3 top tips for buyers of production yachts
Theory and practice

3 top tips for buyers of production yachts

Thinking about buying a yacht? Which one to take, new or used? These recommendations may be useful to you.
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The editors of itBoat offer a translation of the yachtsforsaleblog post with tips for buying a new yacht.

Tip 1. Don't do it!

Just kidding, of course. It is clear that there is a category of people who fundamentally do not accept the second hand, and prefer to spend their blood on things designed specifically for them. And yet, if you think clearly, buying a year-old or two-year-old yacht is more profitable both from the financial point of view and from the operational one. In the first year the boat systems are running-in, in the second year all the defects detected as a result of exploitation are eliminated by the previous owner.

And voila, the boat is ready to serve you well.

Tip 2. Wait!

Take your time buying. Do not be tempted to immediately order a new yacht from your dealer. If they offer you a bigger discount to get rid of inventory, it means that you can get an even bigger discount by buying a used yacht (see advice 1).

If it is important for you to buy a boat built exclusively for you, make sure you end up with exactly what you wanted. Even serial manufacturers tend to offer some level of customization, including a choice of engines, hull colours, three or four interior layouts and of course a range of upholstered furniture. Take your time to select and list all the options that you would like to include, and then ask for a cost estimate with all this in mind so that you don't have to wait for an unpleasant surprise after you sign the contract. If you are buying a boat for the first time, talk to someone more experienced, who will probably tell you which additional options will add real value to your future boat and will have a qualitative impact on the experience of using it.

Tip 3. Keep an eye on them!

It's true that most dealers send a special person to the shipyard to check quality during construction, and yet it's no match for your own control over the process. You don't have to spend a lot of money on this. Many owners send their captain to the shipyard on a couple of days when the main assembly stages are underway to check that the boat has been equipped with all the options ordered, that the fuel tanks are clean before refueling, that gravity drainage hoses are not ignored.... Your captain will find out what else to look out for. If you don't have a captain, hire a marine surveyor who will do the same job for you. It'll cost more, of course, but the investment will pay off. It is important that this person is experienced, diplomatic enough to work in the same team as the shipyard and the dealer.

The yachting industry is still far from offering the same reliability as the automotive industry. And it's no surprise. I take my hat off in front of every shipyard, from Azimut to Zuber, which has the courage and persistence to build luxury four-bedroom apartments that can keep afloat and swim the oceans at over 30 knots per hour, while desalinating the water for the shower and generating enough electricity to run the TVs and hair dryers. Oh, yes, and when the anchor is cast, we want the whole structure not to swing on waves. And, in fact, can't we do the same thing when we're not anchored?
Modern yachts are amazing examples of technical thought, but unfortunately most manufacturers seem to have opted for the quality of pleasing accounting reports. This in no way negates the fact that owning a yacht is one of the most exciting experiences in life. You just need to be a little more involved in the assembly process, and then resting on a yacht will be remembered for the right things.

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