# Post Hurricane Irma - Opportunity to Buy Salvage Boat (for parts)



## SeaPilotMark (Mar 20, 2014)

Here's an idea that's crazy enough that it just might work. However, not without that insights of this invaluable community of sailors. 

After seeing photos of piles of yachts in the Caribbean islands, it quickly occurred to me that in just a few weeks, all of these boats would be totaled and auctioned for salvaging. Now suppose that you were 2 years into a project of refurbishing a 2006 Beneteau 373 (purchased after sustaining fire damage from neighboring motorboat). Fiberglass work is complete. In the process of laying a non-skid pattern. Next steps, outfitting the deck with ALL the bells and whistles necessary to make a sailboat operate (e.g. electronics, winches, tracks, halyards, hatches, port lights, etc). 

Thus far, I've been purchasing directly from Beneteau/Defender and finding occasional deals on eBay. I'd roughly estimate that I'm still $20k-$30k from project completion. Hoping to splash in June 2018 in Chicago. 

Quick background, my dad is a car rebuilder with a body shop and staff of expert rebuilders, with a niche for sourcing parts from junk yards/aftermarket supplies. Most of the work on my 373 been done by auto mechanics with the oversight of a marine mechanic/surveyor. 

Suppose I (A) fly to St. Martin, St. Thomas or St. John, (B) find a 37' Beneteau (or other comparable boat) at one of the salvage auctions, (C) I bring with me a mechanic or a handy friend with all the tools we might need, (D) spend a week stripping the deck of this boat of everything I need for my Beneteau. Alternatively, if I find a junk yard that will be the new home for hundreds of these wrecked yachts, I can probably find most of what I need there. 

Biggest concerns include (i) finding the auction info, (ii) making sure there are at least a few comparable boats available, (iii) getting unlimited access to the boat for a week, (iv) logistics shipping parts back to Chicago, (v) abandoning or reselling the bare hull, and finally (vi) will the cost of boat /flights /accommodations /shipping /handyman /misc other expenses, outweigh the projected $20-$30k I'd spend if I continue purchasing from dealer/eBay/defender. 

I imagine very few of us have any first hand experience with the inner workings of Caribbean boat salvages. But perhaps some of you have heard of success (or horror) stories of sailors trying to pull off similar feats. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Apologies for the lengthy narrative.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

My guess, it's waste of time because every time there's a storm and there's thousands maybe millions of boats piled up like the Katrina boats you never hear another thing about them. There are salvage sales and Consignment Sales that's about all I've ever found. Probably Insurance makes it impossible for anybody to scavenge parts off these boats

Sent from my LG-M430 using Tapatalk


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

I predict a lot of 'unauthorized' boat strippings.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

The insurance company writes these off and probably with thousands of boats can't be bothered to inventory and auction them to individuals. I suspect they will be sold to some junk yard operation who will dispose of them and maybe you can buy stuff from them down the road. Wherever these wrecks are... they will be removed as quickly as possible.... so that re building of infra structure and replacement of marine facilities can proceed and the marine industry can be stood up again. I don't know but considering the extent of the devastation I don't see this happening for several years.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

The most likely course of action for the vast majority of insured boats that are written off is a salvage barge will be employed to dump them in deep water. The insurance companies will not be interested in dealing with individual boats and auctions.

The local authorities will put serious pressure on everyone involved to clean out the debris including damaged boats so that the docks can be rebuilt and fresh boats be bought in so everyone can start earning charter money again 

I have heard stories post Hugo of scavengers arriving with coolers full of beer and working unofficially on the salvage barges stripping stuff before it got dumped. The beer went to the barge drivers.


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## zeehag (Nov 16, 2008)

it pays to know the salvors-- if not personally, then as acquaintance. they are the ones with whom to make the deals, as they control the remains.


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## Dfok (Apr 11, 2010)

Check the law where a boat lies, one persons "salvage" is another persons "looting".


