The complete method to buy a pre-owned boat at the right price, with no nasty surprises. Written by a broker and former captain, from hundreds of transactions on the French Riviera.
Most buying mistakes do not come from a hidden defect: they come from a boat chosen for a programme that does not exist, a price accepted without comparables, a viewing led by enthusiasm rather than method. This course gives you a professional's eye, step by step.
Real programme, total cost of ownership, the 12-metre threshold, motor or sail: choose for the use, not the dream.
Why there is no reliable price guide, the gap between asking and transaction prices, seasonality, the listings to avoid.
Read a listing between the lines and the 8 questions to ask the seller before wasting a weekend.
The full method: hull, deck, engine room, cold start, interiors, electrics, the areas nobody checks.
What to test at sea, when a survey is essential and when it is money wasted.
Build an offer on costed facts, the conditional offer, the concessions that cost the seller nothing.
Sale agreement, VAT and customs status, mortgages, payment, insurance: lock every step through to handover.
To print and fill in at every boat.
The test, not the cruise: what to observe from start-up to return.
The full list before you pay a single deposit.
The real cost of ownership, costed for the French Riviera.
A sale contract clause by clause, with the pitfalls explained.
The course makes you self-sufficient. If you would rather delegate, we view the boat for you (delegated viewing, €690) or handle your purchase end to end (€3,500 flat fee). Discover buyer services →
This course is a practical guide. It does not replace a marine survey or legal advice.