[WHOOSH]

Sailorman, I can''t answer your question but I would like to offer a little coaching. Just like every other private, commercial acquisition, there is nothing wrong with approaching the transaction process as ''tabla rasa'', regardless of what the conventional view is on how to proceed.

IOW even if the broker (or owner)representing a boat in which you have interest has a clear view of ''prevailing practices'', there is nothing wrong in approaching the deal with your view of what is appropriate and expecting the deal to be done in that fashion. Your logic is certainly defensible and probably as valid (or no less) than any conventional wisdom on how such a deal should proceed. If I were in your shoes, the add''l reasons I would offer (to a broker and/or an owner) for proceeding as you outlined would be essentially two: a) I''m the interested buyer and it''s my money that will affect the sale, and so it''s my privilege to offer a reasoned approach on how the offer should be constructed, along with b) you/your client is trying to sell a boat at a time of year and while in a winterized state that doesn''t suit a sale...and so some accommodations will need to be made given the owner''s choice and the boat''s circumstances.

Your only risk is that the seller will hold out a while if s/he doesn''t like the conditions of the buying process you propose. But of course, there are a LOT of boats out there, and winter can be very long indeed when you''re the owner of a boat for sale.

Jack