Buy/Sell
Consult



Pre-Purchase/Sale Consulting is now available to both Buyers and Sellers of Amel Yachts. I am an experienced Amel Yacht Specialist and I understand the complexities of selecting the right Amel yacht, as well as, the issues in the sale & purchase process. I am not a broker, nor am I a surveyor. I am a non-conflicted knowledgeable consultant to future Amel owners and current Amel sellers. I estimate that I am the Buyers Consultant on 3/4ths of all Amels sold, worldwide. In the last 12 months, over 40 individual Buyers of resale Amel yachts have hired me for Pre-Purchase Consulting. A total of 26 have taken possession of their Amel, 3 purchased another brand, 1 decided to forget about trying to buy a yacht altogether. The remainder consists of open consultation jobs in various stages, with some completed by me and in the process of transfer of ownership.

Please read my client's blog for more information on the purchase process and my Pre-Purchase Consulting: Buying a 1982, 46 foot Amel Maramu. 

Nobody else in the world offers the kind of Pre-Purchasing Consulting that I offer. I have developed a low-cost solution, which combines my experience and the use of common technology to remotely perform an evaluation of the Amel you may want to buy or sell. I review hundreds of your photos (I give you a list of what to photograph) and I review the owner's answers to hundreds of my experience-prepared and pointed questions. I also provide my Pre-Purchase clients with the "Amel Survey Checklist," which is a list of items that are commonly missed by some surveyors. The combination of all of this information gives me a unique perspective and allows me to provide a qualified summary of the advantages and problems with the proposed Amel. More information on exactly how Pre-Purchase Consulting works.

With this completed review, a buyer can make an informed decision and proceed with accurate information. This completed review also helps a seller properly present the value of his Amel to a buyer/broker. I have helped a large number of buyers with their purchase of an Amel. I have just started offering this service to sellers. 

I am frequently asked, "what is the best Amel to buy...is it the one with
the least engine hours?" 
The BEST Amel to buy normally has very little to do with engine hours. Remember the cost of 4 sails the same quality as the original for a 54 will be near the cost of an engine overhaul. Some sailors will "flog" the sails to save engine hours. The best buy for any Amel will be more about the owner and his attention to maintenance procedures and the care he has provided to his Amel, and especially with his choice of replacement components of Amel OEM equipment with the same or similar equipment. 

Buyers:
  • I see far too many Amels with cheap inexpensive devices replacing the Amel original equipment. 
  • I see too many Amels with running and standing rigging needing replacement. 
  • I see far too many Amels with poorly-made Chinese sails. 
  • I also see too many Amels with engine rooms full of rust. 
  • I have had too many clients who did not use me for Pre-Purchase Consulting...and when I arrive for the Yacht School Course, I find 10,000 - 50,000 in needed repairs. 
  • Check out my recommended Amel Yacht Purchase Process
Sellers:
  • The photos you take and my review and my recommendations will allow you to remedy potential buyer objections.
  • You may have some valuable additions on your Amel that require a 3rd party explanation for the buyer to recognize the value.
  • Your prepared answers to my questions will be at least twice the information normally used in a listing for sale. More information usually equates to greater value.
  • The sum of the Pre-Purchase/Sale information will allow a complete and transparent assessment of your Amel.
Pre-Purchase/Sale Consulting includes:
- I will provide you with experienced and unconflicted answers to your many questions before, during, and at the completion of the Pre-Purchase/Sale review. Pre-Purchase Consulting does not normally require travel expenses and is normally done via phone and the Internet. 
- "List of Specific Photos" 
- "List of Owner Questions" which I will email to the owner or broker
- "Amel Survey Checklist" to ensure a complete survey
- "Review and Report" for Buyers on the advertised listing material & photos
- "Written Comments" on each photo up to 400 photos
- Yacht School Preferred Vendor Discounts on Amel OEM and quality OEM substitute systems and parts.
Recommended extras:
Spreadsheet (sample) of suggested repairs and replacements with estimated cost and DIY hours - $100
Review and comment on photos in addition to the included 400 photos -  $1/photo  

