Irma Salvage Sales?? Where to find?

[Dr. Sea]

I'm sure you know to be extra careful in buying a salvaged boat. There are many degrees of "salvage." Visible damages are not the only damages to beware of. Corrosion or salt water absorption doesn't always show up immediately. Be especially skeptical about rigging and electrical systems. My Beneteau 50 was a Constructive Total Loss in Irma. The boat was still floating, mast was still standing, rigging was still in place. I wouldn't trust the rigging to carry a sail without it being replaced. Hundreds of boats were lined up side by side in Paraquita Bay. The violent surging of the water and wind banged the rigging of the boats together. The hull had two small holes in it. One was not very significant but the other one was near the chainplates, which could affect the integrity of the rig.

Can my former boat be successfully salvaged and put into use again? Of course, but a buyer needs to be aware of the money and/or time he will have to spend on the boat to be confident of it. If its intended use is island hopping in the Caribbean or up and down the US coast, it can be a great boat. If you want to take it or one like it offshore, then that's another question.

If the seller tells you about all the wonderful refitting that has already been done on the boat, demand to see the receipts and know who did the work. Otherwise, walk away.

One more warning: marine surveyors. Having formal credentials is not the same as being competent. Choose your surveyor extremely carefully, follow him like a shadow while he conducts the survey, and be sure to point him to any areas you have concern about.

I think there will be some real bargains in the salvaged boats for the right person--meaning someone who can do his own work or can get work done at prices well below boatyard prices. My bigger concern is for the people who will pay normal prices for salvaged boats that have disguised their salvage history.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sea

I think there will be some real bargains in the salvaged boats for the right person--meaning someone who can do his own work or can get work done at prices well below boatyard prices.

My gut tells me that the easily salvaged boats will kept/traded among the onsite or local people (eg the 'budget' charter fleets), and the available 'real bargains' will be snapped up by the insiders on the ground there.

The boats that make it to general auction or sales will be, as you say, potentially great for knowledgeable and handy people who have the time and resources to restore them themselves. If you don't have such knowledge and the deep pockets for the restoration (or the iron constitution to go to sea with a possibly damaged rig or compromised structure)... you should probably steer clear of storm boats.

[Flyingriki]

How about just parts? Is anybody buying up electronics etc. and reselling them or is it still tied up with insurance etc.....?

[Dymaxion]

Have a look on FleaBay for some salvage gems. One boat got up around $7000 bid when another auction of the same boat showed up as a warning of the true extent of damage with copy of insurance write off notes included. Ironically the warning auction had 9 bidders when I last saw it.

[shayski]

Harborshopper.com has a pretty wide variety of damaged boats from Irma, I've been watching it closely myself. Just not sure if I want to make that commitment and then have the travel issues with the repairs between the Islands and Ohio.

[CSY Man]

Here is one.
Passed it today on the ICW SE FL.
I can give you the coordinates and probably free if you move salvage it.

[CSY Man]

Another one, not an Irma victim. It sank it it’s own 2 days ago in Fort Lauderdale.
Note to self: if you are going to ignore and abuse your boat, at least close the sea cocks and keep bilge pumps and batteries in good working order.
Simple, really..