Where to look at second hand boats?

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My_Owd_Transom

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Can anyone advise me where to go to look at 23'ish yachts in the £5-10k bracket this weekend around Gosport/Pompei/Hamble. I'm toying with the idea of buying but I have absolutely no idea what I want!

Also am I alright to just tip up and look around what's for sale or do I need to phone ahead for viewings?

Thanks in advance!

Dave
 
My_Owd_Transom said:
Can anyone advise me where to go to look at 23'ish yachts in the £5-10k bracket this weekend around Gosport/Pompei/Hamble. I'm toying with the idea of buying but I have absolutely no idea what I want!
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I'd suggest having a look at the Portsmouth Boatshed website. Unlike many brokers, Boatshed seem not to turn their noses up at the small stuff.

Also am I alright to just tip up and look around what's for sale or do I need to phone ahead for viewings?
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Best to phone. The listings will tell you where the boat is, and although you can just roll up, advance notice will make sure someone is available ... and probably get you more attention than a casual passer by might receive.
 
My_Owd_Transom said:
Also am I alright to just tip up and look around what's for sale or do I need to phone ahead for viewings?

Thanks in advance!

Dave
Click to expand...

You need the keys from the broker to go inside usually with the broker to escort you. He may be busy with another client, then he goes home. Can be hit and miss to just turn up unless you live local.
 
Look online first.

My advice would be to look online first. Get an idea of the sort of thing you like and then search for them and make appointments to have a look. You are not obligated to buy and they may have other things you can see once you have seen a boat and dont like it. If you just trawl around looking at everything and anything you will waste a lot of time that could be better spent. Boatshed and Boats and Outboards are good as well as Apollo duck for searching through options. Much easier and more efficient to do by internet. If you need a good broker to help you find a boat try The SBS. www.thesbs.co.uk He is a good broker and is also able to help search for boats for owners. Chris Davison.
 
Where to look at second hand boats?


If you go to any marina, every boat that's in there will be second hand, as far as I know.
 
Lots of good suggestions above.

You could also do a search on Yachtworld - however as they are biased towards the USA when breaking down geographic regions, they only have one constraint covering the whole of the UK (unlike in the US, where you can choose your state).

I did a search for 22' - 24' sailing cruisers in the GBP 5-10k range, and 59 boats came up - ok, they are all over Britain, but doing a bit of browsing will give you a good idea as to what is out there.
Here is a typical boat about halfway down that search, an Elizabethan 23 at Decons Boatyard in Bursledon - http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1983/Elizabethan-23--2226431/Deacons-Boatyard/United-Kingdom

And have a look also at Yachtsnet (in the brokerage and archives pages) for more general background reference - http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/frontpage.htm
 
I believe theres a 23ft Westerly at Hayling Island sailing club, another at Birdham marina. Other boat yards to look at, Hardway, Quay Lane, Wicor Marine, Gosport Boat yard, Hillhead sailing club sometimes has one or two, and the marina and boat yard at Fareham Quay, Portchester sailing club and Fareham sailing club might have one or two members boats for sale.The small yards tend to have the cheaper boats, the fees at the big marinas are fairly prohibitive for small boat owners. The little chandleries often have ads on their windows, Hardway and Fareham definately do.

On a Sunday you might struggle to find someone to show you round but the private sale boats will have phone numbers or email addresses on them. Not being able to get in might be a good thing, having a wander round yards to see whats available before falling in love with one.
Looking round all the small yards will also give you an idea of mooring facilities and if its the place you would want to keep your boat.

Online, I find Apollo duck good, but ebay often practically gives them away, but go see the boat before you bid :)
 
Thanks for the advice everyone,

I viewed a few yachts through Boatshed and Deacons yesterday. I fell in love with the first one I saw, a Westerky GK 24, even though there's absolutely no headroom, but it was in beautiful condition. I then went on to view a Centaur (undecided, it was a bad example) a Hunter Horizon (seemed very flimsy & plasticky) and finally a Feeling 720, which was v nice below decks but I'm unsure about a lifting keel...

If nothing else I've now got an idea what I like and don't like! Much more hunting around needed I think.
 
If your budget is £50-10k, i.e. all you have to spend this year is £10k, it might be wise to spend £5k on the boat and save £5k for everything else. When I bought a wooden folkboat (first boat), the costs in the first year were about the same as the purchase price.
 
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