2008 Mariah SC21 Cuddy - SOLD

Just recently I looked at a boat that reminded me of how frustrating it can be trying to buy a used boat. And that reminded me of the reason why I do what I do.

We tend to assume that the people we deal with are like ourselves. Without really thinking about it we just sort of presume that they share our expectations and standards.

Unfortunately we’re often wrong.

And if you are a stickler for details, with pretty high standards, then when it comes to looking for a used boat, assuming that the seller shares your standards can be a recipe for lots of wasted time and general frustration.

I’ve been buying and selling boats for a living for over 10 years now and I still get led up the garden path by boat sellers.

A case in point recently just reminded me how much of a minefield the used boat market can be…

A client had tasked me with finding him a particular sports cruiser, so I set about turning one up for him.

Sure enough I found one with the right engine, right colour, low hours, and in ‘immaculate condition’. The boat was a 4 hour journey away so I made my initial inquiries by telephone and e-mail. We got lots of pictures through in which the boat looked perfect. The owner assured me she wanted for nothing and had been looked after like a baby.

We agreed a price between the seller and the buyer, based on the condition as described and the pics, and off I went on a 4 hour jaunt to buy the boat.

That’s where it all went wrong.

When I arrived I could tell before we even got out of the car that this was a waste of time.

It was just all wrong…

‘A few light fender marks’ on the hull turned out to be at least 3 previous paint jobs that were poorly done. The hull bottom was like a patchwork quilt because the boat had been kept on a drying mooring on a stony beach. And the engine had been tarted up with a tin of spray paint to cover the rust blemishes, along with the belts, bilge floor, engine covers, and anything else that got in the way of the paint can!

To say I was frustrated is an understatement.

But you know what, it’s my fault.

I can’t blame the seller.

He was a thoroughly nice guy and genuinely perplexed that I didn’t like the boat. I’m convinced that he didn’t even know about the previous hull repairs, having likely been undertaken by the previous owner.

No, it’s not his fault… he’s just not as fussy as I am, or my typical clients are.

And therein lies the problem with trying to buy a used boat…

These things spend their lives in very harsh environments and one person’s idea of what is an acceptable level of wear and tear can be wildly different to someone else’s.

That’s why descriptions like ‘immaculate condition’ are really completely meaningless.

That last boat I looked at also proved just how much you can’t tell from a picture.

Because I know all this, and because I’m regularly in your shoes as a buyer, my objective is to describe each and every boat I sell as accurately as possible and generally try to ensure that the boat is exactly what you expect when you see it in the flesh.

The best way that I can do this is by showing you an in depth video tour of every boat I sell, where I film every little detail and show you exactly what condition the boat is in.

Have a look at the full length video tour of this Mariah SC21 to see if you agree with me that this one is like new.

We last sold this Mariah SC21 in Spring 2016 and now she’s back on the market and for sale on brokerage. The video review is the one that we shot earlier this year, but the boat is now back in our showroom and she is looking identical to the video and photos you see here. The current owner has been meticulous in his upkeep of her and the boat is running perfectly.

Watch the full length video tour to see for yourself how good it is… It’s 22 minutes long – sign up for FREE VIP Access to see it.