Look closely at systems that are easy to overlook on a first walkthrough: air conditioning, generators, watermakers, and electronics. Ask when each was last serviced and whether any known issues exist. These systems are expensive to replace and easy to underestimate if a viewing focuses mainly on cabins and deck space.
Start with condition. Ask what surveys have already been carried out on the vessel, when, and by whom. A consultant should be able to explain the difference between a hull survey, an engine survey and a rig inspection, and why a buyer might want all three before committing. Ask, too, what the survey is unlikely to cover, since no single inspection catches everything.
For a first-time owner, it is worth asking early in any conversation which of these two roles the consultant in front of them is filling, since the answer shapes what they should reasonably expect from that relationship, and what belongs in a separate conversation entirely.
Survey is usually the first stage to take longer than anticipated. A proper condition and valuation survey involves a haul-out, a detailed inspection of hull, systems, engines and rig, and a written report that can run to dozens of pages. Scheduling the haul-out around yard availability alone can add a week or more, and the surveyor then needs time to prepare the report properly rather than rushing it.
Running costs deserve their own conversation. Crew, berthing, maintenance, insurance and management fees add up well beyond the purchase price, and a consultant should set out realistic annual figures in EUR rather than a vague estimate. Ask what ongoing yacht management involves and whether that sits with the same consultancy or a separate specialist.
Paperwork is the stage buyers most often underestimate. Registration, deletion from a previous registry where applicable, oceanindependence.com finance arrangements if any are involved, insurance placement, and VAT status all need to be confirmed and documented correctly, and errors here cause delays that are far more costly to unwind than the time saved by rushing.
Start with condition. Ask what surveys have already been carried out on the vessel, when, and by whom. A consultant should be able to explain the difference between a hull survey, an engine survey and a rig inspection, and why a buyer might want all three before committing. Ask, too, what the survey is unlikely to cover, since no single inspection catches everything.
For a first-time owner, it is worth asking early in any conversation which of these two roles the consultant in front of them is filling, since the answer shapes what they should reasonably expect from that relationship, and what belongs in a separate conversation entirely.
Survey is usually the first stage to take longer than anticipated. A proper condition and valuation survey involves a haul-out, a detailed inspection of hull, systems, engines and rig, and a written report that can run to dozens of pages. Scheduling the haul-out around yard availability alone can add a week or more, and the surveyor then needs time to prepare the report properly rather than rushing it.
Running costs deserve their own conversation. Crew, berthing, maintenance, insurance and management fees add up well beyond the purchase price, and a consultant should set out realistic annual figures in EUR rather than a vague estimate. Ask what ongoing yacht management involves and whether that sits with the same consultancy or a separate specialist.
Paperwork is the stage buyers most often underestimate. Registration, deletion from a previous registry where applicable, oceanindependence.com finance arrangements if any are involved, insurance placement, and VAT status all need to be confirmed and documented correctly, and errors here cause delays that are far more costly to unwind than the time saved by rushing.