Why doesn't this beautiful catamaran sell?

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

That is exactly what my boat broker, buyers agent, is telling me. He is a very experienced catamaran guy and wants me to buy the boat cheap. He and I would then sail it to either Oz or the Med and sell for a huge profit.

An alternative I have considered is the Brooklyn Bridge (does that translate to Aussie talk?)

I do think performance oriented one-off cats have a better market here. There are a huge number of very successful home or custom -built cats here, so buyers aren't as wary of them as they seem to be over there.

And our economy didn't tank as badly as yours. However our dollar is now a fair bit lower than it was a couple of years back....

[Red Sky]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

Who is TC?





Now I'm even more confused...

Sorry, TS.

[TacomaSailor]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

I do think performance oriented one-off cats have a better market here. There are a huge number of very successful home or custom -built cats here, so buyers aren't as wary of them as they seem to be over there.

And our economy didn't tank as badly as yours. However our dollar is now a fair bit lower than it was a couple of years back....

We've tried to gain permission to emigrate to Australia (Townsville or the Gold Coast). We wanted to take about 4-years sailing around the Pacific and then on to Oz. I wrote several detailed letters to the authorities in Oz saying:

- we are retired professional people with graduate degrees
- we both receive the maximum possible US social security and will continue to do so in Australia
- we will purchase a very expensive Australian home
- we can document a guaranteed six-figure annual income
- we can document substantial assets to provide additional income

The Australian authorities sent me a form letter that basically said

"We do not want any American Deadbeats moving to Australia"

??

Maybe we'll sail to Italy or Turkey

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

The Australian authorities sent me a form letter that basically said

"We do not want any American Deadbeats moving to Australia"

??

Maybe we'll sail to Italy or Turkey

Heck can you blame them....look at the mess we have made here....

[TacomaSailor]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Heck can you blame them....look at the mess we have made here....

Yes I can blame them - I want to escape the mess you describe - where else can we go?

My wife and I:

- worked hard
- saved a lot
- did not waste money on vacations or toys
- did not contribute to over population by having children
- led a socially responsible life

So - why can't we move to a "nice" country?

[SV THIRD DAY]

Ya I know....that's the problem isn't it.
Mexico has her problems...but for now until a better option comes up, that's my plan. If I could live like a king on $1400/mo with a family of 4, I can't wait to get back there without the kids.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

We've tried to gain permission to emigrate to Australia (Townsville or the Gold Coast). We wanted to take about 4-years sailing around the Pacific and then on to Oz. I wrote several detailed letters to the authorities in Oz saying:

- we are retired professional people with graduate degrees
- we both receive the maximum possible US social security and will continue to do so in Australia
- we will purchase a very expensive Australian home
- we can document a guaranteed six-figure annual income
- we can document substantial assets to provide additional income

The Australian authorities sent me a form letter that basically said

"We do not want any American Deadbeats moving to Australia"

??

Maybe we'll sail to Italy or Turkey

TS, if you can be satisfied with a form of residency rather than citizenship, there are some alternatives available for folks like you. And FWIW, we've found that coming in face to face with folks in the Immigration Dept often has much better outcomes than correspondence with a nameless functionary. The visa that we enjoy is no longer offered, but there are others with fairly similar benefits and requirements.

We think it was worth the trouble that we went through... an excellent place to live, cruise and grow older.

Jim

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

We've tried to gain permission to emigrate to Australia (Townsville or the Gold Coast). We wanted to take about 4-years sailing around the Pacific and then on to Oz. I wrote several detailed letters to the authorities in Oz saying:

- we are retired professional people with graduate degrees
- we both receive the maximum possible US social security and will continue to do so in Australia
- we will purchase a very expensive Australian home
- we can document a guaranteed six-figure annual income
- we can document substantial assets to provide additional income

The Australian authorities sent me a form letter that basically said

"We do not want any American Deadbeats moving to Australia"

??

Maybe we'll sail to Italy or Turkey

I wasn't suggesting you emigrate! Unfortunately it seems political correctness means Australian migration rules seem to favour those who do not speak English. Someone obviously thinks this is a good idea.

But getting a visa and then extending it shouldn't be overly difficult I would have thought. If you gained citizenship you'd have to import the boat too.

[cwjohm]

Yes, this myth of boats being sold in Australia for a profit has kicked around for a while. Unfortunately, it does not accord with the facts.

Many is the time I have heard o/s entrants here in Mooloolaba claim that they were told this only to find they have to take a haircut in selling here or they move on through SE Asia. I have looked at this closely and when you allow for import costs gst and s/d up until a year ago there was really no appreciable difference.

This has really been beyond doubt in the last year when the $A has depreciated over 20% against the $U. Australians still want to pay the same price in $A and this translates to a significant drop in $U.

As to immigration just like the USA the government is mostly interested in those who are of working age and skilled, and thereby contribute to the economy long term.

I would think any retiree Australian wanting to emigrate to the USA would also be knocked back.

[Zven]

Getting a bit off topic here, but..
There are countries which specialize in, and welcome retirees. Costa Rica for example, or the Philippines. Probably many more.
S.

[TacomaSailor]

WAY off topic but...

"Costa Rica for example, or the Philippines. Probably many more."

Hot and Sweaty!

... and now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

[TacomaSailor]

"As to immigration just like the USA the government is mostly interested in those who are of working age and skilled, and thereby contribute to the economy long term."

We would make a mighty contribution for many years to the local economy

- breweries would prosper with my new and constant patronage
- medical community would become wealthy taking care of my knees and heart and my wife's hand and shoulder
- Gourmet kitchen products, foods, spices, would see a huge upsurge in sales as my wife adapts to an entirely new cooking environment
- Bicycle shops would need to order a lot of new inventory to keep up with our constant upgrading

We may not be able to offer anything useful to Australia but we do know how to spend money!

[socaldmax]

Well, you've been given excellent advice, and I can't think of anything else useful to add, so I'll exit with well wishes that you do buy it and enjoy the heck out if it.

I loved the pics of the boat, looks beautiful and very spacious, plus it will probably sail every bit as well as you'd expect.

Time to make an offer and do some negotiating! I'm sure he's a smart guy and realizes the longer he hangs onto it, the lower it's market value is and the more he's thrown away in slip and cleaning fees. Good luck!

[sirkus]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

That is exactly what my boat broker, buyers agent, is telling me. He is a very experienced catamaran guy and wants me to buy the boat cheap. He and I would then sail it to either Oz or the Med and sell for a huge profit.

An alternative I have considered is the Brooklyn Bridge (does that translate to Aussie talk?)

Really?
Don't you know that people looking for custom cats are willing to travel and sail?
That buy in Carib and sell in AUS don't work anymore. I have been working in St.Maarten where all these "smart people" buy boats and goes to AUS to sell. I tell you; Its not like that anymore.

[beauris]

in a world where you can have the price of any boat available through the Internet ( yachtworld or boat.com and many others) prices tend to average themselves the only real variable is the human local factor ie to talk the price down

btw for retiree there is a 0% taxe income in portugal for a period of 10 years...just thought it might interest you tacomasailor