[C320-list] Good News / Bad News Ammended to - Use a Broker?

[Amiraults Family]

Ted:

 

I too live in Ontario, and in 2007 I used the services of a Canadian broker
for assistance in the purchase of my C320 out of Boyne City Michigan. At the
time I was fully employed and doing overtime for my employer while
maintaining a home and a family. I was busy man. I met this broker at the
Toronto Boat Show in January of 2000 when I was first considering a used
boat. Dropping by the Catalina display in subsequent years he surprisingly
always remembered my name even though I had until '07 never sent any
business his way.

 

So what did he do for me? I did the internet search for my boat, doing a lot
of looking over months until finding what I wanted. I discussed each find
with him by 'phone (he's in TO while I'm in Ottawa) until we agreed on
specific examples. We then discussed asking prices and he would respond
within a day on whether they appeared reasonable, or the bottom line offer I
should walk away if not met. Once a boat was found and purchased following a
successful survey (I found the surveyor and dealt directly with him -
actually never seeing the boat until its arrival in Ottawa) my broker took
over. I passed all funds to him and he arranged for and disbursed funds to
satisfy the seller's broker, disposal of the original fixed cradle, shipping
of the boat to Ottawa including the actual trucking and the necessary
paperwork both sides of the US/Canada border, and Canadian Federal taxes (I
did the provincial gouge). Post delivery he handled the negotiations and
compensation for the only item not as described in the listing.

 

In the entire process from "I want it" to "sitting in the yard" did anything
go wrong? Sure; but nothing at his end. I arranged with The Cradle Shop for
a new cradle to be delivered to the club prior to the arrival of the boat so
that the commercial crane I rented would have something to move the boat to
from the transport. The cradle was delivered not as ordered and the boat
would only fit with additional wooden blocking of the pads. This was
corrected by returning the cradle to the vendor after launch.

 

Was there a point in using a broker? I have since done the simpler
self-importation of a used car from the southern US. With time, patience,
and research I discovered that I could do this without using a broker or the
services of a dealer. Thus I am certain that there was nothing involved in
the importation of a boat that I could not have done myself. However, I am
retired now and every hour (well, I'm married - so nearly every hour) of my
day is my own. But ten years ago it was a task I did not have the time to
focus upon. I was able to use my broker's knowledge to satisfy me that I was
offering a fair price for the boat I got. His experience and contacts left
me feeling assured that every other stranger involved in getting my boat to
my location was an experienced professional with a track record of doing it
right. So using a broker bought me piece of mind, fair pricing, and by the
finish a flawless delivery. I am convinced that hidden in all that effort
was some value.

 

But this is only my experience. I'm just sayin'..

 

Brian Amirault

797 Waltzing Bear, too  

 



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