Buying a Yacht in Australia

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by josh

thanks,
didn't really think about thailand and the rest of asia as an option but gonna have to start looking into it. bit closer than the states.

shane if you mate does go down for an inspection on that CSY 44 would you mind letting me know a rough idea of what it was like, just for info sake.

No problems - I might even drop past in an hour or so on the way up town for a surf. At least I will have a legitimate reason to have a sticky beak! If they are open I will post back later tonight.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by josh

hey,


these are some of the others i have looked at online, what do you think?

Used 42 Foot Savage Oceanic for Sale | Yachthub

I was really thinking about the 150k the seller states to have spent refitting this boat. I am not sure if he has counted every hour of labour on a commercial basis or had everything done by professional? Nonetheless, it really shows how much of a monetary drain bigger boats like this with complicated systems can be. Good thing in this case might be that someone else has taken the brunt of the expenditure?

[SurferShane]

I had a look at the CSY. Before I did I unsuccessfully tried to contact the broker. When I got to the premises no one was home and there was another couple there who had previously emailed him and had the same lack of success arranging to have a look at the same boat. Maybe this is another reason why the boat is still there? Maybe this is also why he had left it open?

It is a big solid boat for 44 ft. Most of the gloss coat etc is in good condition and there are only a few minor cosmetic concerns like flyscreens that need attention. Likewise, the wooden interior is in very good condition. The big open areas and touch of brass and heater reminded me of the Hans Christians. It is definitely homely.

Regardless, the living plan might not suit everyone. Unlike some other centre cockpit boats like the Morgan 44 there is no companionway under the cockpit to the aft cabin. Instead there is a hatch at each end of the cockpit leading to the fore and aft cabins. The bonus of this is that it had a BIG engine room right in the centre of the boat that would be a joy to work in any conditions. The dodger/cockpit covert is neither old nor new and showing some minor signs of wear. I have been on one of the same boats where this had been replaced with a hard cover, which could be a consideration.

The boat has a really friendly fore deck that would also make sailing in any conditions pleasant and safe. To this point the mast and rigging looked decent. In contrast the stern deck is higher, which allows for a big aft stateroom with a good sized shower and toilet. The nav station forms part of this stateroom, so would also function as a writing desk etc. I note the electronics and radios looked dated and basic.


As a diver, the minus was the high freeboard around the cockpit that would not allow easy access in and out of the water. I would also be very concerned that if I fell over I might not be able to get back on the boat. This might need thought/modifications. The up side of this is the aft cabin windows that give you the feeling of being on an old galleon or schooner.


Overall, she was a charming big boat in very good condition that would obviously be conducive to comfortable long passages. It would especially suit a cruising couple with the odd guests. As above, a serious diver/surfer might be likely to go for a more contemporary design with a good aft swimming platform.

[Jamel]

For all you gunners out there wanting to buy in the USA there is an excellent article by John Champion who bought a Hunter 40 over there, in Cruising helmsman ( Sept 08 mag) about that very thing. In short John reckons it's no bargain when you factor in all the costs involved.... rough guide = boat cost + 50% which includes flights out there, equip't for the Pacific crossing( are you comfident?), GST, compliance & quarantine issues,etc.
I'm looking to buy in USA too, but must sell my Swanson 32 first. Bought in Yamba 2008 for $60,000, plus $10,000 for upgrades,radar,inverter,bigger battery bank etc, selling now for $49900 on Yachthub. Absolute bargain!

[savoir]

On the day that article was written the exchange rate was . . . . . . . . ?

[VirtualVagabond]

Thanks for that Jamel.
Getting up to date information from people who have done it is always useful.

I think that confirms what most of us have come to realize. It's not a money making venture.
But for some of us it's an opportunity to have access to a much larger range of boats, and down the track (years), to possibly break even.
In my own case, Australia just doesn't have much in the way of solid, heavy displacement fibreglass boats ideal for a full time liveaboard life.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by savoir

On the day that article was written the exchange rate was . . . . . . . . ?

Good point. Maybe Jamel can get that from the article and tell us.

[Johnathon123]

I am not sure it is so much the bargain aspect of it, you might make a buck or two but you shouldn't lose.

