Free: Opinion on boat market in Thailand/Malaysia

[dralyagmas]

I know this is how long is a piece of string kind of question, but here goes....

We are approaching the back end of a 2-3 year cruise with the family. The intent was always to sell the boat at the end. Our options for location of sale are southern Australia (Adelaide-Perth or somewhere along the way) or Thailand/Malaysia. We are currently in Indonesia and we need to make a decision now as to which way we cruise for the next 6 months.

I think we would get a better price for the boat in Perth but the cruising market is quite small (but cashed up), thailand we would likely get less money but more people... We will likely need to leave the boat on the hard if we chose the thailand option. The less money could be seen as just another expense of our trip.

Both options have appeal, WA is remote, pristine and fish will jump in the boat and the Kimberlies. But miles will be harder and longer (3500 vs 2100 nm) with potentially crossing the bight in September. The other option there is the mentawis and the cheaper cost of living and easy miles... We have kids and we could cruise with other families up to Thailand, but we are not sure whether we would see other boats going south down the west coast of Oz.

So taking all the caveats in the world, what does the hive mind think the average sale time in Asia would be for a 1996 15m Aluminium performance monohull ~220k AUD or is Langkawi/Phuket just where boats go to die?

Should I just list the boat for sale now and see what happens?

[dralyagmas]

Pictures of the boat FYI

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by dralyagmas

I know this is how long is a piece of string kind of question, but here goes....

We are approaching the back end of a 2-3 year cruise with the family. The intent was always to sell the boat at the end. Our options for location of sale are southern Australia (Adelaide-Perth or somewhere along the way) or Thailand/Malaysia. We are currently in Indonesia and we need to make a decision now as to which way we cruise for the next 6 months.

I think we would get a better price for the boat in Perth but the cruising market is quite small (but cashed up), thailand we would likely get less money but more people... We will likely need to leave the boat on the hard if we chose the thailand option. The less money could be seen as just another expense of our trip.

Both options have appeal, WA is remote, pristine and fish will jump in the boat and the Kimberlies. But miles will be harder and longer (3500 vs 2100 nm) with potentially crossing the bight in September. The other option there is the mentawis and the cheaper cost of living and easy miles... We have kids and we could cruise with other families up to Thailand, but we are not sure whether we would see other boats going south down the west coast of Oz.

So taking all the caveats in the world, what does the hive mind think the average sale time in Asia would be for a 1996 15m Aluminium performance monohull ~220k AUD or is Langkawi/Phuket just where boats go to die?

Should I just list the boat for sale now and see what happens?

Langkawi seems to always have same boats for sale. Most buyers are not from Asia . Home to Aussie probably best bet .

[JPA Cate]

Not only home to Australia, but to Sydney. It will be warmer in the middle of winter, and you're probably acclimated to a lot warmer environment. The trip down the east coast of Oz, where if you want to, can be done in day hops, and using open roadstead anchorages, is not hard on a boat the size of yours; and the more weatherly she is, the easier. Of course, you can hop on the East Australia Current to speed you on your way. It could be a little ugly getting to Adelaide from the east, though, in the middle of winter, with all the strong SW winds, although there are some ports of call.

Fwiw, if you will be heading for a home in Adelaide, that you will re-occupy, then perhaps the west coast would make more sense to you, as it will make un-loading the boat easier, and more doable on evenings and weekends. That convenience may appeal, as well.

If the boat does not have to be imported into Oz, that will be money in your pocket, too. In thinking about this, I had to ask myself "what could possibly go wrong?", and I would think if another pandemic occurred; if the Ukraine War becomes worldwide; or in the event of a "natural disaster", it could get to be almost impossible to deal with selling the boat long distance.

Ann