Buying a Boat Overseas is NOT Easy

sailing around the island of Milos, Greece

Disclaimer: not all deals are like this and I am sure others have had much easier and less stressful experiences when purchasing a boat in the Med. This is just our account and we hope it serves as information for those in the research phase. Buyers beware, research like crazy, and be prepared for it to take more time than if things were happening in the USA. With that in mind, you will hopefully have a less stressful experience than ours!

Going to be real with you all up front. The boat-buying process in the Med drastically differs from buying in the Caribbean! Time just does not seem to matter in the Med. There were so many delays, we lost count! We were used to 'island time' in the Caribbean, but take that and double it over here.

We had an accepted offer on the boat in late September and did not sign final paperwork until the end of December! Talk about exercising patience!  Our broker was not there, so we didn't have anyone looking over things. Then we couldn't physically get to the boat due to the travel visa suspension between the U.S. and Turkey, and finally, paperwork that was incorrect--not once but twice! We were never so happy to sign our name on those final documents! It meant we were finally moving forward!

Here are a few examples of the differences:

Boat buying from Moorings, BVI:

Buying in the Caribbean was a piece of cake. Seriously, no stress involved what-so-ever. This is mostly due to our broker being right there the entire time and following up with the seller while the phase-out was in progress. When they say the will clean, polish and fix the boat, they meant it.  In fact, several small issues that did not come up in the survey and were not apparent upon delivery of the boat, they still fixed.  These included things like missing towel hooks, broken water tank lids, and loose shelves.

Buying a boat from Moorings, Turkey:

When they say the boat is clean, they cleaned it enough that the pictures on the internet appear clean.  Under the oven were bread crusts, miscellaneous crumbs, grease, and even a fork!  Toilets were stained a disgusting shade of brown from not being cleaned, possibly ever! There were leaking hatches, leaking traveler and jib track, various chips, nicks, and shoddy gelcoat repairs, worn and weathered caulked joints, removed equipment, engines overfilled with oil that leaked nearly a quart into the bilge, worn out air conditioner pump that nearly started on fire and had to be immediately replaced, exhaust stains at the stern of the boat, leaking holding tank and stained bilge to go with it, leaking raw water strainers for the heads, and leaking generator exhaust elbow.  But according to the Turkey base, the boat was clean and in good shape! 

Buying in the Med was stress-city.  Let me specify--buying from this same company in Turkey was stress-city. We experienced a complete 180 in terms of communication and honesty. Basically, all the horror stories you read about on the internet were rolled into one and served to us on a platter--er boat. It seemed as though each day brought up some new challenge we had to solve and left us with huge migraines. 

We had chosen to buy from Moorings based upon our previous experience. Sure, we were a bit hesitant to buy a boat sight-unseen and so far away. However, we felt we would be taken care of, and so we put our full trust once again into their hands. To give them some credit, they did agree to change the delivery location to Greece for us and paid for the dockage so we could move aboard. They also (after many emails and us sticking to what was on the inventory listing) agreed to reinstall the electric winch that had been removed from the boat. They paid for the shipping and re-installation costs, as well as our dockage during that period. 

In the end, we appreciate all of the extra work all parties involved had to go through. It was a mess, but eventually worked itself out. We also want to say our experience in Greece has been absolutely wonderful. The Moorings Greek base were more than willing to help us sort out issues and recommend various contractors and supply stores. They actually talked to us and helped us to work though the repairs. This again shows that it all comes down to the individual base management of this company. They have boats for sale and I would not hesitate to recommend them (ask for Mike, as he is the manager and is a genuine and overall wonderful person).  If buying from the BVI base, ask for Giles; but honestly, any Moorings broker in the BVI will probably treat you well, as the culture across the pond is different. 

Escape from Boat Projects!

Flying the Parasailor the kids named Big Red!

The weather over this past weekend was a perfect excuse to escape the marina and boat projects. We left Friday afternoon, after speaking at a local elementary school (sharing what life is like aboard our boat and a little of our California school's STEM and ROV programs).

We pointed our nose towards Aegina, an island about a 2 hour sail away. We were right away in the high traffic zone of the Piraeus Port, but it was smooth sailing all the way across. We anchored in a bay on the southern end of Aegina and settled in for a calm and peaceful night.

Sailing towards Aegina from Piraeus.

At anchor off the southern coast of Aegina.

Sunny is a pro at getting in and out of the dinghy.

All tucked in                                        Tavernas and shops along the quay

The next morning, we pulled anchor
and headed to the island of Poros, about 3 hours away. Once we arrived, we found a nice spot to moor up to the quay lined with tavernas. Once RoundAbout was tucked in for the evening, the crew set about to explore ashore.

