How Many Boats Did You Look at Before Buying ?

[sailorboy1]

When you were looking for your current boat; how many did you go to look at in person? I have read a lot of posts of people looking for their boat and some seem to have been doing this a long time and have looked at many, many boats. Today I read a post where someone said they had looked at a 100 boats, I find this just amazing.

When I was shopping last year I think I visited a total of 10 boats. But some were just shown to me as "extras" at the yard by the broker and I only made appointments to see a total of 4 different boats. And in the end I got the first 1 I had looked at, which was a good reason why I looked at that 1 first to compare others aganist.

So when shopping for your current boat, or in your current search for your boat - how many boats have you gone to see in person (don't count ones you may have looked at while at the marina/yard that you hadn't planned to on the trip).

[Bash]

I'd say somewhere in the range of 20 or 30 thousand. Really. And I've purchased my absolutely-last-ever-boat of a lifetime twice now. Not including kayaks, of course.

[maxingout]

When we purchased our Privilege 39 catamaran, we went to the Miami Boat Show, and looked at three or four catamarans at the show. The Privilege 48 was too big and too expensive. We checked out one smaller catamaran.

We then chartered the Privilege 39 in the BVI, and the smaller catamaran in another location.

That convinced us that we wanted to go with the Privilege 39 for our circumnavigation. We placed our order for Exit Only, and the rest is history.

[Doodles]

We physically looked at less than 10 I think. With the internet sites you can eliminate a lot that in the past you may have gone and taken a look at.

[SaltyMonkey]

I think it's your personal approach, really. I'm going out to see boats that I am not necessarily interested to buy (could be in bad shape), but to get familiar with a particular model which is on my "potential model list". Looking at specs and pictures is not enough to tell you anything. When you see them in person you find things that are surprising, for example finding a large nav station that you imagined, or perhaps you come away thinking you could not handle her size alone when you originally thought you could etc. These small visits rarely last 30 - 40 minutes, and I let the brokers know ahead of time its a quick visit and a long buying search. They don't have a problem.

[shadow]

We are actually still searching, but we have definitely narrowed the list down considerably. As stated in past and other posts, we've come nearly full circle as I wanted a mono-hull from the beginning, we went from a power yacht cruiser to trawler, then we thought a cat will do us for certain reasons. Then we headed back to the mono-hull but with a pilothouse/deckhouse feature..

It does get to a point when all the yachts start blending together and we just want to get on a yacht and be done with it... Can't wait....

[FxdGrMind]

I found a list of 5 and made a trip to see them all.
Started with "Bad" and got worse from there, I started looking at other boats at the same marina's... just to see if I picked 5 loozers... Nope.. there were more...
I got so discouraged by the end of a very long day and lots of driving in the car. Then the "Last One"... OMG this was it. I had found it!

Now as I look for a bigger boat for "the trip".... I find that I'm thinking the same thing.... I'm looking for a needle in a haystack. Yea I'm not looking for a 200K boat here. Something in my price range and boat type/desired characteristics. Guess I'll just have to keep and eye out and be ready to pull the trigger when I find her.

[Don1500]

" Guess I'll just have to keep and eye out and be ready to pull the trigger when I find her."

That's the main thing, Until you are ready to pull the trigger all you're doing is looking. The boat you said "That's the one!" to today, will be sold tomorrow. I have found at least 5 I would not hesitate to fly to to look at, if I was ready to "pull the trigger". But I'm not so I just hope one or two are still available when I am ready. Note: Of the top two, One is in Lake Erie and one is in Kingstown, St. Vincent. That's a trip!

[SearenitySail]

I had narrowed my choices down. First choice was Lagoon 35ccc and second choice was FP Tobago 35. Seriously looked at five (3 T35s and 2 L35s) in person and had three surveyed before purchasing the fifth one (third one surveyed). Search took about 2 years from the first to the last.

In my survey count, I am not counting the new Gemini 105 and new TomCat 9.7 we looked at quite extensively (1-2 hours each) at the 2006 Annapolis Boat Show, as I am not sure we were seriously considering them. I think we spent as much time on them as we did to convince ourselves that the two choices we had limited our search to were correct. We decided we preferred our two used choices.

I am also not counting the countless boats I followed and/or dreamed about on Yachtworld.com for years or the Leopard/Moorings 3800/38 I made a ridiculously low offer on because it had been for sale for so long. (I figured, what the heck--nothing to lose!)

Marshall

BTW, we flew from Long Island, NY to Everett, WA to see boat #5 -- the one we bought. And we found it because I put a boat wanted ad in a magazine and the owner called me!

[SaltyMonkey]

Well thats the other thing. Their asking is X and your budget is Y but low, you like the boat so submit an offer anyway. Thats all you have. No shame in that.

[marting]

My boat found me. I knew what I needed in a boat and the price range I was willing to pay. So I let every boat broker I met and all my sailing friends know what I was looking for. The next thing I know I received an email from one of my friends showing me a listing of the boat that we ended up buying. It helps to have many eyes looking for you.

[Doodles]

I wonder how many wished they had looked a little longer.

You know, the "perfect" boat came along after they pulled the trigger.

Seems these days the deals just get better and better. I bought a year ago and today I see boats that wouldn't have been in my price range a year ago. Oh, well such is life.

[shadow]

I would also like to add that everything looks GREAT on paper or on the web.. And we've seen several yachts that really fit our checklist and would even enjoy a little project to bring it up to our standards.. But, we are truly waiting for a yacht to "grab us" at that very moment.. It's the old, "We'll know it when we see" type of scenario..

[AquatiCat]

One, seriously. We had been "looking" for a few years but due to job commitments, were unable to offer until this spring. We knew the few models in which we were most interested, and when we found one that looked like it might be a good fit, we inquired. Seller was motivated, so I flew from Seattle to Florida to see the boat and have it surveyed.

It was the right boat, in terms of what my husband had studied rather carefully to select. And it seemed to me that it can be quite liveable, given some interior magic. In practice, there are two diesel engines taking up what would otherwise be passageway space, and that is an annoyance, but he wanted the safety of redundancy, and I have to agree; this is not our first used boat, and it can be downright dangerous losing the engine at the wrong time (and as you all know, it's not always the right time to whip out a sail). Exciting. I am still not having buyer's remorse, but then again we finally closed today :-)

[EllanVannin]

Eight in total once we were seriously looking with cash in the bank. Over a period of 19 months and a distance of 1000 kms between brokerages. Researched hundreds over the years via internet, brokerages, mags, walking round marinas which meant we really knew what we wanted.

Of those eight only 3 were taken past a ten minute look see, we knew within minutes if the boat fit the rather long check list of must haves, would likes and yes, I know I'm dreaming requirements. Made an offer which was refused on the first of the 3, which made it uneconomic to buy as too much to be repaired. Second boat we looked at for 12 months before deciding to put an offer in as we just felt uneasy about the lifting keel, it sold that day to another. Third time lucky we were shown this boat, went through the process and are happy as larry.