For Sale: Ericson 31 custom by Manateeman

[Manateeman]

OK here are some pictures.

[rmesfo]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

OK here are some pictures.Attachment 241878Attachment 241879Attachment 241880Attachment 241881Attachment 241882

Beautiful! Thank you for posting the photos. Good luck, I have a Ericson 303 in the Bay Area and if this was closer I sure would come a take a look.

[Manateeman]

I’d like to add two things because I sincerely want someone to enjoy this boat.
First, I’m open to offers. We are financially in a position to give someone terms or to hold paper on the boat. It’s going to take money to restore it and a lot of work.
I apologize for coming across as a meanie. All I ask is not to waste my time. I’d love to see this boat sailing again in loving hands. Seriously.
Mark and the manatee crew.

[Fore and Aft]

Manateeman I assume the deck is more Dugong friendly?
Cheers

[Manateeman]

People got all bent out of shape because I said I value my time. I’m busy finishing my boat and I don’t need to spend a day with some dreamer who doesn’t have any money or skills ...I built this boat and you are not going to find any better hull to start restoring...I made it perfectly clear...this boat will take money and time to rebuild.
If I found some nice young couple who had some money, looked like they could finish the job, I’m in a position to give them a loan on the boat. Financially I could give them this boat...I don’t want to see it mistreated. I see post after post from people who sink money into boats with keels that fall off, decks that leak, hulls filled with rotten core. I built OEM boats which I thought people would have the good sense to trash at some point. This is not a disposable boat.

So here we go. New post. Boat with price and terms yet to be determined. Write me a letter telling me what you would do if this were your boat...what funds you have in hand to fix it..what skills and experience you have to do it. Why you.
Oysteryacht. PO Box 5212 St Mary’s GA 31558.
Happy trails to you.
Mark and the manatee crew.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Jamme

If you don’t like the post, please move on. No need to insult, thank you.

Jamme - I wholeheartedly agreed with your sentiment ...... until I read OPs update post #22. According to OP/seller, boat is storm damaged, has been sitting for years, will require a lot of time and money to launch, and is in a rural part of the country far from standard boating centers with no possibility of sea trial, engine survey, etc.. And he's concerned about wasting his time thus taking applications as if it's a full-ride scholarship to an Ivy League university?

Sheesh....

[Manateeman]

It’s in the water. It’s very close to a great DIY. Where do you get this stuff.
Not interested...fine.

[Celestialsailor]

I'll make an attempt here to try and keep this boat related. I certainly understand the frustration trying to sell a boat in these times. By that I do not mean covid or any current or past administration or any EPA laws or any of that other nonsense. I was trying to sell a Rawson 30 Pilothouse not too long ago. I was in the middle of recoring the decks. The factory had done a shoddy job coring the foredeck using a inadequate bonding method that I could tell. All that needed to be done was to fair everything, give the perkins prema a once over and a new lower rudder shoe. I was asking $10k.
What I got were low life bottom feeders. Constant con attempts were made to whittle the boat from me for nothing. A barrage of insulting phone calls and an array of email offers, sight unseen. I even had a couple of fresh off the boat Russians try to whittle me down to nothing.

Two things became apparent. 1) I was in a low money category that brought out all the boat fender kickers and 2)The times of DIYers had past years ago. In the end, I found it easier to take a partial payment and a Chevy Tahoe in payment. I was able to flip the Tahoe in a week. But what a hassle!

No longer are there DIY yards, where blue collar people build boats from scratch. I remember a yard in Redwood City on the SF bay where you would see a literal community of boat builders. Some living aboard while they built. Every one of them with the dream of taking off to sail the world. These were the days that manufacturers like Westsail sold kit boats. As technology made advances and less and less blue collar jobs needed, the ability to work with ones hands also declined. I doubt much of that will ever come back.

Take a look at the thread "Re: Boats Less Than $30K Recent Noteworthy Finds" , under Monohull sailboats. That thread has almost 2600 posts. Many incredible deals. Mostly light fixers. Yet not one of those posts mention any of the dreamers here buying one. Instead you reads more like..."Well if it wasn't so far away, I'd jump on that one" or "It needs a mast, that's $40,000". Most people only want to keep their dream alive by pretending they are going to do something significant with their otherwise boring life. It is an incredible leap to dedicate 20 hours a week, 5-6 days a week of there life for 2-4 years, reconditioning a boat to go cruising. It is a lot easier to come to this forum and talk about it and being an armchair sailor. People might not like this view of things but it is never the less...true.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

It’s in the water. It’s very close to a great DIY. Where do you get this stuff?

Ummm......the pictures you posted?

I know this thread has taken a harsh tone with the OP, and really responses to these "For Sale" posts should not include punditry.

Rightly or wrongly, the sales' strategy the OP put forward elicited a pretty strong negative reaction - may want to reconsider even if you don't agree (you do want to sell the boat, right?). The best way to reduce the tire-kickers and keep from wasting anyone's time would be to disclose more information and more pictures and more inventory lists, not less.

Best success in finding the right owner.

Peter

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by rmesfo

Beautiful! Thank you for posting the photos. Good luck, I have a Ericson 303 in the Bay Area and if this was closer I sure would come a take a look.

I second that!


Looks like absolutely beautiful work, Mark! Word to the wise -- show it off!! I would actually consider engaging a pro photographer, if I were you. Most people won't actually appreciate how good that is, from a few self-made photos.


As to showing the boat -- spending time with tire-kickers goes with the territory of selling almost anything. You just have to bite the bullet on that, spend the time, be friendly -- you never know when the real cash buyer is going to walk through the door.

[Manateeman]

Wanted. Nice couple with means and skills to restore a nice boat.
Very attractive terms. Address above.

Thank you to all the other posters.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

Wanted. Nice couple with means and skills to restore a nice boat.
Very attractive terms. Address above.

Thank you to all the other posters.

[rgleason]

I think this Ericson 31 is worth the $30k but what do I know?

[kayakerChuck]

I bought my boat 6 months too early. I would have jumped on this in a heartbeat.

[Woody]

Deposit for a sea trial? Ok, sure. But $$ for photos? C'mon....

I sold my boat mid pandemic last summer and had to deal with plenty of tire kickers. The best decision I made was to clean the boat, take 100+ high resolution photos, and upload them to a hosted gallery that I could easily share by simply pasting a link. My mistake was not doing it sooner.

Your time isn't inherently more valuable than anyone else's. When sellers don't take the time to post good photos, list equipment and other important information up front, it could be assumed that that lack of work ethic can be translated to the care and maintenance of the vessel.

Maybe you know your boat is one of a kind, but over the years I've had more time wasted by people misrepresenting or omitting info about the condition of their vessel than otherwise.


Good luck.