Greetings all!!

[AndyJ]

Thank you guys for all the info! I’m really anxious and my wife and I have promised we will keep each other in check as best we can and try to be “emotionless”.... lol that’s probably not gonna work well though! I have to get it in my head “this is not the only one for sale...” I’m sure I’ll be posting early Monday morning with an update! Also if we find anything that really jumps out at us, I may post and ask questions. Thanks again!!! Excitedly looking forward to becoming “A Hatteras Owner”!!

[bobk]

New to this forum and from the looks of the many posts i've read, seems like you all are very welcoming!
Well, The wife and I are making the trip this weekend to put our feet on 3 boats. We have our #1 pick and if the boat lines up with the many pictures we've been sent we plan to make a offer before we leave. This will be our first buying process (of this type) so i hope this goes will with the survey etc. I'm not sure if i'm more nervous about being disappointed because of expected condition due to pictures or us falling in love with the boat and bringing her home!! lol

I'd suggest you take a moisture meter with you and do a quick check of the decks and house sides below the windows. Moisture can lead to large repair costs.

Bobk

[jim rosenthal]

Try to be matter of fact and keep your powder dry until after the surveys, sea trial, insurance acceptance, financing, etc. The time to fall in love with a boat is AFTER all those steps. After all, you probably didn't propose marriage on the first date, did you? If you did, and it worked out nicely, you are so damn lucky you don't need advice from us or anyone else. LOL

[krush]

Unless you've been around these boats (Hatteras) for a while, I'd say you need to look at at least 5-10 boats before you make an offer. It may seem tedious, but the only way to know learn what is good vs bad is to view multiple boats. And lift all the hatches and look in the bilges, take pictures, etc. The condition of equipment that is tucked away gives the most information.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

New to this forum and from the looks of the many posts i've read, seems like you all are very welcoming!
Well, The wife and I are making the trip this weekend to put our feet on 3 boats. We have our #1 pick and if the boat lines up with the many pictures we've been sent we plan to make a offer before we leave. This will be our first buying process (of this type) so i hope this goes will with the survey etc. I'm not sure if i'm more nervous about being disappointed because of expected condition due to pictures or us falling in love with the boat and bringing her home!! lol

Andy, you asked for advice. My advice is make sure your broker knows who's boss. He/she represents you, and his/her best interests are subordinate. Let me tell you a short story.

After initial viewing in January, I made, and the owner accepted in April, an offer on Aslan subject to sea trial. Not being from the area, I asked my broker for his recommendations on the best hull and engine surveyors. I hired them based on that and an internet search for any negatives out there.

We sea trialed in May. I kept telling my broker to do this or that so I could have some one-on-one time with the surveyors on the boat. I handed them their checks before they brought it up trying to build some sort of rapport. I received the reports and made some detailed follow up calls to both surveyors. I worked hard in a short period of time to assign some sort of dollar values to the deficiencies. I didn't worry about the small stuff, but I did count things like leaking exhaust elbows, failed major electrical systems, the bottom, etc., etc.

At the appointed time, my broker called for my decision per the contract. He flipped his lid when I gave it to him. The seller had already accepted my initial offer which was 40% off his listing price, and I just asked for another 15% off of that. My broker said the surveyors were too picky; I reminded him that they were hired on his recommendation. He told he didn't want to submit my offer because it was insulting and I was just wasting his time; I told him to proceed because that was what the boat was worth to me. He protested telling me the seller wouldn't even meet me halfway on my offer. I told him I understood and that this might not be THE boat for me and he might not be the right broker for me--I think I beat him to that punch.

He called back in 20 minutes, somewhat subdued. I had just bought the boat at my price. Shortest phone call we ever had. He hardly spoke to me the next week. After all, he was the professional and I guess I hurt his pride.

I was prepared to walk. The seller knew that, and (very important) my broker knew that. Even so the seller and I developed a good relationship; he couldn't have been more gentlemanly throughout the deal. The broker is now someone I trust (trust but verify) because now he knows I'm no dummy; I'll do business with him again.

Trust your gut; get the best advice you can. Walk away if it doesn't feel right; there is always another boat out there. And, you will always find things that were missed. But you have to move forward and not dwell on that. My hull surveyor missed a biggie. It's said you can't hold marine surveyors accountable, I did. But that's another story. I hope your purchase works out as well as mine did for me. Good luck, Robert

IMG_5942.jpg

[AndyJ]

WOW!!! thank you all for your advice!! I see I am in the right place! racclarkson I just sent you a message, I hope thats ok.

