Send the guy a contract that he will purchase the boat pending Sea trail and survey for the agreed price within X amount of days. I have seen people plan a vacation on a high performance boat during a vacation. No intention of actually buying. Now he did for k out the cash for the survey, but thats cheep when gas is $4.50 per gallon and you will be trailering, probably buying lunch and generally kissing his his rump to get the deal done.
Without a contract signed up front, niether one of you have actually "Agreed" on anything. He may have said he would pay you a price, but you both left all the variables open. If its in writting, you both know the expectations of performance and quality to meet an agreed value.
People do "Joy ride" and waste each others time when it comes to boats more than you would ever think!

1. Get contract signed.
2. Letter from lender or bank on funds.
3. Delivery date post sea trail and survey.

But what do I know?

That sounds good on paper, but...

I've looked at ALOT of boats in the last 30 years. Not one time have I been given a prior description that was 100% accurate. They have all varied from minor omissions to blatant misrepresentation. In the majority of cases the seller was deliberately misleading. My "good faith" is paying from my own pocket for the surveyor. If someone harballed me, first I'd consider that to be a red flag on condition. Second, I'd want a provision that they'd pay the surveyor's fee if the survey wasn't reflective of the boat's actual condition.

It all comes down to how much you want to sell the boat and how concerned you are about scaring off a buyer. If he's serious enough to send the surveyor, I'd say he's going to be serious enough to enter into a written agreement. Obviously if the survey contains some undisclosed defect that changes the deal but agreement, test ride and re-negotiation on price "just because" wouldn't fly with me.

OK let me get this straight, you have a buyer who is serious enough to pay for a surveyer to go out on a sea trail and you have concerns??????

Take the surveyer out, so what if you spend $100 in gas, it doesn't say it has to be a 3 hour drive. 20 min is usually more than enough. Answer the surveyer questions and be done with it.

I guess I just do business different, if customer wants to drive boat, I take them out, they want surveyer, no problem (usually works in my favor) I demo a boat this past winter 40degrees and rain, 65mph in the Chesapeak bay, back to the dealership signed the paper work. Customers exact quote "you are the only dealer that would take me on a demo in this weather, I want the boat before it gets nice out" OK fine by me. Very happy customer.

WILL:D

Do whatever you have to do to get the deal done.

Especially in this market, with a boat that's been for sale for quite a while.

I guess it's just hard for me to imagine someone purely pretending to buy for a joyride?

It's generally a huge purchase, and although a sea trial is a hassle, I could see someone changing there mind afterwards even if it surveyed and trialed right. It's a buyers market afterall, and they may look at some others.

I haven't been in all sorts of boats, and someday might like to sea-trial my top 2 or 3 before buying to KNOW what the difference is and what I'm getting, would that make me a joyrider or scumbag or something?:cool-smiley-011:

I'd expect to pay some gas, etc, generally, but a motivated seller wouldn't mind $100 of gas to sell a $50K plus boat (and it's not like you shouldn't enjoy that time on the water too if you're the seller)

The deposit prior to a sea trial thing is to stop joy riders. If you have agreed on the price and he's sending a surveyor long distance he isn't out for a joy ride.

My thoughts exactly. Get er dun! :D

For what it's worth, as a buyer, I'd be hesitant if the seller was balking at a sea trial.

I just bought my first boat.

I first contacted the seller and asked a million questions. Then I contacted the first owner (Pantera's owners) and asked even more questions. Once I had enough info from them to be comfortable I set up a time and went to see the boat. I liked what I saw, got a fairly good feel for the seller and what he wanted and I made him an offer based on the boat passing a survey and leakdown/compression test.

The leakdown test was done by the owners own engine builder because the owner refused to let anyone other than him touch the engine. I was wary of this at first but finally agreed after a phone conversation with the builder (Bischoff Racing Engines). I decided it was in my best interest to go all the way back down 500miles just to watch the leakdown test so there could be no BS. I got to meet the engine builder and watch the test. Motor was built right, and compression/leakdown showed that.

I then went back to Canada, got a surveyor and had him inspect the boat. Still no deposit given on the boat. Surveyor gave the boat a great clean bill of health and I then called the seller and sent him the money.

If it was an older boat I would have had the surveyor go on a sea trial with the guy.

EIther he wants to sell his boat or he doesnt. There are alot of boats and money is too hard to come by to be giving deposits to sellers who could be BS'ing you.

I came close before I bought the Pantera (about 1 year before) to pushing the stupid button and sending a certain person on this board a deposit for a 28 Apache that I had been completely mislead on. Thanks God I got a survey and it only cost me about $1000 as opposed to 40times that or more. Boat had been seriously damaged and it was all covered up shoddily but stupid me I didnt know, just a young punk with a fat wad of cash looking for something loud and fast:cool-smiley-011: This experience made me realize I would never send a deposit EVER until I was sending the whole thing and I kew it was all good. If that bugged the seller then he was the wrong seller (although maybe the right boat--you need both IMHO). Never make financial decisions with a woody, they never turn out good:cool-smiley-027:(my last credit card bill proved to me that I didnt learn the lesson yet-maybe never will)

Buyer beware--my advice from a buyer perspective is let the guy have what he wants if you have nothing to hide. Buying a boat is very nerve racking and some people like myself have had poor experiences and are EXTRA wary when it comes to dealing with people especially when there are state (or international) barriers that could pose issues for any legal action if there is a problem.

Good Luck with the sale,

I thought about making an offer on your boat before I bought the Pantera--it is very nice looking-- but being a Canuck the paintjob would have gotten me way too much flak from the boys up in Toronto!!

Cheers.

Which Apache was this? Is it the one with al the drama in the Apache section?