I prefer dealing with the owner. He knows the history and can answer questions . Many dealers have so many boats they don't really know all the details.

I would much rather deal with a private party, especially when it comes to buying. My personal experience is that its always a headache dealing with a broker. The ones i've dealt with play the typical salesman game, have no real information on the boat, and can't possibly know the history since they don't own it.

The last 2 boats I have purchased were through private party and the deal couldn't have gone any smoother. I also just sold a boat last month myself and it went as smooth as it could be.

Private, I'd rather look the seller in the eye and talk to him about his boat. Unless he's a practiced liar, you get a pretty good feel for they buyer and the boat.

Broker

That said my list of Brokers I would deal with is short. I think an owner will tell you anything you want to hear to move their stuff. While some are straight up most are and worthless people just trying to move their headache onto someone else shoulders.

Most of all, I'd like to deal with an OSO member...... :asskiss::asskiss:

I'm not sure it matters. Seriously. I have bought only 2 boats. Getting there I have used 3 different paths. My first one was from a reposession operation. Although it wasn't terrible I am certain they played a few games with the price. The boat sat for a while, but the instant I placed an offer all of a sudden there was another offer of more money. After going back and forth a bit I said "this is it, it's all I've got". Mysteriously my higher offer was accepted. I did buy that boat. I than sold that first boat myself offering it on boat trader (before I ever heard of OSO! Maybe OSO didn't exist than). In my search for the "next" boat I went to a relatively big boat yard in my part of the world. Not necessarily versed in performance, but they had a performance boat for sale. I liked it and gave a $10K deposit contingent on a sea trial. This is where it went bad. The boat had been in storage. So, they were trying to get me to pay to get the boat running and into the water. "I'm like are you serious. You want $125K and I can't even get a ride"! Moving on we finally got past that and get on the water. The boat was advertised as 107mph. We maybe saw 85mph. NO, I don't want it. They wouldn't give back the $10K deposit. Going back to their original statement that it cost money for a mechanic to get it running, money to lift it off and back on the trailer (as the owner didn't want the trailer dipped in salt water, not a bad thing, but still not my problem), run it, than a mechanic again to put it back into storage. Had to go to small claims court to get my money back. What a feakin' joke. The boat that I ultimately purchased was from a private seller. 2 problems existed there. One, he was truly having "sellers remorse". Everytime the deal was ready something happened to stall it. Finally, I thought it was all set, I got my money approved, but the bank wanted the boat documented. The transaction had to take place at my bank due to the documentation. The seller refused to come from CT. to MA. The document people refusing to go to CT. Oh boy. So, I took a personal loan for the money, way high interest rate, bought the boat from the seller and than refinanced as originally planned. Sorry for the long story. But, looking back it was all kind of an adventure that I laugh at now!

I have bought 3 boats. 2 from individuals and 1 from a broker. My broker experience and 1st private seller were a good experience. Second private seller was just trying to move his boat, but for the most part was honest about everything. I prefer the broker, but would not stop me from buying from an individual if that is what I really wanted.

Private party, less people trying to profit off me.

Had a broker trying to sell me a stolen boat when on the hunt in 2015. Swore up and down it wasn't but a simple google search netted the recovery agent who confirmed they were still on the hunt for it!!! Anything for a buck and I would have been screwed royally!

Flew out of town to look at a boat last weekend. It was listed with a broker and I set it up with him to see/hear it run. Anyway, I was impressed that the owner was invited by the broker to show up. Thought that was a nice move on his part. The owner and I hit it off and I obtained way more info from him than I would have gotten from a broker. The broker can now handle the financing and bs that the rest of us hate to deal with.