Gee guys, don't encourage me too much or
I'll get even more long winded. So Listen up. I am about to reveal the most important rule of boat buying; SOMETIMES FREE IS NOT CHEAP ENOUGH Memorise it. There will be a test. The corollary is equally important; Sometimes a damn good deal is still not cheap enough. This is what the wise folks on this thread mean when they say "I want to go sailing, not work on my boat". Brian, your description of the boat you don't like is great. There is a feel about the boat that is the total of several small things. You know you don't want that boat. But wait. Maybe you don't want it and you should walk away. But.. is there a price you would be happy with for that boat? You now have the right attitude to get a screaming deal, if there is one to be had. You just don't care if you never see that boat again. Now the trick is to try to assume that attitude toward the boat you want, unless you are ready to pay close to asking so it doesn't get away, make your offer. If they say no, walk away, but be sure they have your phone number. Tedsbeds, you asked for this. Others proceed at the risk of boredom or worse. Boats can be distressed from the condition of the boat or from the condition of the owner, or both. The best deal is a boat that is in good shape but the owner needs money, has family problems, divorce, health issues or other things which make them eager to sell the boat. I should say at this point that it's not fair to play hardball with poverty stricken widows and orphans. If the boat is really worth more and the owners are in dire straits, either move on or pay more. If they have set a low price, that's OK, buy the boat. Just don't offer half because you know they need beans today. However, most folks with boats are not in that catagory. I know we feel like it when we pay for the haul out, but most boats represent disposable income. The second best deal is a boat that is cosmetically distressed, like the Catalina 38 I bought. Owner died after major refit. Boat sat for two years. Dust and dirt, wire and switch broken on glow plug so the engine was hard to start, mess and personal belongings below, sail cover tattered. The challenge here is to tell the turkey from the dove. In the case of the Catalina, there were reciepts for a lot of work, but not for the engine. However the hoses and valves were all new. The engine had fresh paint on the pan and other places a quick spray wouldn't reach. The boat and engine had an overall feel that fit the story the owners were telling. Brand name does matter. Since that boat was a Catalina, I knew it was built to a certain standard, resale value would be fairly high, and I was able to ask a list like this for problems with that particular model. If I were looking for a boat in California right now, I might contact every owner with a Catalina 36 for sale. There are dozens of them on Boat Trader and Yacht World. I would just go down the list and make my offer (say $25,000 since a C36 should be worth $40 to 50,000)subject to survey and my inspection. A broker I know would take my earnest money check, put it in his escrow account, and make some of the calls for me. That way it wouldn't take a week or more just to get the earnest money there for each offer. This assumes I have the $25,000 plus maybe another 10 on hand ready to move ahead if a deal materialises. I will step off my soapbox for now. Good Hunting!
I'll get even more long winded. So Listen up. I am about to reveal the most important rule of boat buying; SOMETIMES FREE IS NOT CHEAP ENOUGH Memorise it. There will be a test. The corollary is equally important; Sometimes a damn good deal is still not cheap enough. This is what the wise folks on this thread mean when they say "I want to go sailing, not work on my boat". Brian, your description of the boat you don't like is great. There is a feel about the boat that is the total of several small things. You know you don't want that boat. But wait. Maybe you don't want it and you should walk away. But.. is there a price you would be happy with for that boat? You now have the right attitude to get a screaming deal, if there is one to be had. You just don't care if you never see that boat again. Now the trick is to try to assume that attitude toward the boat you want, unless you are ready to pay close to asking so it doesn't get away, make your offer. If they say no, walk away, but be sure they have your phone number. Tedsbeds, you asked for this. Others proceed at the risk of boredom or worse. Boats can be distressed from the condition of the boat or from the condition of the owner, or both. The best deal is a boat that is in good shape but the owner needs money, has family problems, divorce, health issues or other things which make them eager to sell the boat. I should say at this point that it's not fair to play hardball with poverty stricken widows and orphans. If the boat is really worth more and the owners are in dire straits, either move on or pay more. If they have set a low price, that's OK, buy the boat. Just don't offer half because you know they need beans today. However, most folks with boats are not in that catagory. I know we feel like it when we pay for the haul out, but most boats represent disposable income. The second best deal is a boat that is cosmetically distressed, like the Catalina 38 I bought. Owner died after major refit. Boat sat for two years. Dust and dirt, wire and switch broken on glow plug so the engine was hard to start, mess and personal belongings below, sail cover tattered. The challenge here is to tell the turkey from the dove. In the case of the Catalina, there were reciepts for a lot of work, but not for the engine. However the hoses and valves were all new. The engine had fresh paint on the pan and other places a quick spray wouldn't reach. The boat and engine had an overall feel that fit the story the owners were telling. Brand name does matter. Since that boat was a Catalina, I knew it was built to a certain standard, resale value would be fairly high, and I was able to ask a list like this for problems with that particular model. If I were looking for a boat in California right now, I might contact every owner with a Catalina 36 for sale. There are dozens of them on Boat Trader and Yacht World. I would just go down the list and make my offer (say $25,000 since a C36 should be worth $40 to 50,000)subject to survey and my inspection. A broker I know would take my earnest money check, put it in his escrow account, and make some of the calls for me. That way it wouldn't take a week or more just to get the earnest money there for each offer. This assumes I have the $25,000 plus maybe another 10 on hand ready to move ahead if a deal materialises. I will step off my soapbox for now. Good Hunting!