Shaunc
Veteran Member
My wife and I recently decided to semi retire and buy a boat and go cruising.
She did have a list of requirements:
Europa style
NO V berth for master
Must have a full queen bed, that is accessible from both sides.
Must have a homely traditional feel
MUST be safe for young grand babies.
I figured this was easy until the search started, after viewing possibly every boat for sale in the WORLD lol, we decided to get serious on a MT 49 Pilot House in Hamilton,Canada. We are in Florida so this is even crazier, but this is what she wanted.
We went back and forth with an offer as I felt the boat was over priced initially. The broker had assured me that the boat was a BUC 7-8 condition. After flying up in the middle of winter, the boat was on the hard and shrink wrapped and looked ok, but not as great as pictures and broker described.
We went ahead with the survey on the hard and it was a train wreck. The Surveyor rated it as a BUC 5 in poor condition. He also felt the boat condition had been grossly misrepresented in the add. The list of repairs was so extensive, I could not find one company to insure the boat based on the survey.
The broker has told me the owner will make the repairs and we are about to do the mechanical survey and sea trials this week, so I have about 4k invested in the boat so far. The surveyor believes it will take an act of god for the owner to bring the boat to compliance.
All of a sudden I have seen a lot of boats that are of similar age, length and style(not exactly what she wants) for about 40-50% less than my offer. Unfortunately many are on the west coast so moving those to Florida are not an option. But with the survey a disaster, the boat so far away, the boat being over priced, I am not so certain any more.
I have not been able to find any other pilothouse for sale in our price range, We also would look at a Cheoy Lee twin deck or Sea Ranger etc, in the same size range. We just don't seem to be able to find anything else.
So our problem are
1. Cut our loses and walk away
2. Start looking all over again
3. Attempt to re negotiate with seller for a price reduction
4. Buy what she wants even over priced
5. Settle for something that does not check all boxes for her.
Any advise from seasoned owners would be helpful or even a lead on a potential replacement would be even better as a backup.
She did have a list of requirements:
Europa style
NO V berth for master
Must have a full queen bed, that is accessible from both sides.
Must have a homely traditional feel
MUST be safe for young grand babies.
I figured this was easy until the search started, after viewing possibly every boat for sale in the WORLD lol, we decided to get serious on a MT 49 Pilot House in Hamilton,Canada. We are in Florida so this is even crazier, but this is what she wanted.
We went back and forth with an offer as I felt the boat was over priced initially. The broker had assured me that the boat was a BUC 7-8 condition. After flying up in the middle of winter, the boat was on the hard and shrink wrapped and looked ok, but not as great as pictures and broker described.
We went ahead with the survey on the hard and it was a train wreck. The Surveyor rated it as a BUC 5 in poor condition. He also felt the boat condition had been grossly misrepresented in the add. The list of repairs was so extensive, I could not find one company to insure the boat based on the survey.
The broker has told me the owner will make the repairs and we are about to do the mechanical survey and sea trials this week, so I have about 4k invested in the boat so far. The surveyor believes it will take an act of god for the owner to bring the boat to compliance.
All of a sudden I have seen a lot of boats that are of similar age, length and style(not exactly what she wants) for about 40-50% less than my offer. Unfortunately many are on the west coast so moving those to Florida are not an option. But with the survey a disaster, the boat so far away, the boat being over priced, I am not so certain any more.
I have not been able to find any other pilothouse for sale in our price range, We also would look at a Cheoy Lee twin deck or Sea Ranger etc, in the same size range. We just don't seem to be able to find anything else.
So our problem are
1. Cut our loses and walk away
2. Start looking all over again
3. Attempt to re negotiate with seller for a price reduction
4. Buy what she wants even over priced
5. Settle for something that does not check all boxes for her.
Any advise from seasoned owners would be helpful or even a lead on a potential replacement would be even better as a backup.