Can I see the boat before I buy? Can I have a sea trial?
Yes, you can absolutely see the boat before you make the decision to purchase it. However, since most of our vessels are still active in the Moorings/Sunsail/Footloose fleets it is sometimes difficult to schedule the boat to be dockside for a viewing. Plus we are not able to block the vessel or move current charters to another vessel unless we have a purchase and sale agreement signed by both the Buyer and Seller. That being said if the vessel you want to view isn’t dockside when you are on island, we will most likely have some sister ships available dockside for you to step on and at least get a feel for the layout. Our company also participates in several Boat Shows where you can board and view our new Leopard Catamarans.
The Moorings/Sunsail/Footloose bases are an active charter operation so please make sure to communicate your intentions with your broker regarding travel plans and viewing the yacht. The best way to go about seeing a boat you are interested in purchasing would be to make an offer and come to terms prior to your visit to the base. Too many times we have seen clients book travel to go and view the vessel, and by the time they arrive on island there is already another signed Purchase and Sale Agreement in place. Once you have a Purchase and Sale Agreement signed by both Buyer and Seller, and a 10% deposit held in escrow we can put a small block on the vessel if needed to make sure it is dockside for your arrival. The Purchase and Sale agreement is subject to personal inspection, survey, and sea trial. You reserve the right to cancel the contract at any time, and for any reason as long as it is before the acceptance date.
Having a signed contract in place before the viewing secures your position as the Buyer, and guarantees that another Buyer will not contract the vessel while you are flying down to the islands to see it. Once you survey /sea-trial the vessel, your surveyor will list his/her “findings and recommendations” for the items they found in need of repairs. At this stage, the Buyer, Seller, and the Base will negotiate the surveyors findings and recommendations, and your Moorings Broker will compose a Conditional Acceptance of Vessel which will show what will be included as part of the phase out. The phase out process typically takes around 8 weeks to complete.
If you are wanting to be on the water sooner you can also ask your broker if there are any AS IS deals available. These deals are only offered on boats that the Moorings/Sunsail/Footloose took in trade, and in these situations the company is often willing to accept a lower sales price in lieu of selling the vessel AS IS.
Can I charter the boat before I buy?
If the boat is still in the active charter fleet then yes you can book a charter on it. However, If the boat has already been released from the fleet, then we cannot book a charter, but can most likely arrange a charter on a sister ship so you can see how it sails.
Do I have to pay for a skipper for the sea trial?
No you will not have to pay for a captain on the sea trial, the seller will provide and pay for the skipper.
Will you be with me on the sea trial?
No, I will not personally be with you on the sea trial but one of my capable support broker colleagues will be there to assist you and answer any questions about the boat. Either Richard or Giles who work at the base and live in the BVI will show you all the features of the boat you are interested in, and walk you through the process with more of a hands on approach.
Where can I sea trial boats?
If you are looking to get a feel of the vessel you are interested, I recommend chartering it before making an offer. If you want to sea trial a specific model, you can likely charter it for a few days if you book directly through the base. A sea trial is usually only done after buyer and seller have come to an agreement on price and terms and the buyer wishes to hire a surveyor and sea trial the boat.
Are your boats at boat shows?
We have Leopard Catamarans and Beneteau and Jeanneau Monohulls in our fleets. You can view these vessels at most all sailboat shows around the world. Our company is at the majority of shows with brand new Leopard Catamarans. To stay up to date on shows please follow us on social media or see the news section of our website.
