23 Diesel inboard Seacraft Custom and MINT!

[Ryan]

A 10% deposit and an accepted offer is customary on 99% of brokered boats, reson being that most owners don't want to take someone for a ride just for showing up to look at the boat. Plus the deposit is refundable should you decide to reject the vessel after your sea trial and/or survey

[bobthew]

Ryan you are correct in most situations....but I am a yacht broker myself 20 years and a little professional courtesy would be nice especially since I drove 4.5 hours...for this particular situation I totally disagree with you

[warthog5]

I always thought it would be very simple to sea trial if you followed this.

$100 gets you a sea trial. If you buy the boat it goes toward the purchase of the boat. If you don't buy the boat you forfeit the $100 as a boat ride.

That should be plenty to weed out tire kickers and put some fuel in the boat.

[Jon G]

You'll never sell a boat that sits on blocks, I tell them I am interested and if the sea trial goes well I will make an offer. Would anyone buy a used car without driving it first? Thats why some of these boats will be on the yatch trader for more than a year. Theres quite a few that have been on there a while the longer they sit the lower the selling proce will be when its sold.

[joey]

I am in the process of selling a boat through a broker now.The buyer which the broker supplied, has been down 3 times to view the boat both in the water and on the hard.He made an offer with a 10% deposit,which has been accepted,now we go for a boat ride and at the buyers expense she is hauled again and surveyed.If after the sea trial and survey the buyer is not happy,then the deposit is returned and we go to the next potential buyer. I think it is a very clean and painless process and I am not spending all my time taking folks on boat rides.

[red20]

There is no law that says your initial offer prior to sea trial is the final offer. If you put up the 10% refundable deposit, pay for a survey + take a sea trial and find issues with the boat you simply change your offer. Most contract to purchase have an out if the buyer or surveyor finds the boat unacceptable. You will receive your deposit back if you and the seller can not come to terms. The buyer is out the survey fee and his time and the seller is out a bit of fuel and his time.

A marine survey is a great tool for a buyer. It provides an independent report on the condition of the boat and usually the survey is the buyers bargaining tool to get a lower price.

My advice - put up the 10%, take a ride, if you like it buy it. If there is a problem change your offer. If the deal doesn't work move onto another boat, there are plenty of them for sale.

[joey]

You are so right! Every boat that I have sold,and there has been a few,the survey is used as a bargaining chip.

[digreg]

I know the owner and have been on the boat.... it is MINT. All the work done was quality and it is setup as a fishing machine. The boat is now back with him and i am sure he would trial it for any serious prospects.