Make a living

[breakaway]

I wonder if it would be possible to make a living buying sail boats on spec, delivering, and selling them in a country where the market is not as saturated as here in North America? And where is this place with a shortage of good used boats and tons of cash?

[Charlie]

China - Saudi Arabia -- Arbitrage with boats. There has to be a market for them.

[conrad]

If this turns out to be a realistic....@@%#$@!$!....gig let me know. I love sailing and adventure and could always crew and use some travel and some$$$$ master cpt.....ol pyrate conrad

[breakaway]

It's already being done. Shipping US boats to Australia. I just wondered if there was another market. China might fly but I would need an agent there.

[Boracay]

As part of my research before I brought Boracay I looked at buying a boat in the USA and bringing it to Oz.

I considered there would be problems.

1) To buy a boat one would need to know the US market very well and have a very good knowledge of boats.

2) It's a long way from the US to Oz. Count on six months (or more) of sailing.

3) Sailing a boat that distance requires detailed and expensive preparations.

4) Oz customs have very firm ideas on what levies and duties are to be paid.

5) The market for boats here is not large and it may be difficult to sell the boat quickly.

6) Brokers fees would eat heavily into any profit.

I did think that starting a cruise in the US and ending it in Oz might be practical, but the difference in prices would probably not cover the costs.

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by breakaway

It's already being done. Shipping US boats to Australia. I just wondered if there was another market. China might fly but I would need an agent there.

The duty in Australia will kill that idea, real quick.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Kanani

The duty in Australia will kill that idea, real quick.

5) The market for boats here is not large and it may be difficult to sell the boat quickly.

6) Brokers fees would eat heavily into any profit.

Brokerage here is 8% and its a 'closed shop' ie very difficult to sell privately incl very very few marinas on Sydney harbour anyway, and most have exclusive agreements with brokers so you cant hire a berth and put up the for sale shingle.

tax: on entry 10% gst, 5% luxury tax. Total 15% PLUS 10% GST on ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH BRINGING BOAT IN!!!!!!!!!! So you pay 10% of the food you ate on delivery and every other expense!

Market not large: We have far few ports that one would think in a country this size, and fewer out of the tropical cyclone zone.
On Sydney harbour its virtually impossible to get a marina bert and swing morings are difficult too. Local councils hate rich people and a boat is, to them, evidence of being rich so they dont approve marina facilities, consequently only rich people can afford them (hows that for a circle of stupidity?). Look at Google earth of Sydney harbour and count the marinas, then look at anywhere USA.

may be difficult to sell the boat quickly.

many types of boat for sale in USA / Europe may not be known here and so may be under valued significantly. Whats all the rage in the Med may be poison here.

110 volt to 240 volt conversions and Propane gas Conversion. To sell a boat here you must have Compliance issued for out LPG gas system (i.e rip it out and put in a new system) and 240 volts will cook all the wiring of 110 so you pull out your water heater, air conditioner, shore power etc etc etc.

Generally boats on the market appear to be there for at least 6 months waiting for a buyer.

And to make matters worse the December edition of TradeABoat magazine is 514 pages!!!! And thats not one boat per page!

Also you need to add the cost of finance....

[breakaway]

I must have asked the right question cause I got all the right answers!
Thank you all