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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Real Good Deal on Ebay

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/23/2006 : 20:54:10

Hi All, I know this should go in the swap meet but it looks like a great deal and I am just bringing it to the groups attention. I have not affiliation with the seller. Cheers.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1982-Catalina-25-Keel-Model-Sailboat-in-CA_W0QQitemZ4643283507QQcategoryZ63730QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Dennis
No Boat
S.E. Michigan

Edited by - on

boatgt
Navigator

Members Avatar

117 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2006 : 22:16:55

Be Warned! I bought a boat from Boat Angel Ministries (the ebay seller)and after driving 7 hours to get it, I feel I was scammed. Boat was missing sails, cushions, and a Honda outboard the boat had been advertised with! Storage was still owed on the boat as well!
Gene

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2006 : 23:42:36

Any reputable yacht brokerage should be willing to make a sale contingent on the boat receiving a passing grade from a certified marine surveyor. This EBAY ad makes me a little suspicious in that the seller insists on payment for the boat "sight unseen", based just on a few photos, and no refunds. Seems pretty risky to me. Boats that are donated to charities often have something wrong with them that was going to cost more than the blue book value of the boat itself to fix, hence the donation to the charity. Approach this VERY carefully, and if possible, try to arrange an inspection before you bid. Especially check for dry rot in the deck core or bulkheads, and delamination of the fiberglass anywhere, even below the waterline if you can get a diver to look at it - or have the boat hauled. Look at the hull to keel joint, and the keel bolts, for any sign of cracking. The keel could have been slammed into a rock or a hard bottom at 6 knots, and weakened the keel joint. If detachable components like the rigging wires, sails, upholstery cushions, rudder, or outboard are in bad shape, you could replace those items if necessary, but if the deck, keel, or hull have rot or structural damage, WALK AWAY. There will be other boats to look at.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2006 : 07:26:18

Interesting... The buyer is responsible for determining the value before making a bid, but "usually" will not be allowed to inspect the boat. The seller (Boat Angel) has not seen the boat and is only passing along the donor's pictures and description, and in no way warrants them to be true or correct. I....... think...... I'll....... pass.......

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 05/24/2006 07:27:57

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2006 : 08:10:41

This has been discussed before - usually whenever Boat Angel Ministries has a Catalina 25 on eBay - and I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth.

Boat Angel is nothing more than a broker who has never seen the boat and relies on what the donating owner tells them about condition, equipment, etc. I bought my '87 WK through Boat Angel on eBay in December of '04 and couldn't be happier. I went straight to the "buy-it-now" price - although I notice this particular boat doesn't have a "buy-it-now" option - and the transaction with them was very smooth. Everything that was listed in the ad was on the boat plus a few things that weren't listed, including a poptop enclosure in perfect shape. She's been a very sound, dry boat. Of course,
I had to pay to have the boat splashed but that was minor.

Disclaimer: I gave a $500 deposit on eBay and then we jumped in the car and drove the 4 hours to the boatyard (Boat Angel told me where it was)to look her over. The yard gave me the name of the actual owner so I could get permission to go on the boat and I was able to talk with them. If I had found things amiss, I would have lost the $500.

My understanding is that once yardworkers find out a boat is being given to a charity, often things start disappearing from it, which sounds like what happened to BoatGT. The ad says she's in Marina DelRay. For someone in California with an interest, a phone call might just result in being able to actually see the boat before the auction ends.

I have no affiliation with Boat Angel but just wanted to say that, with a little due diligence, things can turn out well buying a boat through them.

Steve

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2006 : 08:40:12

After looking at the pics, it's obvious the boat was well cared for at one time. Canvas on the grab rails, canvas on the teak alongside the poptop, cockpit cushions, roller furler. It just doesn't appear to be an old derelict boat, depending on how old the pictures are.

Assuming all those items are still there, barring any structural problems, it looks like it could be a good opportunity for someone. The ad says to contact the marina to discuss any fees, so it shouldn't take much digging to determine which slip the boat's in and go look at it. If the previous owner owes any fees, the boatyard should be willing to give the owner's name so the potential buyer could discuss negotiating the fee payment.

Heck, the new jib, cockpit cushions and 2005 Yamaha 9hp outboard would be worth buying the boat for. Then you could donate it back to Boat Angel and be done with it.

Wish I lived in California.

Steve

Edited by - on

PamC
Navigator

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171 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2006 : 10:11:56

Some friends of mine here in So. Oregon were looking at this boat. I guess the story is that the owner had to move and had to leave the boat behind and just needed to get rid of it. If it had included a trailer my friends might have bought it before it was donated. They spoke with the broker who held the listing and according to him it was pretty clean. Since our lake freezes in the winter and all boats have to be removed from the premises, a trailer is pretty important and locating one was the deal breaker. It supposedly has a fairly new ob, and has a fin keel. That's the extent of my knowledge if that helps anyone.

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2006 : 07:22:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by PamC
 ...a trailer is pretty important and locating one was the deal breaker...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When I was shopping for a WK 25 myself, I looked at three that were attractive, but passed on them because two had no trailer and the third had a trailer that was obviously made for a smaller, lighter boat - the axles were both bent (the wheels were "pigeon-toed") and the frame rails were only 4" channel, not the 5" or 6" channel you would expect for a C-25 trailer. Ironically, the boat I ended up buying also had no trailer, but the asking price was so low, only $6250, that I was able to finagle a trailer separately and still come out with a package price that was under $10K. I have seen many C-25's on undersized trailers that I would not feel safe with on a road trip, although they might be adequate for stationary use in a dry storage yard.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.