Buying Your First Used Sailboat, Trawler or Motor Yacht

If you're a first-time yacht buyer the selection ofmaintenance of her. 
previously used boats available for purchase can Now comes the hard piece; how do you select
be irresistible. How do you make sense of all thejust the right one?  I have developed a purchase
different models and styles out there?checklist that I use with my customers to let
 The first time boat buyer needs to avoidthem choose the critical features of their desired
purchasing on emotion and take a hard look atboat.  That checklist then becomes the basis for
what they want to do with the vessel.  Makingthe perfect boat hunt.  When I am dealing with
the wrong choice will be a big problem in the longcustomers, I then look for yachts that best fill the
run and perhaps cost you thousands.customer's wants recognizing that most
To begin with, are you a sailor or a motor boaterpurchases usually involve compromise.  Rarely do
or maybe you don't truly know?  Many like theI find a cruiser with all of the desirable features.
story of a sailboat in the islands; others don't In the planning stage, I always say that you'll
want the aggravation of the sails, appurtenancesknow it when the right vessel comes along; it will
etc.  But a sailboat is very inexpensive to run if"talk" to you.  Any potential boat will have the
your plans include sailing to far-away placeslines, the feel and the personality that appeals to
Once you have assessed your yacht preferencesyou.  Don't settle for anything less than one that
you can then decide on what you wish on doingpleases you.
with it. But what about the cost of that used boat? 
 How will you use your new yacht?  I alwaysHow do you know you are getting a fair
say that there are "sincere boaters" and justtransaction?  Borrowing from other posting at
"owners".  Actual boaters use their boats; boatthe Paradise Yachts website about the True
owners just like to say they own one as theirValue of Yachts, good yachts always command
yachts rarely depart the wharf.  Many boatershigher prices, always!  A newer boat in bad
may be full-time liveaboards using their boats ascondition will bring less than an older vessel in
their housing every day.  Others may just usegood condition, always!  Never buy a boat based
their boats on nice weekends when time permits.upon the initial price alone or you'll be selling it
 Next is the cost of watercraft ownership.  Youwithin 6 months.
must take this into consideration.  The initial And should you   a survey, yes it's always
purchase is like a down payment.  Boating has itsadvisable.  Select a knowledgeable surveyor that
costs that you need to be aware of.  If you arehas experience with your desirable yacht .  Ask
mechanically inclined, you will find that the costshim for references too.
are not out of line.  Most watercraft owners doIf you are working with a respectable Yachts
the majority of repair themselves.  I haveBroker, he will recommend various top-shelf
posting at my website about the specifics ofsurveyors but will insist you choose the one you
boating costs. Feel free to take a look.want to use.
 So thus far we have determined what type of And finally,  use a Buyer's Broker to represent
boater you are, we know what style of cruiseryou in your hunt , selection and purchase.  It will
mostly appeals to you, we know how much wesave you lots of time, money and a lot of
expect to use it and about what to expect in thedisappointment.