T&T: Buyers beware

[Bob Austin]

Some of the hurricane damaged boats are starting to show up in the for sale
section as "Refitted".  The Hartman Palmer 56 I had bid on (Island Girl), was
in the Shipyard in Pensacola for about 8 months--and still not complete when
it was re-launched.  The boat had been sunk, the engines partially pickled and
restarted, but the transmissions still had salt water in them at that time.  I
was told that  further engine work had been done on the boat after launch.
There was already rust on one fuel tank and I was suspicious of its
integrity.

The boat is lying in Florance Alabama currently and for sale at
$489,000--claiming value of $589,000 on survey.  The boat is advertised as
"refitted" and "Low hours and solid history of sea travel".  Nothing is
mentioned about the sinking, salvage, write off at the insurance company and
being sold at salvage auction.  I have informed the broker of this history--I
don't know what Alabama's laws are, but a Florida Broker is susposed to
disclose this type of information if it is known....!  There are hundreds of
boats which have now been repaired--and thousands which are still being worked
on--or being ground up and put in land fills.

Bob Austin