Sell Boat 'As Is' or Do It Up?

[David_Old_Jersey]

From what OP has said, she doesn't sound like a "Project Boat". Just not presently capable of going RTW again, at least not next week.

Whilst I think important to not give a false impression of the boat - but nonetheless don't downplay the fact that she is capable of going RTW / Extended voyaging.

Unlikely that will be selling to someone who can easily afford a new boat of that size - so likely will be folk who are happy to buy a less fully equipped boat and then upgrade over future years according to own needs and budget. In any event, the odds are that the boat is more than capable of a lot already - just not everything (or in the style) that she could do. But folks do like to plan and buy ahead of the "great voyage", so a few years of gentle updates yourself does have an attraction (you set off with new stuff).

OP might also want to think about paying for own survey as a marketing tool (and to either address in your own time anything a buyers surveyor will spot or so you can disclose and have it priced into the offer to save haggling later).....IMO useful if you are marketing to buyers not local and you want to help them decide that a visit to your boat is not a(nother?!) wasted trip in time and money.

[Wavewacker]

WOW, good business advice here! Clean it and make it look great, details will be noticed. If a door sticks, fix it, I'd say any busted anything on deck, fix it. The advice to take it off if it doesn't work is golden as well as getting it surveyed. As to a survey, I'd suggest you have a bank order the survey for you if you can swing that, as if you're interested in using it as collateral. The reason is that there is more independance with regard to the principal, it being free of any owner influence as being the one who hired the surveyor. I'd also get bids or prices for things needed and deduct that value.

As a buyer, a newish one for boats of this size, I don't want to see work, I don't mind seeing a bid and the cost of having it done. If you have an independant survey, a market value as is, I'll base my offer on that along with solid bids and consider my time in overseeing any repairs, haulouts, etc.to put it in at a stated value with repairs.

I also want to see some motivation on the part of the seller, wanting to sell to get a larger boat just tells me the seller is probably asking too much to afford the change. I understand loosing interest, wanting to move inland, getting too old or health issues, what ever the truth may be.

When I buy anything, a property, a car, a boat or a motorcycle, I need to feel like the seller is being truthful. If I get the slightest indication that I'm getting some hard sales pitch, all pros and no cons, best deal on the market stuff, I'm very leary to the point I'll probably walk away. If I feel like there is a meeting of the minds in good faith, I will likely pay a little more for that confidence.

Lastly, price it right to sell if you want to sell. Asking too much may well mean that you keep it longer, paying morring fees, taxes, insurance and keeping up maintenance into the next "season" when the boat will be even older. Seems it's a buyer's market so I suggest you throw a broad net and consider comprable boats having the same function,that might be a small trawler for some, a 36' cruiser, in other words, many of us don't know a specific boat and look to functional aspects and "learning" the boat to achieve some dream. If you only rely on knowledgable buyers, like most here, you're really looking at a smaller market, so think about the general public getting involved, you'll likely get a better price too, IMO.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Thanks very much guys. You've pretty much confirmed what I was thinking... Just do a bit of a tidy-up and keep the price realistic......

In this market folks are looking for perceived bargains. I agree with everyone else.... clean her up and fix the small things.

[Factor]

Same Same. Spend a lot of time, a little bit of money, get all your crap off, make it look as near as possible to out of the factory and check and clean every locker, cupboard, nook and cranny. Especially make sure the head doesn't smell and then list it at a reasonable price. Keep Scrubbing every day till it sells. Fix little things like frayed sail bags etc.

remember spending say a $1K on the cosmetics and minor fixes may mean you get a better offer and get your $1K back, it may mean the difference between selling and not.

[Sand crab]

How about some specs and pics?

[Factor]

Another thing - best 100bucks you can spend is an electric hot knife for cutting ropes. Get round and cut off all frayed bits etc, also use for trimming threads on canvas etc. Attention to detail is king.

[Jeannius]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

How about some specs and pics?

I'm getting stuff together at the moment and will post somewhere when I can. Basic spec is as Priv 435 Easy Cruise, that's the model with a lot of the extras you need included as standard, so generator, electric sheet winches and lots of other stuff. To that the big things we added were aircon, holding tanks with deck pump out,extra heads, better instrumentation, about $50k worth in total.

