Custom Boats Question?

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I'd guess that by "custom" he means a one-off or home-built, and in either case the chances are that something was done oddly, unconventionally, or simply isn't going to be known and expected by the buyer. So, more chance of a surprise at the survey. Assuming the 50% closing rate is lower than the general closing rate. For all I know, it could even be higher because buyers of one-off boats are looking for something that's rare to start with.

Thanks for the response. That makes sense.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by rw58ph

A custom boat takes a particular buyer and the size dollar you are looking many deal fall through because of.finance and insurance. It very hard to establish a value as there are so few like them. It not like buying a name brand and the buyer has to know understand the boat they are buying.

The Eagle is a custom one of a kind, so when we sell it, its may take years as it will take the right buyer, and finance and insurance will be hard to get.

Is insurance hard to get on custom boats?

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Hiya Flyer! Some people learn from their mistakes, others do a thorough job by researching everything to the nth degree, yet others ask a lot of questions in the hope that some magic will just come out and benefit their situation. Most of us would like to see her succeed in getting a boat that she can afford and enjoy; it's a monumental task for anyone in her shoes. We should be encouraging her to ask all the questions on her mind, irrespective how trivial they may sometimes be to Old Salts. We all wish her well!

Mauritz
Patience is a Virtue!

Thank you. I admit that I do ask a lot of questions and I learn a lot in the process, while weeding out the garbage I have gotten some great info on this forum and I appreciate it.

[stillbuilding]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Is insurance hard to get on custom boats?

I recently got a quote from Pantaenius on a steel yacht. Not interested in custom or brand name - just want a satisfactory survey.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by europaflyer

Hi, I've been reading a few of your posts and I've just looked at your blog. It paints an interesting picture to say the least... I just thought I would do a quick reality check!

Looking at the type of boats you're considering, and guessing your level of experience, I hope you a) have at LEAST a million or so ready cash, with assets greater than that and b) have, say, at least $100,000 disposable income each year for fuel, maintenance and employing a skipper and crew (your kids won't cut it). True? It just struck me that you come across a bit naive about the whole nautical thing. I mean this post in the nicest possible way, but what with one thread about buying two boats and the odd unexpected gun thread (always great entertainment) you just, to put it very bluntly, come across as a clueless dreamer.

All of my threads relate to issues that I discuss at home while figuring things out.

We talk about the gun thing ever now and again. It was my opinion that it would be difficult to travel from place to place. The licensing gets complicated. Someone in my family disagrees. I posted to see how other cruisers handle it. I didn't realize it was a hot button topic when I posted it. Now I know.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by europaflyer

You don't seem to mention employing any crew on your blog.

That's a great idea. Thanks.
I'll do a post on my blog about hiring crew.

You can watch for that one.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by stillbuilding

I recently got a quote from Pantaenius on a steel yacht. Not interested in custom or brand name - just want a satisfactory survey.

Sounds good to me. Thanks for sharing that.

[europaflyer]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

That's a great idea. Thanks.
I'll do a post on my blog about hiring crew.

You can watch for that one.

OK, well if you're the millionaire type wanting to employ people to operate your boat for you then go for it. I hope you didn't see my previous posts as too much of an attack or too patronising, but I just thought you needed a bit of a reality check.

I'll just say this, then stay quiet...

The first step for you and your family HAS to be to get experience on the water. Book a powerboating course or two and once you all have a few hundred miles of experience you will be able to make an informed choice about what the next step you want to take is. Maybe even book a sailing course as well, doesn't hurt to try new things and you might surprise yourself, or at least broaden your experience! I think once you've done this (and most of it will probably be done on much smaller boats than what you're looking at) you will probably decide to modify your future plans a little. Maybe buying a smaller boat in the 30'-40' range first, getting on the water at weekends and holidays (sorry 'vacations') and building experience, not only of seamanship but also of living aboard, maintaining the boat and the costs of ownership. In a few years, when you are all much more experienced powerboaters - or maybe sailors - and your kids are older, stronger and more mature, then you will, as a family, be able to make an INFORMED decision on your future on the water. What you will realise more than anything is that trying to base your decisions on the opinions of others on an internet forum could only go so far, and how very different your practical experiences were from what you imagined they would be, for better or worse. You will probably look at the plans you have now and be very glad you didn't just 'go for it'. That's not to say you won't end up achieving something similar in a few years, but you will be able to approach it in a way much more likely to achieve success.

