How To Buy A Used Boat - Government Boat Auctions

Government boat auctions are a massive business and included under the general heading are disposals of police and coastguard seizures. These arrests may often be linked to drug smuggling (one of my own was seized by customs with drugs aboard - before I acquired her, I hasten to add, and sold through a government boats auction). Boats in auctions may also come from the military - for example the Navy has fleets of sail and power boats which they use for instruction. These vessels may be worked hard but are usually well maintained, up to a point. When replaced they come up on offer at government surplus auctions. You will usually be buying 'sold as seen' and that is a risk unless you really take some care and advice.

Government auctions boats - not a press headline, as there is an auction somewhere most days, but what are the real risks of buying a boat this way?

'Sold as Seen' can be a daunting phrase. It is not easy to fully check a boat and sue the government after the auction. With an auto auction you might get a few hours after your winning bid to return the car if it has an undeclared fault - with a tacht you may have a few days, you may not - it depends on the auction terms and conditions, so study the auction terms beforehand. The main chance you take is that you may have little time to get the boat properly checked out beforehand - she may be afloat; in that case though, you can easily tell if she is leaking. If she's ashore then it's easier, though you obviously can't easily tell if she's watertight. Either way, you will certainly be able to look her over beforehand. It may be worth hiring a yacht surveyor if you are not an expert yourself. Good auction companies will declare known problems in the auction catalogue.

If she's been used by the government itself (or an agency), then the vessel will have had a lot of use - on a yacht, rigging and sails may need replacement (not easy to judge rigging without the right technical equipment) and / or the engines might have a lot of hours on them - which is not necessarily a bad thing. Probably, she will have missed her last service and not all equipment will be working (especially electronics). The auction company may offer a simple condition report and specification.

If the vessel is a seizure, then it can be even more difficult to judge. Where has she been? Where was she seized? If she had been used for drugs transportation, then it is possible that it will be sound. People don't put a load of drugs in a vessel that's either likely to sink or have a failure and need rescuing. Not good business.

If you have identified the boat you want to bid on, and she is a well known brand/model (maybe say, a Catalina), then search the web to find out if there is an owners club. There may be forum discussions too, maybe on a boating magazine website. These enquiries may give you clues as to the faults that you should check on with that particular brand or model.

So, why on earth (or on the sea!) would anyone buy a power boat or yacht at a yacht auction? Simple - price. You can get a great bargain that way.

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