Can I hire an agent to find a boat for me?

[Aquah0lic]

Hello again salty dogs,
I'm STILL looking for a boat. I've logged so many hours of research on this site and others, I could have built one from scratch by now. I believe I am suffering from analysis paralysis. I want so badly to get a boat that I wont regret buying that I just read read read. My lack of sea time is a definate liability so I try to soak up all of the wisdom that you guys share so generously with the world but when I research one thing, 5 more questions come up. Add to that there are so many nice boats for sale right now that seem to be priced right, its all quite overwhelming. So, I've considered turning it over to a higher power. An honest and knowledgeable agent/broker. Someone with enough experience to weed out boats with undesirable qualities and present me with a list of boats that I will be very happy with to choose from. I want to love my boat as much as that CSY guy loves his. I know me and if I end up with a regret boat it will turn me off from cruising. So, how does one hire a guy like this?

[Aquah0lic]

Just to clarify, I have allready dealt with several brokers and they certainly were nice enough people and all but they were trying to sell boats. I'm actually thinking of someone who has MY best intrest in mind.

[never monday]

what are your desires in a cruising vessel?

and where on this massive rock are you?

[Morgan Paul]

Yes if you have the money you can pay anyone to do anything.
Cash is King
Good luck on your search.

[David M]

Aqua,
Have you first considered chartering some different boats or considered joining a sailing club which has a variety of boats so that you can get a better idea of what you want and more importantly, what you do not want?

David

[CSY Man]

I want to love my boat as much as that CSY guy loves his.

Never love anything that cannot love you back...

My boat is for sale for the right money so I am not too obsessed with it.

(Susan is rolling her eyes and says "Yeah Right")

[Aquah0lic]

Never monday... I am looking for a solid well made boat that can go anywhere I want. I'm putting a $40k limit on it.

Things I need: good headroom (I'm 6'2"), must be a dry boat, comfortable(I'll be living aboard), I want it to be easy to sail but also a good sailer (I'll be single handing most of the time)

Then there are the things I THINK I want like an aft head and an open floor plan. I say think because I have no experience on boats this size. I have sailed many times on smaller boats and I own a 25'er right now that I sail when possible, but I have never sailed on a boat that you could actually walk around in the cabin. I can't even get into the v-birth on mine without turning my shoulders sideways and crawling/wedging myself past the "head".

The smallest boat I have been considering is a 31' miura thats in SC. It LOOKS like a really nice boat online but its been for sale for a while and at what almost seems like a give away price, so why hasn't someone bought it, you know? I am also looking at the nantucket 33 in Annapolis, some bristols, the nantai in NC and about 50 more in my bookmarks. Alot of them have what seems to be a deeper draft than I want. I'll for sure be spending signifigant time in the Bahamas and I don't want to be restricted where I can go or worse yet getting stuck all the time. The centerboard option seems good to me, but I've read downsides to that as well. In fact, most features I decide I like, I come on this site and discover a bunch of reasons why I shouldn't go that route. A walk through transom for example (I have gotten that one out of my system now)

As I'm sure you can see, I'm not really sure about many things, but one thing that is certain is that I have a big stack of $100 bills sitting here and I AM going to buy a boat....soon (I hope).

[never monday]

wow, that's confusion...

I don't type well, call me during the day.

Pat

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Aquah0lic

The centerboard option seems good to me, but I've read downsides to that as well. In fact, most features I decide I like, I come on this site and discover a bunch of reasons why I shouldn't go that route. A walk through transom for example (I have gotten that one out of my system now)

As I'm sure you can see, I'm not really sure about many things, but one thing that is certain is that I have a big stack of $100 bills sitting here and I AM going to buy a boat....soon (I hope).

If you keep reading this stuff like me you will never find a boat "good enough"
Although I do believe that sooner or later you will find one you "love" and will settle for.
Are you married?

[Aquah0lic]

CSY, the reason I used you as an example is I have seen you recommending that boat more times than I can count. If your not the president of their fan club, you should be!
there are 3 on YW right now. Is one of them yours?

[marty9876]

I hear ya, I think I'm in the same boat (pun intended!). Sometimes I think it's over educating ones self too much almost, reading this that and the other 1000 things. I want so hard to get right the first time (different application) I think maybe I'll just never get it done.

I'm pretty much back to the drawing board too. Got a charter booked for 2 weeks out, some boat time at least!

[Aquah0lic]

No Therapy, unmarried. I kinda like it that way too. Any cruising bettys I pick up along the way will likely be short term.

[Pblais]

I believe I am suffering from analysis paralysis.

With a $40K limit you need to back off a bit. You need to back off the things you think you want, concentrate on what you need and watch your budget. You can't have the perfect boat, but you could have one that fits you!

It LOOKS like a really nice boat on line but its been for sale for a while and at what almost seems like a give away price, so why hasn't someone bought it, you know?

It was not a give away price. You lack much of the experience to know all the details only because you didn't do a detailed survey on it or have the ability to really know why you want what you want. I doubt any of us has examined the boat. Things are priced based on what the seller perceives is the worth. They may lack more clarity than you or have false expectations. You can't know about other people or why they do what they seem to do. You can only judge by what things are.

I'm not really sure about many things, but one thing that is certain is that I have a big stack of $100 bills sitting here and I AM going to buy a boat....soon (I hope).

There are a lot about this idea you can't be sure about and there are always things you can't know. There are ways to find out more. Buying the boat "soon" could be the worst idea you have yet. If you can't come to terms with basic requirements without getting bogged down in details before you spend the money, I see a large disappointment. Why would an agent know what you don't know yourself? An agent can't pick the perfect boat only you can do that. Your budget won't buy an exhaustive search.

You could hire an agent and then blame them later on. I think to expect an agent to find what you want yet don't understand is too great a gap to cross.

You need to come to terms with your own expectations. The things you know are all you have to work from. You could stand to learn more and feel more comfortable. The process should be one of increasing your comfort and not decreasing your patience. That should be what to watch for. The instant after the deal is done your patience needs to soar higher and your commitment to learning more must also follow. Running out of stamina now does not predict good results. Picking and buying the boat is the easy part. Making yourself able to handle it is the serious chore. Doing things when you get to a level of comfort means you have gained understanding. Your instincts in this instance are probably the more correct assessment.

There are 1000's of questions and one answer should lead to many more questions. You only knew things in far less detail than you do now. It does not end nor should it. You have learned a lot but there is no point when you suddenly know it all with certainty. We as a group know a great deal about boats but we know almost nothing about you. How is an agent supposed to help you? What is it that you can not do that you need help with? Do you expect the agent to tell you what boat to purchase?

[CSY Man]

No fan club that I know of.
That being said, I have never met an un-happy CSY owner.

Only 60 or so CSY 33s were built, they are a well kept secret, hence I recommend the type if somebody is looking as many have never heard of them.
Every boat is a compromise and no boat is perfect, same with the CSYs.

Mine is not listed and I am not actively selling it, just mentioned above that I would sell it if the price was right, therefore not in "love" with the boat. Just the right boat for my needs.

As you get more experience you may change your mind.

[Samadhi V]

Yes you may hire an agent. I do not recommend this route. Take the time to find your own yacht, you will be happier in the end.