sell a sailboat "WELCOME IDIOTS"

peterconway · #1 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

im trying to sale my boat. its amazing how many idiots have shown up. had one guy just now who brought a sailboat know it all with him. he broke the bottom pin on my rudder. the other guy realized that mast stepping was beyond him cause he has a bad leg.

i had someone offer $1200 Cash..... i didnt know which to laugh at the 1200 number or the word cash. "oh maybe im interested in 2 six hundred dollar puppies"

i had several not show after having their word for an appointment

one guy tripped and fell, instant no sale. lol

i even took the boat over to a fellow house for him to see it (said very interested but couldnt get over to my place) his excuse....i dont have anything to pull with. that son of a beach!!!!!!

funny huh? NO! not if your the seller.

SailKing1 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

Peter, when I sold my boat I advertised on Craigslist (the thought was I would get locals calling) and it sold in seven weeks. When people called I told them which day I would be there and what time. If they wanted to come look at it I would be available to show it to them. I also informed them of its location so they could go and take a look on their own without wasting my time. Of course they could not get inside, only look through the windows. The feeling was if they were truly interested they would follow-up with me and make an appointment. I only showed it to 5 people out of approximately 20 plus calls and the last one bought it. Point to note is that I was not in a hurry or had a need to sell.

If you can over them to look at it before you take your time, it will separate the real buyer form the dreamers.

tommays · #3 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

I always do find the cash thing funny as if its somehow worth more than just doing a transfer at the bank

pinayreefer · #4 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

I am in the process of buying a boat after looking for 6 months. Amazing how many people gave me the advice of "just show up with X (usually 50% of asking) dollars and lay it on the table, they won't be able to resist" and I'm thinking, "unless it's owner-financed, the seller is going to get the money anyway, whether the buyer robbed a bank or financed the boat". I guess the unstated idea is if you pay in cash that somehow you won't have to report it?

I do feel a bit embarassed though. One boat on our short list we looked at twice, once on Mother's Day (at least in the evening) and once on Memorial Day (the owner was at the yacht club already). Another boat the broker drove 30 minutes to meet us at the marina and show the boat (two times), neither that we bought. I did e-mail them back later with the news that we'd bought another boat. And I told others of the boats, both of which were good buys, just not quite as good as the boat we picked.

peterconway · #5 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

maybe asking more would keep the bargain hunters away.....i'm being more careful about letting the lookers become touchers. people forget that this is no theirs yet. i had some guy yesterday get in and start banging the hull with his hand (too hard) i told him i had a rubber mallet, he said no thanks i'll just use my fist. i had to tell him to stop. people just dont care. if he bought the boat, he could have used a hatchet for all i care. its my property untill they buy, but no one seems to have that mindset. its really starting to piss me off. i now have to set limits on letting a possible buyer getting the info he or she needs.

YeahJohn · #6 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

I guess it all depends on the seller, and price range. Part of selling anything is dealing with buyers. I would say that is why most avoid it or enjoy it depending on who you are and what makes you laugh. I normally pass on the funny emails and request to my friends just to give them a laugh too.

Siamese · #7 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

Yeah, it sure brings out the loonies no matter how you try.

Recently sold my dad's 27 foot powerboat. Has a beam of over 10 feet and sits on a cradle. Said so in my Craigslist ad. Callers all wanted to tow it home. Some were mad because it had no trailer.

Had one guy say he understood that it was on a cradle...very interested. He met me at the marina and looked at the boat for an hour. Finally decided he didn't want to buy it because he couldn't tow it. Kill!

Sold a guitar amp recently. You're right...people call and want you to bring the item to them to look at. They're indignant when you won't!?!?! Some complain that YOU are too far away and want to meet you someplace in between. Someplace dark and isolated perhaps?

Buyer will agree to purchase your item and then want to hand you a check. Somebody gives you a bad check for a few hundred dollar item and you will NEVER get your money. Of course they're mad when you want cash.

Bottom line is, you wonder how a large portion of the public manages to tie their shoes or find their way home.

Hudsonian · #8 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

OTOH, a friend recently bought a boat based upon email and photo descriptions. After some cursory negotiations she and the owner agreed upon a price. They then agree to meet in the parking lot of a Target halfway between their two homes, which are about four hours apart. At the appointed time my friend arrived at the parking lot, two minutes later the owner appeared with the boat in tow, in ten minutes the owner walked the buyer through an inspection, and a bill of sale was drawn. When my friend handed over 180 twenty dollar bills, the seller stuffed it in his pocket saying, "I'm not gonna count this." Two and a half hours later my friend was sailing in her home waters. She's been smiling ever since.

casey1999 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

[QUOTE=peterconway;740414]maybe asking more would keep the bargain hunters away.....i'm being more careful about letting the lookers become touchers. people forget that this is no theirs yet. QUOTE]

Right on- I was at a car auction and a Ferrari was for sale. One looker went to look under the hood- raised the hood like a typical american car and ended up forcing it past it's stops, put a crease in it. One person who knew cars said he just did $3,000 dollars worth of damage. The auction was a federal aution so the guy just walked away without being held accountable.

GaryHLucas · #10 (**permalink**) 06-14-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hudsonian

OTOH, a friend recently bought a boat based upon email and photo descriptions. After some cursory negotiations she and the owner agreed upon a price. They then agree to meet in the parking lot of a Target halfway between their two homes, which are about four hours apart. At the appointed time my friend arrived at the parking lot, two minutes later the owner appeared with the boat in tow, in ten minutes the owner walked the buyer through an inspection, and a bill of sale was drawn. When my friend handed over 180 twenty dollar bills, the seller stuffed it in his pocket saying, "I'm not gonna count this." Two and a half hours later my friend was sailing in her home waters. She's been smiling ever since.

This reminds me of one of my brothers friends. He see an ad for a power boat that is really cheap, like $5000. It's a 20 footer with twin 250 HP outboards. He calls the seller and finds out where the boat is. He drives over to look at it and the entire boat is painted flat black, even the stainless. He calls the guy back and tells him nobody would want the boat it is so ugly. The guy asks him if he'll take it for the price if it gets repainted. He agrees and the next time he looks at the boat it is a beautiful metallic blue flake, and all the stainless is polished up! He buys it, and about 3 months later the DEA shows up and arrests him. He finally convinces them that he just bought the boat, so they they let him go and confiscate the boat!

Gary H. Lucas