Buying a used motor yacht in Italy / Need some help for sales process

Well - I have to inform you that we have cancelled this project with the AZ50. It was for a very private reason during a final discussion within the family and we have to stay in our defined budget range.
We will go into an other deal with an AZ46 - 2 cabin version.
Thanks to your valuable support and many very good comments I have learned all the tricks and issues to look at. I feel very prepared to find the boat for our med yachting adventure now.
 
Seastoke said:
Felice, what year is the 46 as they have history of Osmosis.
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Well - I have not yet got the details ... but this AZ 46E was built 2006 ... (then black hole ?) and launched 2011 ...

>>> Yacht in mint condition, built in 2006 but launched and registered in 2011. Absolutely to be seen kept in a
maniacal way, changes made on the fly with double bimini construction, created chaise lounge and
C-shaped sofa with lockers. Quick coupling for washing engines, Cagnaro, Double cockpit awning. <<<
 
Skipper Felice said:
Well - I have not yet got the details ... but this AZ 46E was built 2006 ... (then black hole ?) and launched 2011 ...

>>> Yacht in mint condition, built in 2006 but launched and registered in 2011. Absolutely to be seen kept in a
maniacal way, changes made on the fly with double bimini construction, created chaise lounge and
C-shaped sofa with lockers. Quick coupling for washing engines, Cagnaro, Double cockpit awning. <<<
Click to expand...
Ok so you must have it lifted and a surveyor check for Osmosis.
 
Skipper Felice said:
we have cancelled this project with the AZ50. It was for a very private reason during a final discussion within the family and we have to stay in our defined budget range. We will go into an other deal with an AZ46 - 2 cabin version.
Click to expand...
Did I miss a previous post where you mentioned the boat model, or are you disclosing it only now, after ruling her out?
I'm asking because I always had a funny feeling that you were looking at that boat (see my post #8), but I can't recall that you ever confirmed that.
Anyway, since you specify not only the model, but also the exact boat that you are now considering, here's my 2c about her, in no particular order:

1) she does indeed come across as a well cared boat, initially specced by a no-frills, sensible boater, who spent extra money to upgrade the genset and fit also a stern thruster, but steered clear from teak on the swim platform - which on the Azis is better avoided, due to its poor quality.
Not to mention the BodgeFlow, which is not available from Azi (or any other builder for that matter) even as an option, and was therefore surely retrofitted by a connoisseur owner. Apropos, since you asked: that's what in the ad they call "coupling for washing engines".

2) personally, even if smaller, I like the C9 Cat engines fitted in that boat better than the C12, so that's a plus in my books.
But I would want to check their history carefully, because 5 years spent somewhere as a sitting duck (if that's what happened to the boat between 2006 and 2011) is actually worse than a regular usage and maintenance.
Also, pity that she only has analogue gauges and no MPD engine displays (as typical for Azimut - see my post #8), but they are retrofittable.

3) the boat doesn't have the maneuvering winches in the cockpit, and in the Med they are almost a must. Again, easily retrofittable, and you could consider fitting just one, which would be enough for that boat, also because it's no big deal to use it also for the line on the other side, if/when need be.

4) even if the boat does come across as a good one, the asking price seems to me a bit steep.
Also because I think it's the 3 cabins version of the same boat that has the higher market value.
With a 300k ballpark budget, at that size and vintage I'd rather look at Ferrettis, which were better built.
And I can think also of others, like the Carnevali I already mentioned, but I guess you wish to stick to the most "recognised" brands.

Anyway, good luck!
 
Last edited:
Well - the game with the AZ 46 is over for me: It went under contract yesterday ... deposit payed ... and planning for survey, seatrial etc. by the new owner. I have to start at point zerro :((

The storry behind the timeframe 2006 - 2001:
"... Magic of this unit is she was ordered by Boote xxxxx, famous Austrian dealer, but never sold. The Vessel stayed in their hangar up to 2011, when we bought her for this Italian Client. Sole Owner ever since ... ".
It is surprising for me, that a good boat gets buyed from AZIMUT and then stays around 5 years on shore ?

MapisM said:
1) she does indeed come across as a well cared boat, initially specced by a no-frills, sensible boater, who spent extra money to upgrade the genset and fit also a stern thruster, but steered clear from teak on the swim platform - which on the Azis is better avoided, due to its poor quality.
Not to mention the BodgeFlow, which is not available from Azi (or any other builder for that matter) even as an option, and was therefore surely retrofitted by a connoisseur owner. Apropos, since you asked: that's what in the ad they call "coupling for washing engines".
Click to expand...
Ok ... so perhaps I missed a real good boat :(

" 2) personally, even if smaller, I like the C9 Cat engines fitted in that boat better than the C12, so that's a plus in my books. But I would want to check their history carefully, because 5 years spent somewhere as a sitting duck (if that's what happened to the boat between 2006 and 2011) is actually worse than a regular usage and maintenance.
Also, pity that she only has analogue gauges and no MPD engine displays (as typical for Azimut - see my post #8), but they are retrofittable."

