Viewing Boats

[Chris H]

Is there anything that I should be looking for initially, and would looking at maintenance logs, if available give any idea of condition. The boats are based in SoF and between 45-53 foot, once I've decided on a model of boat I don't mind travelling to view a potential purchase but would like to be armed with some initial knowledge to rule out the lemons.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Is there anything that I should be looking for initially, and would looking at maintenance logs, if available give any idea of condition. The boats are based in SoF and between 45-53 foot, once I've decided on a model of boat I don't mind travelling to view a potential purchase but would like to be armed with some initial knowledge to rule out the lemons.

As many photos and video as you can get your mitts on I think. Paperwork is ok but is it reliable. But yes copies of paperwork as well if they will send them.

If you look at Gulfstream boat sales in Ireland the sort of video they do is excellent.

Dennis

Dennis

 

[Portofino]

I asked and got extra pics before arranging travel .
Engine room ,bilges ,anchor locker etc .
Ask the broker what's recently been replaced or work done in the past two seasons ?Its a good indication the owner is on programme re rolling maintainance which in any boat nor new ( you can define that. ) should be happening .

Engines
Google them -don,t but the low Hp variant engine combo for that boat ,aim for the biggest Hp .
Just saves all the hassle with a bit of fouling ,extra weight ,and the inability as time and age catches up of the boat performance wise to perform as the magazine review all though years ago said it would .
Annual maintenance a must although debatable genuine parts ,it shows he cares more than the guy trolling the net for knock off /patern parts .
Accessability -- very important IMHO --- so you can EASILY get round engines ( and previous owners ) to service them properly ,ie there's no 8arsted of a filter or belt that's needs a human octopus to do it ,so it's never done on time .
Shaft seals -- assume you not buying an ancient outdrive Volvo penta set up ? --make sure they too are accessible ,not covered by ancillaries or tanks .

Once on it look under every bunk and floor access pannal ,if you see a float switch lift it ,again tells a lot of rhe fastidiousness of the owner ,should run a pump nearby .

The other thing as you are travelling from far away etc the French Brokers normally if you sound keen will take you out on a test drive ,offer to pay a few €100 for the diesel ,they will refuse but a nice gesture from you .
You meet them in the office ,they have the file ,they will go through that then take you to the boat .
If its owned by a N EU guy eg Belgium the chances are it's been fully maintained so there will be a thick file somewhere .

It's important you get a go in it before proceeding .
There's a lot of 55-55 ftrs here in La Napoule it's a popular Med size .
It's an outdorsey type of life ,so make sure those spaces will work for you ,cockpit size ,sunpad size ,shade Binimi size ,ease of access to the sea etc .
Soft stuff like carpets ,covers ,cushions can easily be changed /upgraded ,but you can,t change the hard stuff like the hull .

Ps a nice Preditor 52 here @ Sunseeker ,fr £400 K all in .looks a minter .Thats another point SS stock boats taken In PEx
Usually cone with a warranty ,negotiate that up to clinch the deal eg 3/12 to 12/12 etc
Good look btw

 

[jon and michie]

Is there anything that I should be looking for initially, and would looking at maintenance logs, if available give any idea of condition. The boats are based in SoF and between 45-53 foot, once I've decided on a model of boat I don't mind travelling to view a potential purchase but would like to be armed with some initial knowledge to rule out the lemons.

Once you have decided on a model - try and see if the same boat is for sale near to where you are and go and view, this will probably save you time and money and you know what to expect should you go to the s.o.f.

on the maintenance side - look at the logs but look overall the boat and the engine/s and ask yourself has it been looked after generally and not just recently spruced up for a sale.

then if you are still willing to get the boat and you make an offer get a contract with surveys to be carried out etc.

I am sure whitelighter and Portofino will give you some good advice should you need it

jon

 

[jon and michie]

Once you have decided on a model - try and see if the same boat is for sale near to where you are and go and view, this will probably save you time and money and you know what to expect should you go to the s.o.f.

on the maintenance side - look at the logs but look overall the boat and the engine/s and ask yourself has it been looked after generally and not just recently spruced up for a sale.

then if you are still willing to get the boat and you make an offer get a contract with surveys to be carried out etc.

