Buying a used charter boat

Yakydar · #1 (**permalink**) 04-04-2004

Hello everyone-I''m new. I''m interested in having your opinions on the advisability of buying a used charter boat, such as, a 40-ft Beneteau that has been used by a charter company in the Caribbean for up to 10 years. Is this a good idea? I want that size boat, but can''t afford a new one, and it seems to me that those boats would have been regularly maintained.AA

WHOOSH · #2 (**permalink**) 04-04-2004

Y:

I think you''d feel averse to buying a charter boat in service for 10 years if you met some of the folks used by those companies to keep the boats in service and/or watched them handle the boats. Typical ''Caribbean-like'' charter boats are heavily used, their systems are near the end of their life spans when being taken out of charter, and you should assume either a siginificant follow-on refurbishment period or plan on fixing things that break and replacing systems incrementally for an extended period of ownership.

When compared with purchasing a 10-year old privately owned boat that''s been occasionally sailed on weekends and family vacations, and which often has been upgraded over time by the owner, the latter choice seems more desireable and less expensive.

Or...you could ratchet down your ''need'' for a 40'' boat a bit.

Jack

Jeff_H · #3 (**permalink**) 04-05-2004

I have been involved with a number of folks who have purchased ex-charter boats and these boats come out of charter really beat to death. You need to understand that these boats are underway three or four times as many days a year as they would be in private hands so in effect these are equivilent to 25 to 40 year old boats when they come out of charter. They are typically spec''d with the cheapest sails and gear. They recieve minimal maintenance and are being used hard by people who at best are not familiar with the specific boat and at worst are not terribly familiar with almost any boat.

They will typically come out of charter needing new sails, engine major rebuild or replacement, galley and head equipment, new standing and running rigging, some new deck hardware,upholstery, and a whole range of aesthetic and occasionally structural items. Rarely do these boats sell cheaply enough to justify messing with them.

Respectfully,
Jeff

msl · #4 (**permalink**) 04-05-2004

After reading this I''m not certain I would place my brand new boat (if I had one) into charter service, either.

Mark L.

DuaneIsing · #5 (**permalink**) 04-05-2004

I have only chartered a few times in the Caribbean, and that was with a 2nd-tier company whose maintenance practices were praobably subpar. I can tell you, though, that you would be amazed at how quickly boats can deteriorate in this situation. I was on other/newer boats from better companies, but the amount of damage they can see is really something.

Personally, I would feel that I would need a lot more luck than I have in order find an acceptable ex-charter boat.

Denr · #6 (**permalink**) 04-05-2004

Duanelifesling~ Was the damage you noted before or after your charter? Just trying to gather all the facts! Have you bought that yacht yet?

DuaneIsing · #7 (**permalink**) 04-05-2004

Hey, there, Denr!

You can tell you were born to be nautical - the term "jibe" fits you to a fairtheewell.

You haven''t been following my progress reports too well, it seems. I''m in temporary quarters up north for just 3 more months, then I move into our FL home (wife''s already there!). Within a few months after that, a boat will be gracing our dock.

BTW, I just paid to have the dock area dredged to 7'' below MLLW (maximum allowed by permit) so that deep fin Sabre of yours will now fit.

As to the charter boat damage - I''ve never broken anything, but have fixed a few things (temporarily), so I guess I''m to the good on that score.

Hope it warms up for you there in Lake Michigan. The temps in FL are pretty nice right now.

josephenglish · #8 (**permalink**) 04-05-2004

I bought a x charter boat!!! A 1986 Hunter 40. Best advise I can give you look elsewere. I am a very hands on person. I though I was getting a bargen on the price of the boat but in the long run I could have gotten a better boat for all the money it cost me to get this boat back in shape and not encloding all of the time to fix it. I did have it servay but that dose not tell the real story of the boat. Charter boats are abuse abd the seller is not going to tell you the truth. If you decide to go through with this good luck. see you on the water.

WHOOSH · #9 (**permalink**) 04-05-2004

Duane:

What boat did you end up buying? And new or used? Would be interesting to compare your decision with our off-line correspondence.

Good luck on arriving permanently on FL''s West Coast at the heat & humidity''s Zenith - watch out for the heat stroke!

Jack

richard_reinhart · #10 (**permalink**) 04-06-2004

Another good reason to stay away from used charter boats is that they normally have a pretty dumb layout for private boat use: lots of small staterooms with attached heads. You don''t want that for a private boat. It''s silly to have 3 heads in a 40 foot boat. It''s also nonsensical to have all that chopped up space.