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## Rocky Mountain Breeze (Mar 30, 2015)

A small shipping container should be quite adequate for shipping the salvage back to Chicago as long as you are not in a hurry.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

It is possible. It must be possible. 
But how you do it isn't easy. 
You need I depth local market information. But a the phones are still out. All the resorts are still out of action as there's no fresh water. Looters are fife so now will start getting killed... They have already killed.

As per usual someone is going to make big $$$.

OK so, St Martin/Maarten. 
First Saturday of the month there's a HUGE boat jumble sale. 
Great vhf net to advertise. 
Good folks and brokers who could point you: Tony Brewer of Little Ships but no phones. 
Mike "Shrimpy" is still missing. 
No flights in yet as it's only emergency services via C130s.

If you got you ass there now you could make a killing... If. But where to stay? Nothing exists with roofs and the looters wilI kill you if you sleep on the beach white boy.

Maybe speak to a big USA insurance broker and ask him how it works. What's that good guys name.... Al Golding.... Checking

Checking

Checkkkkkk

AL Golden http://www.imis.pro

Ring him.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

If you can figure out the logistics, you can probably start a business helping all the domestic boat yards clear out their abandon hulls too. 

I think the trick is that you need to have labor to strip all the valuables and inventory them, then labor to cut up the hull, equipment to haul it away and the cost of disposing of 50-100 yards of debris per hull. Of course, you also require land and a building to store all the inventory for sale.

I've given it some thought and can't make the math work. Even with inexpensive migrant (legal) or summer labor. This would also be a job with significant OSHA and environmental rules and the need for insurance, as folks could get hurt.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Al Capone 's business card read used furniture sales.Seems there could be room for a ruthless guy with a card reading Nu2u marine parts. Just the ticket for some dreaming dude with no talent wanting to hang out in paradise.


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## Rocky Mountain Breeze (Mar 30, 2015)

OSHA doesn't exist in non-US territories but the payola may be just as difficult....


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## cdy (Nov 10, 2013)

I know a salvage company in NE Florida - they were doing decent business until an accident on a boat they were working on, they have a small store at a marina - again they looked like they were surviving - but thriving - I don;'t think so - from my observations it looked like a lot of work for not a lot of return. The sailboat market is still small, most sailors are cheap even when buying things second hand - the money to be made I would bet in the marine business is selling stuff to sportfisher types - of course they don't buy second hand stuff.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

cdy said:


> I know a salvage company in NE Florida - they were doing decent business until an accident on a boat they were working on, they have a small store at a marina - again they looked like they were surviving - but thriving - I don;'t think so - from my observations it looked like a lot of work for not a lot of return. The sailboat market is still small, most sailors are cheap even when buying things second hand - the money to be made I would bet in the marine business is selling stuff to sportfisher types - of course they don't buy second hand stuff.


Good point. I used to know a guy that did this in the small general aviation market. He essentially had a big chunk of land in the middle of the country, where he piled old junk single engine airplanes and sold salvaged parts. I believe it was more a labor of love than a get rich scheme. I recall he was a full time Dentist to make a living.


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## groggy (Aug 18, 2011)

I could kinda see this working for a specific part, like winches. they are non-boat specific, hard to damage, relatively small, and they are expensive.

Ideally you could figure out a way to pay for the right to pull the winches from the boat without having to buy the boats themselves. If you could somehow fill a container with them and somehow get them legally into the US, you could then sell them for hopefully a profit.

I cant think of another boat part that would be durable, easy to remove, and broadly reusable, except anchors, but the weight to cost ratio would be not so attractive, other than the most high end ones, which I am not sure are installed on charter yachts.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Bah, bunch of pussies. You pull into the bay with a baltic trader type vessel Let it be known amongst the right crowd you are in the market. Offer a cladstine drop off in the states. All aboard . go out and back to beach somewhere on the other side of the island. Guests swim ashore in the dark. Leave , don't come back. (actually ,a guy I know did a similar move in Haiti . Mind you , he ended with a bullet to the head doing a deal in Costa Rica)


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## Hush34 (Dec 12, 2013)

What I love is that with all the destruction and suffering people who have endured, you are worried about the refit of your silly ass boat. Yep, you can go to the islands and pick the pieces of someone else misfortune and turn them into your own gains.

