Things to ask when buying a boat out of state

[Happ]

I would ABSOLUTELY ask when were the pics taken. I have found on a number of ads pics that were taken years ago. One ad I discovered the pics were taken 5 years ago after a major refit. It seems some brokers will take a listing with no intention of going to the boat and taking new pics or do a video.

[ZFG]

Originally Posted by ZFG

well, the boat is under contract at 90...looks like im getting a ticket to fly out and scheduling a survey. And praying that the survey doesn't reveal a deal killer.

If anyone knows anything about Passport 42 Mesmariah, let me know!
SN 42034, so # 34?

correction: surveyors in the are are booked weeks out, past the contract close date, so i have to get that resolved first.

[Cheechako]

The picture download is too slow for me. First blush that looks like a pretty good deal.
-I would ask about blister history and see how they respond.
I had a Passport that the hull was so waterlogged it had blisters INSIDE in the bilge! I don't think Passports are noted for that though.

It would be unusual to contract a boat without even looking at it. Disappointments abound seeing boats in the flesh. Maybe get a number of boats to look at in the general area ... rent a car.... get out there.

[Bullshooter]

Good luck ZFG. Please let us know how it goes!

[Capt Lee Shore]

Originally Posted by ZFG

In many cases the yachtworld ads are pretty thorough with plenty of pictures and a good list of equipment

Lol Nope.
The photos and ad are meant to show the boat in the best light rather than being accurate

First time boat buyers quickly learn a few lessons ie
1- All boats are project boats as everything will probably have to be rebedded etc at a minimum
2- boat buying is something that really can't be done from a distance if your aim is to save money & the whole industry is full of abusive cheating practices so you can't rely on anyone else in any way. No one cares for your boat as much as you do.
3- a pre-purchase survey should be seen as a mere formality and a tool to help negotiate a price; it will never uncover all the problems with a boat so you can't budget real life repair costs based on a survey
4- real life costs are always much more than you planned because the full extent of damage is rarely known until bulkheads are removed, equipment disconnected etc.

And finally:
5- it is always a buyers market ( at least in Fla ) so there's no need to rush any purchase and don't be embarrassed to put a bid significantly below asking price

[sinnerman]

Originally Posted by Capt Lee Shore

Lol Nope.
The photos and ad are meant to show the boat in the best light rather than being accurate

First time boat buyers quickly learn a few lessons ie
1- All boats are project boats as everything will probably have to be rebedded etc at a minimum
2- boat buying is something that really can't be done from a distance if your aim is to save money & the whole industry is full of abusive cheating practices so you can't rely on anyone else in any way. No one cares for your boat as much as you do.
3- a pre-purchase survey should be seen as a mere formality and a tool to help negotiate a price; it will never uncover all the problems with a boat so you can't budget real life repair costs based on a survey
4- real life costs are always much more than you planned because the full extent of damage is rarely known until bulkheads are removed, equipment disconnected etc.

And finally:
5- it is always a buyers market ( at least in Fla ) so there's no need to rush any purchase and don't be embarrassed to put a bid significantly below asking price

Spot on comments from Capt. Lee Shore above..

The "best situation" you can hope for is a boat that was restored (had all the heavy lifting done) and the owner gave up, ran out of money, became ill, or was transferred to another location. In other words, a situation is forcing him to sell the boat.

Even better if it is already equipped for offshore.

You need to be with the the surveyor when he looks at the boat.
Question the surveyor before he starts, what problem areas he will be paying particular attention to.
For the price of the boat, it may be worth more than one surveyor (a rigger and an engine guy as well..)

Do your own research on problems with Passports before going to the survey so you can ask the right questions. The internet blogs are excellent sources.

Sample:https://www.sailnet.com/threads/pass...ingford.61808/

As an example, I am looking at possibly buying an Island Packet next year for sailing coastal-offshore.
Reviewing the internet blogs revealed that their chain plates are bonded to the hull internally, and inspecting / replacing them involves dismantling the cabinetry to get access ($10K-$15K).
This would be a good discussion item with the seller when we are talking price...

Cheers

[Ventur]

ZFG, the broker can extend the contract to accommodate the delay if the seller is willing.

[Slovak]

Originally Posted by ZFG

Hello CF, long time reader, first time posting.

I am boat shopping for cruising sailboats (80s, 40-44 ft, sloop rigged, 100K budget) the East Coast, and I live in the Western US.

Before I get on a plane and fly to look at a boat, I want to have some purchase agreement signed (contingent on inspection and survey of course) and a deposit made so i have some assurance its not getting sold out from under me and I waste my time and money traveling.

What specific things would you inquire about, past the yacht world ad, or additional pictures you would request, or other documentation you would request to get a better, more confident sense of the boat prior to getting a deposit and contract going?

In many cases the yachtworld ads are pretty thorough with plenty of pictures and a good list of equipment, I just dont want to fly across the country and have the bottom covered in blisters or the engine not working, or surprise water damage not visible in the photos.

I searched for the topic but pretty much everything is about sales tax and registration, not the actual process of buying the boat remotely, before going to look at it.

So, if you were trying to vet a boat a few thousand miles away, before going to see it, what would you ask for/inquire about.

I'm particularly interested in this Passport 42 in FL:
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/198...rt-42-8872348/

Originally Posted by ZFG

well, the boat is under contract at 90...looks like im getting a ticket to fly out and scheduling a survey. And praying that the survey doesn't reveal a deal killer.

If anyone knows anything about Passport 42 Mesmariah, let me know!
SN 42034, so # 34?

That was quick! We bought a boat out of state in 2019. Similar to you, we put a contract in place, deposit in escrow. Then hired a surveyor and flew out. That was our first time seeing the boat in person.

The single most helpful assistance in the remote purchase was finding a friend of a friend who was in the same town. They met the broker and were able to walk through the boat. It wasn't a thorough inspection. We just needed a live set of eyes to confirm that what we were being presented in terms of pictures and conditions was the same as what was at the dock. The person who helped us didn't have particular boat knowledge, but was willing to take pictures and compare what we showed him with the reality. That was our independent verification of facts, knowing we'd find other things during survey.