Selling a sailboat in Florida while living in the Netherlands

[enrico43]

Next year we have the plan to buy a sailboat in Florida and sail around the Caribbean for 6 months and then sell the boat again in Florida.

Does anyone have experience with that or know a reliable broker for selling a sailboat of a value of 40.000 dollar.

For now we are planning to buy a Hunter 33.

If you have any advice please let me know,

[skipmac]

Hi Enrico,

Where in Florida do you want to leave your boat for sale? South Florida: Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Palm Beach area is the biggest market but also the most expensive place to keep the boat while waiting for a buyer.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, enrico.

[tuffr2]

There are less expensive places to keep the boat on the west coast of Florida but also less of a market.

Sounds like an ok plan. And interesting that if it works ok just think of the other possibilities for sailing other parts of the world.

Good luck

Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[enrico43]

skipmac

thanks for the reaction
The plan is to sell the boat at the south coast of Florida, near Miami, but we are flexible. Do you have an idea how to do this? We can already advertise on the internet wile sailing around the Caribe. We need to sell it again, it is not an option to sail it to Europe.

[canyonbat]

Why round trip Florida? Starting and ending in Florida with only 6 months of sailing time will probably limit you to Bahamas and possibly Turks and Caicos. With a boat like the Hunter 33, you are going to have to really pick your weather windows to do any serious crossings. I think you might be ahead to start in San Juan or Tortola. Lots of charter fleet boats available there.

Anyway you look at it, you are probably going to take a beating on the purchase price vs sales price of the boat when you consider that you will be buying at start of sailing season and selling at the end when boat prices are cheapest. Throw in brokers commission and expenses and you are likely looking at a 25% or more difference. Might as well get the most bang for your buck and start your tour in paradise. Use the same broker for both transactions and he might cut you a deal on the commission.

[tuffr2]

Oh - I did not mean to sail it back to Europe. I meant buy in Florida, sail 6 months in the Caribbean then sell in Florida. Then maybe in a few years or the next year you could buy a boat in a different part of the world and sail that area then sell. That way there would be no need to make an ocean passage thus a smaller 33' sailboat works great.

One year sail the Caribbean, sell the boat. Next time sail the Hawaiian Islands sell that boat, Then next time sail the Mediterranean sell that boat etc.

If you buy the boat at the right price not sure what you could sell it for. Maybe it would not be that much of a loss. Maybe buy the boat for $40,000 and sell for $35,000 or maybe more who knows.

Again - It sounds like an ok plan to me.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by enrico43

skipmac

thanks for the reaction
The plan is to sell the boat at the south coast of Florida, near Miami, but we are flexible. Do you have an idea how to do this? We can already advertise on the internet wile sailing around the Caribe. We need to sell it again, it is not an option to sail it to Europe.

Hi Enrico,

If you will be back in Europe then you almost have to deal with a broker to sell the boat. I used to be a broker in Ft Lauderdale but it has been many years and I have lost all contacts so no suggestion on who would be reliable to deal with. I can offer some help on the process.

1. There are two ways to list a boat for sale with a broker. Either way, you pay 10% commission. The commission can be split if one broker lists the boat and another sells it. 3% listing, 7% selling.

a) One method lists the boat for sale exclusively through one broker. Other brokers can still sell the boat but the listing broker will be guaranteed at least a 3% share of the selling commission no matter who makes the sale.

b) The other listing is non-exclusive and allows you to list the boat with many brokers OR to sell the boat privately.

The benefit to a) is the listing broker is more motivated to work with you, offer more services, advertise the boat, etc. The broker may help you find cheaper dock space either at the broker's docks or at a private house where the owner rents unused dock space which can be 30-50% cheaper than a marina. This of course only works if you find a good broker who is willing to work with you. Be warned that unfortunately there are plenty of brokers that are lazy and don't really do a very good job. Also more difficult to get this service for a smaller, less expensive boat like you plan.

The benefit to b) is any broker you list the boat with can sell it for a full commission or if you find a buyer you can sell it without paying any commission. So all the brokers you list the boat with will keep the boat on their priority list for sale.

