Best sailboat to buy and use for 2 years (and get as much money back as possible)

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by brackebusch

Thanks.

So you suggest older boats with more upgrades over boats coming out of charter?

Given one of the boats you suggest. About how much should I expect to lose? 10% to sell it, plus 20K depreciation? What is a cautious way to look at it. I am not counting that boats in Seattle cost more than boats in the Caribbean - if that comes true - it is a bonus.

I was thinking I 90's boat would require $10,000 of repair. I called a diesel shop and they tossed out that number to replace all the things they could think of. fuel pump, alternator, parts that get salt water on them..(I can't remember exactly - and I am sure they said less than that - I round up so I am not disappointed.)

A trip from Panama Canal to Seattle will cost far more than the premium boats cost in Seattle vs caribean. A new engine for a 90s boat would cost 15-20000 easy. I recently renovated a 1988 43 sailboat and it cost 65000 and nothing for the engine! Ongoing costs of Insurance- dockage - bottom cleaning + Bottom painting +++++++++++++++++++++etcetcetcetcetcetc Just before I finally sold it the damn windvane(Raymarine) went out---cost 150 to discover the problem, 380 for the part, and 250 for a rigger to install it. that's $780 for a simple damn thing but boat would be hard to sell or use without it working. If you want a blue water active sailboat of capability and safety its going to cost both money and work and management skills plus continuing dedication. BET ON IT!!!

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

I was interested in a similar question when I did a short cruise. Like picklesandjesse, I figured it was better to have an idea of the max you could lose. So, I too bought a small inexpensive boat and then just sold it for less than I bought it (sold within two weeks of making the decision to sell). With that approach, the most you can lose is everything you invested, and you have total control of that amount.

However, that limits you to older, smaller monos. If you want something nicer, you've got to take the risk at resale. Somewhat paradoxically, I would argue that you may not want a boat that has a large, used market, like a Catalina XX. There are so many years of inventory that a potential buyer can always find a cheaper one and try to beat the price up or just buy the cheaper boat. Instead, I would be looking at a multihull where used boats are harder to come by. Older Fboats in particular seem to have very sticky prices on the used market, and if you go for an F31 or slightly larger (Condor 36), location isn't necessarily a constraint, as they can be ground shipped.

Those boats are hard to dock and have very little livable room.

[Glenn.Brooks]

There is one boat in the world right now for sale that meets probably all your criteria. Search the boat for sale listings on this forum for a Rhodes Switsure 34’ sloop, for sale in Ny state. The owner is asking $6500 and it appears to be in very good condition.

For a first boat, this would be like finding the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Or, more suciently, the buy of a lifetime.

I wouldn’t touch a Fat tub of a charter boat with a 10’ pole. Unless you are looking for a floating weekend gin palace, that requires several crew to operate. You would be better served focusing on a proper sea kindly hull, strong equipment list, decent Diesel engine, proper rigging, and good sails. And something that won’t bust your budget. Something you can learn to singlehandly sail and maintain yourself.

Fair winds!

Glenn

[dcstrng]

Always kinda chuckle when i see these threads -- good questions, economically at least, but nearly impossible to forecast as every vessel/situation is different. But the humor I see is when folks start calling recreational expenditures "loses..." hmmmm... maybe need a different recreation. Someone on this forum says something like; we shouldn't invest more than we can lose -- seems quite cogent to me.

[wallythacker]

Originally Posted by brackebusch

Thanks for taking time to reply.

My real question is about budgeting for it. What is the best boat to buy and lose as little as possible when I sell it?

Buy one of the many boats out there that appreciate on an annual basis. Here, I'll start off the list and others can add to it.

.


You're asking how long a piece of string is.

[picklesandjesse]

[QUOTE=wallythacker;2669875]Buy one of the many boats out there that appreciate on an annual basis. Here, I'll start off the list and others can add to it.

.




I just added this one!!! Red ones are appreciating like crazy.

[john61ct]

OK, as you have found, the key to getting relevant answers is

1. asking the right question

in this case a major flaw is you did not provide a bracketed range of the capital "investment" you're willing to risk, nor even the most basic parameters of the desired boat

2. providing enough evidence of your bona fides so the peanut gallery here will think you've thought things through and "deserve" their addressing your specific question rather than all the other contextual issues you failed to address

I believe you can't at this point do that.

______
But here's a link to help you continue researching your dream, noob to noob:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site...+oyster+resale

The high risk of losing say half a mil, may cause you to decide to just get an old cheap $50K boat, and cross your fingers about getting anything back.

Figure 10-20K p.a. as "running costs" for those initial years, if you were to continue owning here, those would likely decline, but not by much if your goal is keeping her in Bristol condition to try to get a decent selling price.

All these numbers being WAGs.

If you can't afford to risk even that, find another dream.

[hamburking]

[QUOTE=picklesandjesse;2670028]

Originally Posted by wallythacker

Buy one of the many boats out there that appreciate on an annual basis. Here, I'll start off the list and others can add to it.

.




I just added this one!!! Red ones are appreciating like crazy.

You actually CAN sell a boat for more than you paid, by improving its condition. However, cruising on the boat usually has the opposite effect.

You can also change the value of a boat by changing its location. Think of it as buying a toboggan at the top of a hill, or at the bottom of the hill (okay, very canadian analogy). I'm convinced that sailboats sell for more here in Kingston than other areas of the great lakes, because we have great sailing, and no supply of boats. This has allowed me to buy boats elsewhere (Toronto mostly), bring them home to Kingston, sail them a few years, and sell for more than I paid. But keep in mind, the cost of ownership in most cases has far exceeded the value of the boat.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by john61ct

If you can't afford to risk even that, find another dream.

You make an excellent point about risk. Sailing is all risks, all unknowns. Many people cannot tolerate these unknowns:

- How long does it take to sail from A to B?
Can't say. Depends on the wind, weather, and if my engine starts.

- Will we be there before dark?
I hope so!

- Will the engine start?
Not likely, its older than you are!

- Whats stopping the boat from sinking?
2 hose clamps.

- What holds the keel to the boat?
6 rusty keel bolts, 40 years old each, impossible to inspect. And my prayers.

- How fast does your boat go?
A hundred miles a day, or a thousand miles a week. Often less.

- We are crossing the Atlantic. I need to reserve a plane ticket home from the Caribbean, what date should I book?
.....uhhh....uhhhhh.....uhhhh....!

LOL. Enjoy.

[Larry Florida]

You can sail the Caribbean in a 30 or 35 foot boat easily.

A budget boat For 10-15k is a great way to start 30 ft. If it turns out to be a dud junk it and buy another one. I'm in the 3rd year of this plan. Monthly expenses are $500, mostly mooring and winter storage.

[Macblaze]

I never get you PNW'sters all wanting to go to the BVIs to escape the cold. We left Alberta for the PNW to escape the cold and enjoyed the hell out of it.

If you were willing to stay and enjoy your own back yard I bet you could buy a good boat, sail her for two years and get back your purchase price. There would be money spent in between time but life costs...I wouldn't count it and 2 years of sailing has to be worth something.

Anyway, the answer to your "which boat" question is really regional. We bought a "turn key" mid 2000s production boat and based on current listings I am pretty sure it would sell for close to what we paid 3 years ago. But charter boats in the Caribbean are pretty bare bones and I think the needed upgrades would really eat into any hope of getting back your initial investment.

But if you got the time and money then the whole "bring it back to Seattle" isn't the worst idea. Others have done — I figure you just have to be realistic about what kind of sailing you are getting yourself into.

Anyway, consider just staying and soaking up all the west coast has to offer