion. There is nothing wrong with that.
I've even bought salvage title vehicles and they have turned out to be wonderful vehicles for the money.
Most of the time you can pretty well get a good picture of a vessel just by talking to the owner. Last vehicle I bought was half way across the country and I talked to the owner many times (12) and I decided he was more anal than I was. So I paid 9K then hired a shipper and had it shipped to Texas and I just love it and the wife loves it even more than I do. Now I'm stuck with it. I want to resell, make some $$ and get something else. I can't now.
The better question to ask is are there any people out there willing to do another sailor a favor and are they understandable about this particular vessel. (do they know the right questions to ask about that particular vessel. Not all vessels are created equal. Nor do most know where to look for problems.
Just go for it and one never knows. It's not like it's costing you anything. Yet
Besides San Antonio isn't that far away, just imagine all the boats you get to inspect while you are there. Make a wknd out of it. The hunt is sometimes more fun than the actual purchasing.

Keep it up,
Ctskip

Ron20324 · Apr 4, 2011

yzfr1 said:
... Is there anyone that would be willing to look at this boat for me and give me an evaluation on it?

I think it is a good idea for someone to take a look-see for you. He could tell you is there is a deal-breaking problem that you would have to evaluate and see if you wanted to make the trip or not to check it out. Yeah, gas is expensive enough.

I once spent a day trying to look at a brokered O222 in Baltimore. From a short distance I could see the boat was so clean and new-looking that I'd have written a check for it on the spot. However, once on the boat I could see cracks where the coaming met the cabin bulkhead- a dealbreaker. I called the broker who admitted he had never actually seen the boat, and I suggested he should look at it as it probably will never sell. The pictures I had seen looked great, but it took eyeballs to see the problem.

Don S/V ILLusion · Apr 4, 2011

Stargazer3 said:
I agree. NOT a good idea! I had an opportunity to buy a boat from Racine, WI. (I live in Lorain, OH) but turned it down when it looked like I would not be able to get up there to inspect it. Found one close to home and am still all but overwhelmed at the little things that keep cropping up prior to launch. I NEVER could have done this with a boat purchased "sight unseen!" Bill on STARGAZER

I think some people may be mis-understanding the concept here.

No one proposes to buy a boat sight unseen. Rather, before going forward traveling to a location far away from someone's home area just to look at a boat based on a broker's opinion, it just might we worth it to ask if someone closer to the boat might take a quick look to do a reality check on condition and the veracity of the broker or owner.

Bob J. · Apr 4, 2011

I'm sorry about this, can't help myself & if I offend you than I appoligize up front but if driving from Dallas to San Antonio to look at a boat is that big of a deal for you.........

Piratenorm · Apr 4, 2011

I live in the Georgian Bay area, Ontario, Canada and looked into buying a boat in Arkansas. I would have posted the same request here had not the perfect boat suddenly become avail. about 2 hours from my home. But I did a delivery of a 35 foot Goderich from Trinidad to Lauderdale a few years ago that hadn't been researched by the buyer very well, insufficient due diligence, then the surveyor turned out to have been a friend of the seller, which we discovered when we stepped foot on the boat. He would have, had he spent any real time looking the boat over himself first. I should really have gotten back on the plane and left it behind but I am stubborn.
The initial question posed is would you take the word of a stranger? Well, yes, as long as we both agreed ahead of time that there were no strings attached and no hard feelings should his assessment ultimately differ from mine. And only after a thorough background check into the boat's pedigree had been done by me first. I would then put it on my short list and make the trip to see it myself. And still get a survey. My 2 cents worth.

LuzSD · Apr 4, 2011

yzfr1 said:
Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions.

I think I should have labeled this thread "Do you think it is a good idea to have someone look at a boat for you prior to picking it up?" haha

I think I will just bite the bullet, open my wallet and go look for myself. It seems to be the general suggestion.

For what its worth. This boat is not a high value boat. Nor is it in that great of shape. It seems to relatively cheap but that is why I am interested. I am guess I am just a little frugal with my money. The other day I look at a boat locally after I had been sent about 15 pictures and the pictures did not do much to describe the damage that boat had suffered. Needless to say the guy did not know much about the boat, neglected it and didn't know that it was so trashed. That is what I was trying avoid.

So keep the thread going and lets hear what people have to say. Is this a good idea or bad idea? What your thoughts.

EXACTLY why I think your idea would be a good one! No big deal, if someone were close and wanted to give you an opinion, why not?

SamLust · Apr 4, 2011

The object here is for the volunteer "voyeur" is to be remote eyes, ears and NOSE for the potential buyer. My wife goes on boat looking forays for her extaordinary "nose " ablilty. If it stinks she walks.

If I were doing this I would have the buyer on the cell phone as I looked at the subject and discuss it blow by blow as it happened, taking real digital photos which would be sent later on for the buyer to go over.

I would have no problem providing this service, would likely enjoy it. I know there have been times I wished there was someone who could provide a first look for me to see if a trip was worthwhile.

