Buying boat long distance through Broker

[GPSocal]

Sounds like you are spitting in the wind with this broker. If you really want this model of boat, spring for a plane ticket and go look at as well as a list of other sale offerings of the same or similar boats in the same area that you collect from other listing services before you go. Line up potential surveyors also with recommendations from this forum.

[musher]

Well the broker just told me that they have an offer on the boat, so I'm guessing that answering my questions was more work than dealing with the in-person shopper.

Ironically, had he answered my questions when I asked them, I almost certainly would have tendered an offer ahead of the other guy. His explanation was that he was busy and that the owner was busy too.

I suppose each time I do this I'll get better at it.

I did have a surveyor lined up. I was just reluctant to spring the 1200 for plane tickets w/o some confidence the deal would succeed.

Lots of helpful folks on this site. Maybe there is a market for folks who are willing to look at local boats for members in exchange for a small fee. I know I'd have been happy to pay someone to look at the boat, take some photos, and talk about what they were seeing on the phone. Never occurred to me to ask here.

Maybe we need a 'boat viewer' forum in the commerce section...

I could have addressed the blister question and one or two others as contingencies in the offer as cheechako suggested. I'll remember that.

[musher]

...and I did pick the surveyor based on info I found here (and some other places). Felt very good about that choice.


I didn't "name" names here because I'm still feeling out the proper expectations. Not comfortable dinging someone's business unless I'm sure I've been mistreated.

I was trying pretty hard to figure out the owner. If I could have run that down, I would have called them directly.

[kennyarmes]

It would help to if we knew what boat u are looking at. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this site. And just maybe the owner is on here and will see your post. I sure hope it is not my broker vid so he is fired on the spot!!!! And yes I do have one forsale in that price range with a servey a little over a year ago


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[Cadence]

Again! Run Forrest run. If you can't afford traveling to see her, you don't need her. Sounds as if the broker is blowing smoke up your rear.

As others have said he is the sellers agent.

What type is she. Sorry if I missed it. At $50k I'll bet you can find one within travel distance?

[musher]

what's the name of your boat kennyarmes? That way I don't have to out the broker in public.

[musher]

If you can't afford traveling to see her, you don't need her.

I've heard this (or the equivalent) many times. I've no problem traveling and WILL travel before buying.

..but I'm not going to be able to travel to view every boat that might be a possibility. At 600-1200/trip, I'd blow through a lot of cash.

What I've been trying to to is weed through the possible boats and come up with candidates with no obvious dealbreaker problems. This particular boat might have been one, I think, but the reluctance of the broker to answer questions gave me pause.

I'm in interior of Alaska. Probably going to have to fly to see most boats.

[quandary]

The cost of a bad buy could make the cost of a flight to check it out personally totally insignificant. I wouldn't dream of buying something that my life and others may depend on later without seeing it and examining it first. Has it been grounded, crashed, not had proper anodes so thru hull fittings corroded and on the verge of breaking off with the subsequent risk of sinking, chainplates rusted so risk of rig failure etc etc. The risk is just not worth it..the sea has no mercy on a craft that is not seaworthy and insurance is of little comfort!

[kennyarmes]

The name of my boat is my dream
It is a 33 morgan outisland
Totally redone inside and outside

[musher]

Hey kennyarmes,

Not the boat I was looking at, so you spare the ax on your broker--for another day anyway.

[hamburking]

Everyone wants your money.
They'll say whatever you want to hear.

[musher]

The cost of a bad buy could make the cost of a flight to check it out personally totally insignificant.

Totally agree, I won't buy w/o traveling. Still trying to figure out how to tune the "travel trigger" though.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by kennyarmes

The name of my boat is my dream
It is a 33 morgan outisland
Totally redone inside and outside

I'll bet you can find a bunch of them for sale. A good boat but $50K sounds steep. JMHO

[Chalifour]

Being Canadians who purchased our ship in Croatia through a local broker part of a reputable corporation based in the Netherland, we've been there! With the way you describe the broker, I would simply stay away. If you are suspicious at this stage of the game, wait to see down the road when you have to write him a check intrust as a deposit and then as a final amount even before you get the titles in your hands. 3 weeks can separate the 2 events. In the best conditions, let me tell you, its nerve wrecking!
You need to visit the ship(s) yourself and get to know the broker as you go along. You need to carry your own survey using a qualified surveyor. Ideally you need a broker to represent you as a buyer so to offer a counterpart to the seller's broker. Both have to be reputable with proven track record. Not easy!!! but worth every efforts!
Good luck

[Jack Lahr]

A pathway to solving these problems that is relatively cheap: if you find a candidate boat at a distant location and want to learn more before traveling--find a surveyor in that neighborhood (Boat US has a directory). Contact a surveyor and buy say two hours of his time to go take a look at the boat at his convenience and give you a telephone report of his overall impressions and what he noticed -eg deck core problems? Etc. etc . you will get a huge return on your expenditure and save the travel time/expense of initial boat screening. Then you can decide whether to travel and pursue the boat. It's worked for me beautifully over the years. Surveyors generally are a valuable set of eyes!


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