Exploring Poros

After a lovely weekend, we had to sail back to Piraeus for some final boat projects: installing our electric winch, water outlet at the front of the boat (so we can rinse the anchor and wash down the deck), and some other small items. We will then be finished (for now) and be able to set sail for Crete later on this week!

Boat Projects

We do try and find time for some fun amidst boat projects! 

We sort of knew what we were getting into after RoundAbout's survey. However, as most boat owners know, it isn't until after you move aboard that you truly find out all the things that need attention. So far we have done the following (photos of some of these below):


Repairs:
*genoa sail repair (about a foot needed repair)
*starboard engine
*port side holding tank sewer hose (added all new hose just to make sure we don't have to do this again)
*fresh water pump (pressure switch went bad)
*joker valves on all heads
*rub rails (cleaned up with acetone and made some small repairs)
*gelcoat repairs
*re-sealing joints (dug out all old caulking, cleaned, and replaced with new)
*the above solved the leak we had above the port side aft cabin, near the electrical panel
*torn hatch screens and clips replaced
*serviced life raft and fire extinguishers
*added adhesive felt under the floorboards to eliminate squeaking
*replaced burned out halogen head light (replaced all head lights with LED instead of halogen)
*replaced broken wind index
*helm hard-top supports were cracking, so we repaired those and added extra supports.
*fridge was only freezing, so we discovered someone had bypassed the compressor. We fixed that and then realized that the temp knob was not really working that well. Repair in process.
*heating/air con unit (wasn't putting out heat and making a loud noise)



Upgrades:
*adding more solar for a total of 1200 watts
*water-maker, Osmosea
*washing machine, Candy 7kg (also ran power to the 'laundry room' so we have an extra outlet and cord is hidden away).
*radar
*AIS
*new chart plotter
*wifi booster (the Wirie)
*mantus 85lb anchor (we will use the old anchor as our secondary)
*new dinghy and outboard (12 foot hypalon dinghy with Yamaha F25 outboard).
*new batteries
*new running rigging (it was time to replace anyway)
*added a swing for the kids (it qualified as an upgrade as far as all of us are concerned--its a lot of fun!)
*low flow shower heads (to help conserve water and make our hot showers last just a little longer)
*privacy shades in salon/galley area
*lifeline netting (more of a safety item than upgrade, but well worth it for peace of mind).
*converted front forward cabin into storage to hang extra lines/sheets.
*Installed a 'passerelle' instead of the plank of wood we were using (again, more of a safety thing, as the wooden plank caused Stef to visit the hospital).
*built up a store of spares on board, as well as organized a tool area (we use hanging nets and had storage areas inserted into lockers)
*new propane tanks
*gas grill (Magma) and new gas connection valve


I will add to these lists as we go along.

Here is some of what we have been up to these past few weeks:

Meet RoundAbout 2.0!

What you all have been waiting for, meet our new home RoundAbout (2.0)! Believe me, this moment could not have come fast enough for us! =)

RoundAbout2.0 is a 2012 Leopard 46 catamaran. She is the 4-cabin 4 head version (she actually has a 2 additional crew cabins, but we use those for storage). (Our first RoundAbout was the 2010 model).

Stats:
Length: 46' 4"
Beam: 24' 10"
Draft: 4.5" (we can get into some pretty shallow spots)

More details here.


We are working every day to get her repaired and adding upgrades such as solar, radar, AIS, new chart plotter, a washing machine, new running rigging, and a water-maker. The boat project list is long but we are slowly checking off those items. We've also got to have our de-naming and re-naming ceremonies! However, that is all for another post. ;)

Our AIS works!

Checking out our new 'family car'

Boat Cards and our Ship's Stamp

I finally got around to designing and ordering our boat cards and stamp for RoundAbout. Boat cards are a cruiser's way of staying in touch and are very handy to have on hand to pass around. Think of it in the same way people on land use business cards. I ordered these via Vistaprint and for less than $20, we had 250 cards printed. They often run promotions, so google around for those promo-codes. You can also print your own cards at home or use a local print shop.

What goes on a boat card?

This all depends on your preference, however, most boat cards we have seen include the boat's name, owner's names (or family name), contact info (email and blog url), and a photo or illustration of the vessel.

For more information, you can check out The Boat Galley's post on boat cards (she has some great info in her post on what to include, as well as what NOT to include on your cards).