Joe · Apr 4, 2011

So..... you don't want to waste your time and gas money, because you can't tell anything from the pictures of this cheap project boat......but you are still unsure.... I suggest you either pass or spend $60 on gas to inspect it yourself..... it you buy the boat, you have to go pick it up anyway... if you don't, you have the satisfaction that you gave it your best evaluation without second guessing a stranger's dubious opinion.

Florida sail · Apr 4, 2011

I recently was interested in a boat in Pensacola. I hired a SAMS surveyor to do a walk through and he found the bilge was full of tranny fluid. I could have avoided the trip if I had known this before and merely had the surveyor done this without me. The fee was 150 and i could have avoided a very long trip from St Pete to Pensacola (1000 miles).

petersea · Apr 4, 2011

278 miles just over four hours.....get in the car and drive. You can go there and back in a day, inspect the boat yourself then get it surveyed if you like the boat. Then get in the car and do it again to be there for the survey ! ! My suggestion is to get the broker or seller to send you as many detailed pictures as possible (send them a list of what you want pictures of) before you drive there. Explain you situation when asking for the pictures, let it be know you are a serious buyer. Also remember it is still a buyers market ! !

LuzSD · Apr 4, 2011

Mountain out of a mole hill

gosh you guys are so tough! He is only casually asking if anyone was close and intererested in taking a peak for him.......or something like that. If I was nearby I sure would, I love any chance I get to look at another boat.
Any bit of info might help ... but really obvious stuff would be helpful to know from someones perspective other than the broker. He's not talking about hiring someone to take his place in this. Gee Wiz, give the guy some credit

Joe · Apr 4, 2011

yzfr1 said:
Thanks LuzSD!

Appreciate the help. And if they were to look at my previous posts, I said I am most likely going myself anyway.

And yes, that is what I was asking. Someone who likes to look at boats to just take a peak... Geez.. I got the advice from these forums in the first place.

Look, you're killing me...... if you want some help... give us a little information. For example... exactly where is the boat? What kind is it? What is the seller asking? Why is he selling. Show us a picture or two. List the equipment. Describe the condition of the sails. Are all the parts (rudder, daggerboard, mast, boom, etc. accounted for? Is the trailor any good.... The owner should be able to tell you this stuff over the phone....

Anyway, post this stuff and get some feedback from the group..... then someone may offer to verify it for you by going over there.... but you should at least be willing to offer them some gas money and lunch.

Mike16388 · Apr 4, 2011

I bought a very nice boat without ever seeing it except in the pictures taken by the surveyor, some 3000 miles away. he was a pro, did a complete job of it, and I paid him for it. I had the boat shipped across the US, arrived in good order, sailed it for four years without a regret or a problem. If you know the model you want, an inspection by a pro is much better than you kicking the tires.

But, dude, Dallas isn't all that far from San Antone!

Joe · Apr 4, 2011

No one's trying to hammer you.... people want to help... that's the fact. You are putting the cart before the horse, though... that's all anyone is trying to tell you.... If you give us some information about the boat you are considering you may find a lot of the great people here more that happy to give you a hand.... so be patient. If you're just asking someone to check out an ad for you, then you haven't even done enough of your own research to justify them taking their time to help. That's not cool.

If however, you've done a lot of research, studied the pics and kibbitzed with the folks here about your intentions.... then you might be able to get someone in the San Antonio area to verify what you've been given... before you drive down to close the deal... not sure how many readers we have in that area though.

I've followed this thread since the beginning and I haven't seen you offer any kind of information about this boat... other than it's down in San Antonio somewhere and it's inexpensive. So, get involved in the group before you start asking for favors.

Ron20324 · Apr 5, 2011

Joe, you're out of line.

There's no sense in spilling his guts about the boat in this forum if no one lives in S.A. or even offers to check it out. If it a Catalina, or any make, would that make a difference if anyone offed to help him out? What difference does the boat price/make/equipment make to you or anyone except whomever is going to look at the boat and/or buy it? Why would you want to know EXACTLY where it is unless you were going to try to buy it before he does? Cripes, people, stop hammering the guy. This is supposed to be a nice, helping place to seek information. Joe, you owe him an apology. And get off his case already.

Joe · Apr 5, 2011

Ron20324 said:
There's no sense in spilling his guts about the boat in this forum if no one lives in S.A. or even offers to check it out. If it a Catalina, or any make, would that make a difference if anyone offed to help him out? What difference does the boat price/make/equipment make to you or anyone except whomever is going to look at the boat and/or buy it? Why would you want to know EXACTLY where it is unless you were going to try to buy it before he does? Cripes, people, stop hammering the guy. This is supposed to be a nice, helping place to seek information. Joe, you owe him an apology. And get off his case already.

I am trying to help the guy, Ron... read my previous posts. And I'm laughing out loud that you would suggest I wanted to buy the boat out from under the guy. heh, heh. Seriously though.... if you've read any of my posts over that past eleven years you'll understand that I love to help people with sailing issues...

Sorry for the misunderstanding.