Looking at several boats tomorrow
- Thread starter SEADANCE
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Rant....
A lot of good advice and suggestions here but isn't it more about the boat you want at a FAIR price rather than the deal you negotiate as some seem to suggest? I recently offered for sale a late model Hunter with an easily documented history and no(zero/none) issues. After due diligence and careful consideration I advertised the boat priced at the low end of the recent selling (not listing) prices in my region. I am embarrassed for my fellow man by the number of people who jerked me around, lied about their ability to purchase and wasted their time and mine with ridiculous offers of two-thirds or less of the value of the boat...car buyers with boat shoes. With all the resources available it is pretty easy to determine the fair value of a boat with a little effort. Not all brokers, sellers and buyers are attempting to take advantage of someone or their situation and shame on those of you who are. I have purchased several boats from reputable brokers sight unseen and have been pleased and treated fairly. Anyway, my point is that long after the memory of what kind of deal you negotiated has faded...when you see your boat does it make you smile?
A lot of good advice and suggestions here but isn't it more about the boat you want at a FAIR price rather than the deal you negotiate as some seem to suggest? I recently offered for sale a late model Hunter with an easily documented history and no(zero/none) issues. After due diligence and careful consideration I advertised the boat priced at the low end of the recent selling (not listing) prices in my region. I am embarrassed for my fellow man by the number of people who jerked me around, lied about their ability to purchase and wasted their time and mine with ridiculous offers of two-thirds or less of the value of the boat...car buyers with boat shoes. With all the resources available it is pretty easy to determine the fair value of a boat with a little effort. Not all brokers, sellers and buyers are attempting to take advantage of someone or their situation and shame on those of you who are. I have purchased several boats from reputable brokers sight unseen and have been pleased and treated fairly. Anyway, my point is that long after the memory of what kind of deal you negotiated has faded...when you see your boat does it make you smile?
Best advice..
Spend the $310.00 and buy yourself a J.R. Overseas GRP-33 Moisture Meter http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=4344&familyName=Wood+and+Composite+Moisture+Meter&history=s2oylaq7%7Cother%7CfreeText%7Egrp%2B33%5Epage%7EGRID from Jamestown Distributors. This will allow you to look at several boats and rule many out without a $500.00 survey. I would not be caught dead looking at used boats without the GRP-33. Especially seeing as it has paid for its self ten times over. There are many online tutorials about how to calibrate and proper use of a moisture meter but this little $310.00 unit will pay for itself on the first boat you make an offer on! I looked at a Pearson 34 recently, and from a buyers perspective, she looked fairly well maintained for her top dollar asking price. My GRP-33 proved other wise. There were many areas that pegged my meter in high load areas such as the traveler & near shrouds and around each and every stanchion base. I walked away quickly. Had I not been using the GRP-33 I would have potentially made an offer and got myself half way through a 500.00 survey only to find out she was wet. See the GRP-33 is paid for after looking at only one boat! Besides when a broker sees you show up with a moisture meter the BS stops! I'll say it again DO NOT buy a bargain boat!! Dry decks/hull and maintenance should be priority 1 !
Spend the $310.00 and buy yourself a J.R. Overseas GRP-33 Moisture Meter http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=4344&familyName=Wood+and+Composite+Moisture+Meter&history=s2oylaq7%7Cother%7CfreeText%7Egrp%2B33%5Epage%7EGRID from Jamestown Distributors. This will allow you to look at several boats and rule many out without a $500.00 survey. I would not be caught dead looking at used boats without the GRP-33. Especially seeing as it has paid for its self ten times over. There are many online tutorials about how to calibrate and proper use of a moisture meter but this little $310.00 unit will pay for itself on the first boat you make an offer on! I looked at a Pearson 34 recently, and from a buyers perspective, she looked fairly well maintained for her top dollar asking price. My GRP-33 proved other wise. There were many areas that pegged my meter in high load areas such as the traveler & near shrouds and around each and every stanchion base. I walked away quickly. Had I not been using the GRP-33 I would have potentially made an offer and got myself half way through a 500.00 survey only to find out she was wet. See the GRP-33 is paid for after looking at only one boat! Besides when a broker sees you show up with a moisture meter the BS stops! I'll say it again DO NOT buy a bargain boat!! Dry decks/hull and maintenance should be priority 1 !