A boat stamp is often recognized as the official method to signing customs paperwork. We have not yet needed one, however, we have read that it makes the customs process a bit easier, as to the agents, we are more 'official'. We have our boat's logo, name, USCG registration number, hailing port, and owner's names on our stamp. There are many variations out there, so it really is a matter of personal preference.
As quoted from Noonsite: "A ship's stamp is is greatly appreciated in many countries, where, for some strange reason, a rubber stamp has a certain authority". Other sailors we've spoken with mentioned the stamp came in handy with both receiving shipped goods and processing through customs.

It was a pretty easy and inexpensive to order a custom stamp. I used rubberstamps.net and for a little less than $25, I received our ship's stamp and an ink pad.

Boat Survey and Paperwork Delays

Hauled out for repairs.

I had started to write about the survey process prior to moving aboard and then time just got away from me. Read a few previous posts and you can see what was occupying my time.

This first part is about our experience buying RoundAbout (Laura Ann)  in the BVI.

The survey: A boat survey usually takes 1 day, maybe 2 days, tops. The entire process involves the marine surveyor inspecting every inch of the boat, both in and out of the water. It includes the in-water portion of the survey, the sea trial, and haul-out for the dry dock inspection. The haul-out involves a power washing of the bottom and drying time. It is really important, as the surveyor can take moisture readings in the hull (something you don’t want to find at all) and it allows for a more thorough inspection of boat’s bottom systems and all other areas that are below the water line.

Geoff hard at work. Jared and Clive in the background.

We arrived for the survey mid-morning and our surveyor, Geoff, was already hard at work. We let him be, so he could concentrate. Upon this first part of the survey, it was discovered that the port engine had an oil leak and ended up needing to be removed from the boat for a complete overhaul due to finding further issues. This meant that after the first part of the survey was completed, they would haul the boat out, remove the engine, and then get to work on the remainder of the phase-out process. This was beneficial to us, as we would not incur the haul-out fees the buyer is normally responsible for.  It also meant that our survey would be stretched out over a week’s time, rather than 2 days.

The engine took awhile to repair and the sea trial ended up taking place about a month after the initial survey date. Not as neat and tidy as most surveys usually are. We were traveling across the US at this time, so Clive and Geoff went along with a few other company employees for the trial. We received a good report and we set a date to take ownership in a few weeks when the phase-out had been completed (there was a list of items that needed attention based off the survey report).

After we arrived on August 30th, we walked through the boat and took acceptance. The charter company was great in that if we were to find anything in the next few days that needed attention, to just let them know and they would take care of it. We didn’t find much beyond a couple of wobbly shelves, a corroded power cord, and some missing inventory items. They took care of these things the following day. We went on our merry way out of their marina and in to our slip at Nanny Cay. We mostly worked on hurricane prep though, and didn’t have time to enjoy our new home. A few days later, we were evacuating off the island as Irma (and later Maria) was heading our way.

Buying RoundAbout2.0 in Europe

Finding a surveyor: This time around was a bit more challenging. In the Caribbean, Clive knew our surveyor, Geoff, and he also came highly recommended by a lot of sailors we talked to.
In this case, we had to find one on our own. We did not know anyone who knew of a surveyor in Turkey. By this time, you probably know that Stef has mad skills when it comes to research. She can find out about anything and everything online, and so, she set about to the task of finding a surveyor. The one we chose had a lot of positive reviews on the forums and facebook groups we belong to, had a website, and was also on the list our broker came up with. After a few conversations via email, we hired him to conduct an initial survey on October 18th, so we could see what we were getting into with this new boat. We received a nice lengthy report with lots of photos. We appreciated his attention to detail and professionalism. After reviewing this report a few days later, we decided to move forward with the in-depth survey.

The survey:  The actual survey took place a couple of weeks later on November 3rd, (due to logistics of the busy yard schedule) and lasted an entire day. It began with the haul-out occurring the previous evening, so the hull would have time to dry out a little before the survey began the next morning. Starting at 5am, our surveyor worked all day and conducted the sea trial on the way back to the marina. The inspection lasted until 11pm. We received an email from our surveyor around midnight, his time, stating that no major issues had been found, and that the report would come along in a few days.

