beware Moody 346 for sale in Almeria

[robmains]

If anyone is looking for an older Moody 34 then beware this boat in Spain. The boat is not in the condition the owner says it is and the details are not all true. The year is 1988 not 89 and there is rot in the woodwork in various places because of leaks from the windows. The engine hours are completely fictitious although the engine does run well and sounds OK. It has not been well maintained and the owner has done basic DIY jobs on anything that needed fixing instead of doing the right thing and using the correct materials. The boat has been on the market for years and I made an offer of 30000 based on the advert which the owner accepted. I was in Sydney at the time and couldn't go to view it for several weeks and stupidly paid the owner a deposit as it was the umpteenth boat I had missed out on. I went to see the boat so can verify what I found. The keel bolts and steering all have severe corrosion, the rigging needs replacing, and it is in general in need of a lot of TLC. The money required to bring it up to scratch would be significant, far better to find a newer boat as you would need to spend 20K at least (IMO) The VAT status is dubious as the value declared to Hacienda was only 9600 in 2003 so the owner only wants cash to avoid paying any gains tax. This is something he didn't tell me until after he had my deposit! Please adhere to the saying "buyer beware" when looking at this one.
https://www.rightboat.com/boats-for-...ckpit/rb200759

[crankysailor]

I am not going to state the obvious, I am sure you are kicking yourself hard enough. I just wanted to say that next time, make a request here in CF and ask if someone near a boat you are interested in could swing by and take a preview look.There are CFs members are all over the world and I, as well as most would do it for you.. besides, it is fun to go boat shopping [emoji51]

[NYSail]

Originally Posted by crankysailor

I am not going to state the obvious, I am sure you are kicking yourself hard enough. I just wanted to say that next time, make a request here in CF and ask if someone near a boat you are interested in could swing by and take a preview look.There are CFs members are all over the world and I, as well as most would do it for you.. besides, it is fun to go boat shopping [emoji51]

Right on cranky......

[robmains]

Thanks for the replies, well noted! I have since found the boat and bought it last month. Much closer to home and in virtual new condition with only 1000 hours on the engine, a 2015 production boat but good enough for what I want it for.

Have been enjoying sailing around Cyprus the last few weeks to get the hang of it!
Cheers

[Blaine]

I've also found it easy to hire a local surveyor and have him go by the boat and just give me his overall opinion. In my case it was $100 bucks very well spent. Congrats on your new purchase.

[Piratenorm]

I'm a broker in Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada and I'd have gone to look her over for you for free. I'd rather see people on the water enjoying a boat they bought from someone else than ignore a request from a boater for an opinion, or second opinion and save them the aggravation, and expense, of a wasted trip to a sub-standard boat. Good luck in your future searches.

[grantmc]

Whether the year is 1988 or 89 makes little difference; the boat is still 30 years old. The advert states the engine hours are 4,000 approx; that’s a pretty round number and suggests either no engine hour counter or it hasn’t worked for years.

A significant percentage of pleasure yachts are maintained by their owners. And few of us have much more training than reading a ‘how to’ book, or watching a you tube vid.

The fact that there are almost no photos of the inside of the boat is a significant hint that the inside condition is pretty rough. With few exceptions boats have leaks, especially in the right conditions. And windows are one of the most common leak areas. The water has to go somewhere so pooling in the bilge is often causes corrosion to the keel bolts; that’s why they need to be checked periodically.

OP you say you “stupidly paid the owner a deposit”. I gather when you didn’t go ahead with the deal, the owner refunded your deposit.

I think bagging the seller is a pretty troll like thing to do.

[barnakiel]

Spanish owner?


b.

[barnakiel]

Just asking, The reason I am asking that my friend here needed 6 (six) voyages to potential boats in Spain to find a clean one.


In all cases the boats: were older / younger / different make / different flag / no flag / engine does not start / water in the bilge while boat on dry / full of cockroaches / YOU NAME IT.


My friend is Spanish, all the potential sellers were Spanish. He did not even get angry. Apparently this is what a word is worth here.


PS I live in Spain too.


PS There is a 376 here for grabs if you care. It is not far from Almeria to fly to Canary Islands.



Cheers,
b.

[robmains]

No the owner didn't return the deposit and had the boat in someone else's name to avoid tax, the whole thing a fiddle so I have no problem bagging the owner