Advise on buying directly from owner

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  • March 08, 2012 5:46 PM
    Message # 852269
    Deleted user
    Has any body here bought directly from an owner? This is the fourth W32 that I've considered. This one looks good from the photos, taken within the last week. Having a surveyor take a close look, and take some additional pics, but I have a lot. The thing is, this guy's going to hold this boat for me, kind of finance it, for a few months. The problem is, I'm out of the country, and cannot go step aboard this boat right now. I know sounds a little nuts. But I believe I can know what this boat is through a good surveyor and very good photos. This a 1974 W32 hull #551. Any thoughts on this? Thanks;  Sam  P.S. How do post pics?
  • March 08, 2012 6:47 PM
    Reply # 852291 on 852269

    Samuel,  Evidently the boat is in San Pedro, CA, which is only about an hour's drive from me.  Contact me if you want me to take a look at the boat.

    I have sold some parts to the owner since 1995, but I can't say I have seen the boat.

  • March 08, 2012 7:21 PM
    Reply # 852315 on 852269
    Deleted user
    Negative, Bud, this boat is in San Diego. How far are you from SD?
  • March 08, 2012 8:21 PM
    Reply # 852362 on 852269
    Deleted user

    Will post some again

    Last modified: March 09, 2012 4:17 PM | Deleted user
  • March 09, 2012 5:47 PM
    Reply # 853098 on 852269
    Yup, I bought Sea Breeze privately from the owner.  

    The boat was listed for sale on Bud's site,  I emailed the owner, who turned out to be a Swede, and learned the boat was in Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola, BVI.  I went there with a list of five boats to look at (I seriously considered about 28) and eventually decided on this one.  I looked heavenward and grit my teeth, and dealt with the owner by phone, mailed him a money order for payment, and he mailed the papers to me.  I've never met him.  The purchase turned out well.

    I think these things:  (a)Buying a boat is in itself good fun,  (b)Hop on a plane and go and see the boat(s). (c)While a friend may go and look the boat over for you,  make the purchase conditional on a survey, and (d)Bud Taplin is the _ONLY_ surveyor.  (e)After the survey, whatever the surveyor finds that's deviant from the seller's description, its value is subtracted from the seller's purchase price, which is thereby renegotiated a bit.  (f)And I think that brokers don't care what they say, and neither do I.

    I looked at the five boats and went back home and thought about them.  I bought Sea Breeze from there, went back to Nanny Cay, spent some months getting .her ready to go offshore, and then sailed her singlehanded across 1200 miles of the North Atlantic Ocean straight into Charleston, South Carolina.  We had a great time, boat and I.

    Joe Kovacs
    SV Sea Breeze

  • March 09, 2012 6:27 PM
    Reply # 853132 on 852269
    Deleted user
    Thanks Joe,   This is going to be my first real sailboat. I'm not buying another, this is it. I'm nervous about it because I can't be there, but Bud will. All of you guy's have been a big help to me in my decision making process. I chose the W32, not only because it's a very seaworthy bluewater boat, but also because I love the way they look too. I will not own a boat that I kind of like the way she looks. I must love the way she looks, if that makes any sense.          Sam
  • March 09, 2012 6:35 PM
    Reply # 853142 on 852269
    Deleted user

  • March 09, 2012 6:36 PM
    Reply # 853143 on 852269
    Deleted user
  • March 09, 2012 6:37 PM
    Reply # 853144 on 852269
    Deleted user
  • March 09, 2012 6:37 PM
    Reply # 853145 on 852269
    Deleted user
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