Jasper Windvane wrote:

Just a wondering ;;; is spring a bad time to be searching for a sailboat?
It seems as if the sellers will say anything to get a potential buyer to
drive to the boat. Buyer: "what is the condition of the boat" ?
Seller: "it is very clean, well maintained, ready to go"

The BOAT: 25 years of bottom paint, the topsides look like crap, the deck
is in need of a paint job, hardware has never been rebed, rigging is
original, standing rigging is original, sails are so old they are yellow,
the cushions are so old they have lost all their cush, the boat is dirty,
the bright work is awful, the galley is dirty and smelly, the engine is
beyond description as it looks like it may go at any time, the wiring is
original, the plumbing is original and smelly, the electronics consist of
loran ,,, and the boat is in need of everything. The PRICE IS ABOUT WHAT IT
WOULD BE IF THE BOAT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION.

Took a look at a couple of boat in the last two weeks.... long drive for the
above.

Is there a spring frenzy which drives the sellers to lie?

When does the ,, as in what date ,,, does the seller start to realize that
the old junk boat is just that .. JUNK.

Then, when is a good time to start looking for a boat? Wait till after
summer starts and then call the sellers?

Or put off the whole search and wait till the end of summer and fall.

There sure are a bunch of junk boats on the market.

Jasper ,,


My advice is;
Keep track of how much money you can come up with, if the right deal
comes along. Be ready, but not in a hurry.

Walk around the marinas, look in Yachtworld, talk to people. When a
likely candidate comes along, have it surveyed, be there, learn what the
surveyor looks for. Don't buy that boat.

Keep looking. When the right boat comes along you will know it.

Don't be in a hurry. Looking for a boat is a lot of fun. And a great
reason to take a trip.

There is no "right time."

When I bought my trawler, there were three boats in the running, all
three were good value for the dollar. They all turned up at the same
time. But not when I started looking.