Want To Buy: Buying a boat-advice needed

[pzmaria]

Hello everyone. I probably posted this question in the wrong category - "General Sailing" and there was no response, so hopefully this is the right place. Pretty soon (next 3-4 months) I will be looking for a boat. What I have in mind is a three cabin Beneteau Oceanis 45-50'. No older than 1998 but not to new as my budget is somehow limited. Never bought such big and expensive boat so don't realy know where and how to start this process to make as few mistakes as possible. Have some pointers from people and from reading but would like to hear first hand advice and opinions.

- boat final destination will be Caribbean side (marina in Mexico) so I think buying on the East Coast/Bahamas/Caribbean would make more sense.

- I'd like to get this done thru boat broker as I hope he will look after all paperwork required, survey, communication with seller, money transfer etc. Who pays for broker services? Is it like realtor who get his commission from a seller side?

- will the broker look for a boat for me or I point the boat to the broker. Are they limited to specific areas like in real estate realtors are? If so that brings a question whether to find a broker first and be limited in search to his area or find a boat and then look for a broker that is in the area?

- how to find a reliable and trustworthy broker? A broker that knows his stuff and that you would completely trust, would be on your side thru the whole process. As I live in western Canada I will have to work with him remotely and get to the location for viewing and final purchase process.

- obtaining a boat insurance. I have been sailing smaller boats on inland waters for years but my offshore experience is limited ASA certification 101, 103, 104.
I suspect that obtaining an insurance might be a little tricky since there is no record of inland sailing.

- finding a skipper that will help to deliver boat to final destination as my offshore experience is limited to ASA courses for now. It will be a heavy boat that needs skills that I don't have yet, but want to use delivery trip for learning these new skills.

It' a lot of questions, but please bear with me end thank you to all members who have patience to read this and give their input.

[skipmac]

Hello everyone. I probably posted this question in the wrong category - "General Sailing" and there was no response, so hopefully this is the right place. Pretty soon (next 3-4 months) I will be looking for a boat. What I have in mind is a three cabin Beneteau Oceanis 45-50'. No older than 1998 but not to new as my budget is somehow limited. Never bought such big and expensive boat so don't realy know where and how to start this process to make as few mistakes as possible. Have some pointers from people and from reading but would like to hear first hand advice and opinions.

- boat final destination will be Caribbean side (marina in Mexico) so I think buying on the East Coast/Bahamas/Caribbean would make more sense.


Agree

- I'd like to get this done thru boat broker as I hope he will look after all paperwork required, survey, communication with seller, money transfer etc. Who pays for broker services? Is it like realtor who get his commission from a seller side?

Yes a broker is paid a percentage of the selling price for the boat which is deducted from the amount the seller receives.

- will the broker look for a boat for me or I point the boat to the broker. Are they limited to specific areas like in real estate realtors are? If so that brings a question whether to find a broker first and be limited in search to his area or find a boat and then look for a broker that is in the area?

A "good" broker will ask you what kind of boat you think you want, what kind of sailing you plan to do, what kind of sailing you have done before, your budget and any other relevant details and, if you do not already have a specific boat or model in mind, the broker will search for the best boats to meet your requirements. Generally a broker isn't limited to a geographic area although they probably cannot sell you a boat in a foreign country.

- how to find a reliable and trustworthy broker? A broker that knows his stuff and that you would completely trust, would be on your side thru the whole process. As I live in western Canada I will have to work with him remotely and get to the location for viewing and final purchase process.

This may be one of the hardest parts. I used to be a broker and can tell you from personal experience there are good, bad, lazy, hardworking, worthless and some downright dishonest brokers. Sometimes it's very hard to tell which broker fits which category. The best way I can think of is by referral from friends or other boaters.

- obtaining a boat insurance. I have been sailing smaller boats on inland waters for years but my offshore experience is limited ASA certification 101, 103, 104.
I suspect that obtaining an insurance might be a little tricky since there is no record of inland sailing.

