Best Resale in Oz

[Budawang]

Does anyone out there have an idea what boat model/year would have the best resale value in Australia if purchased in Europe or North America? I'm interested in buying something in the $90,000 to $150,000 (US dollars) range and taking a few months (or possibly even two or three years) to sail it back across the pond.

I like the idea of purchasing a bluewater cruiser (Tayana 42, Bristol 41, Valiant 40 etc), but I'm not convinced they have the best resale differential in Oz. What about a Fontaine Pajot 38 (90s vintage)? A lightly laden cat would have the added advantage of eating up the miles in the trade winds.

[Sabbatical II]

Having just sold a 29' yacht with a large broker in Australia, I found that the only yachts actually selling (there would be exceptions,of course) are those whose owners are prepared to take about about 60 -70% of the advertised price, which is what they were worth about 4 years ago. The owners not prepared to drop their price to this level still have their boats. The advertised prices of yachts in America looks very appealing and they might be great value if you intend to keep them, but I would not be buying any boat for resale in Australia.

Greg

[Johnathon123]

Modern production boats are a dime a dozen. Cats are rare but the market is smaller.

Prices in OZ are massively inflated. But like has been said nothing is moving.

Look at it this way - you won't make money but you might get a free holiday for a few months or years depending on your plans.

[Budawang]

That's exactly my intention. I'm not interested in doing this as a money-making venture, but to use the boat to visit some amazing places along the way and experience the cruising lifestyle. If I could offset some of the cost by selling her for more than I paid, then that would be great.

It seems to me, there are real bargains in Europe for Beneteaus at the moment. I'd like opinions on those boats which would make the best financial sense for the venture. Cats seem surprisingly rare in Australia, considering Queensland is ideal for them. The locally-made Seawinds may be great quality but are very expensive.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Budawang

That's exactly my intention. I'm not interested in doing this as a money-making venture, but to use the boat to visit some amazing places along the way and experience the cruising lifestyle. If I could offset some of the cost by selling her for more than I paid, then that would be great.

It seems to me, there are real bargains in Europe for Beneteaus at the moment. I'd like opinions on those boats which would make the best financial sense for the venture. Cats seem surprisingly rare in Australia, considering Queensland is ideal for them. The locally-made Seawinds may be great quality but are very expensive.

Seeing as 98% of folks on here have no idea about the OZ market maybe you should ask the OZ brokers whats most in demand and take it from there...
Speculation on here is just that... do some research in OZ then ask us re your results... then we can help and advise... but the way it stands right now..
We've no more of a clue than you....
Unless your just looking to waffle... we can do that...

[Dragon Lady]

You're absolutly spot on, about cats in Australia.
I don't believe the cat market is as bad as people are saying, though I must admit I have a vested interest as a cat owner.
A lot of people have bought boats pre GFC and pre our current exchange rate so their boats owe them a lot of money and if they don't have to sell them who can blame them for hanging onto them and not dropping their prices.
Your budget is achievable but limited for a cat, you will not find many if any boats coming out of charter for that money.
So you will probably be looking at older well cared for boats that are about 10 plus years old.
I would look at FP Athena 38s or Laggon 37s or 42s,all good boats which should sell easily in Australia as there are not many of them here.
Whilst Beneteaus are not a dime a dozen here there are plenty of them and I don't believe you will get as much capital gain from them as a cat.
Because monos are easier to transport on a cargo ship their prices don't rise as much between the European/US markets and the Australian market.
What ever you get make sure it is a known production boat that people will have confidence in buying, this will give you the best return on your money.

[ozskipper]

Beneteau, jeaneau, hunter, catalina, hanse, Farr- Basically the ones that have been sold in some volume here.

The ones you mention arent well known here and would have a lower resale as a result.

To sell it here you will need to pay import duty if Euro made (duty free-if US made) plus GST of 10% to successfully "import" the boat.
Have a look at www.boatpoint.com.au its the main online buy/sell site here. Also www.yachtandboat.com.au which would be secondary. But it wil give you an indication of popularity of models here as well as a guide to the current inflated price points.

The govt may also charge GST on Delivery costs. Even if you bring it yourself, the clever people in the govt think that a tax should be paid on the delivery costs.

[ozskipper]

Cats? 90% of them seem to be in QLD. There are a few on sydney harbour and other bays but QLD is where the market for these seems to be.

[Dragon Lady]

Factor should have a good idea what boats are in demand.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Seeing as 98% of folks on here have no idea about the OZ market maybe you should ask the OZ brokers whats most in demand and take it from there...
Speculation on here is just that... do some research in OZ then ask us re your results... then we can help and advise... but the way it stands right now..
We've no more of a clue than you....
Unless your just looking to waffle... we can do that...

Good advice...
I asked a big brokerage mob that very question about a year ago, and the answer was not just a brand name, but particular models within the brands. Not in any particular preference order, the list was...
Catalina 380,
Beneteau 473 and 411
Jeneau 455
Island Packet 42 and 45.
The brokerage was David Bray in Sydney.
So there you go, just go pick one off the shelf
Of course I'm ignoring all their advice because I'm an idiot, and I'm going for a heavy displacement, comfortable livaboard.
Good luck.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Budawang

That's exactly my intention. I'm not interested in doing this as a money-making venture, but to use the boat to visit some amazing places along the way and experience the cruising lifestyle. If I could offset some of the cost by selling her for more than I paid, then that would be great.

It seems to me, there are real bargains in Europe for Beneteaus at the moment. I'd like opinions on those boats which would make the best financial sense for the venture. Cats seem surprisingly rare in Australia, considering Queensland is ideal for them. The locally-made Seawinds may be great quality but are very expensive.

MarkJ's the man (Aussie) to ask about Beneteaus and blue water.... though I think you'll find better deals in the Caribbean... and save 4-5K odd miles in the process...
BVI Yacht Sales Ltd.&

[Dragon Lady]

Hmmm, when doing my two years of reaseach before I bought a boat to bring back to Australia the only people telling me not to do it were brokers who wanted to sell me what they had here.
True David Bray does know the market here well for monos but sells few cats.
Again a cat is the way to go for this project

[Budawang]

Thanks for all the fantastic advice. It makes sense that the best sellers will be those "big name" brands that are well known here.

I read elsewhere that you will only be charged GST on the delivery costs from your last overseas port, which might only be a couple of hundred bucks of provisioning in Noumea.

This FP 38 looks sweet: http://au.yachtworld.com/core/listin...g_id=76197&url=

Am I right in thinking you could get 200 mile days out of boat like that in following trade winds? 40 days or less from Panama to Sydney non-stop (not that I'd want to do it non-stop)?

[Budawang]

Originally Posted by Johnathon123

Modern production boats are a dime a dozen. Cats are rare but the market is smaller.

Prices in OZ are massively inflated. But like has been said nothing is moving.

Look at it this way - you won't make money but you might get a free holiday for a few months or years depending on your plans.

Hey, I like the sound of "free holiday".

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Dragon Lady

Hmmm, when doing my two years of reaseach before I bought a boat to bring back to Australia the only people telling me not to do it were brokers who wanted to sell me what they had here.
True David Bray does know the market here well for monos but sells few cats.
Again a cat is the way to go for this project

I agree that a cat would probably do the best dollarwise, if you've got enough up front to get a good one. I'm not sure $150,000 to buy and get cruise ready will do it.

Just remembered, the other boat on David Bray's list was the Bavaria 44.