6 Major Mistakes To Avoid When You Buy

6 Major
Mistakes To
Avoid When
You Buy and
Import A Boat
From The U.S.

So you want to buy and import a boat from the U.S.?

Buying and importing a boat from the U.S.A. can make a lot of sense, no matter where in the world you live. The
selection of boats in the U.S. is great, and the price is often great, too.

The only downside is, how do you buy and import a boat when you live so far away?

Buying a boat is a big purchase, and it’s probably not something you do every day. Unfortunately, it can be easy to
make mistakes that cost you time, money, and peace of mind. To avoid those mistakes, you’re going to need help going

through the process.

The problem is that most companies are either boat brokers who sell the boat or shipping companies who ship the
boat. It’s difficult to find someone who takes care of the process from start to finish.

That’s where we come in. OceanTrek Marine is the only company of its kind that helps international buyers find, buy,
and import boats from the U.S. We know what kinds of mistakes people make when buying and shipping a boat, and
we don’t want you to make those same mistakes. Here are the Top 3 Buying Mistakes and Top 3 Shipping Mistakes we

want to help you avoid.

3 Major Mistakes to Avoid When BUYING a Boat

BUYING Mistake No. 1

Not having a boat broker that represents YOU and your best interest.

• If you were buying a house, would you want to work with the agent who was selling the house and trying to get
top dollar for the seller? Of course not. But that’s exactly what many people do when it comes to buying a boat.

• Many (most?) boat brokers represent the seller, which isn’t the best thing for you, the buyer. Instead, you want to
work with an agent who is concerned about what you want and about getting you a great price. A buyer’s agent
will educate you and take you through the process step by step.

• When selecting a boat broker or agent to work with, ask if they represent the buyer or the seller. If they don’t say
“buyer,” then say goodbye and find someone else.

BUYING Mistake No. 2

Not having a purchase agreement.

• Purchase agreements are a simple but necessary part of the boat-buying process. This document outlines the
terms and conditions of the purchase, including purchase price, payment terms, and settlement dates. It also
states under what conditions each party may back out of the contract (“contingencies”) and what happens if one
party doesn’t do what they’re supposed to.

• Do not sign a purchase agreement to purchase a boat until you understand what you are signing. The boat broker
you’re working with (who should be a buyer’s agent, remember) can explain the agreement to you and make sure
the terms are acceptable for you.

BUYING Mistake No. 3

Not doing a pre-purchase inspection.

• A pre-purchase inspection, also called a survey, gives you information on the condition of the boat you want to
buy. An inspector or surveyor (licensed?) will examine the boat for a small fee, around $18 per foot. This includes
a “sea trial” where the boat is taken out on the water to make sure everything performs as it should and to the
manufacturer’s specifications. The inspector or surveyor then writes a report detailing the findings and including
recommendations on anything that needs to be fixed. If the inspector or surveyor suspects a problem during the
sea trial, they may recommend you have an in-depth engine analysis, which will cost approximately $250 per
engine. However, this isn’t common.

• You wouldn’t buy a house before having a home inspection, and you shouldn’t buy a boat without an inspection,
either. Again, the boat broker you’re working with can help you find a qualified inspector or surveyor. (true?)

3 Major Mistakes to Avoid When SHIPPING a Boat

SHIPPING Mistake No.1

Not working with a shipping company that represents YOU and your best interests.

• When you buy a boat, you want to work with someone who is primarily concerned with making you happy. It’s no
different when you ship a boat.

• In the rush to get your boat home, you may find yourself working with shipping companies, or exporters, who
don’t have your best interest at heart. These exporters may be unreliable or downright unethical. It’s not in their
best interest to be fully transparent with you, and if you don’t ask, they won’t tell.

• For instance, say you get a quote online by filling out a form. Since you don’t know all the exact measurements of
the boat you’ll be buying (length, height, weight, etc.), you make up some numbers you think are pretty close.
Now the quote you get back may not end up being close to the final amount they charge, if your measurements
are off. They can hold your boat until you pay up.

