Purchasing a seized boat in France

[Floating around]

Well it’s a new day here, thanks for all the comments. It has certainly tempered my enthusiasm.
I will follow this through a bit further and see what comes of it. Will keep you all in the loop. I personally hate coming across threads where the op just disappears so I will for sure “finish it off”
Currently at my desk trying to focus on work but can see her out the window. Not good for a productive day!

[Floating around]

Originally Posted by Chuck34

FWIW…
It has often been said….the most expensive boats you can own are the ones acquired for free or next to free.
You can easily spend many thousands of $$$ on just sails, canvas and rigging and that’s before tackling any problems…engine, deck issues, bottom issues, wiring, plumbing, fuel tank, water tank, waste tank, upholstery….the list is long.

There is allot of truth in that. And to be honest I have bought many secondhand items that ended up costing similar to new by the time I had finished rebuilding them.

[double u]

just the idea of totally re-wireing a 45' boat sends shivers...
engine: shot
hidden damages (keel structure, soggy core, delaminations due to hits and/or bad storing,...)
(sails & running rigging would rate as the cheapest & easiest fixed items...)
If you were young, penniless & the boat would be 30' I'd say "go for it!", but thw way you describe it I say "Run!"

[Floating around]

Originally Posted by skipperpete

That’s a valid and frequent observation, some folks have no manual skills and are doomed to fail with a restoration from the start however , I’ve seen many many successes in France, Malaysia and Australia. Age has a lot to do with accomplishing the goal and in France on my marina hardstand young people are doing refurbs on €3,000 boats with great success. There are dock sales and used equipment chandleries to buy all the bits and pieces at rock bottom prices and young people work really hard to get out sailing.

Thanks for your input. You are quite correct, many dreamers out there. I suspect allot of them have moved on to “van life” honestly I’m probably a bit on the dreamer side as well……. But, I do have a good knowledge of boats and repair from my day job. Currently don’t a quick 6 week yard period on a larger yacht.

[jeanathon]

Originally Posted by Floating around

Currently at my desk trying to focus on work but can see her out the window. Not good for a productive day!

Haha. Sounds like a woman leading you by her finger. You are doneso!

[Floating around]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

Haha. Sounds like a woman leading you by her finger. You are doneso!

You are not wrong.

[Madehn]

People generally don’t abandon valuable assets. They sell them for whatever they can get even if it is at a reduced amount. Personally I believe the odds of getting a “sound good basics “ boat that needs some TLC and medium money from a salvage or repossession situation are similar to walking the beach and finding manatee teeth. Yes I suppose it could happen but I’ve never seen it. One thing. If you want a relatively cheap boat for some day sailing it might be possible. Turning one into a true blue water cruiser better have very very deep pockets and a lot of time.

[Floating around]

Originally Posted by Madehn

People generally don’t abandon valuable assets. They sell them for whatever they can get even if it is at a reduced amount. Personally I believe the odds of getting a “sound good basics “ boat that needs some TLC and medium money from a salvage or repossession situation are similar to walking the beach and finding manatee teeth. Yes I suppose it could happen but I’ve never seen it. One thing. If you want a relatively cheap boat for some day sailing it might be possible. Turning one into a true blue water cruiser better have very very deep pockets and a lot of time.

You are quite correct. Someone worked hard to afford the boat and generally wouldn’t just give it away. There are always exceptions of course and I hope this is one. Not to forget that not all seized boats are abandoned due to apathy. Some come around due to legal issues or a multitude of other obscure reasons.
I expect that she was a good sound boat when left and not even particularly old. Plenty of signs of a loved boat, things like little leather covers stitched on turnbuckles. Things I expect that she didn’t come with from the factory. She has had a bit of a rough time since.
But who knows. Still digging for info.

