would it be smart or stupid to buy a discounted used boat from eBay?
2006-08-14 07:00:35 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Other - Outdoor Recreation
Are you talking about a day sailboat? Sure, what you see is probably what you get. If the seller has near perfect feedback and has been selling on ebay for awhile, I'd feel comfortably. I've bought one sailboat (24-footer), one canoe and one mini-van, all at great distance, on ebay.
Or an enclosed cabin 29-footer? Then there are a ton of maintenance/condition issues to investigate. A make and model and year of boat that sells for $40,000 in perfect condition could go for $2000 or less if it has major problems. Especially wooden boats which tend to be even more of a "hole in the water into which to throw money". A little rot and the repairs cost more than the boat is worth.
Fixing a car only costs so much. But for boats and planes you should get a local inspector to check it out. For boats, they are called "marine surveyors" and that is their job: for private buyers or for insurance companies they inspect boats and make a report. It might cost a few hundred dollars, but you ought to have it done before you sail it anyway. And you might find some willing to do a limited quick inspection to indentify only major problems. You'd pay them (regardless of what they find) and they answer only to you.
Also consider how to get the boat to where you are. If it is trailerable, does purchase include the trailer? Is your vehicle and license appropriate for towing it? If not trailable, how do you get it from the current marina to one where you have rented a slip? (there are long waiting lists at many marinas).
Do you already know how to sail that kind of boat? If not, start with lessons and ask during the class what kind of boats would be most appropriate for your use.
2006-08-14 13:39:58 · answer #1 · answered by David in Kenai 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Retarded to wire them the money before you get the boat, but if you meet them and then give them the money and they give you the boat, no problem.
2006-08-14 07:29:58 · answer #2 · answered by Black Sabbath 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
trust anything from ebay, i've made countless purchases anywhere from $15- 5,000 on ebay and i've never had a problem
2006-08-14 07:08:02 · answer #3 · answered by syed1989@verizon.net 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea i got a pair of sneakers from there
2006-08-14 08:19:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