Potential Buyer Asking for a "Test Drive"

[john61ct]

I agree on the salesmanship, lower hostile paperwork aspect, but that's an option depends on judgement, personal time-value etc.

But for sure clarity on price needs to there before, maybe just verbally, subject to survey / sea trial, unexpected flaws surfacing etc.

But any other price dickering is out of the way before I spend much more time & energy on you.

Unless maybe you're the only one interested 8-D

[GrowleyMonster]

I guess the bottom line is if you want to buy a boat and you won't buy a boat without a sea trial, then you will find fewer suitable boats to buy but maybe that is a small price to pay for being cautious. If you want to sell a boat but won't take the prospective buyers for a sea trial, then you will find fewer willing buyers but maybe that is a small price to pay for being cautious.



Personally I think a deposit with the understanding that any expenses or damage incurred on the sea trial comes out of it, is a reasonable compromise. Giving a sea trial with no strings attached will possibly entertain a joyrider and if that really bothers you, don't do it. But that tire kicker just might decide he really likes the boat and will buy it, if circumstances such as a hospitable seller give him a warm fuzzy feeling.


The seller only has one boat to sell, and he needs to get it sold. The buyer has a lot of boats to look at, and if it takes a while, he is still no worse off than he started, having no boat but still having the price of one or a sizable down payment. So it would be sensible for the seller to bend a bit on this, before expecting the buyer to do so, unless the seller smells a rat and is okay with letting this particular "buyer" get away.

[Bill Seal]

Originally Posted by Cadence

We are speaking of a 15K deal. If the seller after their 2.5 hour inspection feels they are earnest, not tire kickers, take them for a sail. Only he can judge that. Asking things like wanting to see their bank account is insane and insulting.
Hell, he may make a sale and some friends that will take him sailing.

I found our boat on Craigslist, (about 1/3 the cost of a new pickup) went down and looked it over, liked it, the owner said "here, take the wheel and I'll show you how to get it out of the slip and let's go for a sail." Went out for about 3 hours, I convinced my wife we REALLY needed a boat and we made the deal right there. Her only requirement was that we could both fit in the V-berth.
Had the owner insisted on a deposit, I probably would have told him to "shove it"

[flyingfin]

Sounds like you dont want to sell the boat. If the boat is in the water, and you are the owner, why cant you just untie a few lines and take a prospective buyer for a ride???

Any opportunity to share your boat with another appreciative person is typically a great day, as opposed spending the day doing boring tasks.

Some of the replies to your post worry about contracts and deposits,,,,,,are we a nation of sailors or wanna be lawyers?


Unless your boat been nailed to the dock, I vote for GO!

[GILow]

^^^ what he said! ^^^
Particularly the bit about lawyers.

And the rest too.

[Ringmaster]

I've been thru this on my previous boat when I was selling it. A couple came to look at it and asked for a test sail. They even had a dog with them which they wanted to leave in their car on a ninety five degree day. I told them they couldn't do that and to bring the dog along. I think they knew anyone would say that. Well we went out for a couple of hours and everytime we tacked that dog moved to the high side like he had done it a thousand times. That dog had been sailing more than me. When we got back to the dock their only question was how do they get to the inner harbor in downtown Baltimore so they could have dinner. Not one question about the boat. I believe these people had done this more than once. Sunday afternoon entertainment. I learned my lesson. No deposit no day sail.

[Nineteen]

You lot are a tough crowd.

The Admiral and I went out for a test sail and bought our current boat - I think it depends how badly you want to sell and if you think it is worth your time. It is ALWAYS a buyers market.

Paid cash money too....

Cheers

[sailpower]

Originally Posted by Nineteen

You lot are a tough crowd.

The Admiral and I went out for a test sail and bought our current boat - I think it depends how badly you want to sell and if you think it is worth your time. It is ALWAYS a buyers market.

Paid cash money too....

Cheers

No, it is a market. It takes both parties to make a deal.

But, as has been noted, not everyone who wants to spend an afternoon on the water is a buyer.

You were a buyer so good for you but there are lots of folks who aren't.

[Nineteen]

Originally Posted by sailpower

No, it is a market. It takes both parties to make a deal.

But, as has been noted, not everyone who wants to spend an afternoon on the water is a buyer.

You were a buyer so good for you but there are lots of folks who aren't.

Hi Sailpower

You are correct in as much as it takes both parties to make a deal - but as a serious buyer I wouldn't think of proceeding without a test. Ok our budget was along way north of 15K but I wouldn't buy a car without driving it - so why would I buy a vessel?

