What can I do with 40K?

[sailorcherry]

Originally Posted by KiminAK

I have to agree with TrentePieds. I got my information sitting in the broker's office and seeing the listing price and then the actual selling price of the recently sold boats. The monohulls went for about 50% of asking price.

San Carlos though is known to be one of the best places to get boats for cheap. Many times because they have sat there unattended, with deferred maintainence for years because its so cheap for storage. Just let it sit, don't lower the price, we can afford to wait until she sells in a better, future economy.
And lets not forget hurricane damaged boat discounts there. Plus, the whole because people finish cruising there and wanna cash out asap. Aka where cruising dreams die close-out pricing! Last thing, brokers can manipulate pricing.
Having seen broker numbers up here in SF Bay I can tell you they are not half off in general. No way! Especially if modernized or kept up.

I think that is a very sellers market mentality to go around saying to just offer half. You do that on a boat you really want and tick off the seller with a rude offer do you think you will still get to buy that boat? I have had that attitude and I lost out. I've been on the flipside and flat out denied talking any further at all with the offer half types because it is rude when someone has appropriately priced their vessel and someone offers half. It's a waste of my time too - the most precious thing we have! These types of buyers will usually be rather difficult in the closing process. I learned this truth in the financial indy.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Siberianhusky

Invest it for retirement. That really isn't much money at all by todays standards.

Agree, $50K will disappear in a hurry on a boat...and in the end you will just have a depreciated asset likely worth far less than $50K.

If you buy a good piece of dirt, it can appreciate. For example, I once bought an inexpensive parcel for $30K, sold it 2 years later for $65K. Wash, rinse, repeat....and that $50K could end up as substantially more. Nothing is certain, including real estate, but it is a near certainty you will lose money on a boat.

You dont need to buy a boat to sail, use a little of that money to build up your sailing skills and sailing opportunities will become plentiful. I turn down opportinities to sail, and get paid for it, all the time.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

You mean....buy a state of the art motorised wheel chair.
Wet blanket attitude. Sorry, but don't agree.

Its not a mutually exclusive decision, it just takes a bit more discipline and planning to do both.

I made that plan in my 20's, fired myself at 40 (its good to be the boss), and have been cruising/travelling/adventuring full time for 16 years now. I didnt miss out on those activities before 40 either, I was a sailing instructor/charter captain by the time I was in my 30s. I still invest in real estate to keep the kitty growing.

You can do both.

Of course, in the end each individual has to make their own life decisions.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

As MARK, you know, the Aussie "living on board in US" would say. ******** !!!
Fella, I'm an old old mechanic. I looked at that Volvo picture too. How do you know that only 500 hrs ago that motor wasn't totally overhauled, new crank, new pistons & liners, new t/chain and valves, all done properly...by an expert who for whatever reason didn't paint it ?? Could be like new inside.
By your reckoning if the rocker covers were Volvo Green and gleaming you say..."gee, the motor looks new" ....
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.

Seriously Dude, you're the one talking BS. I didn't mention the way the motor looks although now that you bring it up, who does a complete rebuild on a motor & doesn't paint it? What I said was the motor is very old & it is. If it had undergone a recent rebuild the listing would normally say it so it's doubtful. It should be noted that parts for this motor are hard to find & very expensive.

What's really BS is telling someone who's inexperienced & on a limited budget that they should wire a deposit on a boat they haven't seen & then fly to Hawaii to look at one boat. This is an old boat with an old motor that's clearly been sailed very hard. Cosmetically it doesn't look great in the pics which is not a great sign. Usually boats look worse in person than in pics. Now, it could be that this is the deal of the century & the OP doesn't need to learn anything or know anything, he just needs to take the advice of a few strangers on the internet. However, my advice is to do a lot of research, look at a lot of boats & know what you're doing before you do it.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Wow, all this talk of Albin Vega, you'd think it was the ultimate little cruiser! (...)

It does not have to be a Vega. Albin made a handful of small usable boats. They were not all that great (some were, others not) but they are cheap nowadays.

Vega is considered a cheapo boat in Scandinavia and not meant for long range sailing. But it did get some exposure when a bunch of adventurers used what there was at hand to do some crazy gigs.

I would not use a Vega as one can easily buy a boat that is just as inexpensive and twice as seaworthy.

But if there is a cheap Vega at hand ... you take it, you clean it and you use it. 'What there is' is often the driving factor, not 'what's best'.

I bet in the US there are great choices and easily available. I have seen small Morris boats (e.g. Frances), Vancouvers, Southern Cross, etc. Webb Chiles is a sailing a Moore 24 and he is in the RSA by now (he took off from Cal). No doubt US market is full of small great boats that can be had for dirt cheap money.

b.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

It does not have to be a Vega. Albin made a handful of small usable boats. They were not all that great (some were, others not) but they are cheap nowadays.

Vega is considered a cheapo boat in Scandinavia and not meant for long range sailing. But it did get some exposure when a bunch of adventurers used what there was at hand to do some crazy gigs.

I would not use a Vega as one can easily buy a boat that is just as inexpensive and twice as seaworthy.

But if there is a cheap Vega at hand ... you take it, you clean it and you use it. 'What there is' is often the driving factor, not 'what's best'.

I bet in the US there are great choices and easily available. I have seen small Morris boats (e.g. Frances), Vancouvers, Southern Cross, etc. Webb Chiles is a sailing a Moore 24 and he is in the RSA by now (he took off from Cal). No doubt US market is full of small great boats that can be had for dirt cheap money.

b.

I have to agree. I guess for it's size & cheap price the Albin Vega is OK & they do have a following but you can do a lot better, especially in terms of quality & appearance.

[sailnow2011]

The vega is all about cheap and capable. I myself would have a tayana 37 over them any day of the week.

[first wind]

what could you do with $40k? you could give it to me....