Boat survey · buying advice
Boat buying advice: we help you choose the right boat and buy it well
For when you have no boat yet, or are torn between a few. We help you decide which boat suits you, drop the wrong listings, check it before you pay and negotiate. We work only for you: no commission from sellers or brokers.
Who it is for
Buying a boat and not sure where to start?
Choosing the wrong boat is the most expensive mistake, and it happens before the survey: a boat too big for your licence, a berth you cannot find, a budget that forgot maintenance. We help you get it right from the start.
You just got your licence
You want your first boat and do not know what type, what length or what it really costs to keep.
Torn between listings
You have three or four candidates and want someone with judgement to tell you which to drop and why.
The boat is far away
We combine it with the remote inspection service so you do not pay for travel until the boat is worth it.
You want to negotiate with facts
We prepare the negotiation with what the survey finds and what it costs to fix.
Services and price
Two ways we can help
Indicative prices. If the boat is outside our area, travel is quoted separately, as with the survey.
Buying consultation
Online, 1 hour
€95
- Which boat suits you, by use, crew and licence.
- Real budget: purchase, berth, insurance and maintenance.
- Review of 3 to 5 listings: which to drop and what to ask the seller.
- If you then book the survey, the consultation is deducted.
Full support
From search to purchase
From €390 + survey
- Everything in the consultation.
- Listing screening while you search.
- One preliminary visit to your favourite boat.
- On-site survey or remote inspection, depending on where it is.
- Price negotiation with the report in hand.
- Paperwork check before you pay: ownership, liens, VAT and registration.
First trip on your new boat. Once it is yours, we go out together so you get to know it and handle it with confidence. Charged separately, like our lessons on your own boat.
How it works
Step by step, from idea to boat
- 1 We talkTell us what you want the boat for, who will sail with you, where you will keep it and your budget.
- 2 We define the boatType, length, age and equipment that make sense for you, and the licence you need.
- 3 We screen listingsWe review the ones you find: photos, market price, red flags and what to ask.
- 4 Visit and surveyWe see the candidate and, if it passes, survey it stem to stern, hauled out and with a sea trial.
- 5 Negotiation and paperworkWe use the report to adjust the price and check the documents before you pay.
- 6 First tripIf you like, we go out together on your new boat so you get to know it.
Independent
We work only for the buyer
A broker is paid by the seller when the boat sells. We are not: you pay us for our time, and we do not mind which boat you buy, or whether you buy one at all. That is why we can tell you no without any conflict.
- No commission from sellers, brokers or yards.
- We tell you what we see, including "not this one".
- Change of ownership is handled by a nautical agency: we check the papers and guide you.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about buying advice
How much does boat buying advice cost?
The buying consultation, online and one hour long, costs €95. Full support, from search to purchase, costs from €390 plus the survey. If you book the survey after the consultation, the consultation is deducted.
Do you take commission from the seller or broker?
No. We work only for the buyer and take nothing from sellers, brokers or yards, so we can advise you not to buy a boat without any conflict of interest.
Which boat should I start with?
It depends on use, how many of you will sail, where you will keep it and your licence. That is exactly what the consultation covers: you come away with a boat type, a length range and a real budget including berth, insurance and maintenance.
What if the boat is far away or abroad?
The consultation is online, so location does not matter. To check the boat without paying for travel, we first do the remote inspection and, if the boat is worth it, go in person.
Do you handle the change of ownership?
We check the documents before you pay and guide you at each step. The change of ownership itself is processed by a nautical agency.
Shall we start with the consultation?
Tell us which boat you have in mind, or if you do not know yet. We will reply and find a time to talk.