• Not only that, but quotes you get often don’t account for all the other fees that are required in addition to the
shipping charges: transportation to the port, preparation, shrink wrapping, and insurance, just to name a few.
What you thought you were going to pay and what you end up paying are very different. So what should you do?

SHIPPING Mistake No.1 continued

Take time finding the right shipping company. You’re looking for an exporter who will answer all your questions and
who is transparent in what they do. Don’t rely on what you read on the internet, either. If possible, have a
conversation by phone or online and ask questions. Ask:

• - How many years of experience do you have doing this?

• - Can I see some testimonials and references from past customers?

Find out which vendors they work with, like freight forwarders, agents, and lawyers, and contact them. After
speaking with them, you should have a good idea of whether you trust this company and want to work with them.
Ask:

• - How long have you been working together?

• - Do they pay on time?

• - Are they easy to work with?

• - Would you recommend them to someone overseas buying a boat from the U.S.A.?

SHIPPING Mistake No. 2

Not understanding the shipping process and the services you will need.

• You don’t need to become an expert on the topic of shipping boats overseas, but you should know enough to
protect your interests. There’s a lot to consider: Regulations in the country where the boat is coming from,
regulations in the country where the boat is going to, shipping standards, sailing dates, and on and on.

• Before you decide to work with anyone, ask questions! Here are 9 questions to ask of anyone who will be
shipping a boat overseas for you:
1. Will you calculate the cubic meters for me? (the answer should be yes)
2. Are the dimensions you used to calculate the volume 100% accurate? (yes)
3. Do you guarantee the freight will not go up? (yes)
4. Do you know how to clean a boat so it will clear customs in my country? (yes)

SHIPPING Mistake No. 2 continued

5. Do you provide “all risk” or just “total loss”? (“all risk”)
6. Do you guarantee your quotes? (yes)
7. Is there any chance for additional charges? (no)
8. Does the quote include all services needed to land the boat in my country? (yes)
9. Is there a confirmed sailing to go with the shipping quote you provided? (yes)

• If you don’t understand what all these questions mean, you can speak with an experienced team member at
OceanTrek Marine. They can explain what all these terms are so you can feel confident in your search process.

SHIPPING Mistake No.3

Not understanding the shipping company’s contract.

• Not only does having a signed contract give you legal protection, it also sets clear expectations for both you and
the exporter you’re working with.

• With an unethical shipping company, you could find yourself in a bad situation. They provide you a quote you like
so you sign a long contract. Later you find out that the contract you signed transferred liability (responsibility)
onto you and also allows them to charge you extra fees. If you don’t pay these extra fees, they will hold your boat
“hostage” until you pay. It’s sad, but we’ve seen it happen before.

• Read any contract you’re going to sign very carefully. Look for clauses about liability and about fees and charges
beyond the quote you received. If you don’t understand something, ask about it. Don’t sign anything you’re not
completely comfortable with. Possibly the only thing worse than a bad contract is having no contract at all.
Without a contract, you could be stuck with no recourse if something goes wrong

OceanTrek is here to help you. Every step of the way!

We have over 4 years of experience helping people all over the world buy and import a boat from the U.S. From
start to finish, we’re there.

While some companies handle only the selling process or parts of the paperwork, we can do it all! We can act as
both boat broker and exporter, taking you through the process from start to finish, including:

Finding the boat you want and negotiating a price

Managing and distributing funds

Coordinating inspections

Handling the paperwork.

…and more. We do it all.

We GUARANTEE our quotes, which means you won’t end up with any hidden fees or surprise charges. We offer free
quotes that are good for 30 days.

CONTACT US TODAY

We’ll be happy to give you references and answer any questions you have about your boat importing needs.

Find us on the internet at:
www.OceanTrekMarine.com

or call us in the U.S. at
00-1-941-896-4803.