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DSK

wrote:
I am seriously in the market for a replacement sailboat.
I was offer a sea trial several time. Each time, before the trial the
broker insisted on having a deposit to show my good intend.

Sure, you can't expect a broker to take you for a free boat
ride just because he's a nice guy and you claim you might
like to buy one. Look at it from his point of view, just a
little.

I soon learned that the Sea Trial approach was a broker's tactic to secure a
deposit.
Once the deposit is secured by the broker the negotiation wheel starts.

Actually, you should not put down a deposit unless you've
already negotiated the majority of the deal... in all the
cases where I've bought boats, I had an offer embodied in a
contract before I put down a deposit.

You then get involved in surveying cost for the hull and the engine. Then
if you are not happy about the boat you may ask for you deposit and you
write off the surveying cost.

Yep. That's the way the game is played. The best way is to
just be a tire-kicker until you have zeroed in on what you
are pretty sure is the right boat for you. There is no rose
garden of boats to try & reject for free until you find one
you can live with. It's kind of like getting engaged to
marry a girl.

In some places the broker may retain administration cost out of your
deposit?

I've heard of that but not seen it done. I have seen a few
brokers claim bad faith by the buyer and keep the deposit,
and in some cases they were justified.

I do not have any statistic on how fast you can get your deposit
back?

It's supposed to be held in escrow in a non-interest-bearing
account, although I don't think that's a legal requirement.
All the brokers I ever dealt with kept the deposit check
uncashed in their safe deposit box, and simply handed it
back if the deal fell through.

It can certainly be discouraging dealing with brokers, and I
wouldn't blame you for avoiding them. However not all
brokers are crooks. The best way to shop is to have the
knowledge & experience to get down & dirty choosing &
inspecting a boat for yourself. There are a number of books
that can be a big help but experience is the best teacher.
There's even some good advice on teh internet... sometimes

Fresh Breezes- Doug King