Hello all, long time since I've been active on here, but I have an issue. I just recieved a call from a gentleman in Equador about my Prindle 19 for sale. Now I know all about internet classified scams, and i have never been called by a person and talked to them personally and had it be a scam before. Anyhow, this gentleman is very interested in the boat, and is trying to organize shipping and what-not through his company. My question is, if I were to proceed with this deal, what is the safest way to transfer money from overseas?? Is there a safe way? I kinda need to sell the boat, so I don't want to miss the oportunity, but I'm leary o fthis anyway.

Thanks for your ideas

Also anyone closer to Cali interseted in a very nice prindle 19? (I purchased an add from Rick on this site, it just hasn't been published yet)

Do a wire tranfer into a escrow account so both you and the buyer are protected. Once the escrow people have confirmed that the funds are for real, you can move forward with shipping the boat.

Shipping will be real expensive. You'll be billed for the volume, not the weight. The more the boat can be broken down the cheaper it'll be.

Find a Buyer in the US that you can see face to face. There is too much crap going on to trust an overseas buyer.
This is just my opinion, your mileage may vary!

Why are you selling? (P.S. sounds like a scam - are there no other catamarans in Equador?)

Run like the wind! This sounds fishy....Stay away my friend --- I would.

There are great reasons for someone overseas to look for a used cat in the States. It's easy to find the type of boat you want, and prices can be a lot lower than in a small country, where the choice is limited. I seriously considered getting a used I20 and shipping it to Israel, and It still would have come out less than purchasing one of the very few good used ones available here. Dropped the matter mosty because we are now looking at buying a new boat...
As for making sure it's not a scam, a nice conversation on the phone should be enough to convince you he's a real cat sailor, seriously looking for your type of boat, which reduces the risk to what it normally is with most other buyers. After that normal caution should be enough

I'd use Paypal for overseas transactions, however, anyone searching outside their local area for a boat like this is suspect. The cost of shipping will probably be more than the boat is worth, not to mention the logistics headache of breaking down and properly packing the boat for shipping. You'll be forced to share space in a 40-foot container and a logistics company will charge you dearly because of the irregular shape that will take up lots of space.

Don't do it. Wait for an easier deal.

Jake, I'm selling because I moved, the boat has been stored without even being touched for 6 months, and I don't see it getting out anytime soon. I can still borrow from a freind when i visit San Luis obispo, and I can still crew beachcats in Ventura, and I will have another someday, but I have no place to keep it, (currently hours away at my inlaws house) and I'm not ready to fork out $700 a year to store it. Like I said someday I'll ahve another boat, by then maybe there will be q couple used models of that new Nacra F18 boat, hehehehehhe. Anyhow, I'd rather the boat get used instead of sit at my inlaws.

I'm really hoping for someone I can meet in person. from what the guy said he and his dad own a company that should be easily validated with a websearch, so I plan to do that kind of thing this weekend. I'll probably pass on this cause it'll probably end up being a pain in the butt for me, even if it is on the up and up.

Thanks for your advic

I have used Pay Pal on Ebay and when transaction proved to be fake they got my money back to me in a few dasys. That is the only wat I would do it.

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
Soon to be Nacra A2
www.tcdyc.com

Ebay recommends using ESCROW.COM You would have him put the money in an escrow account until all the terms are met. You could ask for a non-refundable deposit to seal it.

If his company is the shipping company find out if you just drop the boat off at the container and they do the rest. When you drop the boat off may be the time you get the escrow money.

This is not an easy solution but then you are trying to be an exporter of sorts.

Later,
Dan

If all else fails ask for an American Express money order to be sent to you - via FedEx. Once recieved you can call Amex direct and verify that it is legit or take it to a local Amex Offce for redemption. Let them know you are not releasing ownership until funds are cleared.

I sold some stuff to a guy in Chile a while back and this is how we completed the transaction - went very smooth.

Scams can start anywhere, but the only serial production beach cat built in S.America nowadays is the Hobie 16 made in S.Paulo, Brasil. Freight form California to Equador is cheaper than shipping from S.Paulo (land), so the deal makes sense.

As already recommended, a wire transfer to an escrow account is an apropriate solution.

A letter of credit from a bank is ideal, but the cost and paperwork are heavy.

Chances are that a genuine beach cat buyer in Equador is associated to a Yacht Club, has very good or excellent education and the capacity to provide banking (or other) commercial references. A Yacht Club reference is very easy to verify. Also, some US banks have branches in Equador.

You mentioned that he has a company. If his company does business in the US, he may be able to have it handle the deal with you, pay, receive the boat and arrange freight to Equador. This would make the deal domestic, greatly reducing risks for both sides.

All the best,

I live in the UK and advertised my Dart on the Dart UK website... then I got a strange sounding phone call from a foreign chap, followed by an email who's address didn't match the caller's info. I took it with a pinch of salt, but finally established that I was dealing with a co-owner of the soon-to-be importer in Portugal. I was somewhat wary - not least because Portugal and the UK have two countries and the English Channel between them! I was then able to verify his details by a web search and email to a mutual contact. We met in the UK, where he'd come to collect 4 or 5 boats in a single trip. He paid cash. Moral -by all means be suspiscious, but it could well be genuine. I would insist on some form of references, and Payment through Paypal would definately be one option.

Good luck,
Simon