"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
...


If you're looking for an excuse to kill the deal, "We're too iced over
for a sea trial and haulout" is about as effective as you could hope
to find.

If the area seaward of your slip is ice free *and* you want to
continue with the sale you should do the sea trial. Accepting a
refundable deposit to "hold the boat until we can complete the sale in
the spring" simply gives the buyer a yardstick by which he can measure
other offers as he continues to shop, as is normally the case.
Maybe he or she "just wants to be sure that's the best deal out
there", but the shopping will usually continue, deposit or not. Your
boat is tied up on a strong "maybe", and all the buyer need do to get
his deposit back in full is pronounce the eventual sea trial or survey
results "unsatisfactory". The buyer doesn't even need a good or valid
reason, as "satisfaction" is a subjective value.

If a haul out is impossible due to weather conditions, you might
suggest that your buyer hire a diver to inspect the underside of the
boat.
The diver can take photos of struts, props, rudders, and check for
slop in the cutless bearing. The diver can take close up photos of
random sections of the hull to allow the surveyor to render an opinion
regarding the presence or nature of any blistering.

A diver isn't a substitute for hauling and tapping the hull, but if
the rest of the vessel passes survey wtih flying colors an eager buyer
might accept a photo-survey performed by a diver rather than wait
until the spring thaw to complete the deal.

-------------------------------------

It looks like we've resolved the issues. A concern of mine (besides ice)
was doing an aggressive sea trial
in Buzzard's Bay in the winter, especially since the Navigator has not been
fully exercised in a while. I wanted to do this with a local mechanic who I
respect just to make sure everything worked and to fix anything that didn't
before we sold the boat. I think a proper sea trial is essential to both the
buyer and seller. I had some major maintenance work and fuel system
additions done last August, but never got around to running the bananas out
of the boat. Too preoccupied with Mrs.E.'s GB last summer.

The buyer and his broker have agreed to move forward, with the understanding
that the extent and duration of the sea trial will be at my sole discretion.
One issue that I was unaware of until today is that the buyer will have a
certified Volvo tech present as part of the survey team, so I feel a little
better.

Apparently ice is not an issue yet. A film develops in the back slip area
overnight, but it is more like slush and won't pose any problem.
So, as it stands right now, a full survey, including hauling, and a sea
trial, the extent of which is up to me, is on for Wednesday.

Eisboch

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:10:09 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
...


If you're looking for an excuse to kill the deal, "We're too iced over
for a sea trial and haulout" is about as effective as you could hope
to find.

If the area seaward of your slip is ice free *and* you want to
continue with the sale you should do the sea trial. Accepting a
refundable deposit to "hold the boat until we can complete the sale in
the spring" simply gives the buyer a yardstick by which he can measure
other offers as he continues to shop, as is normally the case.
Maybe he or she "just wants to be sure that's the best deal out
there", but the shopping will usually continue, deposit or not. Your
boat is tied up on a strong "maybe", and all the buyer need do to get
his deposit back in full is pronounce the eventual sea trial or survey
results "unsatisfactory". The buyer doesn't even need a good or valid
reason, as "satisfaction" is a subjective value.

If a haul out is impossible due to weather conditions, you might
suggest that your buyer hire a diver to inspect the underside of the
boat.
The diver can take photos of struts, props, rudders, and check for
slop in the cutless bearing. The diver can take close up photos of
random sections of the hull to allow the surveyor to render an opinion
regarding the presence or nature of any blistering.

A diver isn't a substitute for hauling and tapping the hull, but if
the rest of the vessel passes survey wtih flying colors an eager buyer
might accept a photo-survey performed by a diver rather than wait
until the spring thaw to complete the deal.

-------------------------------------

It looks like we've resolved the issues. A concern of mine (besides ice)
was doing an aggressive sea trial
in Buzzard's Bay in the winter, especially since the Navigator has not been
fully exercised in a while. I wanted to do this with a local mechanic who I
respect just to make sure everything worked and to fix anything that didn't
before we sold the boat. I think a proper sea trial is essential to both the
buyer and seller. I had some major maintenance work and fuel system
additions done last August, but never got around to running the bananas out
of the boat. Too preoccupied with Mrs.E.'s GB last summer.

The buyer and his broker have agreed to move forward, with the understanding
that the extent and duration of the sea trial will be at my sole discretion.
One issue that I was unaware of until today is that the buyer will have a
certified Volvo tech present as part of the survey team, so I feel a little
better.