This is the more established route to boat ownership, and there are very good reasons for it, even if you think you can 'jump the queue'! Don't just think of this learning process as something in the way of your dreams, you should (and hopefully will) enjoy the journey! Nobody just buys a massive boat and heads out to sea, at least not people who actually end up having a good time. Unless of course you're the multimillionaire type who can just buy others experience, and if the unknown costs from your perspective of owning such a massive boat don't really bother you.

But, well, I suppose I'm just another of those opinions on the internet...

[cheoah]

Galaxy, I read some of your blog the other day and really enjoyed the real estate stuff! Clear you are plenty capable(and not about gender - many of my farm staff/leaders are women) and also clear you're in uncharted waters. Everyone has to start out somewhere but there does not appear to be a super fast track to seamanship unless you can hire a captain. That's cool, just don't move too fast, get really good at piloting, and be prepared to pay big. When I run my boat aground, I kedge off. When you run some power boats aground, you can bend props and other drive gear and it can be incredibly expensive - many of thousands. Moral is, take piloting classes and get really good at it on rented smaller boats.

Are there some classes you can take there in MA to see what running a big power boat is like? I may have missed this in other threads. Running lots of boats will help you make a good choice buying. Given this is a new deal for you, I'd stay clear of one-offs or custom boats and get something with strong resale. Prolly worth some extra $$ to get something with good quality and features for a new captain, but with a strong following for resale. You think houses can sit on the market.....boats can be real millstones that sit for years while you pay thousands each year in mooring and insurance, and all the time to keep it in saleable condition. Trust me that you will likely be selling in a couple of years to either say "been there, done that -OR- get the bigger, better boat that fits your abilities and family better.

Also, kids can get wicked seasick. Seasickness is not an upset tummy. It can be devastating to morale, and could make your kids miserable with their lives. Take them out in some swells in a rented boat, charter fish, etc and see how it goes. Then they might associate it with THAT boat and you can properly manage their seasickness on the boat you want them to love. Can't treat it once it starts. I'll never forget my son saying " daddy please make it stop", but there is no getting away from the ocean swells once your out in it....at least not instantly. You just hate to be in that position of "mommy pls make it stop" when you've got that much invested. Just some advice to getting the kids to like it. Lots of other tips for making it fun for them, but gotta run.

You can do it, and you know you can. But making it work long term, creating great memories, and avoiding unecessary expenses will take more years of prep.

Have fun with it and best of luck. I'm a sailor through and though but I love Nordhavens and other ocean crossing boats. Pretty sweet, and lots of $$ to buy and feed the engines.

[europaflyer]

Agree with all of the above. Especially the seasickness bit. I very rarely get it, but when I do it's hell. I can certainly appreciate how people who get it badly say that 'they just want to die' and really mean it. I remember seeing a video of veteran explorer Ranulph Fiennes going on sailing expedition and saying that he had survived a heart attack and cancer but that seasickness was the worst experience he had endured. Certainly, although sailing is my life, when I get it I just want to step on land and never go to sea again. How does it affect you and your family? I would imagine you don't know yet!

And I have to say that, reading your latest blog post, it sort of supports what myself and others here have been saying. Portholes, well, after a few years at sea you will probably appreciate why people don't like holes in their hulls. As for it affecting a boat-buying decision, there's no great difficulty in cutting a small round hole in a hull and installing a small, robust, well sealed porthole. But not big windows, not for a serious ocean going boat. And that's just the sort of thing which seems important now but won't with a bit more experience, and there as just as many other things which you don't think are important but actually will be to you in the future.

I can't pretend to be any expert on powerboats -or indeed expert on anything! -, but sailing boats essentially operate as powerboats for some of the trickiest parts of voyages - the pilotage coming in and out of harbours (that tiny winking light I was talking about earlier), and coming alongside, picking up a mooring or anchoring. Knowing things such as placement of lines and fenders, where to stand when coming alongside, how to use springs (no, not that type of spring) to get off a berth when the wind is pushing you on, how to use the engine in reverse to turn your boat round on the spot or make it go sideways, and things such as how even your smallest kid can use their weight and friction on a cleat or bollard to gradually slow down and stop a boat weighing several tonnes, or even several dozen tonnes - did you know that was possible? The best boat to learn these skills on - along with others such as navigation, living at sea which is a skill in itself, recognising and interpreting lights and sounds, maintainance, meteorology, tides etc. etc. - is something small and manageable. Not all small powerboats are silly fast things. Maybe look at semi-displacement boats such as Nordic Tugs - the 34 or 39 look nice and manageable, you could fit your family inside - kids will sleep anywhere - and it will be great to build skills on, and as long as you take a few courses first you could probably do away with the need to hire a skipper, and be entirely independent. Much more fun. Best of all, it's not nearly such as scary financial commitment and risk to yourself and others. And, once you want to move on, you will not only have all the skills to translate to the sort of massive boat you're looking at now, but you will have so much more idea about what you need from the new boat.

