Precautions To Take When Buying Used Boats

As with any big purchase, if you are buying a new boat it is recommended you either buy direct from the manufacturing boatyard or from one of their officially-appointed dealers. Any boat advertised as new that does not appear to originate from either of these sources should be checked out carefully with the boat builder.

There are several routes to buying used boats: from a dealer who has boats in stock as part-exchange; from a broker who sells the boat on behalf of the owner; or from the owners themselves, in a private sale.

Donal McClement of Crosshaven Boatyard in Cork recommends the use of a reputable broker for advice. "The vendor pays the broker's fees, not the buyer, and you have the advantage of the years of experience a broker can bring to the transaction. It is well worth it."

All the necessary paperwork and checks should be in place when buying from dealers and brokers, and their reputation and future business success depends on making their clients happy.

The majority of private sellers are genuine. However, there is a possibility that you are being offered a boat for sale that's stolen, or there is a fraudulent transaction going on. This is the risk taken when not buying from an established business. However, there are precautions you can take to protect yourself and your boating future.