Minimum equipment requirements when selling a sailboat

[raahell]

Hi all, I'm new to this group so apologies if this has been addressed in a previous thread or subject area.

My wife and I are selling our first sailboat, a 30' monohull. As we are going to be purchasing a larger sailboat in the near future, we are tempted to strip the boat of most/all of its safety equipment (sound signalling device, flares, fire extinguisher, MOB equipment, etc.) and leave it to the buyer to stock the boat as per his/her wants and desires. All that stuff does add up in cost! We have not yet produced a "ANNEX A" inventory of listed items that will be sold with the boat so we have some latitude,

So, my first question is: Is it legal to sell a boat without the req'd safety gear?

The 2nd question is: Even if not illegal, are sailboat buyers generally under the expectation that all required safety equipment will be included in the sale, not expired and in good working condition?

I'm kinda thinking that the answers might follow along a 5-1 scale which I'm gonna rate as follows:

5 Downright illegal
4 Legal maybe but very un-sailorlike thing to do
3 It's a buyer beware world and anything goes
2 Perfectly legal though somewhat chintzy
1 Perfectly legal and proper

Feel free to state your opinions and give your experiences but do please give me an answer also in terms of the above scale.

Thanks!

[StuM]

1. Perfectly legal. You can just sell the bare hull if you want.

In the end, the purchase price will reflect the included fittiings and equipment or lack thereof.

Some buyers may like being able to equip fresh, others may not like having to. Doubtless their offers will reflect their feelings.

[OloteleMtn]

When i bought my boat, I expected that I would have to replace basically everything safety gear wise, and i was not incorrect. Sea trial might be an issue though without the gear onboard.

[SVHarmonie]

As others have stated, it is 100% legal to sell a boat with no safety gear whatsoever.

It should be clear to the buyer what to expect, especially if the gear is aboard his initial inspection. If there is a sea trail, SOMEBODY needs to be sure sufficient safety gear is aboard to be legal.

You should be very clear with a buyer who is going to move the boat right after closing that it is not legal to move until the gear has been replaced. Not a legal requirement, but just good manners.

[mvweebles]

If the boat is sea trialed, you will need safety gear aboard. As a buyer, if seller was taking it with him at end of the sea trial, I'd have to wonder about what else he was chiseling on - basic safety gear is not that expensive. Bickering between buyer and seller on stuff that was aboard at showing but removed at sale is fairly common and can often sour a deal.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

It should be clear to the buyer what to expect, especially if the gear is aboard his initial inspection.

This is important. I am of the opinion that you should not leave anything on the boat, during inspections and surveys, that is not going to be included in the sale. If you do, you need to make sure it is ABSOLUTELY CLEAR what is, or is not, going to be included.


Other than that, it is a matter between the seller and the buyer. The law doesn't care one bit, either way.

[S/V Adeline]

As already stated, you should notify the potential buyer what is NOT included in the sale.
When we purchased Adeline, we got an amazing deal, but the previous owner, after the deal was done decided to mention the things she wanted to keep for memorabilia and it created bad feelings that have lasted to this day.

[ilenart]

Over the last 3-4 years I have always known that I would be upgrading to a larger boat. So many of the items were purchased on the basis that they came with me to the next boat. So yes I took the flares, EPIRB, PLBs, MOB locator, AIS, safety harnesses, tethers, jacklines, inflatable lifejackets, first aid kit, manson supreme anchor (put the old plough back on), stereo radio, multiplexer, all tools, all spares (apart from engine parts,) etc, etc. Items that probably cost me $10k. I doubt if it made any difference to the selling price (offer was “as is” with no survey, completed in three days).

So yep, take what you like, its your boat. Would remove everything from the boat, however things like wet weather gear, tools etc you could list as “excluded from sale”

Ilenart

[hamburking]

I set my asking price to include everything needed to go sailing right away, including all the safety gear, charts, etc. Then, when they offer less, I counter by removing stuff from the boat.

IMHO, most safety gear has a limited life and its a good opportunity to refresh. Flares, paper charts, even life jackets don't last forever. My local boat store loves it everytime I buy a boat, since I go in and buy all the same things over and over again....I think they have sold me 4 origo (cookmate) 2 burner stoves!!!

[Cheechako]

I think for the stuff you list, just use the opportunity to renew that stuff on your new boat. Take the MOB stuff though.
Caveat: if it's out of date, it'll turn up as needing replaced on survey. You may be better without it on the boat at all.

[jmschmidt]

If it were not legal hundreds of boat brokers would be in jail.

[patrickbarbary]

Sounds cheap behavior to me. May really piss off the buyer... May end up costing you more than what you were trying to skimp...

[ilenart]

Originally Posted by patrickbarbary

Sounds cheap behavior to me. May really piss off the buyer... May end up costing you more than what you were trying to skimp...

Let me guess? Are you shopping for your first boat?

[patrickbarbary]

Wrong guess my friend. I have sailed and built 3 ketches (Up to 15m) in the 70s. I have owned cats, fishing center console, and trawlers. My last one was a Transpacific Eagle 53... So you're a bad guessed. But you chose a good Swedish boat that you probably bought used...

[Shrew]

If the lines and fenders will be undersized for the boat I'm considering buying, then I leave those. I leave the lines and fenders if the boat is tied to a dock as well. If I have extras like PFD's and boat hooks, I leave the oldest behind. I leave fire extinguishers behind. If I have out of date flares, I leave those behind. Any spares I leave behind. Anything mounted to the boat (e.g. electronics) get left behind.