Call some marine insurance companies and see what they have to say. Again, referrals from other boaters can help.

- finding a skipper that will help to deliver boat to final destination as my offshore experience is limited to ASA courses for now. It will be a heavy boat that needs skills that I don't have yet, but want to use delivery trip for learning these new skills.

There are several delivery captains that are active on this forum. One might jump in at any moment.

It' a lot of questions, but please bear with me end thank you to all members who have patience to read this and give their input.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Howdy Pzmaria.

Here is a long list of topics in this forum that are related to buying boats, including how to buy abroad, the process, etc. lots of reading available.

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=011403...oat&gsc.page=1

[SV.Louna]

G'day PZMaria,
I live in Australia and have bought multiple boats from the Caribbean. I used a broker that was recommended to me and I have recommended him to friends in Australia and all of us have found him good to work with, extremely honest and willing to go in and bat for us. He's also has a couple of good surveyors that he uses. I have flown him to multiple islands to check boats, he's been my eyes and ears and has always saved me money and my friends too. Sometimes he will find a seller willing to take cash which he will inform you of. Otherwise you guys would cut your own deal and look after him. I think he has been in the business for over 20 years and knows everyone in business from one end of the Caribbean to the other. All in all I've been involved with 6 or 8 boats with him directly or indirectly and all of us have been happy with the honesty, service, knowledge and most important of all, price. I would suggest to contact Chris Simpson at BVI Yacht Sales, Tortola. He's always done me well and I was buying boats to resell in a different market. And being on the opposite side of the planet I needed someone to look out for me and find me good boats within my budget. Give him a try and tell him what you're looking for and how much you're prepared to spend. You never know you might find something way cheaper than you thought you'd pay. Have fun shopping.
L&N


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[akprb]

I y hiñó we know Chris Simpson, did he work for Nanny Cay Yacht Sales way back when? If yes he sold our Huges 40 back in the mid 90s. If still around that's a great sign!

[lindabarzini]

I suggest living on Yachtworld.com and sailboatlisting.com for a few weeks to getg a feel of the market. The advanced search feature will be your best friend.

[bjymd]

You are not unique in your search for a sailboat. The bene is great boat as would a Jeanneau be. Good construction without the high expense of handmade boats. Better to buy a boat from before the 2008 crash when production changed to save money but after the 1980's when the construction with the new fiberglass techniques generated problems with osmotic blistering. A twenty year old boat will require a lot of work. Remember that everything in contact with salt water will slowly corrode. Thru hulls and stopcocks will need to be assessed and may need work. Standard rigging will last 12 -15 years before failure. Old electronics and battery banks will need to be upgraded after 10 years if not already done.
Buying: if you are not willing to fly around and look at boats, consider a buyer's broker. I found a woman who knew what I wanted and was willing to inquire about ore details from the selling broker and I found this to be very helpful. That broker served me very well: Jamie Birch out of St Petersburg Fl.
I used YachtWorld a lot to get a good understanding of the market. make sure to include the Virgin Islands and BVI in your search because boats are much less expensive in the BVI because of the abundance of post charter boats. I think the wear of a charter can best be assessed during an intensive survey. You can get much more boat for your money and they are usually well maintained.
Chris Simpson at BVI YachtSales is a very honest man and can guide you also.
Once you find a boat, make sure to have it surveyed by an independent person. If the surveyor is not willing to go up the mast, get a rigger to evaluate the standard rigging. There can be cracks in suages that can lead to catastrophic failure if undiscovered. :Look for rust in the strands or cracks. Don't buy without knowing.
It took me three years to finally buy a boat as I learned these things slowly. Contact me if you have questions. The process is very fresh in my mind and advise is free. Best of luck. It is definitely worth the work.

[pzmaria]

Thank you all for your responses. I'm open to any advice and any experience from members of this great community. Hope they will keep coming with time.
Cheers.
pzmaria