Click for Comfort Click for Cross Click for Abeking Click for JetForums Click for Northern Lights

Advice on selling Yacht in France

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by mark hutton, Mar 24, 2017.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    My Father in law sadly passed away recently, his yacht is in dry dock in les sables d"Olonne, the agent my mother in law has been using does not seem to be getting any interest. Has anybody got any advice on how they would best market the Yacht. We are based in the UK, do you think it would be better to sail it back to the UK to sell>
    any advice would be much appreciated
  2. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2004
    Messages:
    1,507
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Sorry for your and your wife's loss.

    I need more information before providing advice or making recommendations. I am assuming that she is in good condition for you to be looking at the option of taking her to UK. What is the size, year, manufacture, and general price range? How long has she been dry-docked? How long has she been listed with the broker? Is the broker using any of the multiple listing services?
  3. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Hi
    Many thanks for helping me out.
    My father in law put the boat on the market 2 years ago. I'm sure he would have had the yacht ship shape for the dry dock, but this was s couple of years ago. We plan to visit in the next month. The agent is jean Louis chavantra his company is called espace mer, my father in law instructed him, but from what I can see he does not have a recognised agency.
    I can't see any multiple listings and we have had troubled contacting the agent.
    The yacht is a Feeling 36 we think he bought it new in July 2004. He never really sailed it much so not much wear and tear.
    Price we are not sure as we cannot get hold of the agent
  4. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2004
    Messages:
    1,507
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Sorry to hear the bad report on the broker. I think you should find a broker in France rather than considering bringing her to the UK. A boat sitting on the hard for 2 years could need a fair amount of work to make her seaworthy enough for an offshore voyage.

    I don't know of a specific brokerage I can recommend in France for that size sailboat. Hopefully someone else on YF will come up with a recommendation for you. If you get stuck without any recommendations, I can send you the names of brokers in France to call to see whom they might recommend, but I would prefer not to take the "friend of a friend" route if someone on YF can do better to help you.

    Good luck!
  5. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    So, it was given to a guy with a diving center to sell and now you can't reach the man? Definitely follow JWY's advice. Where is it on the hard? At the diving center or at a shipyard?
  6. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Many thanks for you advice much appreciated
  7. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Hopefully we will find out in the next month or so, I'm assuming it's at the yard
  8. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,120
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Personally I wouldn't wait a month, I d be on a quick flight over and check on the whereabouts of the boat.

    I would start looking at the used boats website, like ************** and whatever is popular in Europe. Look for brokers with similar listings in the area especially those with well presented listings including detailed specs and pictures. Good brokers take the time to or together a proper listing. Lazy ones don't.

    Sailing season is about to start there don't waste time
  9. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Many thanks Pascal, I will see if I can get down earlier and I will check out the listings
  10. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I also have to add, generally when a boat doesn't sell it's because it is priced too high.
  11. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Good point
    I need to find out the price
    I will let you know
    Again thank you
  12. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Hi Guys
    My mother in law has been rung by the yard owner who has said his friend could pay 20,000 euros for the yacht. I really feel they are taking advantage of my mother in law. If you were in my shoes bearing in mind I have limited knowledge of sailing What would you do. I feel for my mother in law she has monthly costs plus the foreign language barrier to contend with. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.
  13. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    We can't possibly tell you what we would do. We have no idea what the value of the boat is. We don't know it's condition. You can look online at other similar boats to see if the price is reasonable. I would say if it looks close to being reasonable to take it since neither of you is there or wants to get directly involved. Right now you have an offer. She either accepts or rejects it. If it appears at all reasonable, I'd take it.

    What has your mother-in-law asked you to do? Have you not had or got a day you could fly over there and see the situation? If you can't get over there or move it, it's just going to deteriorate until something is done.
  14. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Yes we intend to fly over as soon as possible
    similar age boats are between 40 and 50 thousand , obviously not sure of condition until we visit so this may bring the value down. Just annoyed that somebody maybe trying to take advantage of my mother in law
  15. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    You're making an assumption that someone is trying to take advantage, but you haven't seen the boat, met the man, or discussed it with him. I'm not sure what "as soon as possible" is as I don't know why it wasn't possible this Saturday or Sunday. I would have somehow already gone to see the boat. If you get an "as is" offer not subject to survey, I'd jump on it unless it was completely ridiculous.
  16. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Fair comments, I will get down there and have a look and keep an open mind
    Thankyou for your advice
  17. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2004
    Messages:
    5,375
    Location:
    Sweden
    There is such a boat for sale in that location with an asking price of €80.000, so 20' seems to be a little low....


    Feeling 36.jpg
  18. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Thankyou very much
    Amazingly this is my father in laws boat
    Reason being I can recognise my father in law at the helm
    Amazing I've sent it to my mother in law
    Thank you
  19. mark hutton

    mark hutton New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Messages:
    14
    Location:
    Uk
    Could you let me know what website you found it on, as I've just spoken to my mother in law and she knew nothing about this
  20. 30West

    30West Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2016
    Messages:
    246
    Location:
    Holland, Michigan
    So your buyer is already advertising it for a quick profit?