Our search for our next boat - Trawler Yacht style semi displacement

[TheCoach]

Really helpful, thanks @Greg2 @superheat6k On the buying process generally I always have my equivalent of the "cry" price in mind which is my "walk away" price as well i.e. doesn't matter how much we like the product I'm not going over that. That helps manage the emotional piece of buying as well

If we did go for one of the boats I will need to look into the contractual side as that's not something I have ever experienced before.

We are not in a massive rush so it is very tempting to wait till later in the autumn when prices have (possibly) softened somewhat, but as ever when you see something that looks really nice its easy to get stuck in

Cheers,

TC.

 

[Greg2]

Think you meant to say it's a "sellers" market Greg.

Ooops....schoolboy error. I blame autocorrect ?

Thanks for spotting it - now corrected ?
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[Greg2]

I wouldn’t disagree with superheat6k in general and we have (mostly) been clinical when buying previous boats. I have also insisted on changes to the contract but it can be very difficult as many Brokers don’t seem to like changes. Good ones are okay and I always want to be able to walk away after a sea trial if we simply don’t like the boat and the way it handles. We haven’t always managed to get changes to the contract but we have had a pragmatic agreement that we would agree a ‘reason’ if we wanted to do that because, in reality, they aren’t in the business of selling a boat to someone who doesn’t want it.

The current climate is different though and it can be a case of ‘snooze you lose’ because it is not unusual for there to be a choice of buyers and if not at that time, sellers have good reason to be optimistic and not to take a low offer. This being the case it is a matter of choice as to whether you accept that you won’t get a ‘steal’ but will pay what is effectively the current market rate. Our son is a Broker and he once said to me that I was sometimes too focussed on ‘the deal’ as opposed to getting what we actually want and I think he had a point.

The current climate influenced our approach with the the Hardy so in simple terms we didn’t reach a good deal from our perspective but it was acceptable inasmuch as we wanted the boat and what we paid ‘over the odds’ (in our opinion but undoubtedly not one shared by the seller) was not a biggie in the context of securing the boat and our intention to keep the boat for a long time. The problem with this line of thought is that we are on our sixth boat ??

We did negotiate and got a reasonable % off the asking price but that was a high price in the first instance, hence my previous comments about working to a set % being meaningless.

The thing is with negotiating a deal is that, like driving, we all like to think that we are good and IMHO it is important to remember that we are buying dreams and memories so chasing ‘the deal’ might mean that we miss out. At the end of the day perhaps a good deal is one where both the seller and the buyer walk away with smiles on their faces ?
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[ashtead]

I think adopting a rationale thought process as if say you were buying a rental property is very hard with a boat and if buying secondhand given a narrow range and location you have to accept that you might lose a couple as part of the buying education. Wanting say a Hardy or an Aquastar might narrow the choices somewhat but you have to have seen a few maybe and let then pass by to be prepared to accept the pain eventually. I have always thought for later years a Nimbus might be suitable but know little of them really so guess I would have to view a number and be prepared to be outbid on a couple a gain a feel. Compare that to sailing boats where I would be much more comfortable in pricing say a Bav .

 

[TheCoach]

So conversations have started ...... and stalled a little.

I had (naively) assumed we would be able to get some financing assistance to go with a decent cash sum, but it turns out that is only generally possible on boats up to 15 years old (2005). Also despite the very busy market some finance companies are pretty cautious ATM - Lombard (for example) are only writing new business with existing customers of Natwest/RBS group.

So given every broker I talk to is grinning from ear to ear and barely has time to chat as they are sooooo busy selling boats, how are people financing these purchases??

Are they all new ish boats or are there just lots of people with hundreds of thousands of pounds sitting in savings accounts or under the bed .

On a slightly more serious note, if anyone has any recommendations on decent brokers/finance companies that will look at 20 year old boats let me know as at present it is ruling out Brooms, Mainships, Sabrelines et al - in fact the only thing I could finance would be the Prestige 36.

Cheers,

TC

 

[Seejay]

Don’t knock the Prestige 36 - my neighbour had one, was very pleased with it! Handled well with a spacious feel, wide port side walk around, intelligent seating arrangements and seemed both bigger internally and better built than I imagined (although he was a maniac on up-keep!)..

 

[longjohnsilver]

Don’t knock the Prestige 36 - my neighbour had one, was very pleased with it! Handled well with a spacious feel, wide port side walk around, intelligent seating arrangements and seemed both bigger internally and better built than I imagined (although he was a maniac on up-keep!)..

They are certainly good looking boats, but I’m told engine access is a pig.

 

[TheCoach]

Don’t knock the Prestige 36 - my neighbour had one, was very pleased with it! Handled well with a spacious feel, wide port side walk around, intelligent seating arrangements and seemed both bigger internally and better built than I imagined (although he was a maniac on up-keep!)..

Yep, the one we looked at on the Hamble a couple of weeks ago was very nice, in really good condition. As @longjohnsilver mentions the only real challenge is engine access, the starboard engine is effectively under the seat and requires a fair amount of disassembly to get at as far as I could see.

The real winner for the Prestige over other similar flybridge cruisers is the width of the side deck and the fact that it is slightly sunken.

Cheers,

TC

 

[[178529]]

So conversations have started ...... and stalled a little.



