Used Delta Yacht for Sale

How can buying a new or used yacht in this day and age of uncertainty be a good decision?  For those who have managed to retain liquidity or are in markets which are still thriving, owning a high-end luxury commodity might not be such a bad idea.  Here are some compelling reasons why:

• The yachting market, similar to other luxury markets in our previous era of booming economics, have seen prices rising unreasonably – mostly due to supply and demand.  A correction is certainly evident today, with many yachts having come to market; some just to cover liquidity needs, others competing for few buyers.  Thus we see many buyers actually buying yachts at prices that they would not have dreamed of a year ago.

Realistic buyers know value when they see it – Unrealistic buyers often miss the great deals.  See other tips “Being the Second Owner of a Yacht”, “The Process of Buying a Used Yacht”,  “Considering your Needs for Buying a Yacht” .

• The cost of money is extremely favorable with plenty of credit available to persons with sufficient liquidity.  Never have rates been this low.
• Repairs and improvements are not only much easier to organize (no standing in line waiting for quality vendors these days), but time constraints and pricing is much more favorable.  The same goes for other aspects of ownership, such as fuel costs, quality crew and salaries, dockage, etc. 
• Cruising grounds and marinas are less crowded and more flexible during the popular seasons, thus offering more choices to cruise areas which may have been previously limited – such as Nantucket, or Nassau (Atlantis). 

Yachting today offers a far greater tangible and “quality of life” value than the uncertainty of equity markets – plus they won’t lose value overnight for no apparent reason.   Some wise business folks are taking time to enjoy life with their families and friends – knowing that things will eventually turn around and that they may never have the opportunity to spend precious leisure time exploring the finer things in life – like watching the sunset behind a tropical island while at anchor.  You can’t put a price on these experiences. 

Express sportfisher for sale in Florida

Used Searay Sedan for Sale

Whether a first-time buyer or a seasoned yachtsman, the art of locating and buying a used yacht can be a truly enjoyable experience.  Here are some tips to making a good decision:
I find that the best yachts (or boats, or cars, etc) are ones that are slightly used or exceptionally cared for.  When I managed boats for television shows (such as Miami Vice), I found that the first year is spent troubleshooting glitches, or problems.  Most of these were electrical in nature, some mechanical.  Because boats and yachts are built of components that become increasingly complex with size, thus system, increase – it is hard to tell what will fail from one boat to the next.  I found that most problems were solved within a year, after which each boat was fairly trouble-free as long as it was maintained and operated well.  I actually pleaded for the manufacturer to leave the one-year old fleet of fast boats alone, as they were much better than when I put them into service.  Thus – the value of warranty in new boat ownership.  
Historically, yachts (especially production yachts) depreciate rapidly the first year.  Often, if it is a bad sales year, the dealer will actually compete with used boat prices by discounting their inventory.  The real gimmick for the dealer to keep the business of these one or two year old boat owners, is to inflate the trade-in price and get them into a new model (at full retail).  It’s really just a shell game and most savvy buyers eventually come to grips with this form of business – then face the real market and take their lumps.  Then they get smart and buy next time as the second owner.  
Here’s another reason why – new options don’t increase market price (but can increase desirability).  A 2002 46 SeaRay is worth “x” amount of money on the market, whether it has a transom lift, or satellite TV, or new electronics.  These options cost someone a lot of money up front, but only add value several years down the road.  However, if you have to have a certain option, such as a hydraulic wim platform, it is wiser to seek used yachts which already have these installed, as retro-fitting is prohibitively expensive in some cases and often not able to be recaptured on resale.   Of note – the electronics industry has morphed to “black box” technology – thus allowing upgrades to equipment over time rather than planned obsolescence – making wise electronics module  purchasing a viable investment in your yacht.  
Thus, It is a win-win situation to buy a second hand (used, pre-owned)  boat – the first guy takes the biggest hit, you get lots of virtually free options (even if you don’t need some) and hopefully the bugs are worked out (with maybe some warranty left). 
Yachts which are well-cared for are certainly more desirable than those which are not.  And though you might congratulate yourself on the “killer” deal that you made on a repossessed boat with only one engine running – just wait until you start seeing all the other problems that show up as a result of neglect.  In some ways, boats are like onions – you often don’t see the real boat until you peel away a few layers – and while some things work well at the dock, murphy’s law has a sinister way of coming into play when one is in difficult conditions.  The “idiot light” is sure to blink on when your family holiday is ruined because of neglect problems. 
Most buyers realize that a good broker is a true asset in finding the perfect yacht.  Find one that is willing to help you find you the best boat at the best price.  Stick with him (or her); as they will do the same and be an invaluable resource to help make those moments on the water the best ones of your life.   Be reasonable and try to learn as much as you can – most brokers have a lifetime of experience to offer, and will surely agree that the best value is often a fresh used yacht or boat.

Other blogs of interest include: , “Considering your needs when buying a Yacht” , “Buying a Yacht in a Depressed Market” , “Yacht Dockage in South Florida” , “The Process of  Buying a Used Yacht” ,  ”Transporting Yachts” .