Again, thank you all for the info/advice and I will keep you guys updated!

[jim rosenthal]

Evidently they got the message that half of something is better than all of nothing.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

On my first look that January the seller’s broker put the pressure on by saying I needed to act fast because he was showing the boat the next week. Southeners usually react to the hard sell (especially from fast talking Yankees) by saying thanks and wishing all a nice day. We realize we’re not as smart as them and don’t want to waste their valuable time. So that’s what I did. Before anyone gets offended, let me say that my first wife was from New Jersey.

[Fish Tales]

I had an experience similar to Robert.

I was in the market for a 65c, and started searching the usual sources trying to establish pricing, and which model I wanted. Enclosed bridge vs open. The very first boat I wanted to look at was in Panama City with the open bridge, and had the motors I wanted. I contacted the broker several times, he always had an excuse why he could not meet me. He worked out of Miami, and Boston, and the travel to Panama City was a stretch.

So I looked at other Hatts that brokers would show, form Texas to South Florida, and up the East coast. This went on for over a year. Looked at 7 boats. Decided the open bridge was for me, so I refined my search. Many were over priced because of huge payoffs, and some were severely neglected. Very few were available in the open model, so I had time on my hands waiting for new listings. In the mean time, I kept leaving messages with the broker about the one in Panama City.

Finally he called me back, said he was still too busy, but would have the captain show me the boat. Made the appointment, took off from work, then he called, said a local that knew the boat had made an offer and was accepted. I was pissed. Blew it off, and made an offer on one about 100 grand more in Stuart Fl. The broker said there was another offer received that day, but if I raise my bid, they would accept. Thought this was not right, but agreed, fishing season was around the corner. Broker called back and said other party raised their offer, I needed to go higher, so I told them to go ---- off, and used the 45c I still had.

I had pretty much blown off the search, and I get a e-mail saying the one in Panama City was back on the market. Said the Captain would show me the boat, I agreed, Captain called me to confirm, made the appointment, took off work. The broker called me the day before, and started acting really wierd. Telling me the boat had a bad history, owners did not keep up repairs, looked like it had been holed above the waterline, and the interior was outdated. I asked why the pics looked so good, he said they were old. Asked why the previous deal fell through, stated buyer told insurance company he planned to live aboard. That was a no-no for them and denied coverage. Finance company also did not want to mess with a live aboard, so deal was pulled.

Man I was scared I was wasting time, but went anyway. What if the stories were true, and that is why she was back on the market. Told my wife not to go, canceled my motel, planned on driving straight there and leave really quick to come back. 8 hour drive each way. Got to the boat, and was nicer than the pics, engines fired right up, maintenance logs were up to date. The captain did not know what the broker was talking about, said broker never even visited the boat. I told him I had enquired several times, he stated broker told owners there was not much interest in the boat. I ended up spending 2 days there, got a free boat ride, left alone to snoop the bilges, and decided to purchase. Told the Captain my offer, he said I was in the ball park, but it was up to the owners.

Went back 2 weeks later to take deposit, confirm price, and arrange for surveys, and the owners were there this time. They were pissed when they found out I tried to see the boat over a year earlier. They told me the broker never visited the boat, sent a photographer instead. All paper work was done over e-mail. Even showed me engine and hull surveys done 3 weeks earlier for insurance purposes. Said I could have them, and out of water pics, and since they were in his name with vessel ID, they were acceptable to my insurance company. He spent 7 grand on the surveys.

They even knocked off another 80 grand because the captain showed and demo'd the boat for me not the broker. They had not sent the renewal forms in yet, they were thinking about sitting on the boat until Spring. Since no brokerage contract, broker did not show boat, they were not liable to him or his company. They got a nasty phone call from the owners that day.

So I saved alot of time any money because I ended up dealing with the owners. However I got a boat over a year later than I wanted.

So good luck, quite a journey to end up with the boat of your dreams.

Tim

[wpc691]

The most important decision you’ll make is picking your surveyors, hull and engine. I chose mine based on recommendations I got here, and both were great. Based on the surveys, I reduced my initial offer 12% (as I recall), and it was immediately accepted. The seller didn’t hide the problems, but the surveyor’s opinion was that they were more extensive/expensive than we thought...he turned out to be exactly correct.