Rescuing an Un-surveyed Maxi 1000: From a £15k Engine Bill to a New Home

A Hard Lesson in Boat Buying: Rescuing an Un-surveyed Maxi 1000

We’ve seen it all at Boatbreakers, but every now and then, a tale lands on our desk that serves as the ultimate cautionary tale for prospective boat buyers.

Enter a Maxi 1000 yacht. The owner had just purchased her, skipping a pre-purchase survey in the excitement of the buy. It didn’t take long for reality to bite. Realising the boat simply wasn’t for him, he decided to put her back on the market. But when she was finally lifted out of the water for inspection, a Pandora’s box of mechanical issues presented themselves.

Repair Costs

The engine and saildrive needed major, comprehensive work. Faced with an eye-watering £15,000 repair bill just to get her running, on a boat he planned to sell for around GBP 20,000, the sums simply didn’t add up. Realising he was in too deep, he made the smart call and reached out to us.

Our solution? We agreed to take the boat off his hands to sell on as a cheap, viable project for someone willing to put in the elbow grease. Of course, getting her out wasn’t straightforward. It took some delicate coordination to have the mast safely lowered before hoisting the yacht onto specialist transport, moving her away for secure storage while we set about finding her a new home.

Network Delivered

Thankfully, our network delivered. It wasn’t long before we lined up the ideal buyer. Someone who happened to have a spare engine sitting in their garage and was actively hunting for a quality hull to put it into.

Bought without a survey and facing heavy losses, this Maxi 1000’s story could have ended in scrap. Instead, thanks to a quick call to Boatbreakers, she avoided the breaker’s yard and is ready to sail again.

Get in Touch

Thinking of buying a project, or stuck with a boat that’s too big of a job? Get in touch with the Boatbreakers team today to see how we can help.