I think I own a salvaged boat

[bmack]

Pardon the vagness of this post but I wanted to run something by you guys without giving away too much information to see what you think.
I recently spoke to an individual that brokered the deal between myself and the seller of my 1985 F-32 back in 2003. It seems that the vessel was involved in a sinking of some sort on the Mississippi River before I purchased it. It was never revealed at the time I began looking at the boat. The broker even offered me the ability to view photos of the boat before the restoration began, Im waiting to do so. How does one purchase a boat that has been sunk and not be made aware of the fact? The title is an original title, not a salvage title. I was speaking to the broker who was severly intoxicated at the time and the information just flowed from him at the amaizment of his wife who obviously didnt approve of his actions. What should one do with this information? Other than the paint that is going south- port and starboard sides of the cabin and flybridge the boat has no real issues. The conversation started with the possibility of his boatyard painting the boat this winter. Your thoughts!!

[ready123]

Not sure I understand what you are hoping to hear....

Were you happy with what you saw and paid for the boat at purchase time?
Has anything in the boats subsequent performance changed that?
Was the survey information acceptable? (You did have one done, right?)
Is it just this new information that concerns you?

Answers to the above will allow me to add some comments/opinions.

[Stripermann2]

If said vessel was not "salvaged" by an insurance company, then it would have been sold or trader like any other vessel. Perhaps it was partially or fully sunk but never reported to insurance company.

Hopefully you had a survey done by a competent surveyor. It's possible but most likely not probable, that he didn't see any damage... But as already mentioned, we don't have all the facts...and sometimes these things go undisclosed, even to brokers.

Fill us in when you have more.

[captainralph]

good evening, as per any liabilty to the broker,there basicaly is nothing you can do.they can only relay specific info that the owner is willing to indulge to them and cannot be held responcible,basically the same as a real estate agent.below is what all or most borkers will have in any ad to protect themselves.and as for the title said it was clean and not salvage,probably if the vessel was submerged there probably was no insurance
Disclaimer
The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

hope this is helpful

[prowlersfish]

I sure this may be the case with a lot of boats ,if it was fixed then why worry you had the boat for 6 years any issues would have shown up a long time ago , I do wonder why the boat was painted . It would not have a salvage title unless it was a total loss and sold by the insurance co.


The broker could be thinking of another boat also as he may have sold more then one F32.

[summer storm]

I am not sure if boats can get a "salvage" title I know that the Coast Guard does not offer one but maybe some states do.

[prowlersfish]

If its documented and totaled it maybe in the doc. history

[mpulsev10]

I am a car dealer in central florida. I sometimes buy sell Rebuildable/salvage vehicles. In florida they have "Rebuildable" and "CD" Rebuildable simply means insurance paid out on the vehicle and took it from the customer and it needs to be inspected by the state dmv to be road worthy and rebuilt with proper parts. Sometimes it is just a bumper or someone stole it and broke the steering column. A CD is a certificate of destruction. Other states consider salvage as rebuildable and salvage non-repariable a CD. Unfortunately this does not apply to boats. With that being said i dont think there is any recourse you can have against the seller or broker. In florida you have to disclose if a vehicle has a "rebuilt" title. They have to sign a piece of paper before doing any paperwork. I have seen every once in a while a "salvage bill of sale". But it is pretty rare, they are usually just sold as "clear titles".

So again if the boat runs good and is what you were sold, i would not worry about it. As most boats if they float and have good stringers can be put back together even after sinking, if removed immediately and fixed properly.

[rossjo]

This is a question for your Surveyor. Hope it works out for you.

[MTP]

This is a question for your Surveyor. Hope it works out for you.

I agree.......I also may think twice before doing further business with said drunk broker