Going...Going...Gone

Should you buy a boat at government auction?

By Daniel W. Long

Also, to buy the boat you must have your money matters prearranged. "The government won't finance your boat," stresses Bartlett. (All the proceeds from government auctions go into forfeiture funds that funnel money back to law enforcement and crime victims.) The biggest downside? No warranties. If the boat is defective, the government won't take it back.

But all things considered, you could get the deal of a lifetime. Shimon Swissa is happy with his first foray into government auctions. He was the winning bidder and new owner of One More Time. Says Swissa, "I'm very satisfied with the auction. Everything happens for the best." We wonder if Robert J. Ball would agree.

For auction information, contact EG&G Technical Services at www.treas.gov/auctions/customs; for U.S. Marshal Service auctions, contact Bid4Assets at www.bid4assets.com.