Hi Boys!, Well two good things came out of this trip: 1. Heavy Rain was on our side yesterday and the night before and we did get a chance to look at several boats in our price range (much to my pushing and I left the checkbook home on purpose!) and we went back to the first one we looked at.My husband asked me not to look too excited or react in any way shape or form and I was pretty good for awhile but he says my eyes sparkled at this one boat once I passed the hatch .I ditched three boat dealers yesterday simply because of the way they pushed too hard, lied too much or acted. We put an offer on the first boat we looked at, had a purchase agreement drawn up(dealer raised an eyebrow to me several times with my insistance and questions about the contract
and I would not have known any of this had it not been for you all!)-- that the purchase of this vessel is subject to water trial, survey, haul out to inspect hull, our personal inspection again and that the engine and electrical was fit. We can walk out of this at any time even after our offer is accepted, after our survey/lift is done and we can get any deposit back which we have not put down at all yet, 100%. We left enough room to want him to grab the offer yet enough room after he accepts and a survey is done that we can go lower on the offer in case the surveyor finds something wrong. Her hull is nice but I suspect she will need the bottom done only because I saw the crud build up when the water moved and when I walked on the other pier to look at the other side of the boat which we had no view of from where we were I saw mollusks? attaching on and some slime. They still don't know when the last paint job on her was done and when a survey was done last and the owner of the boat..icognito.Hmph. She needs a good powerwash and her cushions need serious replacing but she is just that...sweet, nice room. I love the set up and the cabinetry is roomy. My husband and I have a running joke about fiddled railing.Its nice don't get me wrong but when a boat dealer points that out to me we chuckle.The heavy rains showed no leakage anywhere on this boat. Everything looked good on her .We are trying not to get too excited because there maybe something wrong somewhere but we're just waiting on our offer and then survey. On the way home we picked up a few Sailboat trader magazines..so if this isn't the one..one is out there. and 2. I found LandShark lager from Jacksonville,Fla this might replace my Heineken. Thanks for your help gentleman!!!!! wish me luck.I'll let you know
Looking good so far!
You seem to be well-armed this time around, Seadance, much to the consternation of the boat brokers in your area. The condition of the hull will become apparent when the boat gets hauled. It's pretty safe to assume that the bottom will need to be sanded/painted, although the slime and barnacles will grow on a stationary boat and it might come clean with a powerwash. Here's a thought: when you get the survey haul-out, try to get the boat yard to do the painting haul-out for free, or at least at a discount. I got mine free provided it was within 30 days of the first one - you might save a few bucks. The pictures of the boat seem to show it's in pretty good condition, and hopefully the survey will show that this is a boat you can start sailing in without major difficulties. Remember: don't fall in love until after the survey is done, the price is negotiated and the contract is signed. And make a low offer..... I doubt the answer will be anything like 'not only no, but don't ever even TRY to buy my boat ever again'. Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8
You seem to be well-armed this time around, Seadance, much to the consternation of the boat brokers in your area.
The condition of the hull will become apparent when the boat gets hauled. It's pretty safe to assume that the bottom will need to be sanded/painted, although the slime and barnacles will grow on a stationary boat and it might come clean with a powerwash. Here's a thought: when you get the survey haul-out, try to get the boat yard to do the painting haul-out for free, or at least at a discount. I got mine free provided it was within 30 days of the first one - you might save a few bucks. The pictures of the boat seem to show it's in pretty good condition, and hopefully the survey will show that this is a boat you can start sailing in without major difficulties. Remember: don't fall in love until after the survey is done, the price is negotiated and the contract is signed. And make a low offer..... I doubt the answer will be anything like 'not only no, but don't ever even TRY to buy my boat ever again'. Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8Survey Doesn't Tell All
Seadance, Be sure to check out the electrical and plumbing on the boat. Dockmate purchased a boat that I had passed on because the survey indicated major delamination and moisture problems. The dockmate is a DIYer and figured he could fix the deck so he bought the boat. Found out he had MAJOR electrical and plumbing problems that the survey didn't find. Bottom line is he's probably spent another $10,000 fixing problems NOT identified in a very thorough survey conducted by a very knowledable and reputable surveyor. I guess the moral is "buyer beware". Having said all that get a boat and enjoy it. ;D
Seadance, Be sure to check out the electrical and plumbing on the boat. Dockmate purchased a boat that I had passed on because the survey indicated major delamination and moisture problems. The dockmate is a DIYer and figured he could fix the deck so he bought the boat. Found out he had MAJOR electrical and plumbing problems that the survey didn't find. Bottom line is he's probably spent another $10,000 fixing problems NOT identified in a very thorough survey conducted by a very knowledable and reputable surveyor. I guess the moral is "buyer beware". Having said all that get a boat and enjoy it. ;D
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