This listed item deserves comment to protect the novice or eager buyer from getting in trouble. A few details have been changed but the point of this blog remains valid. Men like big toys and this big toy is a 15 ton self propelled barge boat, 34 feet long and 12 feet wide with a 54 inch draft. The over all height on an over the road trailer is in excess of 14 feet. It sits on a low boy that is not included in the sale. The buyer has two weeks to remove the vessel from its current location . It is listed by a government agency as surplus property in poor condition with the usual as is where is admonition, call for information etc. Good enough, right?

Looking at the pictures, this would make a great toy and there are no bids at a starting price of $3200. Even with peeling paint and dry for 4 years according to the listing, still a good deal, right?

Four days before the listing ends, some one with positive feedback of 1 enters a $3200 bid. The next day in come 5 more bids from 4 different bidders and up goes the price to $6100. I am still watching and decide to go look since I am less than an hour away, on the water with my own launch ramp, pier and plenty of land to store this barge. I get there and find only one person has looked at the vessel. An onsite employee reveals much information about this visitor, obviously a novice who has not thought through the logistics. Questions like how close is the water, nearest marina where can I get a crane, etc.

I don't know everything, but I know this before even looking at the tub. Nearest crane is 48 miles at $250/hour portal to portal. Estimated crane cost to load with 8 hour minimum-$2000. Closest over the road truck to move is 4 hours away at $100/hour portal to portal. Thats $800 just in travel. Time to load and move to closest marina is 6 hours. Route survey is $500 minimum. I rent the escort service for 1/2 day at $400 per vehicle with 3 required. Remember this is an oversize load requiring permits so add another $500 plus $100 per ton for the permits.

Now the marina I prefer is 48 miles from the site. Why not just put the barge in the water and drive it or tow it? Well, deep subject. Get to that soon. To get this load to the marina I prefer, 20 minutes from my house is a 24 hour x $100/hr truck rental and another crane to unload. Blocking fees and marina storage add up to another $500 on day of arrival.

Based on the time frame to move set by the listing agency, I cannot scehdule a local crane beause they are all booked. The seller, a state agency won't budge on removal time, no leeway meaning I have to go to Norfolk or Charleston to get rent a crane, cash only unless you are a regular customer which I am not. First dibs is regul;ar customers and cash or a moving company at $1,000 per hour and they do it all.

Big kick, closest marina does not want the vessel in their yard because "it doesn't fit in with the nice yachts. Others are no go, one with a bridge limit of 6.5 tons and the other has no gantry to launch it. The next closest yard is 35 minutes from my house and more expensive for storage for repairs.

Now to the inspection. I have 3 baggies for paint samples for lead testing. Paint is peeling on the bottom and I see red primer underneath. Lead? Most likely since the vessel is a 1966 vintage. The paint on the deck and pilot house is not bad but sampled anyway. Inside th dog house is different, peeling in sheets and red primer for another sample. During inspection at the ground, I find the prop is seized and has what looks like an old mop head maybe rope wrapped around the shaft. I was told the prop seal was leaking a little. The rudder is frozen. Bottom looks ok, just peeling paint but needs bottom paint bad. Topside I find the helm is free wheeling, busted, no rudder control. Batteries are at least 4 years laid up and diesel engine has not been  started in same time. Pipe insulation looks great so if there is asbestos it is well lagged and covered. The engine bay has its own bilge with 1 inch of thin black oil in it. If there is a lower bilge, I cannot find a way to access it. There is no USCG safety inspection or certification on the vessel. As is where is.

No lines (rope) and need at least 4 25 foot 1 inch lines. No anchor and no fire extinguishers or other safety gear = more $$$. Considering the "small" prop seal leak, oil and dead weight there is NO way I am going to tow this to the river, down the intercoastal and to my home river and creek with my cabin cruiser. This will take at least two boats, 1 fore and 1 aft and maybe a third alongside, 2 men per tow boat and would have to haul out anyway for repair. Way too much risk not to mention cost of insurance to cover environmental damage should anything go wrong.

My cost estimate to relocate and repair this Gem is a minimum of $8,000 with a top of $12,000. There is the math. My concern in the spirit of the ebay community is that an unsuspecting buyer will get stuck with an albatross like this and get hit hard finacially. Not to mention a State Attorney General that WILL take action against a non performing bidder. We ain't just talking Negative feedback folks!  If I were in the business, needed this type of vessel and could use the item in question to make money, I would still look closely at the bottom line. Anyone who does not inspect this especially or any kind of vessel is open for trouble.

I left my paint samples with the rest of the trash on the bridge, no reason to go any further.

What I was hoping for was no bids and then to make an offer to remove the States problem for a fee or a negative bid procedure.

One more killer, vessel draft is 54 inches. At the mouth of my home waters we average 36 inches at best during high tides, excepting hurricane surge.

Good luck to all and I hope this was helpfull.