How to Find the Right Boat - Online - in the Med

[Hanna&Chris]

I'm looking for a boat in the Med and am hoping for advice on the best way to find one (currently I can't leave the Carribean to do the searching myself due to my job). Thanks!

[emagin]

That sounds a bit lazy to me.
Yachtworld - 20-50' used sailboats in Europe - refine with filters on left column

[Hanna&Chris]

Lazy? Are you referring to not being able to do the searching myself? If so, I meant not being able to inspect each boat in person. If everyone is so immediately judgemental, maybe this isn't the forum I thought it was. Thanks for the site. I've used it before, it's good.

[CJK]

Hello, maybe i can help. Having a lifetime experience inspecting, working on, repairing, supervising works, etc, also living on board for , well, forever!, fire away.

[Solitude]

I think that was a missunderstanding.


Do you have any one you know In the Med? Are you planning to go there? There are alot of online resources.

I wouldn't buy a boat without sailing it first. Hire a surveyor.
Is it your first boat or do you know what your looking for? Do you understand VAT. Could be cheaper to buy one in Florida and sail over.

[emagin]

Sorry, I totally misunderstood. I thought you needed info on which boats to look at.
So perhaps you need a broker? They are awesome and the seller pays the fee!

It helps a lot if you do some research on what type of boat you need so the broker can do a good job and shortlist boats for you.

[Hanna&Chris]

Originally Posted by Solitude

I think that was a missunderstanding.

Do you have any one you know In the Med? Are you planning to go there? There are alot of online resources.

I wouldn't buy a boat without sailing it first. Hire a surveyor.
Is it your first boat or do you know what your looking for? Do you understand VAT. Could be cheaper to buy one in Florida and sail over.

We don't know anyone in the Med as of now, no and I don't think we'll be able to get over there until prior to buying the boat unfortunately.

We definitely would hire a surveryor. We know exactly what we're looking for, but yes this is our first boat.

We had originally thought of buying the boat in the states or BVIs and having it delivered, however I had just assumed that it was cheaper to get it in the Med. Need to do some research on costs of that..

Still trying to completely grasp VAT..but working on it also.

[Hanna&Chris]

Originally Posted by emagin

Sorry, I totally misunderstood. I thought you needed info on which boats to look at.
So perhaps you need a broker? They are awesome and the seller pays the fee!

It helps a lot if you do some research on what type of boat you need so the broker can do a good job and shortlist boats for you.

No worries.

We know what we want, I just was having trouble finding brokers online that had our boat in the Med, that I could also understand.

[Pete7]

What sort of thing are you looking for? There an awful lot of charter boats in the med that are sold off after 5 and 6 years. They tend to be the Englsh, French and German models. If this is what you are after you could try the charter firms who often have a page of vessels they are about to sell off. Choose a popular model and you would find a similar example in the Caribbean to view or even be cheeky and sail.

Look for Greece, Turkey and Croatia, and names like Sunsail, Neilsons etc. The other advantage is that the ought to come prepped from the Med, so bimini etc.

They are often purchased under a lease lend scheme by private owners who get 10 weeks a year and the charter firm sell the remain time to pay the owner. After 6 years they become the owners property outright or are sold on and the owner funds a new one. Well used yes, but also should be well maintained.

Pete

[goboatingnow]

as well as the usual online web sites, try de valk and > MYBA - The worldwide yachting association - Yachts and Brokers - HOMEPAGE

In my experience be careful about ex-charter boats, they can be very worn out and dispite initially seeming cheaper ( though sometime not much), they can work out expensive in the long run. Also private second hand boats have fallen in value anyway. for a private boat VAT will have been paid so get an original sellers invoice showing this, check carefully with ex-charter boats as they will generally be VAT unpaid,

[Pete7]

I wouldn't worry too much about VAT, the price will reflect that it will have to be paid. However depending on why they want a boat in the med and how long they want to stay, oh and there nationality then a boat which doesn't have VAT could be a big financial advantage.

As I said they will be well used but certainly not worn out and the overall condition will dictate the price.

Pete

[pandj]

Hi there

We bought our boat from a broker in Turkey, Sunbird. The name of the broker was Peter and he was really helpful. We have added a few things like solar panels etc and whilst it is an older boat, she has been wonderful to enjoy the Med with over the last two years. Our boat is currently in Croatia (we are in Oz -groan!) but happy to help with our experiences!
Good luck

pandj

[Hanna&Chris]

Originally Posted by Pete7

What sort of thing are you looking for?

We are looking ideally for a 2004 Beneteau Oceanis 423. But are flexible and would be happy with a bit of a different year and size/model as well.

Originally Posted by Pete7

There an awful lot of charter boats in the med that are sold off after 5 and 6 years.

Ex-chartered boats is something I have definitely looked into, but just need to make sure we got a surveryor to check it out carefully first to see how worn out it really is. However, a well priced private second hand boat would be great as well.

Originally Posted by Pete7

If this is what you are after you could try the charter firms who often have a page of vessels they are about to sell off.

This is what I've been looking for the most, but am having trouble finding charters with the boat we're looking for besides the big charters such as Sunsail, etc.,

[Hanna&Chris]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

as well as the usual online web sites, try de valk and > MYBA - The worldwide yachting association - Yachts and Brokers - HOMEPAGE

Thanks for the website. I've visited MYBA before, but as dumb as this sounds...I unfortunately can't really figure out how to use it.

The list of members is so long, I'm not sure how to go through and find brokers that may be selling the boat I'm looking for in particular. Any advice? Also, lots of it are in Greek, Italian, Frence, etc., which doesn't make it too much easier!

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

In my experience be careful about ex-charter boats, they can be very worn out and dispite initially seeming cheaper ( though sometime not much), they can work out expensive in the long run. Also private second hand boats have fallen in value anyway. for a private boat VAT will have been paid so get an original sellers invoice showing this, check carefully with ex-charter boats as they will generally be VAT unpaid,

We definitely will be careful if we decide to go with an ex-charter and check it out thoroughly first. Buying a less used private second hand boat with less engine hours, wear and tear, and having VAT already paid would be a huge plus.

[goboatingnow]

Use MYBA for a list of brokers and then have alook at their web pages or email them direct. Start with ones in th emajor boating centres, say France and Spain.

as I said my experience with ex-charters mean they need to be looked at
VAT shouldnt be an issue for second hand boats, as the VAT kinds of disappears into the second hand value ( anyway its not reclaimable). Most commercial charter boats will be ex-VAT, but that should be clear anyway.

The main issue is to tie down what type of boat ( make size, budget) and go look at these first, if you have a too wide a "search" citerion, then you will be run ragged looking at too much, Theres a lot of choice. You will find that most boats in the Med are from the three main manufacturers, Beneteau, Jeanneau and Bavaria.