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Old 08-24-2006, 01:18 PM   #1
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Default new zealand couple seeks advice for yacht purchase

Hi,

we are a young couple hoping to purchase a yacht in the US in the next 6months. We are looking for a live aboard yacht with the aim of sailing her back to NZ at some point.

We decided to look in the US because there appears to be a much wider selection of yachts available than in NZ and at better prices.

Before we make the leap and fly over there, we have a few questions. Any help with these would be gratefully accepted.

1. Many people have said that florida or the carribean is a good place to find yachts and maybe even a bargain or two. Is this the case, and if so what time of year is the best time to purchase in these areas? we were thinking end of the season when people want to sell because they don't want to sail back up wind!

2. We are not overly familiar with yacht designs in the US so given our initial purchase budget of say max. 70k what designs could you recommend. We have been looking at Morgan382-383. Any comments on this as a live aboard yacht?

Will leave it there for now, but there are certainly more q's !!!!You know how it is

Hope to hear from someone

Cheers

the kiwis.
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Old 08-24-2006, 01:46 PM   #2
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Hi Kiwis,

I don't know much about the 'yachts-for-sale' situation in the US and I certainly don't want to dampen your enthusiasm but a wee word of advice; before committing yourselves to purchasing a yacht overseas check and see what import taxes or VAT you will be liable to pay on your return to N.Z. What might at first appear to be a bargain can turn out to be an expensive exercise once the Receiver of Revenue (or whatever the N.Z. title is) decides to tax you on your boat.

I hope it works out for you guys.

All the best,

Stephen

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Old 08-24-2006, 02:06 PM   #3
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Thanks, we have already taken that into consideration.

kiwis
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Old 08-24-2006, 09:20 PM   #4
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G'day Kiwis!

Perhaps you might find a deal on a seaworthy yacht in New Zealand during the arrival of the "Puddle Jump Milk Run" fleet. Many Yank sailors are ready to swallow the anchor and fly home after completing their South Pacific cruise-of-a-lifetime. Suggest you post some large laminated notices around some of the northern ports and you may just get lucky on a boat already tricked-out and ready to go with working autopilot, radar, plotter, etc.

Is the figure of $70K max USD or NZD? Morgans are cheap as chips over here in the Caribbean & Florida.

The best deals are rarely advertised but a very good source of info on a particular line of production yachts can be found at www.yachtworld.com where you can see & compare lots of photos of popular boats and get an idea of their current market value.

Generally - a good time to find a good deal on a boat around here is during the months leading up to huricane season... or on an island that has just suffered a direct and devistating huricane hit.

I met a guy who went to Grenada right after Huricane Ivan and bought a seaworthy Island Packet 38 (as is - where is) from the insurance company for $11,000 USD. She was laying on her side with two other boats on top of her and he said that after the cranes were done clearing-out the rubble, they put the boat in the water and she started right up! He then motorsailed up to St Thomas (where I met him) to haul out for cosmetic repairs and he now has a fine yacht worth a quarter million dollars which cost him less than $20K!

Another way to find a great deal (provided you're handy with tools) is to find a slightly neglected boat with a dead engine or has been dis-masted. In these cases, the owner is ashamed of himself for letting the engine seize-up or rigging fail, they're tired of paying dock rental on a boat they can no longer use... they tried and failed - and they just want out from under it and take whatever they can get for it... often WAY below market value. In these cases, the depriciation in price if FAR greater than the cost of a new engine or rig. All you have to do is factor the cost into your budget and put a little effort into bringing her back to life.

I saw a boat limp into the Ala Wei (in Hawaii) who had broken their rudder in the process of loosing their prop shaft. The owners were scared $#!TLESS and tired from pumping for their lives for days on end. They sold the boat for a thousand bucks and two plane tickets back to California and my friend wound up with an awesome 42 footer for less than $5,000 - complete with new shaft, prop & rudder!

There are a lot of Great Deals floating around, languishing in the backwaters of most every port. Diamonds in the Rough just waiting for someone to come along and make them sparkle again.

If you put your heads into the search and prepared to pay cash - you'll go far... maybe even around the world!

Happy hunting!

Kirk
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Old 08-24-2006, 09:30 PM   #5
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G'day

Good deals are around all the time for many reasons. Some say there are those who want to sell before hurricane season, that would be now and the last two months. Truth is there are just so many boats and so many people there is something for everyone. I'm not working for BVI yacht sales.com but they seem to have a good inventory of boats and of course they can broker a boat from other yards. Be prepared to spend some time here looking at vessels, talking to brokers and privateers and not jump on the first deal you find.

In the States I suggest staying in Ft. Lauderdale Florida area. This seems to be the epicenter of boat dealers/brokers at least on the east coast, probably the country, this is my opinion... Annapolis is second.

