What's normal practice with a boat purchase?

[Deryck]

I'm in the process of buying my first yacht (Bavaria 37) and have just organised with the current owner and a surveyor to have the boat taken out the water for the hull/keel inspection in a couple of weeks time.

The owner has organised the lift out for the inspection (which will be at his cost) but the surveyor suggested to me that the hull should be cleaned at the same time before the boat goes back in the water for a sea trial. What's the normal etiquette as to who pays for this - current owner or prospective purchaser?

Also, if the anodes or any other parts need replacing/attention, it would seem to make sense to have this done at the same time but who would pay for this? I can't see much point in paying for 2 lift outs if it can all be done at one time.

As this is the first time I've bought a large boat that has to be lifted out for an inspection, I just want to know what the normal practice is here in NZ rather than get offside with the owner by suggesting he pay for all of this if this isn't the normal practice. But, then again, I don't want to offer to pay for something that I wouldn't normally be expected to....

[sailorboy1]

Well it’s normal that the buyer (you) pay for the inspection haul out. If you think you are really going to buy the boat you should pay to clean the bottom at the same time. The cleaning is probably pretty cheap compared to the haul out.

[Calif.Ted]

Common practice here is for buyer to pay for haul out, last boat the yard included power wash with haul out. Anything else is negotiable as a part of survey results.

[skipmac]

Assuming you're in the US the standard is for the buyer to pay for haulout, survey and all associated costs. If the seller is paying for the haulout you're ahead of the game and I wouldn't nit pick.

Unless the hull is really bad a quick pressure wash will do the job and is included in the cost at most yards.

[Al Walker]

When we bought Wild Bird a couple of years ago, we paid for the survey, plus a lift and hold, and light wash while the boat was out the water. I think that is normal practise down here in NZ. No big deal.
Having got to this point, you will have expressed yuor intention to buy subject to survey and sea trial, so, if you find anything that needs attention while the boat is out of the water, and the survey has otherwise looked OK, I'd think most vendors would be only too happy to deal to a wee thing like changing anodes at that point. Or just offer to do it yourself since you'll probably buy the boat anyway.
When we had The Bird out of the water the vendor saw a couple of things he thought needed attention, so just dealt to them without our having to say anything.

[Fore and Aft]

Its normal here in Australia for the buyer to pay all the slipping costs. The trouble here is once you have a power wash then you also get stung for an environmental levy ($35-$65) as well.
It all gets a bit messy when like last week the owner decides to change a seacock while on the slip. Which then leaks so the boat has to come back out again. At that stage the buyer walked away having paid for his share of the slipping. The rest of that bill the owner had to pay for.
Cheers

[Jaqun]

We (buyer) paid for the haul out. Cleaning the bottom was required for the surveyor to sound the hull and inspect. I spoke to the surveyor and was pretty sure I was going to buy the boat so I paid for Zincs while it was out of the water. Would have been a minor expense at that point if I did not purchase.

[boatman61]

Zinc's are cheap.. if your springing for a lift and survey that means you like the boat.. a few more dimes should not hurt.

[dochip]

SOP in Florida is buyer pays for haul-out (including power wash), survey, and engine survey if there is one. If seller is not running the boat at sea trial seller would pay for a licensed and insured captain to run the boat.

[Iduna]

Is there a reason not to do the sea trial first and then the haul out?

[dochip]

I always look over the bottom, shaft and prop(s) in the haul-out before the sea trial because that way you know that if you get vibration or other issues at sea trial you've eliminated the cause being a bent or broken or out-of-true prop, or a cutlass bearing issue or a giant clump of oysters on the hull. Also, if you don't like what you see at haul-out, like a badly blistered hull or worse, you can walk away before the sea trial and most surveyors will not charge the entire fee if you stop at that point.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Iduna

Is there a reason not to do the sea trial first and then the haul out?

Several.

- Bottom might be covered with barnacles which would dramatically impact performance and sea trial.

- prop could be damaged, missing a blade or worse.

- bottom could be covered with blisters and you might refuse the boat based on that.

- you get to check the rudder and anything else that might be a safety issue on a sea trial.

[Terra Nova]

Always sea trial, engine and rig survey first. If they are successful, only then do you incur the great expense of haulout and hull survey, which are always payed by buyer. While hauled out hull is usually pressure washed. As long as the survey does not end the purchase, the haulout is an opportunity for the buyer to do additional work, such as replace zincs, repaint, etc.

[foojin]

The last two boats I have bought, after the surveys I arranged to keep them out of the water for an extra day or two to antifoul and replace the zincs.

[Djarraluda]

Interesting how it changes.
I always had:
Seller pays to offer boat for inspection(slip and wash)
Agree the cost of any work to be done beforehand but I suggest anodes and antifoul could be by owner then added to purchase price. I.e. all costs at that time paid by owner but those that benefit the purchaser are ultimately part of his cost