I'm Walking Away from my Boat

[Bash]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

All the best.


Mark

Markj! You're back!

That last walkabout was waaaaay too long.

(Apologies for the thread drift. Back on topic, a reliable surveyor is gold in the bank.)

[Jim Cate]

When we bought this boat I hired a surveyor. But first I had spent two full days crawling through her... had all the cabin sole out, checked the tanks, the electrics (as much as one can tied up), ran the engine under load, slept in the berth that we would use when owners, cooked a meal or two and so on. I felt that I knew the boat pretty well by then, and I trusted the PO (the shipwright who had built the boat) to be an honest man.

When it came time for the official survey, we slipped the boat and the MAN showed up.
He had no knowledge of my previous activities. He wasn't interested in doing any of the things that I had felt to be essential. Spent about two hours saying things like "wow, this is a really nice yacht", and listing all the equipment on board on a form and taking digital photos. He then disappeared, and the next day brought me a glossy "report of survey", complete with complimentary commentary.

I suppose that if I had been planning to buy hull insurance the insurer would have been happy with the document, but for me it was USELESS. Fortunately, the boat turned out to be as good as I had thought, the PO was as honest as I thought, and we have had no surprises (that the survey should have caught) in the nine years we've owned her.

I was lucky!

You may not be, and the sort of survey we had won't help you a bit. So, putting as much time in researching and selecting the surveyor as you can is a good investment.

Cheers,

Jim

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Bash

Markj! You're back!

That last walkabout was waaaaay too long.

(Apologies for the thread drift. Back on topic, a reliable surveyor is gold in the bank.)

That is the hard part!

And do they know this particular boat?

Ditto for Markj.

[weto]

You sound like a decent human, hope the best for you.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

One of the best lessons I learned in business was "What would Kerry Do?"

Kerry Packer, Australia's richest man and he didn't suffer fools. He could sack people for no apparent reason and his swearing tirades were legendary.

But he knew when to cut a loss.

Ages ago I had a manufacturing company (yes, very funny for those that know what I "normally" did). I would sit in the office and wonder what Kerry would do if he burst through the doors and demanded to see the books.

No sentimentality, not philosophical works just F$&@ You give me the Books.

One day when I had owned the business long enough to know the books were correct I asked in my mind what Kerry would do. He "told" me to GET RID OF IT!"
I did. And at a nice profit.
But he was right. I could never have made money due to circumstances that "he" could see... Without sentimentality affecting his judgement.

If you change the theme of this from money to Happiness, then think: is it going to make you happy to keep this boat? Or is it better to cut your losses, flog it off to some dill, and buy a boat that will make you happy?

I know my answer.


All the best.


Mark

A friend and I still ask each other "WWDonDo".... meaning what would our ex boss and mentor do? He was one hard case and one smart SOB! My buddy started working for me out on the shop floor out of college. Now he's... well ..... something above all the CEO's of semi large companies in the western US owned by the mother corp.
Although I dont trust surveyors explicitly, they always seem to find one thing I didnt think of..... and I think a lot!

[jmcdboater]

We're a huge group of folks, with MANY different opinions about how to go about boating..... When to start, how to start, whether to keep going on, when to quit, whether to quit, how to quit.....etc..... None correct OR incorrect, that's just the way we're wired. And not even Dr. Phil can explain why.....

[DSDman]

Virginia Boy,
I don't know if you are even still reading the forum or not but I certainly feel your pain. The admiral saw my growing frustration with not making the progress I wanted and the enormous amounts of money required and she called a halt to my obsessive activities on the boat for at least the month of December. She doesn't even want me to go out and look at it. Although I think I'm going to sneak out and check on her this weekend. But she was exactly right. I needed the break. I have been reflecting and running numbers and talking to the kids about it and college cost, their desires and basically just trying to make a rational decision based on the family desires. We bought it as a family, worked on it and actually got to sail it some as a family. Because I can't leave stuff half done I will continue to work on it this winter...no matter what, I will recommision the boat in the spring and I may sell, or I may just sail. I'm still trying to separate ego from prudence. Not having much luck yet. I do like working on boats, still can't decide if I can afford a 60 footer out not... The whole idea sure is cool though!

