Getting the boat - Inspections, etc....

So we got the boat (Honey, we bought a boat)- what's next...

First schedule a survey. This is were I am going to start and keep on saying, and saying, and saying - our agent is a star!!
With out her, life would have looked much different.
She helped us every step on the way. She recommended the surveyor(s), schedule the time, place etc.
First a place - to haul-out the boat with 21' beam, you need a yard that have a lift for that.
And a yard that have the time open to do the job, when you want to to the job.

 And, it has to be close enough for the seller to bring the boat.
So, about two weeks after we bought the boat, our agent schedule the survey. We book three surveys. One overall surveyor, that look at every part of the boat, including electronics, electrical, standards, engines, fittings, hoses, connections, rigging, structure, fiberglass etc. One surveyor for the ringing and one for the engines. It is not a new boat, and we wanted to be sure that it is in a condition that we can accept.
The survey includes a sea trial too.
It was a long day, that started (before 8 AM) with the boat inspected in the water in the yard, then hauled out for bottom inspection, back into the water for the sea trial.
The sea trial also included detail engines inspection, for different RPM and speed, including all other readings. It was over just after 5 PM.
A few days later we got the 3 reports, and estimates on what it will take to fix issues etc.
We gave an amended offer, and it was accepted...
Wow, now what. We basically bought the and - what do we do next? - We need a marina to place the boat, find a yard to work and fix the issues we need fixing, and .... get an insurance..
I will start with the insurance - it is hard and yes, unbelievable hard to find a reasonably priced insurance for the first year (as we just bought this boat, in Florida).  Insurance companies are not keen to allow sail-boaters like us to stay on the boat. And the price... don't even ask.

 You are asked to provide your sailing resume, experience, history, survey report, etc. They are also requiring a commitment to fix item discovered in the survey, I think they only forgot to ask for my shoe size. 

Long story short - after almost 3 weeks of calling, talking and filling paperwork, we got an insurance, that even-thou was not too (!!) cheep, was good enough in coverage for where we wanted to sail.
Oh yes, the insurance company tells you where you can go, and when to to go.
We learned that there are very few underwriters that will insure boat that do more than just coastal sailing. And very soon, every new insurance agent we called was talking to the same underwriters. It was for us, "go coastal, or go postal"...

By now, everything was lining up for closing day, that means, signing the papers (remotely), paying for the boat, and.... Yes I forgot to mention, the boat was in Punta Gorda, and the Marina we manage to secure and the yard are in St. Petersburg. We had, once we had possession on the boat (i.e. closing day), to move the boat from the seller's place to our place.
We were in Minnesota and the boat was in Florida, and I was still working. Again, our agent came to the rescue and found a captain that can move the boat.

A few days after closing on the boat, the captain took the boat and two days later it was in the yard ready to be pulled out and worked on -  and that will be the next blog..