Are you KIDDING me????

[sweet red]

Once AGAIN!

First off, let me say a big Thank You to our yacht Broker, Pat Bustle of United. He assisted us in negotiation to purchase a 1988 Californian out of Stuart, FL. I voiced concerns, because it was OBVIOUS in looking at the very beautiful photos on the Yachtworld listing, that they were the same photos used when the boat was marketed (by the same broker) in late 2010. Even the listing itself says "my photos can't possibly do this vessel justice" "must see". Your right, I must see. A flight is booked, a car rented, and hotel reserved. Even a surveyor is booked to coordinate with my trip.

We were given assurances (broker to broker) that the vessel "Executive Sweet" was exactly as pictured or better. I still suffered from a case of "red flag-itis", and Pat offered to have a colleague go lay eyes on her to set my mind at ease.

Lo and behold! Turns out the listing photos do not provide an accurate and current interpretation of the vessel. In fairness to him, I question when the listing broker (Greg Somerville) actually last saw this vessel himself. But in fairness to ME, WTF?????? Why in the heck are some brokers so LAZY they can't even take the time to lay eyeballs on a vessel they represent, and simply cut and paste from prior (often years old) listings? You have just wasted my and my brokers time and money chasing a fallacy.

I count on integrity of Brokers, if not honesty in sellers. Don't tell me something "is" what it clearly is not. My time and money are not easily attained, and this only damages your reputation in the industry.
Thankfully, the flight and car are refundable. The hotel?.....maybe next time.

 

[saltshaker]

No surprise from Greg. I think the boat you're talking about was taken care of by captddis for the previous owner.

 

[captddis]

No surprise from Greg. I think the boat you're talking about was taken care of by captddis for the previous owner.

I was afraid that the boat was going to be neglected. The PO keeps asking me If I have seen "his" boat. He would die knowing how the boat has been let go.

 

[sweet red]

I was afraid that the boat was going to be neglected.

Gotta be a heart breaker for you. When you spend years caring for, RESPECTING a vessel such as this, only to see it fall into the hands of those who don't share your same degree of commitment. Kinda like handing your daughter over to the greasy haired guy driving a conversion van.

Owners come in all shapes, sizes and degrees of commitment to boating. It it most disheartening to also know that some Brokers are just as sloppy.

 

[Pascal]

This is way too common unfortunately. Over the years i d say 3/4 Of the boats I ve looked at were either grossly misrepresented or had serious errors in the listing like saying the boat has a 900gpd watermaker when it doesn't, hydraulic thrusters when they re electric, autopilots or radar that haven't worked in years, and so much more

Back then when I bought my 53, i went looking at "cruise ready" boats which obviously had not moved in months...

 

[Milacron]

I had a contract on the below Viking back in March this year, drove all the way to Seabrook, Texas from coast of SC for survey. Turns out the interior was represented fairly but the exterior was waaaay off the mark. I went thru with most of the survey regardless but turns out it needed about $80,000 in exterior work.

It was beautiful in the main Yachtworld photo....same photo was framed in the boat and I jokingly asked the broker if that would "convey" with the vessel. Broker (listing broker) replies even if not he could furnish me a copy as he took the photo himself.

Then I notice the Whaler dinghy in the photo has no bottom paint. I have all the owners records and can see that Whaler was bottom painted for the first time 5 years ago. So I know the exterior photo is 5 years old at least and the listing broker knew it was 5 years old.

Owner wouldn't compensate any on price, which is a good thing really as I would have been a fool to buy it even if he lowered the price $80,000 due to the "on the hard" time it would have taken to make it right. (plus the inevitable unexpected expenses)

The amazing part is the broker left that same photo on Yachtworld for months afterward and only after I complained about it a few times did they finally take it off. The exterior photos you see in below were probably taken a few months before I saw the boat, so really it was even worse than those. A strange situation where the interior was all like new but the exterior was completely neglected....numerious hull dents, some wet core in superstructure, swim platform supports rotted out, aluminum window frames corrorded like crazy, window rubber hard as rock...on and on..

Price started out a near $500,000... I talked 'em down to $290,000....And that's where the price stayed on Yachtworld until recently... I notice it finally sold...wonder what it actually went for...

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/199...669169/Seabrook/TX/United-States#.VmnrziiNwUU

 

[Pascal]

A few years back a long time forum member looked at comparables on YW to check insurance value for an upcoming renewal and, big surprise, found her boat listed for sale.

Totally fake listing!

Big well known south Florida firm with multiple offices

Same brokerage who showed a customer of mine a boat, up to the point where an offer is made and only then he says sorry boat is under contract and about to close.

 

[kjcampos]

Wow so this just didn't happen to us ....before we bought our 56' MY we were looking at 53' MY again the pictures on Yachtworld were amazing of a boat in Pensacola FL. so after my broker talked with the listing broker he told us the same thing ...boat was mint....i ran to Tampa airport bought a plane ticket to Pensacola rented a car ...when i got to the boat the first thing he caretaker of the boat told me was that every time the boat went out it needed to repaired that something was always breaking down....that did not make me feel to good.... then after taking the boat tour i was already there i was very disappointed that the listing broker was not honest with my broker knowing that i HAD TO FLY to come see the boat ...what a waste of time and $$$$ ....guess the listing broker really didn't care about the prospective buyers expense to come look at a boat that was not listed correctly....boy are we glad we bought the 56' MY we are very happy with our boat...


