Yacht Buying Questions

Welcome, Try here for answers first.

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/g...on/307-directions-navigating-yachtforums.html

From my standpoint (yacht broker) Bestway is not one of the more mainstream builder names and therefore are tough to resell. If the price is good and you like the boat, survey her carefully and happy boating!

I have no basic problem with buying a boat that is unused for a period of time. That happens for various reasons. Getting the boat/machinery and systems all back up and running properly is at issue. This can be accomplished in the context of the sale, which will include marine surveys of hull and machinery and seatrial. If the broker is on his game, he/she will see to it that all aboard is up and running well prior to seatrials. Your bargaining position is probably pretty good with the estate, as they want this boat, and its related carrying expense, gone. Boat deals can be a lot easier when there is no emotional attachment on the seller's part.

MAKE SURE that you truly like the boat. I'm so sick and tired of people buying "the deal" where the actual boat is secondary. That makes me crazy. If you like the boat and wish to make her your own, make your offer, check her out well, re-negotiate price for (major) needed repairs if necessary, then close the deal and begin enjoying your new boat.

Welcome to YachtForums John. Luv San Diego! I can't answer your specific questions. But as you said you are new to yachting, here is another good thread on getting into the game - seeking an education

Kelly Cook

Of course each of us has a different comfort zone when it comes to boat selection. And I really am intrigued by the brands that are considered out of the mainstream. But from the resale angle I think that such brands make the most sense when their age is "middle ground". I would be wary of buying one new (or newish) because of the depreciation hit. And equally wary of a very old one because of the difficulty in finding a buyer. But the brokers active on this forum will have a much more informed view of this, hope they chime in here.

timid Kelly

John and Barbara, Resale depends upon price and condition. One way to look at this is: You are interested in this boat right now. When its time for you to sell, another couple like you will probably come to the same conclusions that you have in looking at the market and whats available for what price. If you're looking at the 1986 model 44 that I see on YachtWorld, it looks like she is priced quite well to start with. The sold database (available only to brokers and surveyors) support actual selling prices in the low $100K + range. Only a handful of older, smaller Bestways have sold below $100K.

Without having seen the boat myself, it would seem to me that you can perhaps make a nice buy here. Hopefully you can arrive at an agreed selling price, prior to survey, that will give you a comfort level in adding the expected $15-20K in deferred maintenance and desired upgrades.

It sounds like your thinking is sound, and you're on the right track. FWIW, I agree about the older Viking; A great seaworthy boat, but has no panache.

Good luck!

If you do enough research, you can pretty much talk yourself out of anything. Just make sure someone else doesn't grab your good deal away while you're still at the drawing board.

The fuel filter issue is nickels and dimes. Not to worry. They need changing annually anyway, along with a list of other preventative maintenance that is good yachting practice.

I do believe that many of the gremlins from non-use will be chased out by the current owner, at their expense, in the process of making the boat ready for your survey/seatrial, as will be called for in your offer to purchase.

John --

Bestway is a fairly well known name in the trawler world. They come under the classification of TT (Taiwanese Trawler or sometimes affectionally referred to as Taiwanese Tub). Bestway built models from 40' to 50' in both double cabin and cockpit models.

Bestways are typical of many of the TTs in that they provide voluminous interior space, and lots of boat for the buck. Also typical are common problems related to the teak decks, leaky windows, hull blisters, water intrusion at deck installations, fuel tanks...

Make sure you get an extremely thorough surveyor and have $$ aside for x factors ...enjoy the liveaboard life.

Judy Waldman