Buying a Boat Overseas ?

[tmoney]

Yeah the experience thing is the killer. I know the boat does need work the engine is basically brand new and all the rigging and sails mast etc are in good condition based on what the broker said. I would plan to anchor out nights and sail as much as I can to gain experience. I would probably head up to the UK just along the coast. Maybe look for a crew who just wants an adventure and head from Italy to the UK. up there I would get her ready for anything I needed and either stay in Europe and ditch US alltogether. I am a Canadian but I have my US passport so I am a duel citizen. I have time the money could be a problem I plan to spend maybe an extra $10k to get her tuned and ready for anything. We plan to live aboard and self sustain (mostly) not to live in a slip. The space is the attractive thing to me is a 52' cat any harder to sail than say a 35' cat? The cat I am looking at has furling mainsail and jib. Has autopilot and a lot of other normal features. The interior needs some love and it needs some clean up. The bottom doesnt look bad either. It really seems doable to me but I am looking for some connections in Europe area as that will be the only thing that can make this work. Anyone have friends in Italy?

[tmoney]

On a bright note.... I love Italian food

[MacG]

Talking big Cat's and tremendous harbour costs and hence planning to live on a restricted budget .......... put your feet on the floor and stop dreaming. With a cat that size you are looking for financial trouble if not being an outcast, sailing the most piratical waters of Europe: the Med.

[tmoney]

[tmoney]

There are pictures of the boat. Is it worth a Greenie persuing or should I stick to something smaller. I dont plan to sail around the med, I plan to take the boat to UK asap.

[tmoney]

Also the harbor costs your talking about are like bottom cleaning and painting and maintenance? I dont plan to keep it in a slip. I plan to anchor up and down the east coast of the US. I think if I am going to anchor out either way I might as well get a bigger boat to live on its all the same?

[Lagoon4us]

I Dont think Italy is cheap at all, i heard Venice has good areas and yards to get work done but not sure of cheapness.
I really am concerned that you ask about the difference in driving boats of that size, i'll be honest, if you need to ask then you probably shouldn't.

Any marina in Europe will require to sight your insurance and licence, this is to protect the moored boats with a claimable policy should you cause damage by your actions or by say a fire emanating from your boat. And so too will the local Polizia for you to attain a cruising permit/license/vinette.

Not sure "anchoring out" in an European winter is a goer, a boat of that size with your experience would probably need 4 crew total. crew may be hard to keep, heating will be an issue and you cannot leave on anchor.......

My wife and i just purchased a cat in extremely good condition, it is loaded with gear yet we need to budget a further 25k in to gear up to be safe crossing oceans, if your interior is neglected check what maintenence has been done because for the price and size of the boat your looking at somethings wrong. 10 k may be just a starter.

Being honest with you not having a go at you tred carefully.........

A boat of that size with your experience would probably need 4 crew total.

[Lagoon4us]

Forget it, thats a good project boat if it was nearby to you or if you intended taking up residence there and provided it's sound..

I'd worry about the rudder stiffening to the lower bearing/sugar scoop joints/rot/delamination etc etc, get a visual floating survey it may answer many many hypotheticals money well spent......

[tmoney]

I do plan to take up residence there. I dont need to get back to the US soon just within a year or 2. I am back and forth on the idea of just buying a smaller prout or something to get started then in a few years if/when the cat market comes down more I will trade up. At the same time this is a great deal (depending) and the only thing stopping me is the experience (which sucks, and we all have to get experience somehow)

[Lagoon4us]

If that boat was nearby then yes id look at it with a view to rebuilding it. Overseas no i wouldn't take on the heartache, your Prout idea is the way to go. Look at a 32ft mono that needs work, learn as much as you can, plan and have a go.

Sail it, sell it and do another one THAT'S the way to get experience and understanding. Re-building will need you to get a good understanding of GRP, Rudder/bearing systems, engines/mounts and couplings. SS/Rigging, Electrics and instrumentation the list goes on BUT none of it is rocket science and there's one thing in this game there is always plenty of advice.
The trait you will need is tenacity to carry through with the tasks. never ever strip all at once just list tasks do them and tick them off, don't deviate from the list or you will not complete.
The boat in the pictures looks like 3years work for an amateur at least......

[Rapanui]

Tmoney, the boat looks to have great potential, the issue is the time a money to realise it. Key will be can you find somewhere affordable to work on it ashore and then afloat. As many people have said, mooring a big cat in the Med is usually horrendously expensive, but presumably the boat is moored/stored somewhere affordable at present so the first attack would be to see if you could continue that. Alternatives would be ge the boat stored ashore or find a swinging mooring maybe sublet from a local. Paying a visit to the local yacht clubs could turn up something.

As to time, while its not quite as big as a house, sorting the boat would take as long as renovating one given that nothing is square and difficult to get at.

Looking at it rationally, something like a Prout 35 makes more sense to me. Its not as stylish, but it works and they are a known proposition. There are several at UK Multihull World advertised as up together in the region of £30k Welcome to MultiHull World - Catamaran, catamaran for sale,trimaran,prout,heavenly twins,patterson,summer twins,sirroco,catana,outremer,nautitech, privilege, solaris, sunbeam, Dean, Catalac, Lagoon, Multimarine,Voyager,fountaine pajot, Edel,multihull I have used this company once to buy in France and once to sell to Germany do not hesitate to recommend them. They seem to be the biggest multi brokers in the world, have lots of associated brokers abroad and don't make much fuss about buying abroad. Talk to Mark Elliott.

[MacG]

That is a project boat taking works for a year at a minimum. My own boat with a humble loa of 33 ft is already keeping me busy since November 2011 and I am still not finished!

My latest list looks as follows:

2 x mast railings, 25 x 2 with brackets, polished stainless 316, Euro 525,--

SS additional dieseltank, 150 ltrs, ss ball valve etc., Euro 550,--

2 SS steel frames for cocpitseats, polished tube 30 mm, Euro 550,--

Hydraulic autopilot + system approx Euro 5000,-- including all works (cannot do that myself).

Tmoney, that boat of yours needs megaworks and megabucks. Look for a better opportunity .

[tmoney]

Anyone in Italy? I have been looking for jobs and such. The boat can stay where it is for pretty cheap (on land) And my wife will stay in the states working and funding the boat while I work on it and get her ready. I really do want to move forward with this. What are the majors this thing needs from the pictures you see.

[Chuteman]

I found that "boat" on YW after your description outline last week.
You are one brave dude.

If You like that one - then this one in your backyard (San Diego) should be right up your alley + you do not learn to speak Italian, not that there is anything wrong with it

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ran-84008.html

[tmoney]

I actually turned that one in SF down. The rigging and sails alone are a $50,000 expense. The one in Italy granted is $50,000 more but its got all interior a new engine and wasnt home made so its easier to sell/lend on. What makes me one brave dude? Elaborate what are your thoughts with the boat not with me.