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NEWBIE: Motoryacht 60'+ purchase help?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by DarioTexas, May 4, 2010.

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  1. DarioTexas

    DarioTexas New Member

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    First off thank you for this great forum ... My father is about to retire and is in the market for a yacht. We had a 50' SeaRay back in Texas 10years ago on a local lake but now he lives in Los Angeles and is upgrading to the ocean.

    He's going to some dealers (Azimut, Sunseeker) next weekend and wants to purchase his dream toy.

    I know he likes to impulse buy but I'm here doing the research for him before he ends up buying the wrong boat. I think a bigger boat used in todays market should be a deal.

    So here come all my newbie questions ...

    Budget: $2m - $3m

    Size: 60' +

    Use: Weekend leisure and to entertain friends. What else?

    Who do we stay away from (manufacturers) in regards to terrible service, lack of parts, reliability, etc ... ?

    Where do we find the best boats? Local dealers? Online? Auctions? Stay away from Florida boats because of rust?

    What manufact. is the Rolls Royce, the Mercedes, the Lexus?

    Finally, any outright recommendations on the exact boat to purchase or a lead on a great boat?

    He really likes the Azimut 62S but I thought I read here they are going bankrupt or are losing their dealer network?

    Thanks,
    Dario
  2. KCook

    KCook Senior Member

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    Can't help you with the nuts-and-bolts questions. But if they are in the area I would also look at Fairline, Marquis, Neptunus, and Viking. Just for grins, if nothing else!

    Kelly Cook
  3. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    Hi, as a first reply, just a note from todays News:

    Attached Files:

  4. vlafrank

    vlafrank Senior Member

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    Great retirement boat

    I too am retired and looking for a boat; here's my personal opinion: since he shouldn't be in any huge hurry anymore, I think he should get a Nordhavn. The Nordhavn Corporation (actually PAE/Pacific Asean Enterprises) is headquartered there in Dana Point, so forget about having problems with parts and service. Italian go-fast boats are fun for awhile, but then those fuel bills start rolling in and........well you know. You can even have a Nordhavn built with one (1) main engine and a much smaller emergency engine that will get you home just in case. And lemme tellya, three million will buy you a righteous Nordhavn! They're expensive, but they're worth it!

    Second choice would be an Outer Reef yacht, also made in Taiwan and also available fully customizable, including single engine propulsion if desired. Just my .02. Remember, diesel isn't likely to get much cheaper in our lifetimes, and single-source power boats are starting to make a lot of sense.
  5. DarioTexas

    DarioTexas New Member

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    Thanks everyone for the replies ... I started skimming through these forums and saw some good comments about Fairline ... The new Squadron 65 looks nice ... I can't find pricing on it other than $1.4M Euros which is roughtly $2M dollars ... Is that the correct price or a direct conversion is wrong? Anyone have an options list with current pricing?

    It won Motoryacht of the year in 2009, does everyone agree with this or did politics (ie advertising dollars) have a skewed outcome?

    Once again. Thanks.
  6. finatic1

    finatic1 New Member

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    Although I do not have any suggestions on brands (I own a sportfishing boat), I have three recommendations: 1. Find a broker you trust and rely on him/her to help you sort through the vast number of options; 2. Buy used; and 3. Find trustworthy, reliable boat and engine surveyors.
  7. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    Just be patient as the Euro will no doubt become cheaper for US Dollar buyers when the truth comes out with all the false accounting and lack of fiscal responsibility that has suddenly surfaced in Europe bringing about a sea of change in the Euro's value.
  8. PeaceAndQuiet

    PeaceAndQuiet New Member

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    Where did you find that 1.4M Euro price tag? I emailed the Ft. Lauderdale Fairline rep and was quoted 2.7M US as base list price on the new Squadron 65 which Im pretty sure is a bull quote and this boat can be had for much less. They also quoted base list on a Squadron 55 as 1.9 US while on Fairline's website under News & Events > News > more news > 12th September Rebirth Of a Classsic Fairline has the 55 priced at 798,300 GBP which is roughly 1.2M US. Though the price quoted to me by the Ft. Lauderdale rep is with CAT C15 engines and Fairline's site quote is with Volvo Penta D12s and Im not sure where exchange rates tie in I dont think an engine upgrade is going to make up 700,000 US. I could be wrong since Im new to this playground like you are Dario. The new Squadron 65's flybridge is peerless in its class and size in my opinion. Freakin thing looks like it belongs on a 75-85 footer. Same with the salon, master cabin, and heads - such a sweet boat on paper I just think you shouldnt have to pay more than 2M US for her, even if that means buying a year or so after launch.
  9. DarioTexas

    DarioTexas New Member

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    I found an article online that reviewed the boat in 2009 ... It started off by saying "if you've got a mere 1.4m Euros laying around"
  10. jhartog

    jhartog New Member

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    North Coast 82 ?
  11. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    "I know he likes to impulse buy..." Before you even begin to consider the various opinions and advice found in these posts, you're going to want to keep that from happening.
  12. vlafrank

    vlafrank Senior Member

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    A Fairline Squadron 65'? Man, he better have a HUGE budget set aside for gas, oil and insurance. It's his money, and he's entirely at liberty to spend it any way he wants, but I'd hate to see him make the same mistake so many others have made and buy a fast gas hog and end up sitting at the docks for weeks on end because he can't justify spending so much money on (so little) gas! Diesels "go south" quickly if they aren't run regularly. I'd rather see him spend his money on a high-quality trawler yacht with great fuel economy and then have great fun actually USING the boat and going interesting places with it, like Belize, Mexico, South America, Alaska's Inland Passage, and so on.
    Just my .02
  13. vlafrank

    vlafrank Senior Member

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    Also I'd like to see him check out "Sea Spirit" yachts. Owned and operated by the ex-CEO of Queenship Yachts, they make a 60-footer that's tailor-made for him, and the kids and the grandkids. Built like a tank and economical to run, just the ticket for his retirement years.
  14. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Dario --

    You posted a question asking about motoryachts for weekend cruising and entertaining. Vlafrank has responded with information about trawlers. In response to his last post, if you might consider the Sea Spirit as he suggested, please read my recent review of Sea Spirit under YF's Yacht Reviews. She is an exceptional yacht and one also equipped for long-range cruising should your father's cruising plans expand beyond weekends.

    Whether your plan is to help your father find the best of the motoryachts in the category of which you originally inquired or pursuing other motoryacht subcategories, please heed Finatic1's post to use the services of a reliable broker and employing reliable surveyors whether buying new or used.

    Judy Waldman
  15. "Where do we find the best boats? Local dealers? Online? Auctions? Stay away from Florida boats because of rust?"

    Some fresh water boats will not have much rust, and boats used in the North East only a few months each year might have less rust than a Florida boat, but the selection is very limited and the prices are higher there. A well maintained boat should not have rust anyway, maybe on some engine parts or some nuts or bolts in the bilge areas only.
    For a pre owned boat 60+ that is only a few years old, the choices in South Florida will be greater than anywhere else and there can be some very good deals on boats that are barely used.
    Online is the first place to start as the internet is a boat show open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
    Auctions can be OK if you are very experienced and you know what you are getting into, boats get repo'd because the payments are not made, so the care and maintenance is taken care of either.
    Tucker Fallon