Wanted For Free: Lotsa Project Deals in FL from IAN

[geoleo]

As everyone interested in boats can imagine there will be soon many boats available for sale seemingly cheap due to damage from IAN. most of these boats will require work in a boatyard to make them useable. Do it yourself boatyards (DIY) in Florida hardly exist anymore and the yards that do exist are flooded with work before the Hurricane and charge sky hi. So plan accordingly .

[S/V Illusion]

Vulture culture isn’t something to be displayed.

[markxengineerin]

I don't understand the pushback to these threads about hurricane damage "opportunities". IMO it's a good thing for the market to have buyers, and if it were not for vultures, more wreckage would end up in landfills. What am I missing, what is offensive about being interested in cheap project boats?

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by markxengineerin

I don't understand the pushback to these threads about hurricane damage "opportunities". IMO it's a good thing for the market to have buyers, and if it were not for vultures, more wreckage would end up in landfills. What am I missing, what is offensive about being interested in cheap project boats?

I had the same thought. Knowing the timeline and pathway for damaged boats, salvageable parts, etc. to be sold helps ensure more stuff gets re-used, making less waste. As long as it's not "oh, you were hit by a hurricane, what can you sell me?" kind of vulture activity, I don't see a problem with it.


It's definitely one of those events that makes those of us who have never been involved with damage of that scale wonder "what happens to all of the damaged and salvageable stuff?"

[boatpoker]

I saw it after Katrina and after sandy. Ontario was flooded with hurricane write offs with 40 gallons of new gelcoat on them. Most were lipstick on a pig.
Be very careful if you pursue one of these.

[Rich317]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I had the same thought. Knowing the timeline and pathway for damaged boats, salvageable parts, etc. to be sold helps ensure more stuff gets re-used, making less waste. As long as it's not "oh, you were hit by a hurricane, what can you sell me?" kind of vulture activity, I don't see a problem with it.


It's definitely one of those events that makes those of us who have never been involved with damage of that scale wonder "what happens to all of the damaged and salvageable stuff?"

Can I ask where you might find listing of these salvage boats in the future. I agree with your post and I know that insurance companies are happy to find buyers for these claims to offset their losses. I would rather see someone purchase a boat and repair it than just see it demolished. I only hope that most boat owners were able to escape this terrible hurricane with little to no damage.

[boatpoker]

Can I ask where you might find listing of these salvage boats in the future. I agree with your post and I know that insurance companies are happy to find buyers for these claims to offset their losses. I would rather see someone purchase a boat and repair it than just see it demolished. I only hope that most boat owners were able to escape this terrible hurricane with little to no damage.

https://www.yachtsalvage.com/

https://www.yachtauctions.com/

Beware. Many will be buying these and applying lipstick for resale

[Celestialsailor]

I really don't blame the yards for not allowing DIYer's in a yard. Bobby boat building drags his trash he purchased for a few bucks, hangs out in the yard for a few months wasting everyone's time, then abandons the project, sticking the yard to deal with it.

[Glenn.Brooks]

It’s kind of troubling to see all these lipstick on a pig references. A huge number of boating people have just been slammed with the most severe loss in their life. Many if not most will do everything they can to repair and restore their boats, houses and life. Some will not succeed, but eventually many more will. We ought to be encouraging that.

Having been involved in international disaster response for some years Iam betting the coastal recovery effort will fundamental change every practice the Florida boating industry has developed over the past 30 years. What usually happens in a disaster of this magnitude, is all the old rules and business practices go out the window the first day and get replaced with simple, expedient practices that help people recover.

We also know that nothing ever returns to how it was after a major disaster.

So, wouldn’t be surprised to see an enormous surge in personal/DIY work ethic Re occurring throughout Florida - including new yards being created just for this purpose. Certainly, every boating community in the state will self organize some kind of wide spread, boating related clean up and restoration effort.

One thing is clear, over the next 3 to 6 months, debris removal will be a massive, horrendous effort. FEMA will likely run three or four marine debris yards across Florida, with crushed boats and materials piled up a hundred feet tall, at every location, before it’s over. I have a photo somewhere of a Katrina debris yard outside of New Orleans with a massive pile of white appliances. The bulldozer at the bottom front of the pile looks like a black dot in the picture.

Hopefully the insurance industry or some boating/yachting association will also step in to organize some kind of regional triage effort to salvage and recycle boats that are restorable.
Likely will be a lot of salvageable boats and equipment available for very reasonable prices. Masts, sails and deck fittings tend to survive storms. That will help everyone and keep a lot of otherwise useful stuff out of the landfill.

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I really don't blame the yards for not allowing DIYer's in a yard. Bobby boat building drags his trash he purchased for a few bucks, hangs out in the yard for a few months wasting everyone's time, then abandons the project, sticking the yard to deal with it.

yes .. unfortunate. the fiberglass hulls never really die like wood. in essence they can almost last forever

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Glenn.Brooks

It’s kind of troubling to see all these lipstick on a pig references.

I speak from my own experience, yours may be different.
This article references what I saw after Katrina and Sandy. I fully expect to see the same within a few months of Ian.
Hurricane Sandy and the Used Boat Market

[Glenn.Brooks]

Thanks for posting. Very good article.

[Phyrcooler]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Vulture culture isn’t something to be displayed.

I was surprised when this thread title popped up. After reading the actual post, it appears well intentioned. I don’t have an issue with the actual post or subsequent discussion.

However the way the topic was phrased, with an emoji with a sh!t eating grin leading off is tasteless to say the least. The waters haven’t fully receded, many people are missing, and hundreds of boat owners are sick at the loss of their pride and joy. I am sure that many of those boat owners are also forum members. Too soon to try to inject humor into this tragic situation.
JMHO

[MicHughV]

no different than going to a car junkyard to look for some or other part to rebuild, fix or repair your vehicle.

[4arch]

The ethics of doing so may be questionable, but probably the best way to get any kind of great deal would be to drive around to marinas at ground zero and track down the owners of boats that suffered little to no damage. Some may be tempted to offload them in the face of what’s bound to be long effort to rebuild marinas and waterfront infrastructure, soaring insurance rates, and perhaps a need for a cash infusion to repair/replace their other assets. Moving a boat purchased under these conditions to a secure, intact marina outside of the strike zone would be key to avoiding vandalism. The window of opportunity to do this is likely closing very fast as vultures will be swooping in stripping boats of salvageable items and electronics. A lot of boats that survived the initial storm will unfortunately be totaled through rainwater intrusion, mold, and vandalism.