Is it smart to buy an Ocean if it is closing down?

What does the future of the company have to do with anything relating to buying a used one if it is out of warranty, besides possibly effects on resale. All of the parts Ocean used can be sourced from their vendors. They built a Pretty good boat for the money.

I would treat it like any other used boat. I think support is available in so many places. I would make every effort to get a copy of all manuals, but most of the equipment manuals are readily available.

Yes, mostly smaller volume builders. I once called Carolina classic for questions on several wear parts (like throttle cables) and the boat was 6 years old and they insisted on shipping them to me FREE OF CHARGE. Cabo was a bit like that when the founders owned them. A few other builders as well......But at the same token a Captain of a large SF from one of the top production builders told me that you call them and you're just a number.

Cabo hasn't produced boats for almost 2 years now and they were the top quality production builder in their size.....but it was an in-efficiency at the factory and build price thing. I still would not hesitate on buying one.

At this point and the age of the vessel you're looking at ,it's a moot point on whether or not the builder is in business except for how it may effect resale. If you like the boat, make a deal on it, survey it and buy it. Ocean used all standard parts that are easy to find from a parts dealer. Unlike Boston Whaler that has many factory specific parts you HAVE to buy from the dealer. The boats are pretty easy to figure out where things are located and how to fix them without any factory support.

Some do. We have purchased from a builder who definitely does. However, after a few years, while you appreciate it, you're not totally dependent on it. Also, the community of owners learns of the knowledge still available and where to find it.

One factor that hasn't been mentioned is resale. Will the value be higher or lower? I've found the moment they announce the closure the price comes down. Now for a classic or a boat in high demand and low availability some will regain partly. It's like with antiques. Just because it's old or even because it's rare, doesn't mean it's valuable. While true aficionados will still chase Ocean's, there will be more and more people each year to say, "Who are they?" or "I've never heard of them. Are they any good?" Still specific models of specific brands may become pricier. Just a bit more of a gamble. Others might also ask the question you did about support.