Current value of boat - help wanted please

[Cliveshep]

My neighbour is looking at buying a Norman 24 cruiser, late type, i.e. with wheelhouse and all "square" windows/decklines, equipped with a Volvo Penta diesel right against the transom. No outdrive leg is visible so presumably it is a shaft drive driving through some sort of hydraulic box.

The Owner is looking for £4.5k, it is a clean boat and comes with mooring which can be transferred over. It has a BSS 'till 2011 but has not been used since 2007. However, my own feeling is that £3.5 - £3.75k would be nearer today's market price - anyone care to put an informed guess here. The boat is moored on the River Wey in Surrey. We'll be looking over it later on this morning and it would be nice to have a guide price first. The owner is in ill health and cannot use it, he wants back what he paid for it 4 years ago but it has sat there for 3 years un-used and I don't even know if has ever been winterised.

 

[starboard]

A boat's value is what someone is willing to pay for it........generally pitch your first offer at least 10% below the asking price...that said in this instance if you only want to pay £3.5K well only offer that...its a buyers market dont forget!!

 

[Lakesailor]

[ QUOTE ]
he wants back what he paid for it 4 years ago

[/ QUOTE ] His unfortunate state of health doesn't negate the normal depreciation expected in older boats that are approaching the time of life where they may also need transplant surgery.
Compare the market.
Offer less.

 

[MrCramp]

These diesel river boats hold there value very well. I have found one on boats and outboards, link follows
http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/NFS044

Worth looking at other sites eg Boatshed to see what else is available.

Expensive items to sort out would be
Engine/gearbox/drive etc

Hood/canopy. This could cost up to £1000 to replace depending upon how big it is/quality/number of windows.

Watch out for dampness in the bilges which may have caused any wooden frame members which have been glassed in from rotting internally.

A comparable boat is probably a Freeman of the same size and I would expect them to be at a higher price than the boat your looking at.

My first reaction . if the condition is generally OK, that the starting price (including mooring!!) is definately not too high and I don't spend money easily.

 

[Chris_d]

Think your splitting hairs here, an old Norman isn't worth much to anybody so its all down to condition and if someone wants a Norman, as you say its worth 3-4K just bargain hard. Have you looked at the Norman website ? http://www.normanboats.co.uk/

 

[macnorton]

If all is well it.s worth more than 5k, but i would check the engine set-up is not a lash up.
I know of an early Norman for sale for a lot less if he wants a bargain.

 

[ari]

[ QUOTE ]
generally pitch your first offer at least 10% below the asking price...

[/ QUOTE ]

Must remember to price my boat at 10% more than I want for it.

Hell no, why not 100% more than i want for it, be very happy with 10% off of that! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Personally I tend to make offers relative to what I think the thing is worth, not relative to the asking price. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Cliveshep]

This particular boat has a 2-cyl volvo penta sail-drive I've discovered, fitted by Norman at build into a well in the after section. It has a quaint push button on top of the (injection pump?) in front of the gearbox which is the cold start button and has to be held down manually whilst simultaneously operating the starter switch some five feet away. Good for an orangutang, difficult for a human. However, the engine started ok and when warmed up ran fine and smoothly, probably due to a massive flywheel at the front of the engine (which actually faces the transom!) although it sounds like a dumper truck engine with the cover off.

Under way it does cavitate a bit at higher revs, presumably due to the well into which the saildrive bit underwater is fitted not giving the clearest of flows to the prop. It has a folding prop which I suspect could well be changed for a more efficient fixed blade prop. Gearbox is fine and moves smoothly ahead/astern.

The hull is in good condition, osmosis free and clean and dry throughout inside. There are no window leaks. It has twin polythene water tanks and a caravan type pump and taps but no hot water, oven or fridge, par for a Norman I suspect. The cooker and grill is a Neptune and is new. Seat cushions look in as new condition, it has two batteries and a change-over switch for charging.

All in all on a par with all the others but offered much cheaper than any we've looked at. After a bit of haggling my neighbour bought it for £4.3k which seemed pretty fair to me after posts above and looking around elswwhere at what they are going for.

Can anyone advise on one or two points please:
1). Can a heat exchanger be fitted as it is raw-water cooled and doesn't get that hot? If it could run hotter a calorifier could be added.
2). Is there some sort of remote lever and cable mechanism available to depress this wretched cold start button from the helm position rather than employ two people to start it or else having an orangutan as crew?

Thanks on behalf of my neighbour for all your help.