When would you refuse to sell your boat?

[WoodyP]

Today I travelled to meet someone who wanted to look at my boat with a view to purchasing it.
He has no knowledge of how to sail, no navigation, no knowledge about anything you need to go for a sail. He wanted to buy it at a substantial discount for him to sail across the Bristol channel around Lands End and on to Southampton single handed. I was to give him a couple of hours shakedown then off he would go. All this within two weeks of his upcoming holiday which he planned to do the journey. He would learn on the way.
I suggested he put it on a lorry and learn to sail in his home water.
Lovely bloke, but a potential captain calamity.

 

[Boater Sam]

If he wants to go for the Darwin Awards so be it. Just be sure your insurance is off before he goes!

 

[johnalison]

Nice problem. Philosophically (my philosophy that is) you have no responsibility for what he chooses to do, and I like to think that this would also be the legal situation. I don’t know how you would feel about it, but you might want to ask yourself ‘what would the wise people on the forum think?’.

 

[Malabarista]

I wonder if you would have a duty of care? As a skipper I mean.

 

[Stingo]

How about offering informal lessons at £1000 per day, plus expenses, with a minimum number of days being two days before departure + the passage time + two post trip analysis, all as a separate cost to the boat purchase?

 

[dunedin]

If he wants to go for the Darwin Awards so be it. Just be sure your insurance is off before he goes!

I was more thinking, make ABSOLUTELY sure the payment is made in full and irrevocable before releasing the keys.

 

[dunedin]

How about offering informal lessons at £1000 per day, plus expenses, with a minimum number of days being two days before departure + the passage time + two post trip analysis, all as a separate cost to the boat purchase?

Is there a risk the “instructor” could in some way become liable, or perceived as such and therefore get litigated against?

I would prefer to give Captain C a list of RYA instructors and not get further involved, as they will have professional liability insurance

 

[Bouba]

The only time I have refused to sell a boat...was when I thought the wife wouldn’t let me get another one

 

[Bouba]

Has anyone ask to see a current driver license when selling a car ?

 

[Stingo]

Is there a risk the “instructor” could in some way become liable, or perceived as such and therefore get litigated against?

I would prefer to give Captain C a list of RYA instructors and not get further involved, as they will have professional liability insurance

"Informal" was the operative word, or did you miss that?

 

[steveeasy]

Depends how keen you are to sell. Personally Id not consider getting involved in shake down sails and If it was my Twister, id have run with the boat. Rather unfair as if someone is willing to buy at the price offered, then its their business what and how they do. discount ! its a different story.

Steveeasy

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Has anyone ask to see a current driver license when selling a car ?

Definitely if the buyer wants a test drive. Plus a check code. Plus proof of their comp insurance on my car.

 

[WoodyP]

I don't want to have a casualty on my conscience. It's a significant journey for any skipper and especially single handed. I don't want to be the skipper and certainly not the crew. He has a window of two weeks and would not be able to extend this if bad weather intervened. He hasn't the money for lengthy stays in a marina. He once had a motorboat but kept in sight of land. No VHF or navigation, rely on a chart plotter he doesn't understand and never sailed. I am not by nature a great risk taker, but I think it is folly.

 

[dunedin]

"Informal" was the operative word, or did you miss that?

“How about offering informal lessons at £1000 per day, plus expenses” - The financial payment was the operative bit in what you said, or did you miss that Not informal if paid.

 

[Bouba]

I don't want to have a casualty on my conscience. It's a significant journey for any skipper and especially single handed. I don't want to be the skipper and certainly not the crew. He has a window of two weeks and would not be able to extend this if bad weather intervened. He hasn't the money for lengthy stays in a marina. He once had a motorboat but kept in sight of land. No VHF or navigation, rely on a chart plotter he doesn't understand and never sailed. I am not by nature a great risk taker, but I think it is folly.

I think that you could possibly master any skill using YouTube

 

[WoodyP]

I think that you could possibly master any skill using YouTube

That's his view. I beg to disagree.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

If you are prepared to take the hit on price then sell and let him sink or swim. You have given him you best advice but it’s his decision.

 

[jimmcgee]

La Vagabond had never sailed , look were they are now

 

[WoodyP]

I told him he needed a dolly bird in a bikini for the trip.

 

[Ceirwan]

I've only ever refused to sell a boat because the potential buyer was a PITA.

It was an old Sadler 25, very cheap, but in generally good condition with a new engine & recently rewired, resprayed hull etc.
Anyway the bloke spent about 7 hours or more (no joke) going through every nook and cranny, taking pictures, in the end I left him to it & went to the bar.

After thinking about it for 1 weeks, he asked if he could come for another look, I was wondering what he missed last time, but I said yes, and he spent another 5 hours doing god knows what.
A day later he wanted a survey, no problem, then he wanted me to pay half. Told him that its not really how it works, if he wanted a survey he had to pay for it, he argued that he would pay my half if he bought the boat, but again, not really how it normally works. Finally he went away in a huff.
5 days later, calls again & asks to see it a 3rd time, I refuse because I've got better things to do with my life, and again he rings off in a huff.

A week later a serious buyer comes for a look, arranges a survey, we agree a price, shake hands, deal done.

In your case if you're happy with the price then its on him, I wouldn't feel guilty, just make sure you've got the money before he sets sail!