If you are not sure if Pre-Purchase/Sale Consulting works for you, or if you have any questions regarding anything Amel, I offer a free 1 hour consulting on any subject. Ask anything you may want to ask and get experienced answers. Text me at 1-832-380-4970 to set a time for your 1-hour phone call. This link may help you it describes the hypothetical purchase process beginning with the search for your Amel until you close the purchase: Amel Yacht Purchase Process

Difference between Super Maramu and the Amel 54 
Read this well-written explanation by Karen & Bill SM Harmonie.
And, here is another Comparison of the SM to the A54 by Joel Potter
List of "Condition Categories I use for Amels: Revised 18 April 2021
Best used Amel: This is an Amel that is in the top 10% of Amels its age.  All equipment works and performs as new. The maintenance has been perfectly meticulously performed. Failed OEM equipment has been replaced with OEM equipment or equivalents to OEM. There is not a single unidentified new wire added. There is no rust or oxidation. All painted and gel-coated surfaces have been maintained and, if necessary, repainted. None of the sails, standing rigging, and/or running rigging are beyond life expectancy and none need repair. The interior is without any blemish. A Best used Amel will not require any refit, but you should plan on 1,000 to 5,000 for miscellaneous items.


Better used Amel: This is an Amel that is in the top 20% of Amels its age.  All equipment works and performs as new. Maintenance has been performed when needed, but not always on schedule and precisely through all of the boat's owners. Some failed OEM equipment has been replaced with less expensive products. Some additional wiring is not labeled. Minor rust and oxidation spots are visible. Not all painted and gel-coated surfaces have been maintained. A minor amount of the sails, standing rigging, and/or running rigging are beyond life expectancy and some need repair.  The interior shows the appropriate wear and age. A Better used Amel will usually need a refit that will cost 5,000 - 20,000

Average used Amel: This is an Amel that represents about 40% of Amels its age.  Not all equipment works and performs as new.  The following will apply to some or all of the boat owners. Maintenance has been neglected until something breaks or fails.  Most failed OEM equipment has been replaced with less expensive products. Substantial additional wiring is not labeled. Major areas of rust and oxidation are visible. Painted and gel-coated surfaces have not been maintained. Most of the sails, standing rigging, and/or running rigging are beyond life expectancy and some need repair. The interior upholstery needs replacing and some dents and scratches on finished surfaces. An Average used Amel will usually need a refit that will cost 20,000 to 50,000.

Poor Condition used Amel: This is an Amel that represents about 25% of Amels its age. A poor condition Amel requires a major refit that will cost 50,000 to 200,000.

Do not buy under any circumstances used Amel: This is an Amel that represents about 5% of Amels its age. This is an Amel that if acquired for no cost will cost more to bring up to average condition than what an average condition Amel its age will cost to buy. In many cases, this Amel has been deemed a total loss by a qualified surveyor.

Recommended People Important To You And Your Amel:
Recommended Brokers:
Joel Potter
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Office 954-462-5869
Cell 954-812-2485
jfpottercys@att.net
JP BAHUAUD
Caraibe Yachts / Caribbean Yachts Guadalupe
+ 590 (0) 690 35 01 98
jp.bahuaud@caraibe-yachts.com
http://caraibe-yachts.com


