advice needed re: sea trail

[cloud7]

I think the surveyor trialling the boat solo was a BIG no no, but with regards to what he has found...

Well actually he has done exactly what the purchaser asked him to do and that is give a thorough appraisal of the boat to the point of finding any little niggle. This is what they have paid him for.

ALL boats will have little niggles, brand new ones too.
None of the faults are remotely serious and no buyer in their right mind would pull out of a deal due to them. This is where a broker would manage the buyers expectations for you and hold the sale together.

If anything at all needed any attention from you then possibly the props would benefit from being refurbished due to a minor fracar you may have once had with a sand bar. No biggy, but perhaps offer this to hold the sale together.
The other points are absolutely nothing to worry about whatsoever and the fact that not a single serious item regarding material defects or safety have shown up means that the buyer really should not be backing out.

agree 100% with you , i have offerred to sort out props , waterproof canopy , and any other bits and pieces , because the do not amount to a pile of money , purchaser
says have changed my mind on basis of surveyors findings , so what next?

 

[strakeryrius]

agree 100% with you , i have offerred to sort out props , waterproof canopy , and any other bits and pieces , because the do not amount to a pile of money , purchaser
says have changed my mind on basis of surveyors findings , so what next?

You've got to get back on the front foot in this deal - by undermining what the surveyor has said about it costing thousands to return the boat to mint condition.

Get an estimate done by a reputable repairer for all of these niggles, which would come to hundreds rather than thousands. Give the prospective purchaser a copy and tell him to compare it with what the surveyor has said. Then offer to get it all done at your expense, at which point the purchaser can have the boat resurveyed if he wants - preferably by a different surveyor so as to have a second opinion - to assure himself that the boat is back to mint condition, or as close as can be reasonably expected in a 7 year old boat.

 

[303hound]

You've got to get back on the front foot in this deal - by undermining what the surveyor has said about it costing thousands to return the boat to mint condition.

Get an estimate done by a reputable repairer for all of these niggles, which would come to hundreds rather than thousands. Give the prospective purchaser a copy and tell him to compare it with what the surveyor has said. Then offer to get it all done at your expense, at which point the purchaser can have the boat resurveyed if he wants - preferably by a different surveyor so as to have a second opinion - to assure himself that the boat is back to mint condition, or as close as can be reasonably expected in a 7 year old boat.

good advice.

 

[Renegade_Master]

cloud 7 did you get a deposit before the sea trial and survey?

 

[cloud7]

cloud 7 did you get a deposit before the sea trial and survey?

Yes , 10 % deposit is held with their solicitor.

 

[Nautibusiness]

Please PM this surveyors details to me.
I want to know who to avoid like the plague.

He's a liability.

 

[lovezoo]

It is of course possible that the buyer's decision to pull out has nothing to do with the survey - change of circumstances or has found a different boat - and is trying to use the minor problems found in the survey as an excuse to do this. This is certainly common in commercial agreements, when things go wrong you point to anything you can to get out of the agreement no matter how irrelevant.

As the buyer is inexperienced its also possible the surveyor has pointed out a pitfall with your boat that the buyer would not have noticed until he had bought it - eg too big for him, too small, wrong engines for his use etc etc.

In other words the problems found in the survey may have nothing to do with his decision to pull out.

 

[cloud7]

It is of course possible that the buyer's decision to pull out has nothing to do with the survey - change of circumstances or has found a different boat - and is trying to use the minor problems found in the survey as an excuse to do this. This is certainly common in commercial agreements, when things go wrong you point to anything you can to get out of the agreement no matter how irrelevant.

As the buyer is inexperienced its also possible the surveyor has pointed out a pitfall with your boat that the buyer would not have noticed until he had bought it - eg too big for him, too small, wrong engines for his use etc etc.

In other words the problems found in the survey may have nothing to do with his decision to pull out.

I would have consider the surveyor brief is to carry out a general survey of the boat
to establish it is fit for purpose , i think matters such as boat to big or small is outside
the realm of a survey . but apprectiate your view.

 

[lovezoo]

I would have consider the surveyor brief is to carry out a general survey of the boat
to establish it is fit for purpose , i think matters such as boat to big or small is outside
the realm of a survey . but apprectiate your view.

And if the surveyor doesn't think it is fit for the purpose the buyer has in mind its perfectly legitimate for him to tell the buyer that - he is working for the buyer after all. However, this is speculation, we don't know what the surveyor told the buyer, or what his reasons are for pulling out.

 

[paultallett]

Interesting thread. As a salesman myself, I see it very simply. Do you want the sale?? If so, then forget about speculation, talk to the buyer, find out the true problem and work it out if you can. You've not got to make best friends with him or the surveyor..... Do what needs to be done to get the deal..... assuming the buyer's situation hasn't changed!!

You know your boats sound, so find out what the stumbling block is.

Good luck

Paul.

 

[cloud7]

Interesting thread. As a salesman myself, I see it very simply. Do you want the sale?? If so, then forget about speculation, talk to the buyer, find out the true problem and work it out if you can. You've not got to make best friends with him or the surveyor..... Do what needs to be done to get the deal..... assuming the buyer's situation hasn't changed!!

You know your boats sound, so find out what the stumbling block is.

Good luck

Paul.

exactly what i have done already , see previous post,
thks Paul

 

[paultallett]

exactly what i have done already , see previous post,
thks Paul

I know you have said what the surveyor has found, but as everyone has commented on, these aren't deal breakers...... so theres got to be more to it than that.

I'll stick by what I said, you need to talk to him and find out his concerns.......... Maybe a pint might ease the real truth from him, then you can both go forward??

Paul.

 

[oceandrive]

A surveyor or professional skipper should have their own insurance surely? So if he sinks it (like the pro skipper did with the Sealine 360 on a delivery trip a couple of years ago) you are liable?

Pro skippers dont have their own insurance, or when I have enquired insurance companies wont insure a professional skipper on a drive anything policy. I have tried.

So it usualy falls back on the owners insurance, I cover this by always asking for a letter from the owner signed saying that he has asked me to drive his vessel for a particular need such as a sea trial, delivey, etc etc.

Saying all this in my experience survayors would usualy ask that the current owner drive the vessel or a skipper nominated by the current owner.