First time purchase queries

[cgeorge3012]

Hi everyone, first time boater here and seriously considering purchase of a Jenneau Prestige 39 and looking for advice on criticality of fully documented service history. If independent survey comes up with clean bill of health and no major issues noted, how important is it to have full service history documented. Is it madness to consider purchase without this? It’s a big chunk of cash to purchase at just under £200k for a 14 year old boat. Condition of the boat is immaculate and seems to have been very well kept with ~1000 hr run time on each engine. Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[benjenbav]

Hi everyone, first time boater here and seriously considering purchase of a Jenneau Prestige 39 and looking for advice on criticality of fully documented service history. If independent survey comes up with clean bill of health and no major issues noted, how important is it to have full service history documented. Is it madness to consider purchase without this? It’s a big chunk of cash to purchase at just under £200k for a 14 year old boat. Condition of the boat is immaculate and seems to have been very well kept with ~1000 hr run time on each engine. Any advice greatly appreciated.

A surveyor will look at the structure of the boat and its condition. Given that on a motorboat a big proportion of the cost lies in the motors you’d normally want a suitably qualified engineer to examine the engines plus service history and give you a clean bill of health - or identify issues - on them separately.

 

[DavidJ]

The only advice I can give is that be aware that you will have the same problem when you come to sell the boat.
Agree with @benjenbav plus an oil test.

 

[Tranona]

There are no hard and fast rules about what is acceptable history. A lot happens in 14 years with possibly more than one change in ownership. while a fastidious owner may keep detailed records, others may not or records may be lost.

You have to assess the boat as it is together with what documentation there is then together with your surveyor make a judgement as to the condition of the boat, whether it meets your requirements and you are prepared to pay a price that is acceptable to both you and the seller. This is very different from buying a new boat from a trader where the transaction is covered by consumer law. You are buying another person's private property and the onus is on you to satisfy yourself that it meets your expectations. Inevitably there is a big element of judgement involved.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Agree ref the engine survey and the importance of ensuring that the engines are in good condition, big repairs will be very costly so will have a material impact on the value of the boat…. If that‘s the model I remember then it may well be equipped with Cummins engines, generally very well regarded with good spares availability. You don’t say where you are located, I’d recommend you find a local-to-you (Cummins) engineer to give the engines a thorough inspection.

 

[Portofino]

Basic stuff like evidence of lubrication services should be there .Both engines and gearbox. A file of receipts for the filters , belts and other spares used .
Take a look at the engine manufacturers schedules , hand books should be on the boat ? .Twin engined boats comes with two sets of bumf so at one set should stay with the boat .Or Google the engines for info .

Ask the broker why the SH is deficient ? Most brokers know exactly what punters look for paperwork wise so if you say it’s inadequate then the broker must have known before viewing .It’s something that ought to have been in a electronic file along with any other info the broker should have assembled from the seller .

An engineers will do a spot on the day survey , spot weepy water pumps and question the injector service time , advise fuel lines and other black pipes ( water pipes )and coolant are better replaced …..suggest a cooler strip and fresh gaskets etc kinda earn his fee back for you by way of giving you ammo for a chip down , a further chip down on the asking price .Perhaps the prices has already taken this into account ?

The motors will work fine run like sewing machines if Cummins .But missed lub services are a red flag in my book .
a history of overdue lub changes isn’t good . Sludgy oil one day soon will catch some one out north of 1000 hrs one day .

Mean while if the boats immaculate as you describe and you continue to phaff / dither about and there’s a field of other prospects , seller is in no rush …….you will loose it .

How deep in commitment wise are you ? You haven’t said in post #1 .

Personally I would want the lubrication services to mirror the manufacturers recommendations .
That for most means annually.Also see via invoices the correct spec of oil too .
It’s isn’t the hrs it’s the additive package that deteriorates with time .If like most “ marine “ engines are stud Idle for months on end in the closed season the oil separates out so if anything evidence of the lub services imho are crucial going Fwds .

 

[oldgit]

A phone call to the local Cummins dealer might reveal some worthwhile history or perhaps lack of it.

Not that long ago went to look a boat with pair of D6 Volvo Pentas with was rumoured to be a problematical drive system if not serviced properly..
Noted the serial numbers of both engine and drives then contacted the area VP dealer.
Yes, they did have those numbers on file and no they had not been touched by them since the first service.
The boat was now showing just over 1000 hours, no record of some vital inspections and a quote for the biggy major service just over the horizon was eyewatering.
Assume it was a shared database and if some other authorised dealer had done the service it would appear on the records ?
Also went to look at a boat in North Wales with pair of Cummins engines, no service records available and neither of the Cummins servicing companies likely to have been involved in any maintainance knew of the boat.

 

[cgeorge3012]

Many thanks all for your valuable advice! Lots to consider.

 

[jon and michie]

Definitely - get a marine engineer to surveyor the engine and drives and a surveyor for the boat itself - its better to spend say £1k or so and walk away than to buy a lemon at £200k
Mine had some service history however since my ownership I keep a detailed folder for the servicing and all receipts - which is handy for noting down for any future work that is required.
Jon

 

[jakew009]

As an alternative opinion, it’s very unlikely that a few missed oil or filter changes will have done any lasting damage to the engine.
Use it as a stick to negotiate with the seller, then get it fully serviced and forget about it.

 

[Fairlineboat]

If you are new to boating I would recommend taking some with you if you're not to sure on what you are looking at, then with getting the boat surveyed and engine surveyed you should be ok. Ask the seller what history the engines have ie receipts, invoices etc. Also contact local marine supplies and engineers so you are fully prepared if anything goes wrong. Also depended on where you are based and where you are going to keep it but if you can get down to the marina where you are thinking of berthing it then pop down there are see what they have locally. If you have never controlled a boat also look at someone who can give you advice on using the boat and having a day or 2 on your own boat with an instructor. Boating is fun and I'm new to boating so still learning and shocked in somethings I come across.

 

[jrudge]

There is a balance. When you look at a boat engine room is is reasonably obvios if it has been looked after. If not there will be weeps and seeps etc.

Unlike a car there is not a service book to stamp and most boats are looked after by the local person that may or may not be a Volvo or whatever dealer.

The things that matter is oil changes , anodes and on an out drive boat bellows. You would expect other issues to be fixed as and when.


It would be reasonable to have some priof of the above been done during the persons ownership.

Bear in mind boat engines don't really wear out. They do hovered suffer from neglect and lack or use.