Riza Cagdas Cakir
Göcek Mahallesi Atatürk (Hürriyet) Bulvarı No:37 Fethiye/Muğla, Turkey
90.252.645.2468 - +90 532 495 6539
cagdas@emekmarin.com
http://www.emekmarin.com/en
Stephanie DUPLAND
Caraibe Yachts / Caribbean Yachts Martinique
La Marina du Marin
97 290 Le Marin, Martinique, FWI
+596 (0) 596 74 16 70
stephanie.dupland@caribbean-yachts.com
http://caraibe-yachts.com
Michel CHARPENTIER
https://www.michelcharpentier.com
467, Bd Raymond Poincaré
Port of Santa Lucia
83700 - SAINT-RAPHAËL FRANCE & Europe
+33 (0) 494 95 68 44
michel_charpentier@hotmail.com
Michael Beers, CPYB Sales Manager
McMichael Yacht Brokers
(914)381-5900 office
(718)764-7215 mobile
michaelb@mcmyacht.com
www.mcmichaelyachtbrokers.com
Recommended Surveyor:
Recommended Surveyor:
Olivier BEAUTE / ATLANTIC YACHT SURVEY
32 avenue des Corsaires
17000 LA ROCHELLE
Tel: +33 546 522 147   Mob: +33 674 028 243
olivierbeaute@gmail.com
http://atlanticyachtsurvey.com


Recommended Insurance Agent:
Documentation Agents:
Gary & Elliott Golden
Manifest Marine
604 Stonewall Lane
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22407 USA
Gary@ManifestMarine.com
Elliott@ManifestMarine.com
https://manifestmarine.com/
I will add an EU Documentation Agent

How much Fraud exists in selling an Amel?
The reason that the above list of brokers is small is that these are people I know well and I will not recommend anyone I do not know well. Unfortunately, a number of Amels that declared a total loss are many times brought back on the market without total disclosure. I have seen this happen more than a few times. It recently occurred in Spain with a YachtWorld listing: Click Here for a saved PDF.
Here is what the above SM looked like in 2017 after Hurricane IRMA: Wrecked and Totaled SM 246

Published photos versus real photos: This does not happen very often, but it happens. The photo on the left was taken many years ago. The photo on the right is the reality. Note the cable ties circled in green on the left. These needed to be removed the first time an impeller was changed. It is important to know what to look for.


Example of 1 photo out of 275 for an Amel 54 Pre-Purchase Review:
Pre-Purchase Review of Amel 54 - Photo #37 of 275
Do you see the grease stain in the middle-bottom of the photo under the outhaul line winch? Click the photo to enlarge. I made a note to the buyer that the grease had likely leaked out of the outhaul gearbox and to check it closely.

In fact, the gearbox had no grease and the gears were worn so much that they did not last another week. The cost of replacing the gearbox was $800 paid for by the seller.

The line for the outhaul was out of the Line Tender on top of the gearbox. Everyone noticed that. What nobody else noticed was that the line needed replacing. Cost $275.

Would you miss these?
All of these photos indicate serious issues, some costing thousands of dollars to repair. 
What do you see in the photo to the left? Click the photo to enlarge. You probably see some rust. 

What I saw was evidence that the engine room had flooded. A flooded engine room can cause tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. Some of the damage isn't immediate and will occur after you close the sale. The seller had hidden the engine room flooding from the buyer.
Click on the photo at the left to see the rust inside the red circle. Also, note the arrow. Everyone thought this accumulator tank needed replacing. The truth is not only the tank needed replacing, but the pump to the right of the accumulator tank needed replacing or rebuilding. The 12mm mechanical seal was leaking on the AC saltwater pump. The spacer/shield on the pump axle was slinging saltwater onto the accumulator tank in an undetectable very light spray.

 






Cracked and leaking exhaust hose






Probably some genius mechanic started tracing wiring. I zoomed in on a photo of an engine wire harness to see these wires clipped. 







Seawater has entered the C-Drive and mixed with the C-Drive oil



Dangerous knot


In-boom bungee was incorrectly rigged outside the boom

C-Drive seals were sealed with a spray-on foam. This is very, very wrong!




This is a closeup of the Hydraulic Propeller Shaft Brake.

Can you find the wood clothespin used as a shim on the hydraulic ram to the brake caliper on the shaft brake? Can you also find the baling wire with some green paint on it? 

This is a Mizzen Sheet Traveler Car with an end made out of JB Weld. The ball bearings were falling out.

The owner stated that he did not change anything.



Hull Stringer broke loose probably from serious grounding


Click here for more "Oops" Photos
Serious water intrusion caused by holes and devices added to the deck.