Are they all new ish boats or are there just lots of people with hundreds of thousands of pounds sitting in savings accounts or under the bed .



Cheers,

TC

I would say there are a fair number of people with cash piles for one reason or other. Business owners, inheritences, pension pot lump sums, ex-business owners who've sold up, law firm partners with a bonus, management consultancy firm partners with a bonus etc etc.

I think the idea of buying a boat with someone else's money, on finance, is a bad idea. Just my thoughts, probably in the minority.

I've always bought boats with money I had, that I didn't mond (too much ) losing. At best boats will stay roughly the same price. At the higher, newer end they will generally depreciate. They will cost a lot to run and store. I'm not sure funding that with finance at x percent is a good idea.

If circumstances change and you have to sell a boat quickly then the price can drop alarmingly. At the moment the market is unusual. People haven't been able to go abroad. Boats have been an alternative and the supply hasn't changed.

Up until covid, selling a boat can take a long time.

 

[Greg2]

I think the idea of buying a boat with someone else's money, on finance, is a bad idea. Just my thoughts, probably in the minority.

I've always bought boats with money I had, that I didn't mond (too much ) losing. At best boats will stay roughly the same price. At the higher, newer end they will generally depreciate. They will cost a lot to run and store. I'm not sure funding that with finance at x percent is a good idea.

If circumstances change and you have to sell a boat quickly then the price can drop alarmingly. At the moment the market is unusual. People haven't been able to go abroad. Boats have been an alternative and the supply hasn't changed.

Up until covid, selling a boat can take a long time.

An alternative perspective - for a number of years we simply couldn’t afford to buy any boat outright so had to use other peoples money. We never over-extended and were fairly secure in employment terms so were sensible about it but if we had waited until we had the cash we would have missed years of family adventures and memories that have been a major (positive) influence on the is lives of our now grown up kids. All personal choice of course and to be fair boating is much more than an incidental pastime for us
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[Sticky Fingers]

Deleted

 

[Ian h]

So given every broker I talk to is grinning from ear to ear and barely has time to chat as they are sooooo busy selling boats, how are people financing these purchases??

Are they all new ish boats or are there just lots of people with hundreds of thousands of pounds sitting in savings accounts or under the bed .



Cheers,

TC

Lots of COVID Loans being used to finance boats and cars at present, cheap loan

 

[TheCoach]

Well, its 9 months later (what a 9 months ) and I thought I would update this thread........

We are still "in the game" and other stuff is moving now which means in the next month or so we should have funds available and access to a 10-12m mooring.

During the intervening period we have kept up with the research and have probably decided to scale down a bit in size from our original list - at least for this first "proper" boat after the rib, on the basis that it will help us build familiarity, be easier to start with etc and everyone says you never stay with the first boat

We have also gone back to wanting a planning hull with easy access on/off although full walkaround isn't a requirement but "safe" access down the side decks is. These criteria together with size probably means the Broom's are out now as are most bigger trawler yachts this time round.

Price precludes the Swift Trawler (along with no proper steps up to the flybridge).

So with a budget of up to £100k our shortlist has now been updated and now includes
- Aquador/Nordstar 26-32 ft : +ves solid build, shafts, nice side decks, side access to wheelhouse; -ves no flybridge, older boats for price range
- MF 855/895 Offshore : +ves smaller, easy to handle, low/easy maintenance, much newer boat for price; -ves petrol price (although availability isn't an issue where we are), not as heavy/well built as Skandi boats, no flybridge
- Prestige 32 : +ves nice interior and layout for size, shafts, twin engine, decent cruising speed, flybridge; -ves engine access, maintenance costs
- Corvette 320 : +ves loads of room, rear cabin, trawler style, deep walkaround decks; -ves "feels" like a lot bigger boat to handle, not many 320's for under £100 so mainly looking at 90's era 32's

So, hopefully can start to look at a few actual boats - not adverts, in the next month. The only downside at the moment is the supply/demand issues as a result of Covid and the fact that I don't want to pay a huge Covid premium. But that said, there are still some sensibly priced boats about that we are aware of so we will see

In the meantime please feel free to contribute to the fun and games with recommendations, links, suggestions - lets start the ball rolling again

Cheers,

TC

 

[gordmac]

I think Aquador and Nordstar at those sizes are single outdrive. What about Rodman or similar?

 

[TheCoach]

Aquador 32c is shaft, not sure about all the Nordstars

TC

 

[gordmac]

It is but the 26-32ft range are single outdrive.

 

[lynallbel]

Them jeanneau 32/36 seem very good value for money, look reasonably modern inside and out, unlike some of the others the Corevette 32/320 for example.

 

[TheCoach]

Yep, quite different propositions in a way, Prestige is a modern style sports cruiser similar to a Sealine but with side decks. Corvette is a older style but amazing space for its size and has the trawler style rear cabin.

TBH we like both and it may come down to availability on all of the above options

cheers

TC

 

[lynallbel]

My one thought with anything expensive is, who will buy it off of me in 10 years time?

 

[superheat6k]

I run the Corvette Motorboat Association and no one is selling much of anything presently. Karl Farrant is the best broker to check out for Corvettes, but he generally only takes on more recent 320s, and presently has nothing listed.

From your - VEs they are a doddle to handle after a few hours practice.