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22-05-2015, 13:14
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Minneapolis,MN,USA
Boat: Fountain Pajot Isla 40
Posts: 12
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Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Hello,
I am planning on flying to Florida soon to look at some catamarans in Titusville, Ft Lauderdale and Marco Island for a week. I am looking for recommendations for boat brokers and Marine Surveyors. And generally do they travel across FL? Is it easy to work with one person for all locations? How booked out are surveyors and brokers? I would rather see the boats first and determine which one I want surveyed and then be around to shadow the survey in progress.
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22-05-2015, 13:24
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Winters cruising; summers Chesapeake Bay
Boat: Catana 471
Posts: 1,239
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Hi ED-M - I can recommend a good cat broker if you PM me, but why do you think you need one? Are you a novice? Otherwise, contact the listing broker of boats you research yourself. Be your own broker and you may be able to reduce the selling price because the listing broker won't have to share his/her commission with anyone.
Dave
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23-05-2015, 03:40
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#3
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,139
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Ed.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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23-05-2015, 04:54
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#4
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Ocean Springs, MS
Posts: 279
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
My advice:
create a short list of boats in which you are interested by going by yourself and having a look. This site, Marine Survey 101, will give you some tips in how to eliminate obvious problem boats:
Marine Survey 101, Do your own marine survey
Then, once you have a short list, it's well worth flying in the best surveyor you can find. BTW, never choose a surveyor who is recommended by a broker. Our experience was extremely good with Mike Firestone of Port Aransas TX - he is experienced with multihulls in particular. Mike is very busy, you'll probably have to wait on him (which tells you something) but give him a call and see how he'll work out travelling around.
We used to have a Farrier trimaran, and thus we are friends with the dealer of Windcraft Multihulls, Don Wigston. Don helped us with the boat purchase (even tho he's a Corsair dealer) acting as our broker both on the sale of our Farrier and on the purchase of the new cat. Don is honest and decent in a world full of people who aren't.
Be damned careful who you hire as broker and surveyor. I am acquainted with a case in which a fella is spending a year or more and thousands of dollars on a refit he should have known was coming at purchase. b. WARE
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23-05-2015, 05:14
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Tilloo Cay, Abaco, Bahamas
Boat: Catalina 42
Posts: 186
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Broker: Kevin Welch 321.693.1642
Survey: Michael Cunningham 321.622.8132
Kevin's very knowledgeable on catamarans.
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23-05-2015, 08:40
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SC
Boat: None,build the one shown of glass, had many from 6' to 48'.
Posts: 10,208
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Vet the surveyor you select well. Ask to see some copies of some previous reports it may give you an idea of what they provide. If I appear cynical it's because I paid for one years ago and received a typed report of what I had told him. JMHO
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23-05-2015, 09:16
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Laying Palmetto, Fl.
Boat: Island Packet 350
Posts: 123
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
727-403-5456/Gary Monnell, Whitaker Yachts in Palmetto, Fl. Excellent firm with a stellar reputation among Island Packet owners.
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23-05-2015, 09:30
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Palm Bay, Fl.
Boat: 1988 Heritage East Sundeck 36'
Posts: 64
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
I too will recommend Kevin Welch with Edward Yacht Sales. Further I will caution you to be careful about the surveyor you choose. We had a very bad experience with one from the Daytona area recently. Kevin knows who he is.
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23-05-2015, 16:29
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: On my boat
Boat: Custom 70’ pilot house
Posts: 170
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
I highly recommend Kirk Muter from Edwards Yacht Sales.
He is the only one I would ever trust with recommending or dealing with any boat for us.
954-649-4679
Good luck!
Ron
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25-05-2015, 06:30
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 413
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
namsglobal.org
usually two weeks notice is more than ample.
arrange with a boatyard a noon hang to have the surveyor inspect the bottom.
do not take anyone the broker recommend
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25-05-2015, 10:44
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Ocala FL
Boat: 1979 Bristol 35.5 CB
Posts: 1,953
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Just the luck of the draw but I've had a couple of very good surveys from NAMS and a couple of unhelpful ones from SAMS. NAMS has much more rigid criteria for certification.
__________________
John Churchill Ocala, FL
NURDLE, 1979 Bristol 35.5 CB
Currently hauled out ashore Summerfield FL for refit
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25-05-2015, 11:56
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Minneapolis,MN,USA
Boat: Fountain Pajot Isla 40
Posts: 12
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Thank you for all the recommendations. I will be making some calls next week. Greatly appreciated!
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25-05-2015, 19:02
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Fairfield Harbour, New Bern, NC
Boat: Down East 45 Brigantine schooner
Posts: 1,322
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
I’ve employed many “marine surveyors” in England and American to look at boats I’ve bought, or not bought, and I wouldn’t give you twopence for any of them!
All of them missed some crucial issues, which I spotted, or found out to my dismay afterwards.
Why do you think they have disclaimer clauses in their agreements?
Whether novice or not, you are far better to get informed and take a long hard look at any boat you fancy, by yourself, or with somebody you know is on your side, and not being paid.
I visited the last boat I bought five times, and practically took it to pieces. The selling broker became really pissed, but I got to the bottom of the major faults, and negotiated a fresh deal myself.
The last broker I was forced to engage, for an insurance quote, was mentioned on this thread, and he came up with a ridiculously reduced value for my boat, which screwed me on the insured value. My boat is now under insured in the event of a total loss and I can’t do anything about it—except engage a new “surveyor” and bribe him to give an increased value. Believe me, they are "persuadable".
My advice is to keep well away from all of them.
__________________
Visit Britannia's website, containing published articles about some innovative things that have been done to the boat over the past twelve years.
www.schooner-britannia.com.
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26-05-2015, 05:52
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Melbourne, Florida
Boat: 1995 CATALINA 320 formerly Catamaran owner
Posts: 192
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Thanks Moon Chaser. He wasn't surveyor I've heard of before your incident but I'm aware of him now. He doesn't seem very competent in handling a boat.
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11-06-2015, 06:23
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#15
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: South Florida and the Caribbean
Boat: Former owner of a 2001 34' Gemini 105MC Catamaran
Posts: 158
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Re: Broker and Surveyor recommendations
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cadence
Vet the surveyor you select well. Ask to see some copies of some previous reports it may give you an idea of what they provide. If I appear cynical it's because I paid for one years ago and received a typed report of what I had told him. JMHO
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As a surveyor, I agree. Interview the surveyor, ask to see copies of previous reports, verify his professional affiliations. There are very good surveyors out there that treat their businesses and trade like a skilled craft, and others that run their business like a money hustle and know very little about anything boat related. Trust me I have seen both.
__________________
Capt. John Banister, AMS®
SAMS® Accredited Marine Surveyor
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
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