Who Pays?

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

When buying a boat from a broker, who pays for the haul out for the survey?

[Codger2]

Originally Posted by Alaskan Sea-Duction

When buying a boat from a broker, who pays for the haul out for the survey?

The prospective buyer.

[rochepoint]

I have always been under the impression that the buyer pays for both the haul and survey, I know we did when we bought our boat and when we sold our sailboat the purchaser paid for both.

[Pineapple Girl]

Every boat we've bought, we as buyer paid.

[JAT]

Originally Posted by Pineapple Girl

Every boat we've bought, we as buyer paid.

Ditto!

[FlyWright]

Same here.

[Ocean Breeze NL]

Different here, I took a shot in the dark and asked my seller to provide it as part of the deal with one of the reputable surveyors in the area. He did - no cost to me. Survey value came in at $179K. I then got another surveyor ( a fellow that I knew and who I was going to get if the seller said no ) to do an unofficial survey ( more so out of curiosity ) to compare the official one. The second guy never had any indication of what was identified on the first survey and he valued it at $149K. I paid $92K and seller delivered my boat to our Marina ( 19hr steam time ) again no cost to me - I was happy!

[Tom.B]

We (buyer) paid with our first boat. The second time we will not. I refuse to pay for the seller to get a free bottom wash. However, I will probably pay for the survey (or offer a split).

[Steve]

And in my experience the survey belongs to the person who paid for it, usually the buyer. In other words if the buyer does not buy, the surveyor can't give a copy to the seller, or another prospect, without the buyers permission.
Steve W

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Thanks all. I will be paying for the surveys, but will try to negotiate the haul out. I am told the haul out is normally paid by the buyer, while the sea trail is on the seller....

[AKDoug]

The boat I have bid on is on the hard, so I launch and recover to do the sea trial for the survey. The owner wanted me to pay to have it prepped for the survey, plus pay to have every "system" prepped if I wanted to see whether the water heater, pressure system, and toilet worked. On the WEST coast, it expected that the owner will prepare the vessel for survey unless advertised "as is". We compromised at my being willing to re-winterize the engine if I do not purchase, and re-imbursing for "top" quality batteries and fuel polishing if necessary. When the negotiating gets gritty, you know you are getting close to the right price. Everything is negotiable until you get close...

[Conrad]

When negotiating for a boat in these times, everything is negotiable. However, the norm is for the buyer to pay all survey costs for the out of water/hull survey and mechanical survey. The seller covers the cost of the sea trial, which normally consists of the seller, broker, and purchaser's time, plus the fuel used.

On the boat I'm potentially closing on, the seller has paid for the mechanical and 50% of the out of water/hull survey, although I am 100% covering the haulout and power washing costs plus the genset mechanical survey.

In today's market everything is negotiable.

[O C Diver]

Originally Posted by Conrad

In today's market everything is negotiable.

1+

You don't know what a seller may be willing to do if you don't ask.

Ted

[Nomad Willy]

In an ideal world I would think the seller would pay for the survey to show to all potential buyers what they need to know to make a decision on their boat. The buyer would feel comfortable not having to worry about all the unknown things that could bring him all kinds of grief later.

BUT ...... Who's to say the survey's complete and honest? No telling so for that reason the buyer must find a surveyor that is looking out for HIM. Who represents who here is the reason the buyer must pay for and have the survey done.

But as Conrad suggests everything's negotiable. But w a really difficult boat to sell a seller may opt to pay for the surveyor of choice for the buyer. But that would mean the price is too high or the seller wouldn't make that offer. He would instead be just as willing to lower the price the same amount as the survey.

[CPseudonym]

I purchased my boat with a handshake and no survey or written contract. Had the boat surveyed after the sale for insurance purposes that found a few small issues. When the seller found out about the issues he paid a mechanic friend to fix the issues at his expense without my asking or expecting it.

He said, "I sold you a boat with no issues and meant it". Naive to some folks in this day and age I'm sure, however men of integrity still exist in this world. I would do no less for whomever I sell a boat to.

I paid for my own survey as the surveyor works for me. Haul out should be negotiated IMO.

Sent from my iPhone using Trawler

[BruceK]

Time was the buyer paid for hauling provided he bought, if not the seller paid. But now I think it is all on the buyer. The seller can say where he wants it hauled,fair enough as he owns it and does not want it dropped, but I guess it has to be somewhere reasonable, both location and cost.
There survey belongs to the buyer, who pays for it. It is up to the buyer whether he releases it to the seller, if he won`t but wants money off for defects, the seller might wonder.

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

I purchased my boat with a handshake and no survey or written contract. Had the boat surveyed after the sale for insurance purposes that found a few small issues. When the seller found out about the issues he paid a mechanic friend to fix the issues at his expense without my asking or expecting it.

He said, "I sold you a boat with no issues and meant it". Naive to some folks in this day and age I'm sure, however men of integrity still exist in this world. I would do no less for whomever I sell a boat to.

I paid for my own survey as the surveyor works for me. Haul out should be negotiated IMO.

Sent from my iPhone using Trawler

Thanks everyone. When I get ready I may push the envelope a little.

I agree with you Craig. This is the way I am handling the purchase of my dock, but the handshake was with an elderly gentleman. I doubt there would be the same respect from the younger generation as a whole. There could still be some honest younger kids out there, I still hoping anyway. (but that is for a different thread)

[Restitution]

Hi Tom,

Are you getting close to buying? I'd negotiate. See you soon.

sam

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Tom.B

We (buyer) paid with our first boat. The second time we will not. I refuse to pay for the seller to get a free bottom wash. However, I will probably pay for the survey (or offer a split).

The second time you would rather not. The haul out and survey is for your benefit and peace of mind, not the seller's. He or she could care less if you have a survey. And since you are paying for the survey (the boat must be hauled out as part of the survey), the surveyor is working for you, not the seller. It's his/her obligation to disclose any problems to you.

If you can convince the seller to pay for the haul out, fine. I suspect you will not be able to unless the seller is figuring extra expenses into his selling price.

[Sceptic]

I have never come across a boat surveyor I thought was worth employing, regardless of who was paying him or her.

While I am not now, or likely ever again to be in the boat buying market, I surveyed the little DeFever myself before making a offer to the seller.

I spoke with the underwriters at BoatUS, a managing general agency For CIGNA, and they issued port risk insurance.

3 years later I submitted 40,000 USD of invoices for materials I had bought, and they issued a full all risk yacht policy from Brownsville TX to Eastport ME, with normal berthing behind our house in Central Fl. No surveyor involved.

Flame away.

Mike