Are boat jumbles soon to be history?

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samwise

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I have been a supporter of boat jumbles, both as a customer and as a seller. In the latter case via a chap who works in a boatyard and who accepts unwanted yottie items that he takes to various boat jumbles. He takes a fee of course, but it is pretty painless. Today I collected my last cash from him, plus a box of unsold bits and pieces, because he is giving up. He says that business for the sellers of second hand stuff has been in decline for a while. The commercial guys selling new stuff are doing ok, but it seems that today's yotties are so well off that they can afford to spurn used stuff, even though it may be of better quality and value than the new items offered on the commercial stalls. There are plenty of punters at these events but they aren't giving the jumble a look. Is this a general trend? Has eBay come to rule the world? Are there no more shoestring sailors? Incidentally, my boat jumble seller is disposing of all his unsold stock. Does anyone have room for a dozen sea toilets?
 
Unfortunately I have found that some of the things I have bought at boat jumbles just don't work reliably when you try and use them. I've wasted money, particularly on a second hand outboard, which I now think had probably been dunked. I don't think I'm the only one. When safety is concerned I think you are much better off buying new in most cases. Others may disagree.
 
I like boat jumbles, but the one we get up here is not as big as it could be.
I always haggle with the sellers, and always get it cheaper than the iniatially asked.
The bit I dont like about them is the guys who sell the stolen gear, I see them every time I am there, electric tools, gennies etc with the tool hire company fleet no ground off or painted over, why dont the cops just go in and bust them.
 
I have to say that I rather hanker after the days when I would buy 2nd hand gear and use it on my boat so long as it worked.

Now I am more bothered that it also looks right....I really dont like being this way ..it just seems to have happened.

I rather suspect that many blokes would rather have their houses furnished with knocked about comfy settees an worn carpets and a slighty grubby patch where the dog sleeps...It just that we have become conditioned to think that only nice (and clean and shiny) is okay.

My boat yard is a bit like this now...its all so neat and tidy you can't find a bit of wood to stir yer antifouling with.

Oh well..............

Nick
 
I've bought loads of gear from jumbles. It's just a case of 'buyer beware'. Some items I wouldn't want to buy secondhand, but in many cases private sellers are disposing of things that have been bought and never used - I recently bought a really nice pair of Collars oars for the dinghy for £20, complete with galvanised rowlocks, that had never touched the water. Nearly all the bronze fittings for my last boat (an old gaffer) were bought from Beaulieu, along with things like a Morse control and a Halyard waterlock. There seems to be a lot more cheap and nasty new stuff on offer nowadays from the commercial sellers, but there are still bargains to be had - paint in dented tins, 'just in date' Sikkaflex, etc. My latest purchase was a brand new Taylors stove for about half the list price, from someone I know to be a reputable seller. Personally, I can't afford to buy everything new straight from the chandlers.
I'm no expert, but I like to think that I can tell if a seller is genuine. I hope I've never bought anything that has been stolen, and I'm not one of those who thinks that every boat jumble seller is a crook. I don't think we've seen the end of boat jumbles yet by any means.
 
I bought some flares at a boat jumble, but they were useless.

The seller assured me they had only been used once.

Tim
(who sails on a shoestring to the amazement of onlookers)
 
Re: paint stirring sticks

Around 12 years ago I saved a bundle of straight-grained American white Oak offcuts all about 6mm square, each a foot or more long. They've been with me through a house-move and a boat refit - they are utterly perfect for stirring paint. They don't splinter or break, aren't too absorbent, can bend a fair bit, are very strong and are easily wiped clean with a rag. If I think I've lost one I will search diligently until it's found. No better paint-stirring sticks ever served a man.
 
Yes, I use similar bits of wood. If I lose one I think of it as an excuse to have another Chinese carry out, complete with chopsticks!
 
6mm stirring sticks, chopsticks , paint movers maybe, mixers I dont think so
it would take all day to get a litre of paint mixed properly using a mixing stick of these dimensions!
The perfect tool is a 12" wooden /steel ruler
 
I think the trend is well under way. I went to Northern Boat jumble in Spring & late Summer this year & I was very disapointed in the jumble stalls. Few of them, little stock & somewhat overpriced too (yes, i will haggle if it's worth buying!)

By the way, amongst those sea toilets, are there any Lavac Zenith "original design" seats? Would consider a whole loo, if the price was right.
 
Lucky man indeed!

I have an invaluable box of old credit cards, and another of lolly sticks...when the kids were younger they had strict orders... never...ever, throw a lolly stick away!

Nick
 
£1.75 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif What's wrong with windblown dead twigs for stirring? Rub the bark off and it doesn't become part of the paint.
 
We'd rather buy new than take the trouble to go to boat jumbles - fuel to get there - uncertainty about the goods - lousy caterers.

We went to Malvern for the first and last time last year and have been once to Newton Abbot - others have been OK but new is simple and not time consuming
 
That's an interesting segue, boat jumbles to custom stirring sticks in quick time. Perhaps if you set up a stirring stick stall at the next boat jumble you could make a fortune. I see it now ... choice of woods, stick size, bargain bundles, whipped handles for the fashion conscious. A business opportunity lies awaiting!
 
Yes, old credit cards are invaluable. I used to collect discarded phone cards from the call boxes for the same reasons - just the right degree of 'flex and spread' and invaluable for small contact adhesive jobs and epoxy hole-filling etc. Old lolly sticks were much superior to what I'm having to use these days - chinese-made wooden tongue-depressers. They either break at the slightest pressure or can bend double without breaking - very unpredictable.
 
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