Negotiations: After we reviewed the report, we sent it off to our broker with the list of things our surveyor said needed repaired and servicing. While in the BVI everything on our list was repaired, this is NOT the case in the Med. We were told that boats in the Med are less used and are in really good condition. Um, nope! In fact, the boat was far from the condition we were told it was in. There are stress cracks in the gelcoat, fractures in the supports holding up the hard-top bimini, ripped rub-rails on the transom from hitting the dock, torn section on the genoa sail, chips in the gelcoat, saildrives and engines needed servicing, bleach stains on the galley table, among a few other items...and they won't include the inventory that was included in the BVI. Our surveyor said that for a charter vessel of 5 years, it was in good condition compared to other charter boats. Wow, if this is considered good condition, I'd hate to see what the other boats look like. We were very disappointed because we had such a great experience with the same company in the BVI and had set our purchase price for the boat in Turkey based upon this experience. Once we realized they do not do phase outs, we negotiated a lower price due to the amount of work we are faced with completing. The base has also closed down permanently, so the staff are not happy and obviously do not care about the quality of their work (as reported by our surveyor since we spoke with him).

 The next step was to send in the list of recommendations our survey had written up. The seller responded to fixing some of the gelcoat issues (which we aren't really confident about, but we will see how they look at delivery), two chafed lines, and a couple of other small items. After negotiating some more, we reached an agreement and set a date for delivery. This was supposed to happen the week of Thanksgiving. We booked our tickets and hotel and set off for New York (the only direct flight to Athens). The day before we were set to fly, we received a call that not all of the paperwork from the seller had arrived, and so we would have more delays. WTF?! We were beyond frustrated by this point, but what else could we do, but turn around and go back to Virginia to wait it out. We'd also have a home to stay in for Thanksgiving instead of a hotel.  We were told over and over that the documents were in the mail.

More emails and phone calls. I think everyone involved wanted this to be over already, no one more than us! Delivery was then set to take place after Thanksgiving--more delays!!! The hold-up was that we were STILL waiting for the seller's documents to arrive from France. Here we are in the middle of December and it took THREE tries for the seller to get the paperwork correct. Seriously.  Our broker got the head honcho of the company involved at this point, because, really? Three tries? At this point, I am amazed J and I did not take to drinking heavily due to all the stress!

We finally had everything in order as of Tuesday, December 12th. We received copies of all documents and the final piece was getting the boat's registry deleted from Guernsey and registered with Delaware (we will transfer registration over to the US Coast Guard). The stars had finally aligned and we were moving forward! But, we would not truly celebrate until we had inked those papers.
We were out to dinner Thursday evening (12/14) when we received a phone call that our documents were ready. Mind you, this was at 4:55pm and the banks closed in 5 minutes. They weren't supposed to be ready until the following day, but we weren't going to complain.

We HAD to get them notarized the SAME DAY, per instructions. A quick google search and Stef found a notary at a local UPS store. We boxed up dinner and promised the kids dessert after the paperwork was sent off.
Fortunately, it was a few minutes drive from the restaurant. 45 minutes later, it was all completed, scanned (so we'd have a digital copy) and on a UPS truck for delivery! Whew! We then drove back to the restaurant for dessert to celebrate!

We booked our flights and hotels on the drive home and then loaded up the u-haul to prepare for the drive to the airport the following morning. It was a 6-7 hour drive to Newark, so we wanted plenty of time to unload the boxes (we have 27 pieces of luggage--boxes plus we have 12 large backpacks) and return the uhaul and rental car.

From start to finish, it has taken over three months to get this deal done and a hell of amount of stress!

Delivery and moving aboard: 

Our SPOT gps tracking device.

We mailed a GPS tracking device to our surveyor who placed it aboard the boat on the morning of 12/15. While there, he took another look to ensure everything was done in according to our repairs agreement and we learned that NOTHING had been done as agreed.  Really, this was beyond frustrating! WTH people?!?!  The silver lining to this (because I always try to look for one and stay positive) is that at least we will know the work will have been done correctly, as we will be doing it or overseeing those who are. After more phone calls and emails, we will NOT be signing the release of liability until we are physically ON the boat! We did ask that the delivery take place under the seller's insurance though. There will also be the GPS tracker, so we can track RoundAbout's journey. After what we just went through, we are taking no chances and want to limit as much risk as possible. Once we see the boat in person, we will sign the remainder of the paperwork and set about moving in! We seriously cannot wait for this to finally happen!

Surprise, the registration documents needed to allow the boat to leave Turkey had not yet arrived to the captain. In our experience, our surveyor had to go pick up the package himself from the Fed Ex delivery agent. We have relayed this info to the company, so that the captain is aware he may need to go pick it up. /We kept checking every day, as we asked for and received the Fed Ex tracking number. It had arrived in Istanbul on the 19th, but just sat there.

We waited another week for the boat to be delivered to Greece and it was finally here two days after Christmas. We tracked the journey on our SPOT app and determined they were making 9-10 knots! The passage lasted about a day and a half in total and we arrived Wednesday morning to greet the delivery crew, meet our new home, and start moving aboard. But, that's another entire post itself!