There are a lot of interesting used boats for sale in the western mediterranean that is, in Spain, Italy and France. As a general rule, the quality of these boats and the buying experience of them is better than those found in the Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean. The language barrier exists but is less pronounced in the west.
Although it’s always a good rule of thumb to work directly with a professional boat dealer or yacht broker; however, we understand that some boat buyers may opt to buy a used boat from a private seller in an attempt to save some money over the price of a new boat and avoid paying brokers commission.
A private seller may also be more motivated to sell the boat, and thus willing to accept a lower-than-market price. Although, buying a boat from a private seller requires self-confidence and some knowledge as there are some obvious dangers and pitfalls. Once the deal is done you’ll have no warranty and little recourse if there is a problem.
That said, thousands of boats change hands between owners every year, usually without an issue. Here are some pointers that may help make you.
20 best platforms for finding a used boat for sale in Spain. Italy or France
There are dozens of ways a private party can list a boat for sale, from boat platform websites to the boats in the window of the local boat repair shop. When you find a boat that interests you, try to set up a phone call rather than corespond by email. The latter is not sufficient to ensure trust and never even consider buying a boat without seeing it, if you are not mobile then you must at least have someone you trust look the boat over in person. Once you find a boat make sure that you can communicate with the seller either in his language, your language or a shared language.
Start with these questions:
If you get a good feeling about the owner of the used boat for sale and still like the boat, arrange a visit. However I would advise you to find two or three boats in the area as you may be disappointed by the one that you have chosen.
Finding hotel accomodation, hiring a car are relatively easy but make sure the boat is near an international airport.
You’ll next want to inspect the boat yourself before engaging a marine surveyor, the complexity of this step depends on the size of the boat, the bigger and more-expensive the boat, the bigger the risk. Refer to theinternet to find a qualified surveyor as flying your own one out is too expensive.
I have written an article on the twenty most important points to look at before buying a boat.
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If you know little or nothing about boats a sea trial will not tell you much however here are a few pointers. First ask the seller to show you any features of the boat, then warm up the engine and check that all systems are working—the engine starts easily and sounds smooth; the trim functions; the lights, electronics, instruments and audio system are working; and pumps for live wells and bait wells do their thing.
Taking a boat for a sea trial is an essential part of the boat-buying process. What to look for during this test, however, isn’t always clear to new boaters. For a thorough evaluation, consider asking a friend who knows about boats to accompany you, or for larger boats in particular, hiring a marine surveyor is the best option.
When it comes performing a sea trial, there are a few main steps you should follow:
Whenever possible, test a boat like you plan to use a boat.if you plan to go out with the whole family, take them on the trial. Many sea trials are undertaken on a boat loaded with little fuel, few passengers, and an absence of gear. In use, however, odds are you’ll have all of the above, adding hundreds or even hundreds of kilos or more to your boat’s load. If you do not take your family the performance you feel during a lightly loaded test sail will rarely if ever be equal to the performance you’ll feel during a normal sortie. If a boat is underpowered for your needs then look for another option..
On the water, play the role of both driver and passenger. Hoist and lower sails to ensure the hailyards and winches function correctly. Check the tension on the rigging and check for signs of corrosion..
If it is a powerboat or motor yacht Bring the boat to 30 mph, check behind for traffic, then crank a hard-over turn to each side. Ideally, the boat should carve cleanly and powerfully through the turn without the engine struggling to maintain speed or the propeller losing its strong contact on the water.
Sail into rough water and cross your wakes at varying speeds. Though the effects of rough water can’t be eliminated, a well-designed hull will carve confidently through wakes while limiting any serious bumps or jarring from disturbing passengers. Listen for any rattles and vibrations; if present, they may be an easy fix but if not you may want to compare the craft’s performance to another brand. If it is a sail boat tack hard to see if all the tackle behaves correctly. A used boat for sale can hide many problems which may have been the reason for selling in the first place. Center the wheel and note how well the boat keeps its line and once again check to see if there is no play which could indicate an expensive problem with the rudder. Single sterndrive or outboard-powered boats sometimes have a tendency to wander at slow speeds, but the effect is usually minimized by trimming the engine up slightly and avoiding the tendency to oversteer in an attempt to correct the problem.
Sail into the wind to check performance and the stability of the boat.
Remember, a test ride isn’t just a pleasure cruise, but your best opportunity to see how the boat responds, accommodates passengers, and ultimately, matches up to your personal needs as a buyer.
For a larger, more expensive boat it is important to hire an expert—for a few hundred euros a professional marine surveyor will conduct a condition and valuation (C&V) survey and sea trial for you. This will show you any issues they spot on the boat. The surveyor performs the same service as a property surveyor that you would contract before taking out a mortgage or purchasing a house.
This is the best way avoid buying a boat with significant issues, such as osmosis in the hull or a faulty rigging. Consider having a professional technician separately inspect the engine(s) with a compression test and and analysis of the oil. Engine issues are the most-common problem encountered by used-boat buyers, and can be costly to remedy.
Surveyors usually charge by the boat length, at a rate per foot. Issues that come up in these inspections can be addressed before closing the sale or be the subject of a renegotiation of price.. In some cases, a finance company will require a professional survey before advancing a loan.
Most states require a title for boats over 16 feet in length.
Finally, draw up a boat purchase agreement or bill of sale. You may find a purchase agreement form on an official website,
A boat bill of sale on a used boat for sale in Spain or Italy should include:
The HIN should be permanently marked on the boat transom to port. If the boat is powered by an outboard motor, it should be listed separately with its serial number.
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