HELPING CHOOSE YOUR BOAT

For many years I have helped sailors choosing their boats, trough information posted here and by personal emails. For some friends I went even further and made a better deal for them negotiating directly with the brand dealers or directly with the shipyard.

With the bigger popularity of this blog the number of sailors that have reached me for help choosing their boat has increased, as well as the invitations for dinner or for a beer during the week of the Dusseldorf boat show, that end up with me not only giving personal advice but with showing the boats I thought were more adequate to them, and in some cases even helping directly with dealers to get the best possible deal.

Many have become friends, others I did not like so much and in some cases money or commissions have been offered, that I have always refused because I was not making this professionally.

Well, from now on I will do it that way, not only because the increasing number was interfering with my personal life but also because I can do it better if I make it professionally and in fact I am already doing that with a "client" that I hope will become a friend too.

The service will cost nothing to the ones I provide it because I will be able to have a commission from the boat dealer or brand I will be dealing with. That commission will be a 2% fixed one over the total cost of the boat (official boat price). All other discounts I can manage over that will be for the client.

That implies that I will be the one contacting the different brands and the one doing the deal on the client's behalf. If that is wished the client can be present, but that is a bad strategy because dealers are used to "read" clients and will understand if that is really the boat he wants instead of an alternative one.

That will make it much more difficult to negotiate a good discount.

The service includes preliminary email exchanges to understand better client's tastes and needs, the guided visit to the relevant boats at Dusseldorf boat show or to any boat show in Europe (out of the sailing season) advice regarding cruising and sailing, particularly regarding the Med and about the best places to have the boat delivered.

If the boat visit is made out of Dusseldorf boat show, to another boat show, to a location where a particular boat can be visited or to a shipyard, a payment regarding travel costs will be demanded and be later reimbursed, if the deal with any boat is finalized.

Eventually, this service can be extended also to used sailboats if they are not more than 10 years old but the commission has to be higher and it will include a selection of interesting boats and the payment to a good local surveyor to see if the boat is in good conditions, to prevent the need to make time-consuming and expensive dislocations to different countries and also my presence to accompany a visit with the client.

Of course, the number of sailors I will be able to help at the same time is small and I will not let this limit my personal or cruising life, so if I cannot help you effectively at a given time I will let you know from the beginning.

Nothing of this excludes that you keep emailing me asking my opinion about a given boat, or even what boat suits you more. It is just an upgrade for the ones that desire a more complete service in what regards choosing a boat and one that can have advantages for both sides.

Wishing all a great sailing season that this year is going be a shorter one. Maybe the cruising grounds have less sailboats. One can only hope LOL. Fair winds!