Decison time - sell, store or carry on

IMO, sell it or leave it in the water.

Boats don't work very well on land, so no point keeping it and having it ashore. You never know when a bit of decent weather will turn up and you could have a day or two onboard. The difference in cost between being ashore or in the water isn't huge and you don't need to spend much time onboard to make it worth the extra cost, as opposed to paying out and not even having the chance to use it.
 
Having spent this season without a boat on the water it has been torture! Despite the weather gods playing havoc and not being the best season on record I have missed being able to be afloat.
We sold Charisma when she was on the water having just launched in April. Boats are at their best when on the water, we had a few interested parties whilst she sat on the hard. I had to constantly keep her clean with dust, leaves, green slime etc being on the hard seems more susceptible to this.
So my advice is do as we did, although we really wanted to sell and by bigger the same applies:
Decide whether you could take another season.
Test the market and list with a broker who is offering a decent low commission or try listing yourself, we sold our Sadler 32 via our own ad on Apollo duck.
See what comes of the winter, get her ready for launching as potential buyers will be looking all winter without wishing to commit and then pay storage and launch costs etc.
Launch and possibly get the best start to the season ever or possible attract a buyer, every time you are out and about display a for sale sign, leave sign up when on mooring.
Whilst she is afloat you will get the odd chance to use her and she is kept up and current and not looking tired on the hard.
Sorry a bit long winded!
 
Sell up and buy a caravan, just think of those happy days camping

































Right, now we've got that daft idea out of the way :rolleyes:
Stay afloat if possible, make the best of any sailing time you do get, but if you haul out it might take biting another bullet to launch again.
 
Sixpence said:
Sell up and buy a caravan, just think of those happy days camping








Right, now we've got that daft idea out of the way :rolleyes:
Stay afloat if possible, make the best of any sailing time you do get, but if you haul out it might take biting another bullet to launch again.
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You can laugh, but a family friend did jut that. Sold a very nice Konsort, and bought a motor home to tour Britain. Still had the same **** weather though:D
 
I've just had a season without a single day's sailing.

Margot was up for sale and then very nearly sold, before the engine gave up the ghost and put paid to that.

Truth is, I never wanted to sell her. I love sailing her, even if it's just for an hour or two between tides. I love tinkering, doing all the practical stuff that I don't get to do in my job, but are skills that I learnt from my dad as a kid and I want to pass on to my own kids. Even just a coffee on board is nice, the best location for a shed I could ever ask for.

So i'll be keeping her now, moving her closer to home (probably paying more for the privilege) and hoping to spend more time on the water next season. It doesn't make any sense at all, but you only live once don't you? :)
 
Due to deciding to start our own business we haven't managed to get out sailing at all for the last year, in fact we missed our summer holiday completely. Objectively perhaps I should also do a cost-benefit review on the whole idea of owning a boat.

But we've just got back from our first weekend on board this year. Poor boat looked a bit scruffy and neglected and we still didn't get to go out sailing.

However...

...we cleaned and scrubbed all the topsides so now she looks like new again....
...I got to rub down all the deck teakwork ready for revarnishing...
...we cleaned and tidied down below...
...had breakfast in the cockpit in the morning sun...
...enjoyed two days of lovely blue skies and East Coast sunshine...
...caught up with the regulars around the boat yard...
...had a great evening meal and drink in the clubhouse...
...played the traditional on-board family game of Uno for high stakes choccie bars...
...cleaned up the dink, got the outboard sorted...
...let the boys out rowing the dink around marina...
...went off with boys for a splendid late afternoon high tide potter in dink around the Tollesbury saltings plus a good planing thrash in the Leavings just to blow the cobwebs out...
...had two nights zonked out, relaxed, with about 10 hours sleep each night

As a mini-holiday that took us away from all the work demands it was priceless. Life is full of necessary logical decisions but owning a boat isn't one of them. You should have at least one irrational passion that gets you out of any ruts you might find yourself in :D
 
Saguday said:
Due to deciding to start our own business we haven't managed to get out sailing at all for the last year, in fact we missed our summer holiday completely. Objectively perhaps I should also do a cost-benefit review on the whole idea of owning a boat.

But we've just got back from our first weekend on board this year. Poor boat looked a bit scruffy and neglected and we still didn't get to go out sailing.

However...

