Things to ask when buying a boat out of state

[JBP]

Ideally, you could get a friend in the location to do a pre-survey, maybe even someone on this forum would go look at a boat for you before you invest the time and money to see what might be a clear dud.

[mvweebles]

When I saw the post suggesting a pre-survey inspection, I thought the poster meant hiring a surveyor to spend an hour or so on the boat, not a full survey. A few hundred bucks for an 'informed drive-by.'

Another option - Maybe ask if there is a CF member in the FLL area who wouldn't mind pre-viewing the boat for you (I see JBP beat me to it...). I've done it a few times for folks. Always fun to press some boat-flesh.

Good luck -

[ZFG]

Originally Posted by JBP

Ideally, you could get a friend in the location to do a pre-survey, maybe even someone on this forum would go look at a boat for you before you invest the time and money to see what might be a clear dud.

Originally Posted by mvweebles

When I saw the post suggesting a pre-survey inspection, I thought the poster meant hiring a surveyor to spend an hour or so on the boat, not a full survey. A few hundred bucks for an 'informed drive-by.'

Another option - Maybe ask if there is a CF member in the FLL area who wouldn't mind pre-viewing the boat for you (I see JBP beat me to it...). I've done it a few times for folks. Always fun to press some boat-flesh.

Good luck -

shoot if there's someone in the Green Cove Springs FL area that knows the boat or can go take a look, ill buy you a nice dinner if I come to buy the boat, or if the boat is a red flag ill venmo you enough to take yourself to a nice dinner

Should I make a new thread for that? Anyone in particular come to mind?

[mvweebles]

I'd start a new thread. Something like Help! Preview a boat for me Green Cove Spgs FL. Maybe ask for name of a surveyor too for pre-check.

Good luck.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by ZFG

Hello CF, long time reader, first time posting.

I am boat shopping for cruising sailboats (80s, 40-44 ft, sloop rigged, 100K budget) the East Coast, and I live in the Western US.

Before I get on a plane and fly to look at a boat, I want to have some purchase agreement signed (contingent on inspection and survey of course) and a deposit made so i have some assurance its not getting sold out from under me and I waste my time and money traveling.

The way I did this when boat shopping is that I lined up a trip to see several boats. I did not put any money down or sign anything. Boats sell slowly, yes there's a risk your preferred boat will be sold out from under you, but that worked well for us.


I think, mentally, it is important to avoid focusing on one particular boat until seeing the boat in person.


You may be able to arrange for the broker to perform a real-time video walkthough with you, which might help understand the overall condition of the boat.


As a seller, when I have sold boats, I have generally found out-of-town buyers who want me to take the boat off the market for them while they arrange travel to be more trouble than they are worth.

[ZFG]

Originally Posted by Jammer

The way I did this when boat shopping is that I lined up a trip to see several boats. I did not put any money down or sign anything. Boats sell slowly, yes there's a risk your preferred boat will be sold out from under you, but that worked well for us.


I think, mentally, it is important to avoid focusing on one particular boat until seeing the boat in person.


You may be able to arrange for the broker to perform a real-time video walkthough with you, which might help understand the overall condition of the boat.


As a seller, when I have sold boats, I have generally found out-of-town buyers who want me to take the boat off the market for them while they arrange travel to be more trouble than they are worth.

Ideally I would try to visit numerous boats at once...i think i have a refined enough list that its unlikely for multiple boats that check all the boxes to be even within a few hours apart, though if they were, thats a big win!

A video walk through would be a great idea if there weren't enough quality pictures. After 160 pics or so as in the current ad, all decent quality, i dont think i could determine condition any more specifically without being there.

I hope all boat sales move slow lol, i feel like the good boats (like homes) are sold quickly and the over priced/crap ones sell slowly.

Totally understand your last point, and thats where im trying to understand how I can not be a pain to the seller and be fair while still not shooting myself in the foot. I wouldn't expect a seller to take it off the market while traveling, or not listen to other offers...so im hoping to find some middle ground where i put some skin in the game to show seriousness, or have to accept getting it under contract without seeing it, for a price I think is reasonable, then traveling to use the survey to show if there are any major problems.

Like you said, from the sellers perspective, i want to be most fair and amendable out of town buyer they've seen.

[ZFG]

there is a white elephant question, if I should use a buyers broker. I've never used a buyers broker, and people have a lot of things, usually not positive, to say about boat brokers. I am inclined to not want to get myself into a contract with a buyers broker who might not be as proactive or useful as I would want. Its not like the buyers broker is going to fly up and down the east coast to look at boats for me.

Having access to comps and being able to look at more boats in a more efficient manner than me combing yacht world and boats.com would be a plus however.

I feel like there have to be more boats out there than those sites...but maybe in the 80-100k range they mostly are all just listed there?

