Off to look at another 53MY...Here's hoping!

[mikep996]

Well, next Tuesday the Admiral and I are scheduled to look at another 53MY. It is allegedly a "10+ mechanically" and a "7 or 8 cosmetically." According to the broker, it's owned by a DD supervisory mechanic so all mechanical systems are, "better than brand new."

Of course, I am quite expecting to find somewhat less hyperbole and somewhat more reality when we see the boat in person. It is missing two of the major items we decided we HAD to have, a dinghy davit and stabilizers. Oh well, as we all know, boats are a compromise. From what I can find so far, an appropriate davit would run in the $7-8000 range, not including installation (which I'd do myself anyway).

The cosmetics are (again, according to the broker) lacking primarily because it needs new carpets and the brightwork needs to be refinished. He says the boat was recently (but didn't exactly know when) Imron-ed. New bottom paint was applied this year.

We don't care at all about the carpet/interior because we would likely redo it all anyway...one boat we looked at a few months ago had as a selling point, "Brand new carpet!" Unfortunately, it was a bright almost pinkish color that evoked immediate hatred! And of course, the brightwork is no big deal as long as it's all there and only needs refinishing.

Oh well, even if it turns out to be unsatisfactory, it will be interesting - only about 2 hours drive from home.

[PascalG]

good luck... worth looking at no mattr what , what year is it?

most 53 have a davit on top, in ads I only came accross one where the seating area on the bridge had been extended all the way to the back...

carpets are not even a consideration, it's cheap anyway.. the main thing on the interiors are headliners and veneer... the wood is one of nice things about these boats, can't understand how some could have been painted inside!


"recently (but didn't exactly know when) Imron-ed" oh oh... covering hsi behind there... :-) that could be why it's cosmetically a 7. brightwork alone can't be the reason.. it's no big deal to refinish the wood and makes a huge first impression difference...

good luck...

pascal
70 53MY

[mikep]

Pascal,

It's a 1974 (8V71TIs) located on the Hudson River (Freshwater boat!!!) about 40-50 miles N of NYC. Of course, I don't know if it really is a freshwater boat or if it just happens to be there right now.

I'll let you know how it goes...I have my fingers crossed.

[jim rosenthal]

Good luck. Putting a new interior in a boat is the cheapest thing we all do with them, even on a big boat like a 53MY. As long as you keep the professional yacht interior folks off your boat, it is quite affordable. Having all the brightwork done is not cheap or quick, and they have a lot of it. If it really looks bad (and my experience is that anything the broker tells you looks bad will REALLY look bad, they don't want you to be surprised) maybe you can get the price reduced accordingly. and don't use any surveyors that they recommend.

[dshuman]

Get the surveyor to look for MARINE growth traces. He'll know where. They can tell freshwater from partially saltwater easily.

[mikeP]

Ah yes...

Although the boat had new hull/bottom paint, trued/balanced props, and all new cutlass bearings, the "10+" mechanicals were what I'd call MAYBE a 6.

Additionally the original owner had covered nearly all the beautiful mahogany interior with smoked-mirror glass, including the hanging closet doors and all horizontal cabinet and shelf tops). It looked like a refugee from the 70's disco wars. Removing the mirror glass from the wood and then trying to restore the wood is a project I am not willing to undertake. All wood below every port suffered considerable water damage.

All A/C units were extremely rusted; wiring everywhere was from the school of advanced rats-nest building - lots of mods with no labels and loose wires everywhere. None of the heads were working.

The seller said it's in great operational shape - been back and forth from New York to Florida 3 times in the past several years. Maybe so, but not with me in it.

None of it is unfixable but I've seen better for less asking money and a LOT less time needed to put it like I want it.

We'll keep looking.

[Jackman]

Sorry to hear your news....you'll find one!

[jkp1]

Why is it that brokers can't be straight with us?

Last year I flew my father & I down to Charleston SC to check out a "completely reconditioned" 1981 37C. I was assured by the broker it needed nothing but new isenglass and a few updated electronics. What I found was a clapped out boat with a new coat of varnish on the interior.

I spent over $1000 and 2 days on that goose chase. The broker didn't even accompany me on the on the inspection.

The best we can do is to name names and not do business with such firms. My mis-adventure was with Quay Associates out of North Carolina.

[divernc]

Last year, I too experienced the time and $$$ loss of looking at "dogs". I found that serious brokers representing their boats fairly were more than willing to email a deck of digital pics. Those that couldn't or wouldn't, I passed on their boats.

[mikep996]

I have to admit that I liked the broker personally - he didn't apply any pressure at all. I spoke to him today about the boat, advising him that we weren't interested and we discussed the "10+" rating. He told me that he was passing on the declaration of the owner of how well everything was cared for. He (broker) lives/works in NJ while the boat was on the Hudson North of NYC and he had not actually seen it.

We then discussed the concept of a "10." His view is that it has to be adjusted to the age of the boat. In other words, a 30 year old boat's "10" cannot be expected to look like a 2 year old boat's "10." I don't agree - my view is that it is not adjustable at all. Certainly the actual equipment on the old boat may different brand/model equipment than the new boat but if both are a 10, both should look and work like they just came out of the box. Again, the new one may be more efficient or whatever because of design improvements but that should be the only difference.

If it doesn't meet those standards, don't call it a 10.

If he hadn't told me it was a 10+, I probably wouldn't have been so put off because I wouldn't have expected so much. It looked better than some Hats we've looked at but not as nice as others. The one that I really wanted to buy last year (but I had no slip) had an asking price $40,000 lower and was in nice condition - a real loss to us, unfortunately.

Brokers are, after all, SALESmen (or women).