Boat selection is your own choice, just make sure you get the boat professionally surveyed.

good luck Duckhead

PS If I'm not mistaken (please correct me cruisers) if a boat is bought off-shore and kept off-shore for a minimum period of a year no tax is charged. See if they have some similar rule in NZ.
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Old 08-25-2006, 04:26 AM   #6
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Thanks all for your input. Kirk our figure is max US70k. Any suggestions? How about the morgan 382/3 any thoughts?

Mike.
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Old 08-25-2006, 08:57 AM   #7
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You might consider looking in La Paz, San Carlos, Mazatlan, or Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Many cruises come to an end in these places. Some good deals can be found on cruise ready boats, that have never been chartered. I didn't see any Morgan 382's for sale. La Paz would be a good place to start.

Rod
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Old 08-25-2006, 11:10 AM   #8
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Thanks Rod, what time of year in these places?

Kiwi
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Old 08-25-2006, 04:31 PM   #9
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Am looking to buy in the USA right now - I have been checking EBAY regularly to see what value good boats are - for 70K you can get a fine boat in turn-key splendour. In fact - some of the boats are a lot cheaper than that. I would reccomend a tayana 37. In the USA itself, provisioning and setting off are easy and sailing an american boat makes for easy port to port transition. Foreign boats must register - wwhich is a pain !

check ebay and a few other forums - try BOAT-US as an interesting one.

Lotsa nice boats sail to Trinidad and get dumped there - another alternative !

good luck
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Old 08-25-2006, 07:10 PM   #10
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You can check Mexico year round but the weather will be more pleasant Novmber through June.
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Old 10-17-2006, 04:30 AM   #11
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Hey kiwis, I've found you a Morgan to look at in San Carlos, it'll be headed to LaPaz in 5 days, where it will remain for the winter. The ownwer's name is Ivan Nevares.

ivan@nevares.com is his e-mail. You can see the boat on his website:www.nevares.combamboleo

The boat appears in pretty good shape.

Rod
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Old 10-17-2006, 06:52 AM   #12
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It seems to me that almost any yacht that is for sale can be found, with patience, on the Internet. My point is, air tickets are expensive. Hotels are expensive. Car hire is expensive. With intenet access and continual searching through yachtworld, yacht hub, boatpoint, boatshed, etc. you really ought to be able to find the boat you want and only actually go through the expense of travelling to inspect/survey prior to purchase and, unless you arrange shipping or pay a delivery skipper, to collect for self-delivery.

Buying a boat is a big decision, and not one to berushed. Spending a few months browsing the internet brokerages will be time well spent. Also, look at boats for sale in your own back yard... spend saturdays and or sundays going round and inspecting yachts for sale at local marinas and brokerages... you don't necessarily need to be buying, but you will get a feel for what you like and what you dont.

Frankly, getting a boat from the USA is proobably not as cheap as it sounds. I don't know the specifics for NZ, but for Austalia, there are quite a lot of taxes and import duties payable on yachts brought in from overseas. Additionally, delivery, by ship or paid skipper is very expensive. Even self-delivery is not cheap and is certainly not for the inexperienced. Just to pluck some fictional numbers off the top of my head;

$US 70,000 purchase price.

$US 15,000 Import duties and taxes

$US 20,000 Delivery costs

$US 10,000 for flights, accomm and expenses associated with travel to the USA

You are already looking at $115,00 for a $70,000 boat. I know yachts are cheaper in the USA than in NZ, but really, is the difference that big? I have seen some rather nice looking cruising yachts for sale in NZ for not too much...food for thought, anyway.
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Old 10-17-2006, 03:13 PM   #13
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Hi GUys,

Good luck in your quest.

Saw this yacht - above your budget but also bigger / stronger and ready to go - http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/5513.

Cheers

JOHN
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Old 10-19-2006, 02:49 AM   #14
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http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/5248

This Hunter 37' is also listed with the one swagman copied. Looks ok and well below the budget you have listed. Looks like it is located in the Great Lakes though.
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Old 10-24-2006, 09:15 PM   #15
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Unless you have a particular reason for buying in USA, try the Far East. I am currently in Yacht Haven Marina, Phuket and there are several yachts up for sail at much lower prices than Europe. I bought my steel Bruce Roberts 53 in Sebana Cove, Malaysia at a fair price, but could have done better in Langkawi or Phuket
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Old 10-27-2006, 08:20 PM   #16
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I too bought a Steel Yacht in Malaysia.... However, in Jimmy Cornhill's World Cruising Routes, I'm sure I've read that many a US West Coast sailor ends up in Oz after doing the South Pacific run, and can not stomach the beat back home, and sells up there.

If that is true - you will get a US built Yacht, the owner is desperate to sell very close to where you live....

Good luck

Tim

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