[rhr1956]

"You can put a tuxedo on a pig, but all you have is a dressed up pig" That said...lots of people will pay to dance with a dressed up pig!

[impi]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Well the time has come to consider selling my much loved but hard used Privilege 435. She's been in bareboat charter, I've done crewed charter on her, we've cruised the Caribbean for a couple of years and, oh yes, we did a circumnavigation on her. But we are now sailed out, can't think of anywhere else we want to sail.

So time to sell... the problem is although I'd be happy to set out on another circumnavigation with her in the current condition, you can see she's had a hard life.

So, should I spend $50k doing the cosmetics, rebuilding or replacing the engines and getting a new set of sails?

Or should I put her up for sale in the current condition as the cheapest Privilege 435 on the market and let someone else get a great boat that they can then spend money as and when they have it to bring her back to pristine condition?

What does the forum think?

Hey Mike ... this is sad news ... Ana and I LOVE your boat !!!

The question you pose to the forum is probably a question I would pose to someone like you if I was selling ... you've been doing this for a long time now, but here's my take on it ...

I would prefer to buy a boat that has been cleaned and looks neat ... from an honest owner (you are such a man) who tells me what it is he would do to get it EXACTLY where it needs to be ... a fair price ... and let me decide on what modifications I do or do not want to do. The risk is that you replace and spend money in areas that the next guy would have done differently ... we all know how these little expenses can add up!

Someone buying your boat has a boat 'cruise ready' and would be an exciting venture for the buyer to 'bring it to his own standard'.

I hope you guys are not planning to stop sailing ... we love 'following you!'

[Jeannius]

Originally Posted by impi

I hope you guys are not planning to stop sailing ... we love 'following you!'

Hi Brent... Yes we are stopping sailing after the current cruise of east coast USA.

The arthritis in my hands is making things difficult and we are also pretty much sailed-out.

We've done a round the world, cruised the Caribbean for years and are now doing Maine and then heading south. After being in Maine we've realised we don't like sailing in cold weather so that rules out heading back to Europe which was the only other trip we wanted to do.

So, come December, Jeannius will be for sale. Very sad but we knew it would happen some day. Time to move on to the next adventure.

Hope to see you and Ana again someday.

[JanetGroene]

Many books and magazine articles on "payback" value of various home improvements may offer some guidance. For example, I believe certain upgrades to galley and bath might pay off. Also "curb appeal" in a house means initial impression. In a boat that means, as others have said, tidy and CLEAN including spiffy dock lines and fenders.

[impi]

Originally Posted by Jeannius

Hi Brent... Yes we are stopping sailing after the current cruise of east coast USA.

The arthritis in my hands is making things difficult and we are also pretty much sailed-out.

We've done a round the world, cruised the Caribbean for years and are now doing Maine and then heading south. After being in Maine we've realised we don't like sailing in cold weather so that rules out heading back to Europe which was the only other trip we wanted to do.

So, come December, Jeannius will be for sale. Very sad but we knew it would happen some day. Time to move on to the next adventure.

Hope to see you and Ana again someday.

Hi Mike ... yes we find this very sad indeed, but we also understand there is a time and season for everything!
You sure have sailed the many seas and have yards and yards of experience at this.
We definitely aim to see you guys in the future ... we are now your future destination when you want to go sailing and have sold the boat ... always welcome to join us from time to time on Impi ... mean that !!!

[webejammin]

I Sure understand about the arthertis, I'm looking forward to elect winches hopefully soon and real glad we have a windless. Just glad my wife loves tweaking the sails to perfection.

[Jeannius]

Originally Posted by webejammin

I Sure understand about the arthertis, I'm looking forward to elect winches hopefully soon and real glad we have a windless. Just glad my wife loves tweaking the sails to perfection.

Electric winches have kept me going several years beyond the time I would have had to give up if I had to do everything manually. But I now can't make a fist so can't deal with small diameter lines very well.

The real problem though is when things go wrong and I need a bit of strength. It just isn't there and my only other crew is my wife and she has even less strength than me!

[Gene :^)]

Time for a motor yacht with heated pilot house and bow & stern thrusters.

Dashews made the switch... http://www.dashewoffshore.com/fpb83_intro.asp


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Gene :^)
http://www.Strathbelle.com/