A note:  I welcome emails with questions or feedback anytime! But I do not follow comments much as most are spam. Any ideas for blog-worthy topics are also welcome!  andy@akyachts.com; (954) 292-0629 cell

Used Cruisers Yacht in Fort Lauderdale

 I get a lot of customers who are new to yachting and wonder if there are any good books focusing on buying a yacht and the variables involved in yacht ownership.  I have looked around and can’t find anything specfic to buying a pre-owned yacht (which is what I specialize in), however there is a good book relevant to megayacht buyers who want to build a custom design…” Megayacht Wisdom  II” by Buddy Haack and Doug Hoogs (both competent ex-yacht captains) and available online. 
This blog is relevant to the buyer who wants a yacht, but needs to determine which is the best one suited for his (or her)  needs.  I work with a variety of buyers, each with a different set of values and try to match the market to their needs.  Let’s face it…nobody wants to make mistakes in any size purchase, least of all an expensive one.  So…
The first question is obvious…what is your budget?  A buyer needs to be realistic with him (or her)self, as the market changes radically as the budget goes up or down.  Getting everything that you want is proportionate to size, goals and budget. With this in mind, the budget is not limited to simply the purchase price, but to also keeping things going.  Other considerations are maintenance and repair, dockage, crew considerations, and so on.    This is where other factors come into play.
What are your crusing goals?  Do you want a boat which is fine for weekend (or an occasional two week) trips say to the Florida Keys and perhaps the Bahamas…or a boat which has longer “legs” which can navigate in safety to the Caribbean Islands for a longer period of time (I will cover some criteria for this in another blog)?  This also applies to sailing yacht buyers, although more critical for motor yacht buyers. 
How large of a boat will you be comfortable in?  Staying aboard for longer periods requires a full beam  aft or mid-ship main (master) stateroom with room outside to enjoy life, whether it be a large flybridge or aft deck.  Most of the folks who find out that this is a terrific lifestyle, eventually opt for a larger boat which will allow for these two important factors….livability for longer periods.  Without a doubt, seaworthiness is paramount.  If your goals are to cruise from marina to marina, then one doesn’t need to worry about the very seasick wife hitting the rails with the cry of “this isn’t my idea of fun!”.  If your plans include more adventurous plans, say to the lower Caribbean or unprotected waters, then a planing, light cruiser is not a very good choice (see blog on transporting), but rather a displacement or slower yacht with stabilization.

Guests and Family – an important aspect of yachting is the ability to gather and share the seagoing home.  Once you are away on the vacation, new friends (and often family) want to join in the fun and experience (which is exactly why yachting offers a unique lifestyle to enjoy intimate time together) .  Thus the question of comfort and how long one can sustain a crowded boat.  It is very important to have expectations with individual comfort in mind…and how many staterooms will be often in use.   It expands once a larger yacht is envisioned as crew need their comfort as well to do their very hard  jobs.  Of course, this expands into the galley and amenities to be able to keep the party in large happy.  Additionally, the ideal yacht should have outdoor spaces for all not to feel too clustered as privacy and space become important quickly. Equally important is the age of intended guests…as small children and such will need to be watched carefully and not exposed to dangerous ladders or spaces where they can injure themselves. 
 

Styling –   All of us have a sense of what we thinks looks good.  Just as in picking a car style, we all want something which defines who we are.  Face it - you need to look with a boat with ’love’ - something that we can look at and say ‘that is me’. Yet, different styled yachts have different limitations. For instance, Euro-styled sleek-looking boats have a limitation on interior volume, whereas domestic US styled boats (note that the majority of Taiwanese built yachts are designed and built for the American consumer) put an emphasis on volume….and thus livability.  The same holds true with Sailing yachts.  Thus the variety of the multitude of yachts abounds. 
Age -  Are you handy with fixing things or is the newness of equipment and systems more important?  If handy, an older boat will certainly demand more monitoring and repairs as equipment ages.  With this goes the availability of parts and technicians who can perform repairs.  A good example might be the saga of Detroit Diesel engines. There are plenty of these venerable engines still around, along with fair parts supply.  Just about any island has a fellow who can work (I did not say competently) on these as they have been around for over 50 years and are fairly simple.  Compare this to a modern, electronically controlled engine (as mandated by increasing pressure to control emissions) and you almost always require a factory trained tech to troubleshoot and repair these increasingly computer controlled (but here to stay) engines.  On one hand…aging, less fuel efficient engines which may be simply repaired …or relying on manufacturers with a stretched-out service ability.  As you wander from the major coasts (which is the goal of course), one should realize the probablity of service. 

Re-salability – what might seem like a bargain up front, meeting all of your needs might turn out to be a lemon on the market when it comes time to sell.  Given our dubious global economy, yacht buying is at the bottom of the food chain.  Yet, we still survive as it is one of the most glorious and satisfying  lifestyles around.  Be aware that repos and bargains often are extremely neglected.  I have resold more than a few from owners who have doubled (and more) their budgetory expectations of bringing the boat back into shape, along with a promise to themselves never to consider such folly again.  These boats are for the experienced buyer only without having to resort to boatyards and retail vendors to repair.  Keep in mind also that trends change over the years and that custom (or one-off) boats tend to have very small markets indeed.  My advise…follow the market with production yachts with proven desirability and options.  My philosophy (in concert with the majority of my seasoned buyers) is to buy with value in mind, yet with proven upkeep. 

Other blogs of interest include: , “Considering your needs when buying a Yacht” , “Buying a Yacht in a Depressed Market” , “Yacht Dockage in South Florida” , “The Process of  Buying a Used Yacht” ,  ”Transporting Yachts” .

A note:  I welcome emails with questions or feedback anytime! But I do not follow comments much as most are spam. Any ideas for blog-worthy topics are also welcome!  andy@akyachts.com; (954) 292-0629 cell

Used Symbol yacht for sale in Florida