I am sure whitelighter and Portofino will give you some good advice should you need it

jon

my bad - Portofino has

 

[petem]

Is there anything that I should be looking for initially, and would looking at maintenance logs, if available give any idea of condition. The boats are based in SoF and between 45-53 foot, once I've decided on a model of boat I don't mind travelling to view a potential purchase but would like to be armed with some initial knowledge to rule out the lemons.

Personally, I wouldn't travel unless scans or photos of the boat's documentation are sent to me. If it's owned by a Brit then that would be Bill(s) of Sale, VAT Invoice (if that's important to you) and Builder's Certificate. If it's owned by a foreigner then the equivalent documentation, and make sure you understand the implications of buying a foreign owned boat and are happy with the arrangements. Also any recent service history. I'd never believe the paperwork exists until I've seen it, no matter how convincing and plausible the explanations sound.

 

[Chris H]

Update........I viewed a predator 52 and a Manhatten 52 yesterday, both at the top end of my budget, I must say the predator is a very sexy looking boat but the teak was shot and there are a few gell cracks in the top, painted part of the hull, inside was very good.

Looking at a 53 portofino today and then it's decision time !

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Personally, I wouldn't travel unless scans or photos of the boat's documentation are sent to me. If it's owned by a Brit then that would be Bill(s) of Sale, VAT Invoice (if that's important to you) and Builder's Certificate. If it's owned by a foreigner then the equivalent documentation, and make sure you understand the implications of buying a foreign owned boat and are happy with the arrangements. Also any recent service history. I'd never believe the paperwork exists until I've seen it, no matter how convincing and plausible the explanations sound.

Agreed. I wouldnt necessarily insist on seeing that documentation before first viewing but I would certainly insist on seeing it before proceeding further.

Another vital thing that needs to be checked is whether the boat is subject to a leasing agreement which is quite common in the Med. If it is, then you need to know the settlement figure to finish the lease agreement because if thats higher than the value of the boat somebody is going to have to pay the difference and personally speaking I wouldnt trust any seller to do that. If the settlement figure is less than what youre paying for the boat insist on settling the lease yourself and only giving the balance to the seller. If the settlement figure is higher than the selling price, walk away

 

[Chris H]

Fly bridge is out, SWMBO will not carry food, plates knives, forks etc up two flights of stairs to feed people !

So it's down to predator or portofino, both have pro's & con's, predator has the wow factor and would be good to live on all year round but looses out to the portofino on outdoor space and a more holiday feeling type boat.....decisions......decisions !

 

[Bouba]

Fly bridge is out, SWMBO will not carry food, plates knives, forks etc up two flights of stairs to feed people !

So it's down to predator or portofino, both have pro's & con's, predator has the wow factor and would be good to live on all year round but looses out to the portofino on outdoor space and a more holiday feeling type boat.....decisions......decisions !

I know it's not the sexy boat you want.......but......the Swift Trawler 50 has a dumb waiter from the kitchen to the fly

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Fly bridge is out, SWMBO will not carry food, plates knives, forks etc up two flights of stairs to feed people !
!

Why 2 flights? Many boats have the galley at saloon level (which is great for dining in the cockpit) and a few boats have internal steps to the flybridge which make passing stuff up to the flybridge even easier. I wouldnt dismiss a flybridge boat especially in the Med

 

[Chris H]

Why 2 flights? Many boats have the galley at saloon level (which is great for dining in the cockpit) and a few boats have internal steps to the flybridge which make passing stuff up to the flybridge even easier. I wouldnt dismiss a flybridge boat especially in the Med

Galley is in the bottom on a Manhatten, steps up to saloon, walk through saloon to the back of the boat, then up the steps to the fly bridge.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Galley is in the bottom on a Manhatten, steps up to saloon, walk through saloon to the back of the boat, then up the steps to the fly bridge.

Which is why I'd never buy a flybridge boat configured like that. Plenty have the galleys either midships at saloon level or better, aft at saloon level which makes moving food up to the flybridge and into the cockpit far easier

 

[MapisM]

Galley is in the bottom on a Manhatten

If only there wouldn't be other issues!
In the 50' to 60' size range, I wouldn't go as far as saying that S/skr flybridge boats are the worst of the market, but they're pretty damn close, imho... :ambivalence:
That said, why do I have a funny feeling that suggesting you to look at something else than S/skr would be as effective as suggesting petem not to look at FL?