Just another opinion.

[eyschulman]

As an example I just built a custom boat and it is nothing like what you see at a boat show line up. The boat show line up has what the public is looking for and my boat has what my wife and I wanted.For resale that will create a problem. Also as mentioned many custom boats have flaws that high volume boats weed out. There is no established market price range for such boats and the value is what a buyer will pay and the buyer may push hard for low ball price.. These factors lead to uncertainties in a sale and may yield higher failed deals.

[GalaxyGirl]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to give me very helpful advice and opinions. Also, thanks for not being rude or offensive while doing so.

Nothing is set in stone at this point. I am still deciding whether or not to first get a learning curve boat.

I can certainly appreciate what is said about not knowing what I really want and what is really important until I have the experience behind me. It's tricky though, when your planning on living aboard with 5 kids and 2, sometimes 3 adults. I want to be comfortable at the same time.

Just to clear up any confusion, I do not plan to buy the boat and jump in the drivers seat. The first year or so will be dedicated to training. We will live at the dock during that time and take vacations until I learn how to properly operate and all the stuff that goes along with that. Both classroom and hands on training. Once I am proficient and comfortable, then we will take off.

In regard to seasickness, maybe this is a new thread. Is it rough seas that bring it on or any conditions? How long after being aboard will it come on?

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by europaflyer

Hi, I've been reading a few of your posts and I've just looked at your blog. It paints an interesting picture to say the least... I just thought I would do a quick reality check!

Looking at the type of boats you're considering, and guessing your level of experience, I hope you a) have at LEAST a million or so ready cash, with assets greater than that and b) have, say, at least $100,000 disposable income each year for fuel, maintenance and employing a skipper and crew (your kids won't cut it). True? It just struck me that you come across a bit naive about the whole nautical thing. I mean this post in the nicest possible way, but what with one thread about buying two boats and the odd unexpected gun thread (always great entertainment) you just, to put it very bluntly, come across as a clueless dreamer.

Talk about clueless. The OP asks a question about the closing rate on custom boats and you threadjack it with off topic (and in my opinion, inappropriate) commentary on her circumstances and character. Take it to IMs. Just another opinion.

[europaflyer]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

In regard to seasickness, maybe this is a new thread. Is it rough seas that bring it on or any conditions? How long after being aboard will it come on?

Depends! Which sort of takes us back to the point I was making about doing some training courses first, and hopefully taking your family along as well. You'll learn SO much, more in a few days than you could in a year on here! It could be 'I never want to go to sea again!' (either from you or some of your kids) or 'let's do more of these courses first, I've learned so much' or 'I love this boat and I know how to operate it, let's buy one of these to learn on so I don't need to pay a skipper to snatch the wheel from me all the time!' etc. etc. Again I mean this in the nicest possible way, but your time spent on this forum, on other websites and looking at boats to buy is largely wasted until you have the experience to put the wealth of information in context.

As to whether some of my remarks were inappropriate as per Suijin's post above, well there's another problem with trying to learn on the internet. You can't gauge the spirit in which comments were made!

Let me just say this. You're on a real estate forum (I suppose they exist!) and you see someone posting who's about to buy 1,500 run-down units in a ghetto, who is a total newbie in the business. You know how hard it was for you, already with experience, to handle a tenth of that number. What would you say to them? That's where we're at here. We see you wanting to just jump in and buy a boat ten times heavier than most of what we deal with. Yes, you could just buy in experience and a few years down the line you may or may not be able to skipper a boat which you may or more likely may not see as being suitable at that point. Much better to get some experience in a lower risk environment, make your own decisions and follow your own learning process rather than just tagging along behind someone else while out of your depth!

[rw58ph]

both finance and insurance are hard to get. However there are insurance brokers that specialize in marine insurance and can get a little pricy with high deductible.