[Irish rambler]

I think Jim Cate's post above is very very good advice, a surveyor will not lift floorboards, or look in all the out of way nooks and crannies or test the systems as thoroughly. Buy with the wallet not the heart ! There's also a post on this forum by a very helpful surveyor and you can download the same checklist he uses via the link. Maybe I'm an grumpy old fart but I read on here of people agonizing as to what the kids would think if they headed off cruising, who's going to pay for their lifestyle, college, cars, holidays etc. You give your kids the precious gift of life, you raise them from birth and give them the very best education and lifestyle you can but by the time they reach 21 it's time for them to have moved out and they should be completely independant and only need ocassional advice, if they take a financial knock, let them work out of it themselves,they won't do it again. You've done your bit, got the money, got the boat, got the urge, for me it's a no brainer....I apologize if I've been too abrupt but I'm a straight talking guy, not to cause offence but simply to cut the ******** and concentrate the mind. (I'll probably get banned from here now !)

[DSDman]

Nope I don't think that is harsh at all. Makes perfect sense to me. My kids are not quite that old however, still early teens and one about to start college. If I were eight years down the road and all three done with college, I'd be singing a completely different tune. A big part of the reason I bought the boat was to get them involved with something bigger than themselves and work outside as a team, those reasons are still there they are just competing with our desire to send each one to college and let them start life without a huge college debt. And some other variables.... Its a conundrum!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Irish rambler

I think Jim Cate's post above is very very good advice, a surveyor will not lift floorboards, or look in all the out of way nooks and crannies or test the systems as thoroughly. Buy with the wallet not the heart ! There's also a post on this forum by a very helpful surveyor and you can download the same checklist he uses via the link. Maybe I'm an grumpy old fart but I read on here of people agonizing as to what the kids would think if they headed off cruising, who's going to pay for their lifestyle, college, cars, holidays etc. You give your kids the precious gift of life, you raise them from birth and give them the very best education and lifestyle you can but by the time they reach 21 it's time for them to have moved out and they should be completely independent and only need ocassional advice, if they take a financial knock, let them work out of it themselves,they won't do it again. You've done your bit, got the money, got the boat, got the urge, for me it's a no brainer....I apologize if I've been too abrupt but I'm a straight talking guy, not to cause offence but simply to cut the ******** and concentrate the mind. (I'll probably get banned from here now !)

+A1..
Lots of procrastinators around...
Then there's those who love to talk the dream but are scared to take the life changing (to them... but life goes on) chance so grasp at the 'Responsibilities' as valid reasons for not going for it... suffering is pleasurable to some.. it becomes a lifestyle..
But S*!!t... its not much different to moving to another town... or even a Hymer... new faces, new places... just not as much grass..
Challenges are the fruit of life... no challenge... no point...

[jmcdboater]

O Lord, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference......interpret this to mean....do I live aboard, do I get a larger fixer-upper, do I get a smaller already fixed up, how can I spend more time aboard if I'm not able to live aboard? FIGURE it out, the only true meaning in life is found in our dreams, and fulfilling those dreams. That will come with challenges, and as we ALL have already experienced....any challenge that doesn't break your resolve only makes you stronger. Just stay on the water...... Where land ends....life begins !!

[Irish rambler]

Glad I'm not alone in my direct approach to life.

[olaf hart]

Had a great surveyor in Sydney, Oz, did a good job, and if the client hung around would take them right through the boat, systems and engine.
Good advice on maintenance too.

Recently bought a new boat in another city, we flew him in for the day and paid him for a full day to survey the boat.

Money well spent, I thought the boat was worth the trouble and it was.

Just remember to get a rigger up the mast as well before you buy the boat. The two year old forestay had four broken strands at the masthead.

[Wavewacker]

DSDman, I'd say if you're giving your boat away I'd be hard pressed to keep her in the life style she has become accustomed to, but I could try, LOL. Keep her!

Boatman61, I'm with you I believe, I'm not sure about the "lifestyle" but I understand the living on a boat part. I'm still stuck on the biker lifestyle stuff, mainly when I ride not so much at home.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

Had a great surveyor in Sydney, Oz, did a good job, and if the client hung around would take them right through the boat, systems and engine.
Good advice on maintenance too.

Recently bought a new boat in another city, we flew him in for the day and paid him for a full day to survey the boat.

Money well spent, I thought the boat was worth the trouble and it was.

Just remember to get a rigger up the mast as well before you buy the boat. The two year old forestay had four broken strands at the masthead.

Survey a brand new sailboat? Is that commonly done? I have purchased several new cars in my day, never had a mechanic look one over first.