 

[Chris H]

If only there wouldn't be other issues!
In the 50' to 60' size range, I wouldn't go as far as saying that S/skr flybridge boats are the worst of the market, but they're pretty damn close, imho... :ambivalence:
That said, why do I have a funny feeling that suggesting you to look at something else than S/skr would be as effective as suggesting petem not to look at FL?

We've looked at a few boats and, apart from the Manhatten, we prefer the style and layout and back up of sunseeker.

 

[Portofino]

"back up " bit is v important if you are new to motor boating in the Med .S/Skr can be turn key and have fabulous aftercare .
Pred 52 is black and cica £100 K more and as you say bigger internal ,but smaller external space than the P53 .
P53 ,s HT is kinda unique in the off season closed it will be fine .
TBO once the novelty of the boat wears off ,most Med boaters just do it in the season ,having said that you can kip week end easily on the P53 .If the P53 is the CAT powered boat then even better IMHO .
Man + (woman maths these days ) says £100 will buy rarther a lot of hotel nights if during the off season you really feel the need for a bit more home likeness in Feb ?
We had a few days Feb 1/2term on our Itama-open no HT ,fine bright clear days ,oil heaters on at night etc.
It's all v quiet though the SoF boaty scene . Mine hibernates from Nov to May
Think of how you would use the boat with guests too ,seating ,sunbathing swiming etc .

 

[mcanderson]

Any idea where you might end up keeping your new boat? We are based in Beaulieu s Mer so can help with some local info if you want it. If you viewed Mr S then the current owner only had it for a bit over a year. We use to be berthed opposite and watched it have a name change, lots of work done and then placed back on the market.

David (DAW) on here has a Portofino 53 in Beaulieu , he's had a few, and might be worth a PM as he might have some insider knowledge.

 

[DAW]

I second Portofino's advice ... be realistic and honest about how you plan to use the boat and this will make the choice easier.

The Predator 52 has a full width master cabin, upstairs saloon and a slightly larger galley area, but very limited outdoor seating, a really small cockpit, short foredeck and a dual purpose rear sun pad (i.e. cockpit seat backs have to be folded flat). The Portofino 53 doesn't have the full width master cabin and the saloon is downstairs. However, it does have a large cockpit that can comfortably seat 6-8 adults (and up to ten ata squeeze) and large sun pads front and rear which can be used without reducing seating capacity.

If you are looking for a boat you can use year round and plan to stay onboard for extended periods the Predator 52 might be a better option. However, you will have to make some big compromises on outdoor space and flexibility in the summer months. If you plan on using the boat mainly in the summer, will stay on board for relatively short periods and will spend a lot of time out of the marina at anchor with guests onboard for the day, the Portofino 53 is easily the better option.

Looks are subjective and everyone's entitled to their view, but imho if you put the Portofino 53 next to the Predator 52, one looks like a sports cruiser and the other doesn't.

As Portofino says, the sliding hard top on the Portofino is a bit unusual and gives the option of feeling like a fully open sports cruiser which the Predator doesn't have. We use ours mostly from May to October as well, but also use it occasionally during the winter/spring and it's OK.

 

[Chris H]

Thanks everybody

These are the exact discussions we are having, regarding inside/outside space, I think we've come to the conclusion that for a first boat the Portofino would suit us better, as it feels like "boating" , the predator feels like an expensive hotel room on the sea.......how much time do you spend in your room whilst on holiday !

I also felt I'd be more comfortable, due to the better all round view, manoeuvring the Portofino .

We viewed Taihoo 2, as Mr S is still waiting for parts in Corsica, we were offered Mr S early this year before the new owner purchased it, who now thinks it's too big for him.

Taihoo is a very clean well looked after boat, but Mr S has a few expensive options that could sway the decision, water maker, yacht controller and new tender to name a few.

We have the option of one of the Sunseeker berths until we find a place we like, as we want to travel, renting for say 12 months at first would suit us better, I'd prefer BSM but anywhere in that area would be fine, only place that we wouldn't consider is Grimaud, it's a ghost town out of season.

 

[mcanderson]

The offer of the berth is certainly a good bonus. The leases on the berths in BSM all run out 31 Dec 18 and the plan is still unknown after this date. The most likely COA is that everyone will end up on annual rentals, but it might not work out that way.

BSM is a great town. Open all year, a very good supermarket and a friendly atmosphere. We love it. The transport links are very good as well. I am more than happy to help with advice on BSM if you end up there.