FYI the manatee teeth are on the shelf beside the hens teeth.😂

Not looking for a classic blue water cruising boat, been there, got the t shirt! But also not a day boat. A zip around the med and maybe as far as the Caribbean. But don’t really enjoy long passages so once across the Atlantic with her would be enough. I’ve done a few crossings of the Atlantic but only twice on a sailboat, going 90d to our destination for 5 days wound me up a bit! Much prefer doing 16knots straight across!

[Floating around]

Well, a bit of an update. It seems that despite having sat “abandoned” for 5 years it is not currently for sale. There is a court case ongoing that is preventing anything from happening until it is settled. No idea what it is about or how far along it is. Will leave my details with the yard manager in the hope of being notified when it becomes available. It could be years. So for now, story over. Thanks for all the comments. It’s a great community.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You need serious French lawyers on board for this. The specifics of its seizure are very important. Most importantly you must be 100% sure any lien on the vessel is discharged and you are 100% sure.

Personally I don’t see why your bothering.

Could never see why some think it's such a great deal?

[JPA Cate]

It could be a great idea, and that's much of the appeal.

goboatingnow's 3rd warning is still valid, too.

I'm of the opinion that possibly the engine is okay. No real reason to assume otherwise. And if the original owner was really a care-taking kind of fellow who valued his investment, he would have seen that the engine had its routine maintenance.

I'm sure some of it is sun-damaged, but nor is France a tropical destination, hence, lower sun angles.

We probably won't have any idea of the prices, but if this boat is a "steal", and the interior isn't trashed, then most of what needs doing is running rigging, and possibly sails before he can go sailing; then take on jobs when and as money to do them becomes available. It could be worse. But there are second hand sails in the world, and that will save him some ready cash. Really high quality new set of sails might be over the top, but serviceable ones that get him on the water, not so bad.

It all depends on the total condition of the boat and if it ever had a hard grounding. If the inner liner came unglued from an event like that, then the repair is deeply expensive and time consuming. For me, it would be a "walk away" moment. There's a thread here (use the CF Custom Google Search) about such a repair done on a Waukiez, iirc. Involved an owner who loved his boat and <minaret>, boat fixer extraordinaire.

Ann

[ktbaker]

Just my experience resurrecting a semi abandoned boat
I bought a Catalina 22 from the bottom of the River in Pennsylvania. The owner was sitting on the doc looking at the mast sticking out of the water. I made a nothing offer and he grabbed it.
I refloated it knowing it sunk due to a broken hatch and a bad Moring ball tie off. cleaned the interior thoroughly and dried everything out. Then the costs started. Hull was fine centerboard was fine. Mast and Rigging were fine. Everything else not fine. Outboard was not fixable. foredeck was mushy. Got used parts whenever possible. new Foredeck hatch and entire foredeck cut out and the Plywood replaced and re-glassed. new sails new lines and much else. when I was done I had a very nice weekender that cost more than twice what I could have bought a really nice boat for. I did it knowing that is what would happen and I did all the work myself for the experience. Ended up with a wife out of the deal and a lot of fun sailing the Chesapeake. And all this on a little 22 footer. I was young and dumb and enjoyed doing it but
Never again.

[Catalacmarc]

Abandoned boats can sit for a god awful long time running down while their title is sorted out. Boats involved in divorces, court settlements and estates can sit and rot before they ever get sold. Tried to buy a nice Ingrid at one time and the bank would not sell it, holding out on it like it was a rare diamond til it was a mess. Then there are title and lein issues, if ist was seized in franc but titled in Norway or England with leins against it in the country of origin, what would happen?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Catalacmarc

Abandoned boats can sit for a god awful long time running down while their title is sorted out. Boats involved in divorces, court settlements and estates can sit and rot before they ever get sold. Tried to buy a nice Ingrid at one time and the bank would not sell it, holding out on it like it was a rare diamond til it was a mess. Then there are title and lein issues, if ist was seized in franc but titled in Norway or England with leins against it in the country of origin, what would happen?

Seized in France it’s under French law end of story. Flag state is irrelevant