Boat Buyers - What puts you off

There are 4 reasons your boat has not sold 1. It is too dear. Your forum doesn't give a price. 2. Your broker knows it wont sell, but he wont tell you as you would go and list it elsewhere. 3. Its an unknown make, people like to get a bargain and today with the internet anybody with any sense will compare prices and years.
4. In the early 70's you could buy a De Groot Steel Kit Boat for yard or home assembly. The snag with some of these Kits was that people totally underestimated how long it took to build. And the engines which went in them quite often were not new. Part finished hulls were quite often sold a few times before completion, I am not saying that this is what your boat is but "Launched" in 1986 means it wasent "Made" in 1986. So in effect any prospective purchaser commissioning a survey would be advised this by the surveyor.
I have a small boat for sale that nobody has ever heard of "Guy Couach" it is probably the only one in the UK. I have advertised it on Boats & Outboards" no interest at all. I may change my ad to say "Classic Car Taken in PX" or will reduce it by £1000 per week until sold. Create interest.
 
What a problem, one post says it's too dear, another says it's OK. But until you see the level and quality of equipment, how can anyone judge? I'm taking all this on-board so every comment is valid and useful.
 
Peter, correct me if I am wrong but I remember, many moons ago, reading the articles that you wrote, as you built this ship from a kit, even though a poster has just mentioned that these craft were available as kit boats you have not disclosed this.

I have not yet looked at the pictures in your ads but I will do shortly, be honest with yourself, a home built boat does not usually realise the same sort of price that a yard built one will, unless it is exeptional.
 
PCUK said:
Answered your own question - It is! (In my opinion). It's definitely not a "home build" that implies an amateur doing the job!
Click to expand...

Ah, that explains everything. When you first posted I looked at the pics and thought there is no way that boat was yard built. It looked distinctly home made. Eg the kitchen unit doors, and the handles on them, and the split in one of the doors, and the exposed fixings on the vinyl covered cabin linings and the use of too-thick foam on those linings so creating a cushiony look. Now you've confirmed it. Anyone seriously researching these boats will know they were sold in kit form and will have looked at yours and thought the finish isn't good enough for the price. And the failure to disclose candidly the boat's history will also likely have put some people off. Sorry to rain on your parade; just giving honest feedback especially re the pictures which as I say shout "home made"
 
Interesting comment about the door handles as they are 100% marine with locking catches purchased from Simpson Lawrence. Doors were custom made in-house and have received many compliments (maybe in the style of what you would consider kitchen doors). So while I am happy to receive your comments I don't think they stack up.

There is a big difference between home made and professionally made by the boat builder owner.
Clearly your taste is different to mine and the boat was built to my taste in the style of the time and the boat I am currently building is in a similar style!

As to non-disclosure. You have raised another stigma other than the steel boat stigma already expressed. Yes, I don't mention the builder in the ads' but there is an album of step-by-step pics' on board that viewers get to see once they have had a look round and expressed an interest. (This has only happened once so far and we got through to the final stages after sea trials and (excellent) survey and were about to exchange contracts when the buyer was taken seriously ill and had to withdraw. (No!. it wasn't an excuse).
The builder is also clearly shown on the Part One registration document and the Broker would not attempt to mislead a customer on my behalf.
While many are interested in the cosmetic "prettiness" of production boats others know that a custom built boat will usually be "over-specced" rather than built down to a price. For example in this boat there is no softwood used anywhere. All the internal timber frames are teak or mahogany!
But thanks for your comments as they add to the portfolio of marketing ideas.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top