Apparently ice is not an issue yet. A film develops in the back slip area
overnight, but it is more like slush and won't pose any problem.
So, as it stands right now, a full survey, including hauling, and a sea
trial, the extent of which is up to me, is on for Wednesday.

Eisboch


Best of luck with it!
--
John H

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:10:09 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

Apparently ice is not an issue yet. A film develops in the back slip area
overnight, but it is more like slush and won't pose any problem.
So, as it stands right now, a full survey, including hauling, and a sea
trial, the extent of which is up to me, is on for Wednesday.

What about insurance coverage? If your policy specifies winter layup,
I think you'd be at risk without some sort of one time exception
rider.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:10:09 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

Apparently ice is not an issue yet. A film develops in the back slip area
overnight, but it is more like slush and won't pose any problem.
So, as it stands right now, a full survey, including hauling, and a sea
trial, the extent of which is up to me, is on for Wednesday.

What about insurance coverage? If your policy specifies winter layup,
I think you'd be at risk without some sort of one time exception
rider.


Just finished fixing that with the agent. My navigational insurance has
been extended to Dec 31, then reverts back to winter lay-up. 100 bucks.

Gee. If the deal falls through, I might be able to head south after all.

Eisboch

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:16:25 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:10:09 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

Apparently ice is not an issue yet. A film develops in the back slip area
overnight, but it is more like slush and won't pose any problem.
So, as it stands right now, a full survey, including hauling, and a sea
trial, the extent of which is up to me, is on for Wednesday.

What about insurance coverage? If your policy specifies winter layup,
I think you'd be at risk without some sort of one time exception
rider.


Just finished fixing that with the agent. My navigational insurance has
been extended to Dec 31, then reverts back to winter lay-up. 100 bucks.

Gee. If the deal falls through, I might be able to head south after all.

Eisboch

I like it. Can't lose.

--Vic

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:16:25 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:10:09 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

Apparently ice is not an issue yet. A film develops in the back slip area
overnight, but it is more like slush and won't pose any problem.
So, as it stands right now, a full survey, including hauling, and a sea
trial, the extent of which is up to me, is on for Wednesday.

What about insurance coverage? If your policy specifies winter layup,
I think you'd be at risk without some sort of one time exception
rider.


Just finished fixing that with the agent. My navigational insurance has
been extended to Dec 31, then reverts back to winter lay-up. 100 bucks.

Gee. If the deal falls through, I might be able to head south after all.

Ahem - - obviously, you will need some assistance with that trip. :)

Not that I'm hinting or anything.

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:28:30 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Ahem - - obviously, you will need some assistance with that trip. :)

Not that I'm hinting or anything.

==================================

Ahem - - obviously, you will need some experienced assistance with
that trip.

Not that I'm hinting or anything.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:28:30 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Ahem - - obviously, you will need some assistance with that trip. :)

Not that I'm hinting or anything.

==================================

Ahem - - obviously, you will need some experienced assistance with
that trip.

Not that I'm hinting or anything.



...Ahem..and you'll need someone to keep the previous two in line....
Not that I'm hinting or anything.

I arrived at the boat around noon today, only to find the back basin frozen
over. I got a couple of good sized rocks, walked out to the end of the
finger pier and tossed them about 30 feet in the air to the middle of the
channel. They just bounced off the ice, so it's solid.

Nobody I've talked to recommends trying to use a fiberglass boat as an ice
breaker, even in thin ice, so I called both of the involved brokers to give
them a heads up. I explained to the buyer's broker that unless we have a
major heat wave overnight, moving the boat from the slip tomorrow will not
be possible. I told them they are welcome to come up and do a dockside
survey, run the engines, etc., but hauling or a sea trial is very unlikely.
It's their call. (The buyer is flying three people up here.)

Meanwhile, I found out that the closing on the buyer's current boat
originally scheduled for Dec 10th still has not happened. An oil sample
came back with some strange readings on one of the transmissions and is
apparently causing a delay.

I again suggested to the buyer's broker that we all chill out, wait until
spring and see how many issues have resolved themselves. We will hold the
boat for them at the agreed upon price and do a full up survey and sea trial
in the spring.

I know it doesn't serve a broker's interests, but it is what it is and some
things cannot be forced.

Eisboch (learning that buying a boat is a hell of a lot easier than
selling one)