...we cleaned and scrubbed all the topsides so now she looks like new again....
...I got to rub down all the deck teakwork ready for revarnishing...
...we cleaned and tidied down below...
...had breakfast in the cockpit in the morning sun...
...enjoyed two days of lovely blue skies and East Coast sunshine...
...caught up with the regulars around the boat yard...
...had a great evening meal and drink in the clubhouse...
...played the traditional on-board family game of Uno for high stakes choccie bars...
...cleaned up the dink, got the outboard sorted...
...let the boys out rowing the dink around marina...
...went off with boys for a splendid late afternoon high tide potter in dink around the Tollesbury saltings plus a good planing thrash in the Leavings just to blow the cobwebs out...
...had two nights zonked out, relaxed, with about 10 hours sleep each night

As a mini-holiday that took us away from all the work demands it was priceless. Life is full of necessary logical decisions but owning a boat isn't one of them. You should have at least one irrational passion that gets you out of any ruts you might find yourself in :D
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There is more to life than work.
i have always said i would change jobs ( when i had one :D) rather than not being able to sail.
i realise that these days jobs are not so readily available as they once were :mad:
 
sailorman said:
There is more to life than work.
i have always said i would change jobs ( when i had one :D) rather than not being able to sail.
i realise that these days jobs are not so readily available as they once were :mad:
Click to expand...

I once was fired from a job and it took me a while to get another. I have to say it was one of life's most liberating experiences, particularly in context of the 80's when it happened. Whilst I enjoy work, it is now firmly in perspective with relation to the rest of my life...
 
Peter,

I think in asking the question you have already made up your mind to keep her but want reassurance from the group. I have been watching the price of long keel plastic boats under 30 feet for the last five years. While some people ask silly money for them and they don't sell, when they do sell they rarely reach a fair price for what they are.
The question you need to ask yourself is: 'Does Karouise suit me or would another boat suit me better?' If the latter you could sell Karouise and when your situation changes buy the boat that would suit you better.

I have had Glayva in storage on the hard at Rochford for two years straight now, although I did take her to the Azores and back briefly this year. My wife agrees that I would get very little for her and as it only costs me about £500 a year to keep her on the hard I have been able to do that. What I found expensive this year was the cost of putting her in the water and then hauling her out two months later.

A number of people have suggested you should keep Karouise in the water but in my mind then you have the worry about whether a leak may have developed [do you really trust through hull fittings?], or how did she go when that F8 hit Brightlingsea? etc. I live 80 miles from my boat and I always worry that something may go wrong. I left my new boat 'Raven' on her mooring while I took Glayva to the Azores and worried all the time while I was out of contact.

Anyway Peter I'm sure you've made up your mind and are seeking reassurance for your decision.
 
Hi Peter

Well, I can offer some consolation to everyone who has had a bad season this year...ours has probably been worse. Launching in mid April we looked forward to the balmy delights of summer.

First of all work put paid to the early months with a couple of trips to our H/O in Cyprus, then having lost Dad in January, Mum (88 and waiting on a hip op) had a fall in late July and has had to go into a care home until the op. can be carried out (odd innit...it is actually quicker to get a hip op. on the NHS than it is to go private...and you still have the same surgeon!). This has entailed a lot of time and money in working on and adapting Mums bungalow for her return home...and therefore no sailing.

Huldra is still sitting, unused all season, on her mooring and will in the next couple of weeks be bought ashore and WILL be sold...first sensible offer gets her.

SO...

Peter before you go rushing into selling Karouise, think carefully. I will not have a boat for the foreseeable future, so the weather will be nigh on perfect...long summer days with steady warm breezes...the stuff dreams are made of. I will warn you all when I am about to buy another boat though!!

John
 
sailorman said:
There is more to life than work.
i have always said i would change jobs ( when i had one :D) rather than not being able to sail.
i realise that these days jobs are not so readily available as they once were :mad:
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There is more to life than working for someone else :D

It is accepted when setting up on your own that the business must be the whole focus, so I'm ok in principle with this change in priority during the early years.

However this weekend away brought into sharp relief how important even small breaks like this are - I started this week completely recharged and rejuvenated.
 
This year was not good, I managed a couple of weekends and a few day sails (maybe next week another.....?)

I think I'll go buy some of those oilyskin things, then next year I'll go out even if its raining. Need to replace my Dunlop Magisters too - the rubber has perished.
 
A Thought

IAN13 said:
Have a read of this BBC article

Looks like its going to be the same next year as its been for the last couple of years. Rain . Rain . Rain and yet more Rain
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We all believe what we want to but I have severe doubts over very long range forecasts - if only because nobody has told the weather:) But I'm always an optimist - owning a boat you have to be.

If weather is a big issue for you, take the lead of others & head south to where the butter melts.

Marina/boating prices in the eurozone are dropping & the exchange rate is better. Cheap airfares are still available so many are relocating their boat & then commuting. Good weather almost assured so a few good trips a year makes some sense.

Some brave souls even keep their pride & joy at anchor while back in the old country. Should add that these folk usually anchor in long term anchorages where others can keep an eye on the boat.
 
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