I sat and watched the destruction left behind Irma and thought about the suffering of the people of the islands that were the subject of so many sailors dreams. The thoughts of the trade winds and the welcoming people make the sufferable world we live in somewhat bearable. So many bucket lists destroyed and so many people suffering and all you could think about is what advantage you could gain. 

Those who offered assistance in your warped thinking and offered constructive replies for you to get what you wanted. Absolutely sickening! I hope you fix your pathetic sailboat and get to sail and see the suffering of those who you so quickly disregarded. Please introduce yourself to the people who have lost everything and make sure they know you have a seaworthy vessel. 

Please take this for what it is worth. You, my fine sailor, are exactly what is wrong with the world today.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

WTF? Busted boats are going to be auctioned by insurance companies to raise the salvage money to pay those that lost their property. What a naive post. There is nothing wrong with being the person whom may be providing those funds.


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## Hush34 (Dec 12, 2013)

Dear Minnewaska, 

What is wrong with this is the fact that while the people of the Caribbean are suffering, there are some like the originator of this post, who instead of trying to find ways to help are trying to find ways to benefit. It was not barely a week after this tragic event that this conversation started. Seemed much like taking personal property before the deceased are in the ground. 

As for your belief that parts sold to a "scavenger" will ever amount to enough to "pay those who lost their property", that sir, is naive. I would hazard to guess that many people in the islands are not fortunate to have insurance. I would also hazard to guess that those insured are not likely to feel the benefit from scavenged parts being sold. 

Entire lives have been ruined, economies destroyed, and beautiful islands mowed down. I would hope that the sailing community would first be thinking of ways to help the people of the Caribbean and not help themselves. 

Just saying...


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## cdy (Nov 10, 2013)

Arguments aside in regards as to the timing of the post - one suggestion was to salvage winches - is there much of a market for used winches? I would assume most who are upgrading would be buying new, there may be some who are rehabbing an older boat with used parts - but that market can't be too big and I would bet most of those potential customers are penny pinchers and aren't going to spend a lot on a used winch or 2.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

cdy said:


> Arguments aside in regards as to the timing of the post - one suggestion was to salvage winches - is there much of a market for used winches? I would assume most who are upgrading would be buying new, there may be some who are rehabbing an older boat with used parts - but that market can't be too big and I would bet most of those potential customers are penny pinchers and aren't going to spend a lot on a used winch or 2.


self-tailers...


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Hush34 said:


> ....As for your belief that parts sold to a "scavenger" will ever amount to enough to "pay those who lost their property", that sir, is naive....


If you have to twist what the other person said, you must be losing the debate.

I did not say everyone had insurance, nor did I say that selling salvage (I did not say scavenge) would fully fund the losses.

However, salvage is part of the math that does allow insurance to exist for those that do have it. There is nothing wrong with being the counterparty. No one is dancing on anyone's grave. They are part of the solution here.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

I agree with Hush34's last post.

Sailors on this board are missing the magnitude of the devastation. It's likely that Barbuda will not be inhabited for the foreseeable future. Antigua, St Barths are not far behind. Many islands will not have electricity for MONTHS and their water systems are undrinkable and POLLUTED... roads destroyed. Looking for boat parts in the wreckage is insensitive to put it mildly. Tourism may have been 80-90% of their economy.... but without house, electricity... water.... there is no infrastructure to supporting the well heeled whites who charter for pleasure.


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## Rocky Mountain Breeze (Mar 30, 2015)

Okay, so no income from tourists in the devastated areas, so which is better, some income from salvage crews or no income? Seems simple to me. People coming there for any reason will need to eat, drink, and sleep so some local will receive benefit.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

All this talk of salvage in places like the USVI BVI and St Marten is moot.

