Broker in DC area

[EpicAdventure]

I want to start looking for a boat to cruise on. I think the best way might be to plan a trip and just look at a bunch of boats. I have family in the DC area so I was thinking that might make sense.

Anyone have a broker in that area that they would recommend? Is a broker a good way to look at a bunch of boats over a weekend? Should I just look on yachtworld.com and pick someone?

[SVCarolena]

I would look at Yachtworld. There should be a lot of options in the Annapolis area.

[WouldaShoulda]

I've kicked a few keels here...

dirannap

[midlifesailor]

Originally Posted by EpicAdventure

I want to start looking for a boat to cruise on. I think the best way might be to plan a trip and just look at a bunch of boats. I have family in the DC area so I was thinking that might make sense.

Anyone have a broker in that area that they would recommend? Is a broker a good way to look at a bunch of boats over a weekend? Should I just look on yachtworld.com and pick someone?

I guess it depends on how close you are to buying a boat and what your budget is. I approached the search for our boat thinking of brokers as you would a used car salesman, which you might want to do if its early in your search. The problem is, if you have a broker show you a boat you later decide is the one you want, it'll be too late to say you're working through a prefered broker.

I think picking a broker to work with and working through them is probably not a bad strategy, if there is a brokerage or individual in your area that has a great reputation. I've never bought a boat from them and its probably too far to go for your visit, but Norton's in Deltaville, VA has a great reputation around my marina and with the owner of the boat I sometimes crew on. I really wish I'd taken his advice and worked through them to buy my boat. It wouldn't have cost me any more, and I think they would have been more accomodating of the issues we had in our purchase process.

[EpicAdventure]

So maybe I should just find a bunch of boats I'd be interested in looking at on yachtworld, arrange showings with whoever is doing the listing?

I'm looking in the 50-75k range.

Time frame is to purchase early to mid next year and take her cruising for a year starting fall of 2010.

We are planning a ~1yr cruise and then return to the "real" world.

[badsanta]

The easiest way if you have the skills is to fly to whatever place you want to see and charter a boat for a month or so. Then not have to worry about repairs and reselling. If you are going to buy I would look and read and decide on what you want and narrow your search to just a few size and type boats.