[Senojev]

Find a local surveyor to do a basic walk through around a couple of hour and give a verbal report. If worth pursuing, spend the money on a flight.

[Renegde_Sailor]

Looking at a photograph of a boat tells you very little about it.

Looking at how old the photographs they are showing you are tells you much more.

Boat brokers are notorious for using photos that are 10-15 years old to sell boats.

You may be looking at photos from when the boat was freshly hauled and painted, and she has been around the world twice since then and has been only washed when the rain fell on her.

If you want to buy a boat on the east coast, but you are on the west, your best bet is to get your butt to the east coast and stick your head down in her and look at her in person. Get a list of 20 boats you are interested in and a rental car.

Also, many of the boats from the 1980's are cheaply built, not all, but in the mid 70's they started making the fiberglass pretty thin and the quality suffered for many builders, few survived this.

I would rather have a boat from the 1960's that was built tough as hell but needs some love than one from the 80's or 90's that has been well loved but was poorly built.

Especially if you want to do ocean sailing!

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by ZFG

Its not like the buyers broker is going to fly up and down the east coast to look at boats for me.

Probably not for the commission on a $100,000 boat, but maybe if you're paying travel expenses. I've never used one. At higher price points they might make sense. Depends what your time's worth.

I feel like there have to be more boats out there than those sites...but maybe in the 80-100k range they mostly are all just listed there?

The mythical good, solid $100k boats are part of a seller's market particularly if you are looking beyond the big 4 high volume manufacturers, as would appear to be the case . Lots of $60k boats that need $40k of work. Lots of $200k boats. I don't think there are many USA sailboats for sale for $100k, that are not on yw.

[ZFG]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Probably not for the commission on a $100,000 boat, but maybe if you're paying travel expenses. I've never used one. At higher price points they might make sense. Depends what your time's worth.




The mythical good, solid $100k boats are part of a seller's market particularly if you are looking beyond the big 4 high volume manufacturers, as would appear to be the case . Lots of $60k boats that need $40k of work. Lots of $200k boats. I don't think there are many USA sailboats for sale for $100k, that are not on yw.

kind of what I figured. Plenty of sub 30k boats on CL and FB...but if someone is trying to sell a 100k boat, its probably on YW. Maybe there are some that only have for sale signs hung on them at a marina and you would only know if you were local...but not many...

[Goodxcharly]

Nothing wrong with walking away from the sale. You are only out the cost of the flight verses owning a lemon.
I prefer to do my home work and see in person before I start anything related to the purchase.

Dave R.

My last 2 boats were purchased in Canada and Oregon.

[cdcorl]

I know this doesn’t answer your question, but I did wanna make a comment. If you are looking at a boat that is that old, you might also want to consider looking in the great lakes region and not just the east coast. You will find out that the pricing is similar, And the boats in the great lakes area are usually only used for months to year and have been only used in freshwater. It can make a significant difference in the condition of the rigging, engine, and other components.

In regards to your question, I would pay for the airplane ticket and fly out. I think you will find out that you negotiating power being on site is significantly higher than staying home on the West Coast.

[ZFG]

well, the boat is under contract at 90...looks like im getting a ticket to fly out and scheduling a survey. And praying that the survey doesn't reveal a deal killer.

If anyone knows anything about Passport 42 Mesmariah, let me know!
SN 42034, so # 34?

[Srpulpo]

Originally Posted by ZFG

Hello CF, long time reader, first time posting.

I am boat shopping for cruising sailboats (80s, 40-44 ft, sloop rigged, 100K budget) the East Coast, and I live in the Western US.

Before I get on a plane and fly to look at a boat, I want to have some purchase agreement signed (contingent on inspection and survey of course) and a deposit made so i have some assurance its not getting sold out from under me and I waste my time and money traveling.

What specific things would you inquire about, past the yacht world ad, or additional pictures you would request, or other documentation you would request to get a better, more confident sense of the boat prior to getting a deposit and contract going?

In many cases the yachtworld ads are pretty thorough with plenty of pictures and a good list of equipment, I just dont want to fly across the country and have the bottom covered in blisters or the engine not working, or surprise water damage not visible in the photos.

I searched for the topic but pretty much everything is about sales tax and registration, not the actual process of buying the boat remotely, before going to look at it.

So, if you were trying to vet a boat a few thousand miles away, before going to see it, what would you ask for/inquire about.

I'm particularly interested in this Passport 42 in FL:
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/198...rt-42-8872348/

Survey for sure but maybe try to find someone that can check out boat before that? sadly you cant assume that qestions will be answered truthfully. maybe there is someone in this forum that can give a quick look and snap a few photos in exchange for a round of beers and lunch when you come to town?