The local authorities will want all sunk, partially sunk and grounded cleared away ASAP to make room for paying charter boats. Salvage barges will dump the boats in deep water.

Badly damaged boats in boat yards will likely meet the same fate.

Lightly damaged boats 'MAY' get repaired but the boat yards where that work could be done are toast. It is likely that the authorities will want the charter companies to get back in business ASAP and that will be the yards bread and butter work year after year so charter company work will get priority.


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## wymbly1971 (Nov 26, 2015)

I hate to weigh in here.....

The OP asked a question about salvage opportunities; not to be judged about whether his inquiry was ill timed, insensitive, etc.

Those who read these posts are intelligent people and free to make whatever assumptions about the OP they want to. There is no indication that the OP intends any harm.

Who are we to judge, to publicly chastise the respondents? People are free to absorb and process the tragedy in their own way. Just because it doesn't agree with your way doesn't mean it's wrong or less valid.

I thought the forum was a way for people to communicate freely with each other.

The tragedy is no doubt beyond the comprehension of most. My heart and thoughts go out to all of those who lost their dreams, homes, livelihoods and worse.

Rant over...back to the boat  My apologies to the OP for going off topic....


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## Hush34 (Dec 12, 2013)

wymbly, I appreciate your rant! In fact I appreciate those who have different views than my own. However, I will not bite my tongue when I see or hear something I think is wrong. I will not surrender my belief that the OP was insensitive to the hundreds of thousands of those suffering from this tragedy evidenced by the OP..... after seeing the devastation he quickly thought, to paraphrase, this is an opportunity to get boat parts for cheap. I was pretty sharp in my initial response, just as your original post was before your edit. I might have hurt some feelings and I might have made a few like, like yourself, feel the need to defend the OP. It is my greatest hope is that many would think and realize the gravity of loss over the past couple of weeks and to think about ways to help those affected first. 

I do agree with your post that we should be able to communicate freely with each other and in agreement with that premise have decided to communicate freely. 

p.s. Your original post was in an email to me....I am not by any stretch an endorser of ANTIFA....I could have been a bit less strong in my initial response.....could have said, "Hey, can we burry the dead, and then get cheap boat parts?" Very short and to the point. Fair winds and following seas.


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

Interesting information and discussion;


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Have friend who is boat broker. Mostly high end Zeelander motorboats, expensive one offs and good quality bwb sail. Says salvage opportunities will be limited. Those with water intrusion will not have parts deemed reliable in service and given determining strength of non electrical parts/components is also indeterminate. Nature of determining strength difficult and expensive so not economically reasonable. Recited fact that even just falling off stands can produce hidden structural weaknesses at great distances from site of impact. Integrity of rig would be highly suspect. 
Reports there is already buyer pressure for good boats up in New England. So yes some will drop out of the sailing world but it's a sellers market for quality boats for years to come. 
Like used cars transported from flood prone areas salvage will be buyer beware.


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## Sergio Mussi (Oct 14, 2017)

I've see many catamarans with minor damage, so I'm interested to understand if is possible to buy.
Sergio


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## Cpt.Elayne (Feb 20, 2021)

SeaPilotMark said:


> Here's an idea that's crazy enough that it just might work. However, not without that insights of this invaluable community of sailors.
> 
> After seeing photos of piles of yachts in the Caribbean islands, it quickly occurred to me that in just a few weeks, all of these boats would be totaled and auctioned for salvaging. Now suppose that you were 2 years into a project of refurbishing a 2006 Beneteau 373 (purchased after sustaining fire damage from neighboring motorboat). Fiberglass work is complete. In the process of laying a non-skid pattern. Next steps, outfitting the deck with ALL the bells and whistles necessary to make a sailboat operate (e.g. electronics, winches, tracks, halyards, hatches, port lights, etc).
> 
> ...


Try Don's Marine in Clearwayer Florida or Strike Marine in Ft. Lauderdale. TONS of salvaged parts from the Irma disaster* And more*.


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