When would you refuse to sell your boat?

I have been criticised for posting quotes on here (people can be so unkind) but I can't resist Mae West's most famous:

"Come up and see me some time, I'll have nothing on but the radio"
 
ylop said:
Let me stop you right there! Perhaps there are times when you might agree a price reduction, but it’s not to a buyer you don’t like unless you overpriced the boat and are getting desparate to sell.

You probably can; but not necessarily without risking injury / damage whilst you learn the skill
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Not desperate to sell, and boat already modestly priced. I don't dislike the chap, just trying to save him from himself.
 
I would put this down on paper...I strongly advised Mr So & So that he should only go out with an experienced yachtsperson until he has acquired some skill and experience....give him a copy....put another in with the document bundle....if he does go off on his own...and you know of it then inform the authorities that they should keep an eye on him. You can no longer claim to know nothing of this
 
LittleSister said:
Aside from the main considerations, a newbie sailor who has 'no knowledge of how to sail, no navigation, no knowledge about anything you need to go for a sail' will almost certainly not be able to make it from West Wales to Southampton inside of a random two week period (if at all).
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That’s a fair old trip, we would only do that on a good forecast ourselves. Involving considerable use of the dark art of navigation unless he’s just going to keep the land on his left til he sees something he recognises!
 
Fr J Hackett said:
Woody has no responsibility for the purchaser of his boat than I or anyone else on this forum does other than some self imposed moral one that is for him and no one else.
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But I think it's perfectly reasonable of him to question his concern about it, and to canvass others' views so that he can settle on a 'self imposed moral responsibility' position.
 
Fr J Hackett said:
Woody has no responsibility for the purchaser of his boat than I or anyone else on this forum does other than some self imposed moral one that is for him and no one else.
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He did ask others if they would sell the boat to the man in question, so has got lots of thoughts mostly don't.
I am not sure as it may come back to bite him somehow.
 
I would take the position that if he doesn’t buy my boat he will buy someone else’s....and there is a chance that that owner won’t be as concerned
 
I wouldn't have the brass neck to ask someone whether he was competent or not.

As an adult, he is responsible for finding out what he needs to do to achieve his objective.

Obviously, if he asked my advice or opinion, I'd gladly give it, and help him if I could.

But, if he didn't want it, he wouldn't get it.
 
I refused to sell my beloved Shetland Family Four to a guy.
I had owned it for 22 years, and had spared no expense on it. The happy memories of holidays trailing it to various parts of the UK and Brittany are priceless to me.

I had seen the guy in the bar in a local marina a few months before, loudly drink about 6 pints, answer the phone to his missus and tell her he was still working late, then get in his car and drive off.
He tracked me down a few weeks later after asking locally around the marina about my boat, and if it was for sale. He needed a boat quick before he lost his reserved space in the marina. I confirmed it was for sale before I clocked who he was. I quickly said it would be going through the local broker, but he was keen to do a deal fast as he had a deadline, and told me how many boats he’d bought and sold in the last few years.

I really didn’t want him to get his hands on my boat, so I delayed contacting the broker until I heard he had bought a ski boat.

I told the broker why I wanted a good home for my boat, she understood, and vetted enquiries to put people off until the right people walked up.

It was sold yesterday for the asking price to the first couple who got past the vetting, it was less than hour between starting viewing and transferring the funds, after the broker had made sure I was happy selling to them. As they were new to boating, she also insisted they booked a power boat PB2 course at the same time, as the boat will do nearly 30knots.
 
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Its an interesting dilemma.

An adult individual is responsible for their own actions. I for one enjoy the freedom in the UK to go to sea as, when, and how I want to. Its up to me how the boat is fitted out and what equipment it carries or indeed if I know how to use it. Rules only come in if the boat is involved in commercial activity.

However, if the potential buyer takes a boat to sea, and then gets in to distress all of us that are owners/skippers and within range have a legal obligation to render assistance to save life. The only let out is if doing so would endanger our own vessel or crew or are told by co-ordinating authority that we are not required.

Having crossed the mouth of the Bristol Channel and rounded Lands End a few times in either direction my thinking is that the scenario in the OP with a declared zero knowledge is a disaster in the making.

So is it right to try to pre-empt the situation? And if so, how?
 
For me - the factor would be my conscience if anything went wrong after guy buys.

Imagine selling to a guy - then next you hear of the boat and guy in trouble out there ... I think you'd have to be quite a hard-ass person to not feel guilt of some level ... although its not your fault.
 
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