If the OP doesn't want to provide a test sail that is their choice. But in our case there were 3 comparable boats to choose between and our PO made himself available. He made a sale, moved on to his next boat and made us a happy owner.

There are tyre kickers out there for certain, but if you really want to sell can you afford not to spend the time? The worst that can happen is that you spend some time using your boat - which it probably needs anyway.

Cheers
Tom[emoji111]

[sailpower]

Originally Posted by Nineteen

Hi Sailpower

You are correct in as much as it takes both parties to make a deal - but as a serious buyer I wouldn't think of proceeding without a test. Ok our budget was along way north of 15K but I wouldn't buy a car without driving it - so why would I buy a vessel?

If the OP doesn't want to provide a test sail that is their choice. But in our case there were 3 comparable boats to choose between and our PO made himself available. He made a sale, moved on to his next boat and made us a happy owner.

There are tyre kickers out there for certain, but if you really want to sell can you afford not to spend the time? The worst that can happen is that you spend some time using your boat - which it probably needs anyway.

Cheers
Tom[emoji111]

The OP said that he was quite willing to provide a test sail. He wanted to make sure that the buyer was ready willing and able to buy HIS boat as a result.


The stories of"buyers" showing up with picnic baskets, coolers and friends to "test sail" are real.


Why would a legitimate buyer not want to demonstrate his legitimicy?

[Nineteen]

Originally Posted by sailpower

The OP said that he was quite willing to provide a test sail. He wanted to make sure that the buyer was ready willing and able to buy HIS boat as a result.


The stories of"buyers" showing up with picnic baskets, coolers and friends to "test sail" are real.


Why would a legitimate buyer not want to demonstrate his legitimicy?

Sailpower

I agree to a point but I would not not put a deposit up for a test to demonstrate my legitamacy as a buyer - EVER. Nor would I show up with a picnic basket as my time is as important as the sellers. Lets also not forget in our case that following the test the sale was contingent on a sucessful survey.

I will go back to my original point that the seller , unless he or she has some 6th sense, needs to treat each applicant as a bonifide buyer until they prove otherwise.

There are plenty of boats out there to buy and if you really want to get rid of yours then it will take time and effort. Brokers don't do it for their health either.

Cheers

[GILow]

This all reminds me of the “why don’t you want to sell you boat” thread.

All these people talking about deposits sound suspiciously like they don’t want to sell to me.

[sailpower]

Originally Posted by GILow

This all reminds me of the “why don’t you want to sell you boat” thread.

All these people talking about deposits sound suspiciously like they don’t want to sell to me.

Kind of illogical to think that someone with a boat to sell wouldn't want to sell it to you.

I don't get why "buyers" think wasting the owners time is perfectly OK because maybe some day they might buy someone else's boat but the business is full of those who think just that.

Also it seems like those least qualified to buy are the most offended by the process.

Humans.

[john61ct]

When I find a boat I suspect is just right and a bargain, first thing I want to do is tie it up with a contract and escrowed deposit.

If a long way from home, even sight unseen.

Sale conditional on results if survey and sea trial of course.

Otherwise may get scooped before I can get there!

If it's nearby, and maybe not such a killer bargain, then sure I'd hope the seller would take me out, but I would not be offended nor surprised if they wanted to make it official first.

But that may cause me to walk away too. . .

[GILow]

Well, maybe things are just plain different here in Australia.

I have never heard of anyone using the boat-for-sale system as a way of getting a free trip in a boat. Quite frankly, it sounds like urban myth to me. One of those... "I heard about this guy..." things you hear in pubs.

I've sold a few boats over the years, always enjoyed the process. And yep, I've had my fair share of tyre kickers, who are a pain in the backside.

BUT, I've also had people come along with a tyre kicker mindset, only to end up keen buyers at the end.

Remember, when selling your boat, it REALLY helps to have a few people interested. When I sold my Austral 20 a few years back I had three interested parties, with whom I had a pleasant and good natured round robin bidding war. It worked out well and pushed the sale price up to my reserve in a few days.

Anyway, this whole thing really has me beat. Maybe, just maybe, there are these strange creatures who use the buying process as some form of free afternoon sailing where some of the contributors live. If that's the case, damn, that's just plain odd.

But where I come from, I OFFER a sail on the boat, because I know nothing sells sausage like a little bit of sizzle.