happyboris

You are right to be cautious however as suggested papertrail and canal and river trust records etc. I personally have never bought a boat via a broker and have never been scammed, of course that doesn't mean it can't happen but if you keep your wits about you you should be ok. If you have records of the transaction and you know who the people are it is again unlikely to be a scam, I am assuming you don't literally mean cash you mean bank transfer this at least gives you proof of purchase and some proof of ownership. Consider asking them to prove ownership eg insurance details length of time at marina etc. If the people are genuine they will have a track record that goes back to the day they bought it themselves. Good luck and happy boating.

You accused me of giving extremely bad advice I am a little unsure why and what the bad advice was I notice you fail to substantiate what you say is it a case of the empty vessel making the most noise? I for one read the original post and commented on that not on the thread itself. The views i gave come from years of experience in small boats I would never knowingly give bad advise and on this particular issue i am right. Can only guess you bough a boat from a broker and paid way too much and now want everyone to do the same.

In all fairness it isn't rocket science here is a rough guide to hulls. Wooden don't get involved unless you are an expert with unlimited cash. Steel unless you are an expert elicit the help of a trusted welder or steel worker generally speaking these people have the equipment to measure thickness and condition of hull then follow their advice Fibreglass without a doubt the best material for novice boaters and experts alike. A fibreglass boat is virtually indestructible and lasts forever generally speaking the welder steel worker will be able to help choose a fiberglass boat. If you are told doom and gloom stories about osmosis then no longer heed the advice of that particular person.

Unfortunately I have, every marina has its field where dreams go to die. My father learnt the hard way in that respect when he bought an old wooden boat. A mistake I went on to make myself many years ago I made the mistake because I fell in love with the idea and ignored the realities, it can be a hard learning curve. That is why i would advise anyone who is considering buying a boat to do their homework.

It's not for the faint hearted my friend who has converted the dutch barge had no practical skills either, having spent years in IT however with the help of google, a huge amount of optimism and the sometimes ignored advice of friends and colleagues he now has a fantastic boat worth a minimum 0f 120k. I would never advise someone to do anything beyond their abilities however I always advocate that people should push themselves especially in new directions. The guy asked for opinions that is my opinion, you don't need practical skills to spot a bargain like my friend did with the springer and i have done many times in the past. It always annoys me when I meet new boaters who have been fleeced by marinas and yacht brokers if you can keep them out of the boat buying process the boat usually costs loads less.