Easiest >40' Ex Charter Cat To Sell In Australia?

[jgw50]

Looking to buy a boat in the Med or Caribbean and end in Australia. For this conversation I'm not necessarily interested in what boat is best, just what is easy to sell in Aus.

These would obviously be general thoughts and opinions. Just looking for a conversation so I can learn a little.

I'll save the importing, exchange rate, cat vs. mono, ex charter boats are evil debate for another thread.

Things I consider are:
Brand: What brands have the most demand, or reasonable demand with lower supply?
Size: What size range is most popular, easiest to sell? I would prefer a 44-47 foot boat, but would go smaller if smaller was easier to sell on the back end.
Cost: Also related to size, but what cost range is most popular to sell?
Age: would an older cheaper boat be easier to sell than a newer more expensive one?
Condition: Are people in Aus more likely to overlook imperfections with a tradeoff in cost, or would a boat in better condition that cost more be easier to sell?

Anything else I'm missing?

[Factor]

#$350 k Australian is about the maximum sell price, and more likely $299K. So after you pay GST and duty etc etc costs to get there and home and so on, you are probably looking at max 150K Euro.

Low engine hours and 3 cabin two bathroom versions the most popular.

Plan on getting new standing rigging (about $5K Aus) whether you think it needs it or not, most Insurance Companies in Australia simply will need to see evidence of replacement if its over 7 years or in the case of some brands eg Seawind you might get 12 before they demand it.

Brand not so important except the balsa cored boats are harder to sell.

Try and stay at 13 metre or less, easier to sell in Australia because they are cheaper to park

[jgw50]

Good info, especially on the rigging. I have assumed 10 years was the limit. Is there a price shift per foot at 13 meters?

[Gordon]

We purchased a new He'lia 44 from the factory in 2013, sailed two six month seasons in the Med, sailed the Atlantic to Martinique then another six months cruising the Caribbean,BVI's Bahamas then on up to the Chesapeake Bay. We were unable to resume cruising for the next two years so sold quickly within weeks to a Kiwi couple. The 44-47' size ideal for your intended voyage and an ideal size for resale to either NZ or Ausi buyers.

[jmac9365]

Just out of curiosity how much do that boat cost you and how much did it bring when it sold

[jgw50]

That is a good real data point in the Helia. Thanks. Does anyone know if lagoon, vs Fountaine Pajot, vs leopard, vs Nautitech would be more in demand in Aus or NZ?

[Factor]

Originally Posted by jgw50

That is a good real data point in the Helia. Thanks. Does anyone know if lagoon, vs Fountaine Pajot, vs leopard, vs Nautitech would be more in demand in Aus or NZ?

All of those brands are much of a muchness as far as the market is concerned (settle down fan boys I am not saying they are all the same, just the market does tend to not differentiate too much) Nautitech Open series did enter the market in a blaze of performance glory but that has pretty much disappeared as the reality of their performance hits home. The older Nautitechs would be the least attractive in the market (again not saying that there isn anything wrong with them just that they would be least attractive in the market).

What will matter more to that sort of buyer is general presentation, amount of extras, crap like air con etc, rather than a particular brand.

[knockabout]

they are all easy to sell if the price is right assuming they have been maintained appropriately and all paper work is in order / if you don't want to sell it straight away put it into charter in the whitsundays.


take care leaving straight away there appears to be a cyclone raging outside of Vanuatu or there abouts

[StuM]

Originally Posted by knockabout

they are all easy to sell if the price is right assuming they have been maintained appropriately and all paper work is in order / if you don't want to sell it straight away put it into charter in the whitsundays.

Good luck with getting an imported used cat into survey for charter in Aus

[CapnBazza]

Imported cat, not built to survey, a few years old put into charter in the Whitsundays? Charter companies probably not interested, getting it in survey hard and then you need a permit. If I had the money, I would buy a Leopard with the forward cockpit because that would be perfect in the Whitsunday climate.

[PaulinOz]

Quote:"Good luck with getting an imported used cat into survey for charter in Aus "

It is doable but will cost.

If you went down that route you would be best with a less than 4 year old Production boat from any of the brands mentioned, with galley up, 4 x beds and 4 x heads.


I agree with Gordon "The 44-47' size ideal for your intended voyage and an ideal size for resale to either NZ or Ausi buyers."

There are less of this size sold new in Australia, so they are rarer on the used boat market. Keep to production, owners versions with galley up, would be my recommendation. If looking for a private buyer and not going down the charter road.

Spend some time with Mr Google its not hard to get a sense of what there are a lot of for sale and what is less commonly available in the Australian Market.

If you are talking a Production style boat that has more second hand units available for sale then it becomes more a price based sale. If you have the desirable characteristics and only a few available in the country then you will realize a better sale price. If and it's a big if you get the right boat, into the right country at the right time.

You can sell practically anything at the right price, but although it might be the right price for the buyer, not necessarily so for the seller.

Whatever you end up with I hope you enjoy the journey and make sure you leave some time at the end of the voyage to cruise the Australian Coast before selling. Some do not and miss out on some of the best cruising and cruisers in the world. (maybe I am just a bit biased I guess)

[Factor]

Originally Posted by PaulinOz

Quote:"Good luck with getting an imported used cat into survey for charter in Aus "

It is doable but will cost. :

With the changes to AMSA processes doable is becoming exceedingly unlikely

[Gordon]

We recovered cost plus on our He'lia as we purchased at the 80Euro cents to our Ausi $ and sold at 65€ cents to the $. Boat sold in Euro. Initial purchase cost was in the vicinity of 400,000€ and sold at same. No tax paid is the advantage of factory purchase. It was purchased in 2012 picked up in Spring of 2013. Hull # 13.

[PaulinOz]

Originally Posted by Factor

With the changes to AMSA processes doable is becoming exceedingly unlikely

Are they making it so only a new "built to survey" yacht will comply or can you still put a new imported yacht into survey, once landed. (IE: retro fitting required systems etc)

[grahamb]

The Perry 43 is an Australian made catamaran.......superb......great reputation....sell readily.....some went overseas....

If there is a thought of chartering in Australia the new boats are always preferred .... once say 3 years old the demand falls away.....cost of putting a boat into survey do not bear thinking about.

Previous posts on rigging replacement are spot on.