Joe
1981 56' MY
Lake Gloria II

 

[saltshaker]

I've looked at many that looked great in the listing and junk in person. A few were so bad I saw them from the parking lot or way down the dock and thought to myself, "I hope that's not it!"

 

[magnawake]

Ah man, sorry this happened. I was asked to look at a boat in.person fir another hatteras owner located in a marina near me. Saved them some time. Our broker came on our
boat to take more photos a month ago. I ask why and he said a buyer wanted real time photos. We'll nothing has changed but he still had to take them. Keep them honest.

 

[mykim]

Yep, seems MANY brokers are as worthless as a used car salesman. Just bought a 1980, 55' convertible Hatt and was delighted with my broker Chris McFarland in Port St Joe, Fl. But like so many, over the years I have dealt with many a turd. While on my search for the boat I bought we drove down to Miami from South Carolina to look at a 54' Bertram. All looked good and the broker answered all my questions with positive replies. We get there and on the outside she is great, fresh engines and all. But the inside is a wreck. Filthy and worn out. Yet the broker had assured me she was the cleanest 54' Bert available. And so it goes.

 

[Tinman]

Most of us that have done a bit of boat hunting over the years have traveled many miles to look at a "10" that turned out to be a "0". Unfortunately part of the game. A good local surveyor can do a preview to verify the claimed condition and save you money plus your time if the boat is not nearby.

 

[captcrunch]

This happened to me flying down to Florida to buy my last boat a donzi. Unfortunately, between the surveyor lying and such I bought it, had it trucked to ny and spent a ton over a two year period before dumping it.

 

[MikeP]

Heck, if boat owners faced jail time for lying, there wouldn't be any boat owners!

 

[34Hatt]

The amazing part is the broker left that same photo on Yachtworld for months afterward and only after I complained about it a few times did they finally take it off.


http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/199...669169/Seabrook/TX/United-States#.VmnrziiNwUU

Heck years back a saw a listing for a Hatt they had pictures of the Interior and cockpit then must have walked to another dock and took the bow shot of the boat next to it I could see the one side of the Hatt
I emailed them twice telling them wrong boat in the bow shot months later same picture was still up. Was he lazy or just Stupid? I think he was both

 

[Freeebird]

Not directing this toward Pat, but it seems to me that if you're using a buyer's broker, that broker should inspect the vessel or confirm through a reliable source the true condition of the boat before you even make plans for a viewing, especially if it involves significant travel.

I was actually hired to move a boat prior to the purchase being consummated. The buyer was basing the purchase decision on photos, the broker's word, and a current survey which showed only very minor issues. As I was waiting at the rental car counter having flown in to move the boat, I got a call from the buyer telling me to stay put. To say that the boat had been grossly misrepresented would be an understatement. The buyer had also flown in from out of state, so needless to say, that little sightseeing trip cost him a significant amount of money. Luckily, I was able to get a flight back later that evening, or it would have cost him even more.

Has anyone ever had any success in suing for false advertising in such a situation?

 

[captddis]

I believe that Buyer be ware has always been the way to buy a boat. I have never looked at at a boat that was not pristine and one of a kind. That is life. Maybe they really believe it to be pristine.

I think it is worse now because these big boats are at prices joe sixpack can afford to buy a 70 ft boat, but can't afford the cost of ownership.
So a lot of vintage Hatts are neglected.

A potential buyer flying in a captain before even boarding a boat is crazy.

 

[Milacron]

Has anyone ever had any success in suing for false advertising in such a situation?

Not that I know of but in my case I at least had an avenue of minor personal satisfaction in being able to warn future buyers about the boat via the strong SEO of my website. Anyone Googling "Viking 55 Lady Mira" would see a link on page one to my experience with the boat.

Over the following months I had numerous emails and phone calls from prospective buyers of that boat wanting to know the scoop. So at least I prevented others from blowing money on surveys and such on that boat, plus didn't help the listing brokers reputation I'm sure.

One bit of humor that should have been a red flag from day one was the dingy was listed as way larger than it was....can't forget now..17 or 18 feet Whaler. I'm thinking no freakin way it would be that large....but broker insisted yes it was. I get there and sure enough, 13 Whaler.

Which was a good thing...anything larger would be too much for that yacht. I just found it astounding the broker was such a moron he would be absolutely convinced there was a Montauk size dinghy on that boat. But for months they didn't change even that in the Yachtworld listing.

 

[pizzazsdaddy]

Welcome to the club Sweet Red!

Having seen hundreds and hundreds of boats over 50 years, please understand that one's OPINION of "NICE" varies greatly. Some brokers are Clueless. Others are Lazy. Thankfully there are a few out there who still know the difference, and do represent boats to the best of their ability. But they can't monitor the day to day condition either.

Many have no idea of what "PRISTINE" is. A "7" on the Gulf Coast, rates as a 5 in Ft. Lauderdale for example. The real trouble comes in when seller thinks they've got a princess, when it's really a pig. The sellers can be just as "at fault".

 

[Boatsb]

That's why so many boats list at $600 k and sell in the 2's.

Good brokers know better but some take overpriced listing to make sure others don't get them. That's not very professional but commonplace today.