I fully agree with you MapisM !
 
Skipper Felice said:
so perhaps I missed a real good boat
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Maybe, but the golden rule when looking for a used boat remains valid: there's no such thing as a lost opportunity, just other opportunities you're not yet aware of.
I'm saying this having actually got out of bed and travelled literally thousands of miles, inspecting almost 80 boats, before eventually buying one.
And nope, the number is NOT a typo.
In fact, I could bet that there are several better 46 footers of that vintage that could be bought for the same or less money - unless you prefer to stick to Azimut for whatever reason.
 
MapisM said:
Maybe, but the golden rule when looking for a used boat remains valid: there's no such thing as a lost opportunity, just other opportunities you're not yet aware of.
I'm saying this having actually got out of bed and travelled literally thousands of miles, inspecting almost 80 boats, before eventually buying one.
And nope, the number is NOT a typo.
In fact, I could bet that there are several better 46 footers of that vintage that could be bought for the same or less money - unless you prefer to stick to Azimut for whatever reason.
Click to expand...
As my father used to say.
There are bigger fish in the sea than ever came out.
He was right.
 
MapisM said:
MapisM said:
2) personally, even if smaller, I like the C9 Cat engines fitted in that boat better than the C12, so that's a plus in my books.
But I would want to check their history carefully, because 5 years spent somewhere as a sitting duck (if that's what happened to the boat between 2006 and 2011) is actually worse than a regular usage and maintenance.
Also, pity that she only has analogue gauges and no MPD engine displays (as typical for Azimut - see my post #8), but they are retrofittable.

3) the boat doesn't have the maneuvering winches in the cockpit, and in the Med they are almost a must. Again, easily retrofittable, and you could consider fitting just one, which would be enough for that boat, also because it's no big deal to use it also for the line on the other side, if/when need be.

4) even if the boat does come across as a good one, the asking price seems to me a bit steep.
Also because I think it's the 3 cabins version of the same boat that has the higher market value.
With a 300k ballpark budget, at that size and vintage I'd rather look at Ferretti's, which were better built.
And I can think also of others, like the Carnevali I already mentioned, but I guess you wish to stick to the most "recognised" brands.

Anyway, good luck!
Click to expand...

e displays (as typical for Azimut - see my post #8), but they are retrofittable.

Anyway, good luck!
Click to expand...
I agree with all you say, especially Ferretti-Carnevali-Azimut build quality order and C9 versus known issues of C12s.
One remark, is that the Azimut 50 had also a better build quality to the 46.

Osmosis in Azimut is not decipherable by age. So no age data will tell you that exactly, you have to check it.
In fair play it happened cause they spray chopped strand matted under the gelcoat, and you find in that part of the laminate.
It is not a hard fix, and those that are fixed are free of problems. You can prevent if you want to stay a lot in water, and do it straight away.

Some Azimut never blister, we had a 2009 AZ55 six years in the water locally not moving, court impounded, who was lifted and it had not even a small blister.
 
Let's go and find an Azimut 56 / 2 cabin version
After studying many options and requirements for our family and the yacht project, we have made the descision, that an Azi 56 best fits all out needs - our dream and our budget ...
We are now doing a search for this model: Azimut 46 / 2 cab version, year 2005 ++, 2x C9 Cat., EU VAT ok
If someone of you experts is avare of a seller - yust let me know.

AZI56-2layout.jpg
 
Skipper Felice said:
It should be Azimut 46 !
Click to expand...
Do you have any reason to only consider Azis?
I'm asking because, with all due respect, there are other similar boats whose build quality is better in more ways than one.
Leaving aside builders that you might dislike just because not very well known and/or not existing anymore, if you like the AZ46 size/type of boat, you would do yourself a favour by looking also at Ferretti 460 or 480.
Their 46 model was also a great boat (actually larger than the newer 460, and closer to the 480), but wouldn't fit your age limit (2005+).

Apropos, another 2c: when looking at a 20yo boat (give or take), a few years more or less are irrelevant.
I'm 100% sure that there are boats out there, built in say 2000, that are much better than some others 10 years newer.
It's the maintenance history of the boat that can make it or break it, much more than the age!
 
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