The big motivator for me was the range and quality.

Speaking generally, boats in Australia are overpriced, poorly maintained, worn out, dilapidated, mistreated, unloved and beaten pieces of formerly brilliant craftsmanship.

The odd gem, is overpriced, again generally.

And that is the problem with buying in Australia IMHO.

As I said, I am being 100% general, so do not take offense if you are the exception to the rule.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

Good point. Maybe Jamel can get that from the article and tell us.

Low 80's. Makes a big difference.

Early September 2008 it was roughly 0.83 but in October it plunged to around 0.65. The year's high was 0.97 in July.

They wuz volatile times.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Johnathon123

The big motivator for me was the range and quality.

I spent a lot of time looking on boatpoint and others trying to find modern Euro production cruiser type boats and the choice was very limited. I decided it was better to buy now in the EU rather than wait a couple of years and hope I can find the right boat when I move home.

When I do the sums, I can't see it being a money making idea, but I will one day have the boat in Aus that I wanted rather than a compromise choice

It seems to me that if you are after a boat for club racing or even a bit more serious stuff the choice is a lot wider.

[Aussie_Sequoia]

I concur. I'm in the US right now (had to come for work anyway) and the boats I have looked at are in much better condition than their counterparts in Oz. There is also a much much wider range of boats to look at. I think hoppy hit it on the head in so much as I would buy a boat in the US not to make money, but to get the boat that I want rather than compromise back home.

I guess the upside of all of this importing is that if heaps of Aussies bring in boats during this unique economic reversal... it will someday boost the selection of used boats in Oz too!

[Jamel]

Aussie Sequoia, many thanks for posting the import a yacht website,excellent info and good resource to refer back to.
Cost as the site advises, has to include "return" airfare (US requirement), accomodation, transport, cell phone purchase etc. From John Champions article " do your research, focus in on one model and a short list to view otherwise the brokers will have you jumping around like a demented puppet looking at all sorts of boats"!
Final word: The US have their fair share of wornout rubbish boats too!

[Aussie_Sequoia]

Thanks for the feedback. I do appreciate it. I just put the site up because it's:
a) what I do for a living... and
b) I saw many questions on this forum repeated again and again and thought it would be worth while to compile some of the answers into an easy to find, free, format

I'm always trying to make it better and more accurate. I have PM'd many CF user's about their experiences of importing and am always happy to hear feedback.

I will amend travel costs and return airfare to the costs section. (and I can do it pretty accurately because I am here in the US shopping now! )

[Wanderlust]

Thanks Aussie_Sequoia,

Looks like a nice useful site. One point I noted about your delivery costs (which you note may well be less than $10,000) .....

" If you intend to sail your own yacht back to Australia, be sure to keep all receipts for petrol, food, port entry and visas for all countries you stop in along the way, any paid crew wages."

Other comments I have seen on CF say that you may base the costs of the trip from your last country only (e.g. Fiji), rather than where you bought the boat.

I called Customs but was fobbed off with "put it in writing". But searching their site I found this snippet in a factsheet:

WHAT IS THE PLACE OF EXPORT?

The place of export can include:

•

where the goods are posted from

•

where the goods are packed in a container (as defined in the
Customs Convention on Containers)

•

the place, or last place, from which self-transported goods
departed for Australia

•

the place, or first place, the goods were placed on board a

ship or aircraft for export

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/re...s/commer02.pdf

"I ate beans, rice and fresh fish - total $20 ". However I would not think being so cheeky would be in the importer's best interest.

Can anyone confirm having based their costs on this method and if there was any issue in getting it accepted?

[VirtualVagabond]

Just a thought on the return airfares situation. Obviously a complete waste of money if you're flying there to pick up a boat and sail back.

I'm sure the USA just wants to know that they aren't going to be stuck with you, so the return airfare ensures they can get rid of you.

How about instead of a return airfare, you bought an ongoing ticket to somewhere close. Maybe Mexico, Canada, or the Bahamas?
That way they'd be satisfied that you will leave the country, and I'd much rather be tearing up an $89 ticket to the Bahamas or Mexico than the $1,000 return half to Aus.

Any thoughts?