Buy a boat
How to do when buying a boat
Advices for buying a boat
If you want to buy a boat, then its recommended to make wish list as præparation. That will make you think about what direction you shall look for and adding this into a Excel spreadsheet where you also add all the information in on the boats you find that fill your needs.
Be prepared of, that you might need to se a lot of boats because the description and age of the pictures doesn’t mach the boat you visit.
Use a broker and a good surveyor to make your bot purchase as safe as possible. Dont trust a seller you dont know and be aware of local rules by boat purchases and do also have transport cost in your mind even if your first thoughts is to sail it home.
Buying advices
- Make a wish list
- Be prepared to see many boats
- Make a excel spreadsheet
- Ask for the age of the pictures
- Making your buying safe
- Having a surveyor on you buy
- Be prepared of transport cost
Key points to have in mind for for a successful purchase. Below they are explained more detailed i drop down tekster.
Make a wish list and a spreadsheet
By making a wish list will make you think about what direction you shall look for and adding this into a Excel spreadsheet where you also the information in on the boats you find fill your need, so you can compare the boats and there equipment’s in a way without loosing your mind. Its simply impossible to remember the different boats and their equipment from each other.
Be prepared to se many boats
You can with a lot of preparation short the list of boats to visit down. But one thing is what is written by the broker and the owner and another is how ole the pictures are. So it can easily happen that the boat you end up looking at is far from matching the description or the pictures. Therefore do also ask hold old the pictures are.
When you reach a Conclusiones, that you really interesting in buying a specific boat, then do a second visit with someone who have a lot of knowledge in boats to have a second neutral opinión and not yours “I am in love eyes” before you do the expensive steps. Because the next step is to sign a “conditional trade agreement” that also includes a normal 10% deposit, ordering lift-out and a yacht surveyor. At that time the boats need to be unseaworthy or have major failures to get out of the contract without loosing the 10% deposit plus the cost of the surveyor.
Making your purchase safe
You can buy a boat yourself direct with the seller and in princip, then the consumer protection also counts be purchase between privates in the European Union even there is written “Bought as seen” in the contract. But it is the buyer that have to prove, that what later appears was a hidden failuer by the time of the purchase and the case must be brought in the seller’s jurisdiction. So if its a purchase for more than you want say “bad luck” then use a broker or a layer that is used to boat trade.
A lokal broker do also know the local laws about changing ownership, surveys and out-flagging and the confirming first payment and the rest payment will go over the broker clients account. So you are secured that the money is safe by fulfilling the change of ownership and the seller also know, that you cant get the change of ownership without having paid the purchase price
Do also use a surveyor by the purchase. Its as much for your as for the seller and share the price of the survey with the seller. In some countries its also mandatory to have a survey by boat trade above a certain amount. The survey rapport is your prove of in what condition the boat was in at the time of the sale, with a agreement of discount or correction of any deficiencies.
How to get the boat transported
When looking at boats you might se attractive boats more than 2000 km. away. So its important to think about how to get the boat home and what it can cost, to se if it fits the budget. You have the options to get it transported by truck, transported as deck load on a cargo ship or sailed by sea, either by yourself or by a professional crew. Many think sailing by yourself is for free, it isn’t which is explained og the “Yacht transport” page.
All in all
If you live in Denmark and want to buy a boat in Italy or Greece, then add 20.000 € in cost to the purcase price of a 50 feet boat no matter how you get it transported even if your think you will sail it home. Because conditions can change and force you to let other transport your boat. So better be on the safe side with that amount, if you dont have to many vain travels and hotel cost.