Canyonbat also has a good point, depending on where in the Caribbean you plan to sail. If you're thinking the eastern side like US and British Virgins, Antigua and south then from FL you have about 1000 nm dead against strong winds and currents to get there. The trip itself can be nice, cruising through the far south Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, DR, etc but could easily take up a lot of your vacation time. If you're OK with spending more time in those areas then no problem but if your plan is to cruise the islands south from the USVI then buying a boat down island could be a better plan.

If you plan on cruising the western Caribbean like Belize, Costa Rica, etc then leaving from Florida makes more sense.

[enrico43]

Skipmac thanks for your reaction,



I know it is quite a plan, we chose florida for buying a sailboat, because there is a large marked. It would not be a problem for paying the 10% fee, in case the broker sells the boat. I like the idea of buying a sailboat and selling it with the same broker. the only thing is we have to find a broker who is interested. Hope you or somebody can help.



The plan is to sail along the west side of the Caribbean, we are planning to start after the hurricane season, end of September 2016. I know that currents can be high, but if we stay close to the islands and pass them on the west side it will be doable. As if have seen the currents are mostly 1 kn in that area. The areas with higher currents we will avoid. Close to Florida we cannot avoid, we need to cross. The winds are mostly coming from the east side, which results in sailing half wind or sharp on the wind. Correct me if I’m wrong or if I’m thinking to easy. We have 6 months and no planning, we see how far we can come and if our time is gone we sail back to Florida.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by enrico43

The plan is to sail along the west side of the Caribbean...

The west side of the Caribbean would be along the coast of Mexico and Central America. My guess is that what you really mean is that you intend to stay on the west side of the Lesser Antilles, which is the chain of islands that defines the east side of the Caribbean.

Getting from Florida to the Bahamas is pretty easy. Getting from the Bahamas down to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands is not. The route is known as "The Thorny Path," and there is a very good reason for that name; you are going straight into the prevailing winds and currents the entire way. With only six months total, that may not be realistic.

That is why people are suggesting buying the boat in the islands. Ideally you would find a nice boat in Grenada, Trinidad, or perhaps Venezuela, and then sail it north and east back to Florida. That way you are not fighting the winds and currents, trip is much more pleasant and easier, and not so much need to wait for good weather.

Your choice, though. Good luck.

[Tingum]

I am going to go along with those who say 6 months will not get you very far. If you plan on getting all the way down into the mid Carribean you need to take a long hard look at a chart! If you only have 6 months, better to spend them in the Bahamas. As for the selling part of the plan, find enexpensive dockage near a good market, then find a broker.

[jamhass]

Couple of thoughts:

1. If you are out of country, and need to notarize documents, remember that you can only do so at a US embassy or consulate. Just so you are not surprised at the last minute.

2. Regarding brokers in Fl. I don't think you can do better than Stan Dabney at Offshore Atlantic Yachts. He certainly went the extra mile (several thousand actually) for us when we purchased our boat through Stan. He is well experienced in international transactions.

[Cheechako]

West Palm etc isn't a bad place to list a boat. There are backwaters with docks for lease behind houses etc that are not too expensive.

[enrico43]

Thanks, for all the information.
we have checked the charts, currents etc, and we changed the plan a little bit. If we can find boats in the south of the carrebean than we start their and if we can not find boats we will start from florida, sail bahamas and islands close.
for the selling part im searching charters which have there own docs, thanks for the tips. greets,

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

The west side of the Caribbean would be along the coast of Mexico and Central America. My guess is that what you really mean is that you intend to stay on the west side of the Lesser Antilles, which is the chain of islands that defines the east side of the Caribbean.

Getting from Florida to the Bahamas is pretty easy. Getting from the Bahamas down to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands is not. The route is known as "The Thorny Path," and there is a very good reason for that name; you are going straight into the prevailing winds and currents the entire way. With only six months total, that may not be realistic.

That is why people are suggesting buying the boat in the islands. Ideally you would find a nice boat in Grenada, Trinidad, or perhaps Venezuela, and then sail it north and east back to Florida. That way you are not fighting the winds and currents, trip is much more pleasant and easier, and not so much need to wait for good weather.

Your choice, though. Good luck.

Excellent advisio