Purchasing a new used sailboat

longterm · Apr 8, 2012

Gianni said:
Hello my name is john Gallo
I haven't done this before, what is the appropriate protocol when buying a sailboat
is it the same as buying a house what should i look for in regards to paper work before i give them a deposit.

it would be great to hear from you all

You have the sailboat specs
all the option on the boat

of course i will need to sail it

John,

You'll want to get a certified boat surveyor to inspect the boat; I paid $570 for the survey I had done, plus the cost to pull the boat out of the water for a bottom inspection ($300).

As it turned out, my boat needed a bottom job, so I was glad I'd had it inspected.

I was considering another boat for a while, and the dealer told me I could make an offer and put a refundable deposit on the boat, and if I wasn't satisfied with the survey results, I could get the deposit back.

My advice would be not to even consider buying a boat without a certified survey. I'd also recommend that you be present durIng the survey (my surveyor recommended this); you can learn a lot about the boat in the process.

Bob

gpd955 · Apr 8, 2012

In addition to Bob's sage advice, get everything you and the seller expect out of the deal in writing, make sure the title is clear (shouldn't be an issue if you're going through a dealer) and check and make sure you can get insurance for it....at a reasonable rate for your area.

Try not to fall in love with the first boat you look at. If you do, step back and force yourself to look at some more. There's a lot more out there than you'd expect and you can get a good deal. My last boat was bought from an ad on this site, so make sure you look on here as well!

And as I tell everyone, all sailors love boat shopping, so post pictures and your thoughts so we can enjoy it too!!

Good luck!!

31seahorse · Apr 8, 2012

Hello John,
Talking to other sailboat owners at a marina will be helpful too. This time of year you will find plenty of people doing prep work for launching their boats. Listening could provide you with great information.

Think about the type of sailing you plan to do and where you will keep your boat. Trailerable, cruising, daysailing, racing, some of each? Also, your skills at sailing and your budget should be considered.

Sad, but True.......Most people (especially brokers) who show you a boat will not be anxious to take you out for a demonstration ride. That is usually reserved for the survey that was mentioned in an earlier post. That "sea trial" may not be much more than running the engine a bit and raising the sails. An individual owner who is selling his/her own boat may be more interested in taking you out for a trial sail if the boat is in the water already.

Finally, the survey is an important document when applying for insurance for your vessel. You do need liability insurance and most likely hull damage insurance for your boat.

"Kicking Hulls" is a great way to spend a spring weekend. Have a good time, and don't buy the first boat you see!

BTW: We bought our Celebrity in Mattapoisette late last summer. What a beautiful place!

Phil

Bob S · Apr 8, 2012

Hi Gallo,

I bought our boat in Mattapoisett and kept it there. It's a great place to sail from. Lot's of destinations within a day's sail. There was a post a year or so ago from a member sailingdog about boat inspections. I couldn't find it but found his blog. Lot's of good information.
http://blog.dankim.com/category/sailing/
http://blog.dankim.com/2010/08/18/boat-inspection-trip-tips/

I would for sure get a survey. I did. Good luck and congratulations.

Scott T-Bird · Apr 8, 2012

The advise for survey is good, but we don't really know what you are looking at unless your avatar gives us a clue. Canadian Ideal 18 looks like a fin-keeled one-design racing boat? It doesn't look like it has much in the way of the systems that you typically find on a cruising boat. Doesn't even lool like they are outfitted with auxillary power unless I missed something.

It doesn't look like your typical survey for a cruising sailboat applies here. You'll want to take a close look at how beat the boat looks if it has been raced hard. A base price goes for about $22,000 new so you want to know what upgrades have been made and their relative value. On a boat like that, the additions can add thousands to the cost, so you don't really know if it is a good deal or not unless you look at the extras, if any. How old is the boat? Look for soft decks, or any obvious damages to the gel coat and beneath the waterline. It probably would be more helpful to find a friend who knows these boats or similar race boats to help you with an assesment of overall condition and improvements. Again, the deal is in the details. How good is the sail inventory? That is a big expense if the sails are shot.

Registration and title is what they need to be able to transfer.

Scott T-Bird · Apr 9, 2012

I take that back ... it looks like the class rules strictly prohibit upgrades that aid in sailing performance. There is no "hi-tech" allowed on this simple boat. It does fly a spinnaker. So the cost of upgrades isn't likely to be much of an issue.

It looks like a very nice one-design class, which is designed for stability, and racing that is not based on athletic ability (like Lasers and other boats which are affected greatly by weight and athletic prowess). It seems like the goal of the class is to give the older farts a thrill by leveling the playing field, but still provide exciting racing with nice sailing features.

In short, I could see myself sailing one of these for a lot of fun!

I really don't think a boat surveyor is really necessary if this is what you are looking at. There's really nothing for a surveyor to discover. It doesn't even appear that they are fitted with running lights unless the previous owner outfitted it for night sailing with a simple battery system. They don't even come with an outboard bracket, although adding one is class legal. The key thing to look at is overall condition of the hull, the sails and the fittings.

Trailering with a fixed keel isn't as simple as trailering with a boat that has a centerboard or swing keel. It may not be as easy to find ramps that accomodate the draft. I see boats like this lifted in the water with a small crane as an alternative. Keeping it at a slip or mooring may be more convenient.

OTOH, if this is what you have now and you are looking at another boat, it would help to let us know.

mark_swart · Apr 9, 2012

Yes, do tell us what you are looking at and what price range. Are you financing the boat? Are you experienced at working on boats?

If you are buying a big, expensive complicated boat that you are going to finance then by all means, get a survey. If you are buying a smaller, simpler and cheaper boat that you can do some research on and then spend a few hours looking over for yourself, I think that a survey is a great way to throw money away.

Buying a used boat is much more like buying a car than a house. Make an offer, come to an agreement on price, put down a deposit if necessary, arrange payment. You should use a USCG bill of sale and have the seller get it notarized, as well as a copy of the USCG documentation or state registration for the boat signing it over to you. If they have the boat financed, they will also need to get a letter of lein release to you as soon as you have paid them. This is the part where having a broker involved is nice, but you can do it yourselves.

Also, is the boat in the water or on the hard right now?

Stu Jackson · Apr 9, 2012

Here's that Boat Inspection link

http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=102541