Members' Online Book: How To Buy a Cruising Boat, Chapter 30 of 39

The Three Biggest Lies Yacht Brokers Tell

John Published Jan 3, 2015 39 comments Updated February 12, 2019

OK, that was a bit of a clickbait headline. I really don't think that all, or even most, yacht brokers are liars.

Having said that, have a look through Yachtworld some time. You will see the following text, or something like it, a lot:

Just back from a circumnavigation and ready to go again.
Completely refitted and ready to go.
Just surveyed and ready to go.

Since we see these statements so often it's logical to assume that they work at getting people to buy the boat in question. And that's pretty disturbing since in many (perhaps most) cases believing these claims can be seriously bad for your financial health, your sanity, and even the safety of you and your family.

Let's look at why I say that and at how to call "bullshit" on the broker (without being too much of a jerk) so you can inject some reality into the negotiations.

To continue reading login (scroll down) or:

Learn About Membership

Or

CLICK HERE to get to know us for free.

Book Chapter Navigation:

<< Some Thoughts On Smaller Older Cruising Boats

Q&A, What’s the Maximum Sailboat Size For a Couple? >>

Please Share

Meet the Author

John

John was born and brought up in Bermuda and started sailing as a child, racing locally and offshore before turning to cruising. He has sailed over 100,000 miles, most of it on his McCurdy & Rhodes 56, Morgan's Cloud, including eight ocean races to Bermuda, culminating in winning his class twice in the Newport Bermuda Race. He has skippered a series of voyages in the North Atlantic, the majority of which have been to the high latitudes. John has been helping others go voyaging by sharing his experience for twenty years, first in yachting magazines and, for the last 12 years, as co-editor/publisher of AAC.

39 comments… add one

You must log in to post a comment. Log in now.

:comment notifications via e-mail. You can also get notifications without commenting.

≡ Menu

© 2002 – 2020 Attainable Adventure Cruising Ltd and the authors, all rights are reserved.

Nothing on this website or in direct communications received from us, or in our articles in the media, should be construed to mean or imply that offshore voyaging is anything other than potentially hazardous. Dangers such as, but not limited to, extreme weather, cold, ice, lack of help or assistance, gear failure, grounding, and falling overboard could injure or kill you and wreck your boat.

Decisions such as, but not limited to, heading offshore, where you go, and how you equip your boat, are yours and yours alone. The information on this web site is based on what has worked for the authors in the past, but that does not mean it will work for you, or that it is the best, or even a good way for you to do things.