What to look out for if buying 2nd hand

I recently purchased a second hand Epic V10 Sport from an experienced paddler in Cape Town that I knew to be honest and forthright in his dealings. My experience of this transaction has prompted me to post this as a guide to anyone who may be considering buying on the second hand market.

To summarise, I responded to an advert on surfski.co.za for an Epic V10 Sport for R5500 which I felt was a fair price for a very good boat. On contacting the seller I collected the ski and had the opportunity to take it for a spin on the Waterfront Canals to test for fit. I was suitably impressed with the boat and so I transferred the full asking price and took ownership. Following the purchase I had one ocean paddle and one lagoon paddle before causing some minor damage to the rudder assembly that required me to take the boat through to Knysna Racing Kayaks for repair. The team did a fantastic job fixing the rudder but also pointed out to me that the honeycomb construction material used in the boat was beginning to delaminate from the seat, back to the rudder. In effect their opinion was that this was a materials and construction fault and that the ski would not last another six months.

I immediately called the seller and explained the situation and was very relieved when he sounded shocked and promised to take it back when I returned to Cape Town…. And this is where it all started to fall apart. When I met the seller with the intention of returning the boat with compensation for the damage I had caused (and had repaired) it transpired that he was unwilling to take the Epic back and providing me with a refund. Instead he assured me that the damage was minor and that he had had the boat checked when he owned it. With this in mind, and with a willingness to resolve the matter amicably, I agreed at the time to his offer of a 50% refund on the boat, taking his assurances that I would be able to resolve the issues at face value, however, immediately after our discussion I took the boat for a second professional inspection where I discovered that the following needed to be repaired (excerpt from repair quote):

• Repair stringer & re-attach to hull
• 2 x 2m de-lamination port & starboard
• 1 x mid-ships crack repair
• 1 aft coat spot
• Repair opened deck 2m x2 (port and starboard)

A significant amount of work which would cost me an estimate R3150! I once again contacted the seller and requested that he refund me the full amount but he refused, falling back on our agreement of 50% of the purchase price. In effect this leaves me out of pocket by the additional amount, over and above the discount, that I would need to spend to repair the boat, as well as now being the owner of a significantly devalued surf ski.

So what lessons do I take from this experience:

1. Beware the private sale! The National Consumer protection Act only protects the consumer when you purchase your goods from a business. There are numerous provisions within the CPA that would have protected me as a consumer had I purchased the ski from a dealer, however, because I bought from a private individual whose ordinary course of business is NOT selling surfski’s, the act excludes the transaction.
2. Always. Always. Always have the ski checked and rechecked by a professional who knows what to look out for when assessing the quality of the craft. Do this before you take it on the water
3. If you can’t get a professional to have a look, there are some basic things you can do yourself, like firmly pushing on the entire length of the boat, top and bottom, looking for any “soft spots” – these are an indication of interior damage
4. A penny saved buying from a “trusted” source may end up costing you a lot more in the long run
5. Don’t rush to buy – if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is
6. Never agree to a lower price for a surf ski once you have noticed that it is damaged until you have had a chance to fully evaluate the extent of the problems with the assistance of a professional boat builder that knows what to look for (refer to point 2)
7. It pains me to say this but Trust No One!

It is an reality that extreme caution must be taken when dealing in the second hand, private sale, market. I can only recommend to anyone wanting to buy a ski that they opt to go to a reputable dealer. This will have the effect of driving up prices (dealers have overheads) and making the sport even more difficult to get into, but it is a far safer bet then buying someone else’s ski and then having no recourse to getting the matter resolved when damage is discovered.

Oh, and if you’ve got a ski to sell - if possible have it repaired before putting it on the market – or at least have your ski checked and be honest about the condition from the outset – it’ll benefit everyone in the long run…

[email protected] wrote:
Oh, and if you’ve got a ski to sell - do everyone a favour and have it repaired before putting it on the market – or at least have your ski checked and be honest about the condition from the outset – it’ll benefit everyone in the long run…

Sad to hear if your predicament, but to me it sounds like the seller hasnt done anything wrong if it's a previously undiagnosed manufacturing defect. I think you have had a pretty reasonable result if the seller has offered a 50% refund!

Buyer beware is the old catch cry when buying used, that's why you get things so much cheaper, you are taking on the risk of an older boat.

I doubt we are all going to run out and get boats checked before selling them but I agree it's a good suggestion to get someone who knows about boats to check a boat before buying. Perhaps get an experienced mate to tag along when demoing the ski.

I sold a ski with a repair and told the buyer who was happy as he knew the repairer ( walter chulupski) and knew he did good work, ocean ski paddling is a small community and I reckon most people try to do the right thing by thier fellow man BUT, these boats are fragile and once they have left your care you have no idea what they may be subjected to (dropped, tie down straps, etc)

Hi AR_Convert,

You are absolutely correct - when dealing in the second hand market the buyer does indeed need to beware. My post is really my way of kicking myself in the ass for not doing the necessary due diligence on the ski before taking ownership. I have to assume that the seller was unaware of the issues with the boat and was acting in good faith. If the opposite is true and he was trying to dump a broken ski onto the market then that is something he will have to live with.

I suppose my suggestion that sellers check their boats is a bit optimistic, as you rightly point out, but I strongly advocate that all buyers spend as bit of time and energy to get their boats properly checked out - although it isn't always easily done - sellers are often unwilling to let a stranger take the boat away to have it checked. Perhaps an alternatiove sugegstion would be to arrange two viewings, one on the water to test the boat and one at a repair shop to have it checked.