CHOOSING the right kind of boat
Alun Jones, now the proud owner of a bilge-keeled Westerly Konsort, recounts his journey to first-time boat ownership
Without realising it, I think I had always wanted my own boat. I devoured the Arthur Ransome books as a kid, sailed dinghies at school, and then joined the Royal Navy and crossed the oceans as the First Lieutenant of a Destroyer. I had once owned a Cornish Cormorant dinghy which I sailed with my three boys, but having sold her in the sort of fine condition that breaks your heart, I was feeling the pang of no longer being a boat owner and I knew I had to find an affordable way of getting back in the game, but this time something bigger. In life, whether it’s having a child or buying a boat, there’s never a ‘good time’, but there is always a ‘too late’. Thus spurred, the next target was to get myself an affordable yacht, but which one would suit?
ENJOY THE SEARCH
I found the search for the perfect yacht to be fantastic therapy in its own right, and there’s plenty of advice out there. As I trawled the internet, I settled my heart on many, many different types, from Cornish Crabbers to a Westerly W33 ketch and everything between. Learning as I went, I could start to narrow the search. For example, once you have decided to keep the boat in Wales, you have to give serious consideration to a bilge keeler for access to more of the half-tide ports, but that assumes speed is not vital.
You also have to be honest about your own ability, the number and experience level of your crew and the interest level of your family. When you factor in price to all this, including a margin to complete all those necessary jobs, you may find yourself paying a bit more attention to those old Westerlies than you ever expected. For me it was a short step from there to a Westerly Konsort.
Having settled on a model, I spoke to the most experienced sailor I knew, my boss, Paul, and devoured his advice like Holy Scripture. He said sagely, ‘As long as the survey says the hull is ok, you need to be aware of three big investments. The engine is vital and expensive to replace, your standing rigging keeps the mast from falling down, and the sails are your main propulsion, so make sure they’re all in good condition. The rest of it is up to you.’
I reverted to web surfing, and found the array of boats available and the range of prices baffling. In the meantime I researched everything about my new home waters and about boat ownership. Remembering an old Admiral’s advice to introduce family to the boat slowly and with gin and tonic, I opted for a pontoon berth in Penarth Marina over a cheaper mud berth.
BUYING THE BOAT
At this point things took a genuinely bizarre turn, for which I thank my good fortune. Having heard me bang on about sailing at some point, a good friend of my wife got in touch to say that her father was getting too old to sail the family boat – wait for it – a Westerly Konsort bilge keeler, and would we like to buy her?
I fired off all the questions my months of research had taught me, and learned she had a new engine (25 hours on the clock) and was well-maintained and recently surveyed. And a good price too. We had a family discussion about whether this was a ‘good time’ and decided that it wasn’t, but there would never be a better one, so I called the broker and put down a 10% deposit before I had even seen her. I then set off up the length of Wales to Port Dinorwic to reassure myself I wasn’t mad!
I wasn’t. Astraeus, built in 1979 and owned for 25 years by the vendors, was well-equipped but a little tired in places. As well as the new engine she had a radar, GPS and an old analogue echo sounder. There was a heater and a new oven, though the upholstery was looking worn. Even the headlining droop looked manageable. Most importantly, there was nothing stopping her from being launched and sailed away. I paid the balance and she was mine. Wow.
All that remained was how to get her home from the Menai Strait to Cardiff, for which I engaged a delivery skipper. Given the snagging list he handed me as I took the lines at Penarth Marina, I’m glad I hadn’t attempted to deliver the boat myself, alone. But for now, I happily cheesed down the mooring warps of my very own vessel.
Buyers, always make an offer, and sellers, always consider an offer. The single largest barrier to selling used boats is a buyer’s perception that a lower offer would be insulting or unsuccessful, and a seller’s unrealistic expectations and unwillingness to consider an offer. While some sellers may indeed be unwilling, the more pragmatic should be open to having a conversation at least.
Valuing boats is less precise than car valuations, not least because of the limited data available and the huge variety even within the same model boat. It is always worth having an open and honest dialogue about your interest in a boat with the broker or the vendor. As a buyer, opening the conversation, even at a low level, is the key. A good broker should be able to give you an indication of the vendor’s disposition to considering offers, and how serious they are about getting rid of the boat. Our data suggests that the price many boats are sold for is up to 20% less than the original listed price.
There are also plenty of boat owners out there who do not have their boats listed for sale, but may be willing to sell should someone come along and offer them a sensible price for their boat, so it’s always worth asking around.
THE BOAT- BUYING PROCESS
■ Before you go to view a boat, get as much information about it as possible. Look at all the available images and read up whatever information you can get.
■ Talk to the broker. They should know the boat pretty well by the time they list it for sale, so ask them plenty of questions, including about the seller’s expectations and willingness to negotiate.
■ The broker will accompany you on a viewing. Most of them will be sailors themselves and should be equipped to offer practical advice about boat ownership.
■ If you do decide to make an offer, the broker will always communicate this to the owner and negotiate if required.
■ Once your offer is accepted, a 10% deposit will secure the boat. The deposit will be kept in a secure client account and the boat is now placed ‘under offer’, preventing further bids until you decide to complete the purchase.
■ An Agreement of Sale is then signed by buyer and seller, at which point the buyer can proceed with checks, including an inspection by a qualified surveyor.
■ The buyer chooses and engages a surveyor and covers the costs of the survey, including any boat lifts required. Don’t rely on old survey reports. The broker, boatyard or class association can usually give you a list of surveyors if you don’t already know one.
■ If you are happy with the results of the survey and want to proceed with the purchase, you then pay the balance due to the client account, prior to the transfer of ownership.
■ Should the survey not go well and you choose to withdraw your offer for the boat, your deposit is refunded.
■ The broker handles all negotiations between parties, the paperwork, title and brokerage issues, and once they hand over the documents, the boat is yours.