At PBS we are passionate about offering quality boats that offer good value in today’s market and being part of the national team at AMN (Australian Marine Network) we have the data and knowledge to demonstrate to buyers the value in the boats that we have for sale, both our own listings and those available in our network.
In addition we are also passionate about making the process clear, secure and easy
The most important step in your boat buying process should be to identifying and narrow down your specific requirements for boating, and then prioritise them. Often this will involve both online searches and the actual viewing of a range of vessels to help you to define what is most important to you. With so much information online the temptation is to do a considerable amount of your research that way. However, don’t underestimate the time that can be saved by contacting your broker to talk this through. We deal every day with the buying and selling process and we will definitely be able to offer valuable advice that will not only reduce the time and effort involved in your search, but often save you money as well.
For some the ease of handling is critical, others require exceptional cockpits for entertaining, for others the owner’s cabin is a high priority and yet others are looking for long distance cruising ability. So determine what the most important aspects are to you and grade them to form a priority list. This will significantly narrow your search and be prepared as there is no such thing as the perfect vessel, every boat is a compromise of some kind, but you should be able to get very close.
Another advantage of talking to brokers like us is that we have access to boat selling history through both out national network and our years of experience, so we can justify to you the real value of any vessel on the market today. Knowing what boats of similar ilk to what you are considering have sold for recently gives you peace of mind as to what to reasonably offer in the current market. Any good broker should be able to justify the value of a known production vessel, whether it is sail or power.
It is nigh on impossible to disguise a vessel that has not been properly maintained, so you should look out for tell-tale signs such as corrosion in the bilges, tell-tale signs of leaks such as water stains on timber and these sorts of things.
It is also important to be aware of your rights as a consumer. Under current Australian consumer law any item should be able to carry out the purpose for which it is intended unless specified. So for instance, all lights should work, bilge pumps, instruments etc.
Another factor is standing rigging. Despite what surveyors will tell you it is not necessarily an insurer’s requirement for standing rigging to be replaced within 10 year, however it is good practice and insurers will normally have depreciated the replacement value of the rigging over that time. The fact is that most insurers continue to insure boats with rigging beyond that date unless there is an ownership change, when it can them sometimes be highlighted. Boats can be insured with older rigging, but usually the replacement cost of the standing rigging itself will not be covered to any great extent. This does not affect the replacement of sails or the mast itself in the unlikely event of losing the mast over the side. If in doubt during a purchase don’t take anyone’s word for it, contact your insurer directly and establish their exact policy.
So we’re here to help you, not just in the buying process, but throughout your ownership of a boat purchased through PBS. We offer a one-stop shop in terms of ongoing maintenance, and offer advice on boat optimisation and customisation.