A Poll: Sale/Resale of electric powered sailboats

[Capn Jimbo]

First, thanks to the two posters who answered my other recent thread, but to be fair I honestly need more input. So let's try an easy poll question:

"Compared to the same good used diesel sailboat, what price would the same boat command if it were powered with a used electric motor instead?"

Example: $20,000 good used diesel sailboat; if this same boat equipped with an electric motor instead would sell for $10,000, the poll answer would be 50%. Comments are welcome, esp. if your answer is "More than 100%" or "Less than 50%".

Thanks

[Mystic38]

In truth, to me, the answer is 0%.. I simply would not entertain the idea of a boat with electric motors.

[Lizzy Belle]

If I only needed an engine for getting in and out of the marina, I might consider it if the boat was a real steal and ticked all my boxes and then some.

For cruising, sailing at sea etc.: just no - I wouldn't even consider it. And I don't have to, as there are plenty of boats for sale with diesel engines

Side note: you asked the exact same question yesterday, but with or without a poll: there is no standard "X%" formula here.

Most people won't want an electric engine, so they'll just look at other boats.
Some people may be willing to consider it, but in that case probably won't pay top dollar for the boat.
And then there's that one buyer who really wants an electric engine. For him, it could be a bonus he'll pay extra for.

[Capn Jimbo]

Mystic, thanks for the reply, understood - but allow me to clarify that I am actually after the forum's opinions as to the general marketplace (rather than one's personal preference).

I happen to like the idea of electric, but part of the decision is what the marketplace says is a fair value. I'm pretty sure electrics - in general - will have a lower value/sale/resale price than a diesel, the question seems to be how much.

Sorry if I wasn't clear, thanks...

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Capn Jimbo

Mystic, thanks for the reply, understood - but allow me to clarify that I am actually after the forum's opinions as to the general marketplace (rather than one's personal preference).

I happen to like the idea of electric, but part of the decision is what the marketplace says is a fair value. I'm pretty sure electrics - in general - will have a lower value/sale/resale price than a diesel, the question seems to be how much.

Sorry if I wasn't clear, thanks...

Jimbo--The "General Marketplace" is the aggregate of personal preferences. To get a sense of the General Marketplace you have to look at the distribution of the personal preferences of a reasonable sample of the population that comprises the Marketplace in question.

While electric motors have much to recommend them, the more salient question is the power source for the motors. Diesel Electric power is an old and well established technology (think train engines). Stored electric is also "old" but, unfortunately, hasn't advanced a whole lot for bulk energy such as one might need to power a boat of any size for very long. Moreover, there is a efficiency loss with generating but then storing power rather than just applying it when generated. Hence a battery dependent electric power system won't be worth much even if the "fuel" is free via solar. A diesel electric system might be close to, or under some circumstances better than, a pure diesel power system (e.g. a cat with two electric drive motors and a single diesel generator).

N'any case, I suspect that save for a devoted few, you'll find that there is little interest in a pure electric powered boat.

Of course, the foregoing is a personal opinion, eh?

[barnakiel]

I am a sailing person and my use is 99.9% ocean passages. To me the engine is only required to enter and leave the marinas. (It is also some help in many anchorages). All these things can be done with any propulsion, even without any engine. Hence to me the value does not change.

b.

[vjm]

I am very interested in electric motors but i wouldn't have one on a boat just yet. The market is evolving too quickly in some ways to be able to make a solid choice, and the quality from major players is not at a level I would feel comfortable with offshore. Once we get past the Guinea pig stage, and once battery technology has gotten a bit better, I look forward to an electric motor.

[StuM]

Depends what I was doing with that $20,000 boat.

If it was used for solely for local harbour cruising and round the cans racing possibly 100%
For any other purpose - 0%

[Cheechako]

Of course the answer is "it depends".
-On size of boat
-Usage (racer, electrical to get out of marina)
-electrical installation? (home brew or sold package?)
-Hybrid or all electric? (gen set aboard?)

[four winds]

Consider these two things. The value of the boat in question and the potential buyer.

Consider two types of buyer, pro electric and anti electric. The pro electric buyer will value the boat in a similar way as the seller. Best but less likely buyer.

The anti electric buyer will subtract the cost of a diesel install from the value and act accordingly. Also, the anti buyer may be a do it yourselfer and may subtract less than a checkbook anti buyer.

And I doubt the anti electric buyer would give you the time of day unless the rest of the boat was very good indeed and a model they were specifically looking for.

Probably shouldn't buy and electric boat if resale value or ease of selling was a major concern.

Just my thoughts.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Most people won't want an electric engine, so they'll just look at other boats.
Some people may be willing to consider it, but in that case probably won't pay top dollar for the boat.
And then there's that one buyer who really wants an electric engine. For him, it could be a bonus he'll pay extra for.

This, in my opinion, is the perfect answer. The value will 100% depend on the interests and plans of the buyer.

If you're selling a boat it only takes one buyer that wants your particular boat. In the "general marketplace" there are a lot fewer buyers that are interested in electric so finding that one buyer may take a while so if you want or need to sell quickly you might have to take a big hit.

[Snowpetrel]

For me 100% provided it was a good installation.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[goat]

I love the electric motor in my boat. It saves me from having to hand crank my diesel.

goat

Sent from my SGH-I257M using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[akprb]

In the general marketplace a 20,000 cruising sailboat or a 20,000 weekend racer?

If a 24-28' J style that goes to and from the starting line I think you would still take a hit.

If a 20,000 cruising boat of any weight and expected range I would say 20k less the cost of installing a diesel system including labor which would be a tremendous hit.

We met a couple in NZ who built a new 40' Cat and chose to power elec. they headed up to Fiji that season and we met again the following season in the same boatyard where they were repowering with diesels.

Not judging, just observing :-)

[thomaskoll]

I originate from a small valley in the Bavarian alps and we have a national park with a wonderful and very long, very narrow and very cold lake. With tremendous walls on either side and a pilgrimage church at the far end tourism evolved well over the last 150+ years. In the early 1900s it was decided to upgrade the rowing boats that carried people over the lake with four new boats. In 1909 two petroleum engines, one electric engine (the railway was just about to reach the lake, making it a good opportunity to use electricity to charge the boat batteries) and a fourth boat for the Bavarian King which was electric as well (the boat, not the king). Fast forward 1913 there were 12 electric boats and nowadays 17 of them carry some 800,000 passengers every year. The railway has been dismantled long ago.

Electric boats are nothing new, they are well proven and are much more simple by design.
I'm in the process of buying my first sailboat and it will have a diesel engine but not for very long. I simply can't stand the stink.