Gauging the second-hand Yacht market (At the lower end).

[V1701]

Preloved.co.uk is always worth a look, bought my first boat off there, also Gumtree. There was a very nice looking Trident 24 on preloved a few weeks ago, triple keel. I've just bought another boat (my 4th) after going to see quite a few. Most are overpriced, some ridiculously so & lots are presented very poorly as well, which is usually the case in my experience. I think your tactics are sound, not fixating on a particular make/model but looking for a well found & properly looked after boat that will fulfill your requirements & feels right for you makes perfect sense. Good luck...

Edit - I would add that IMO you've more chance of finding a decent boat at a realistic price if it's for sale by owner, bought all 4 of my boats privately. That's not a veiled criticism of brokers, more a reflection on the owners themselves. For boats for sale by broker it's still the owners responsibility to keep the boat clean, tidy, dry, etc. but brokers do have to take some responsibility for unrealistic prices...

 

[Tam Lin]

+1

The value and pleasure of owning the best boat you can get your hands on outlives the smug feeling of having got something cheap.

I agree and if I was doing it again I would do it that way but there is a lot of satisfaction to be had from restoring a boat.

 

[Cornish Bluenose]

I have owned and thoroughly enjoyed sailing a number of different Drascombe boats over the years, and never lost a penny when selling on. A fact that the Watkinson boats have such a large following and an excellent owners association. When I was looking for a larger boat with a cabin some years ago, I met up with a delightful elderly couple who were looking for a smaller boat like my Lugger. Through the association we me up and swapped boats, over a lovely cream tea, not a penny involved. All I had to do was drive down to Lymington from Cornwall and make the effort to trail the boat home. The Drascombe range keep their value and have a surprisingly high re-sale value for older boats compared to many smaller cruisers. The big advantage is owning a boat that can be wintered at home and self launched, this keeps the costs down compared to the cost of owning a small yacht.
There are loads of small yachts hidden away in boat yards around the country slowly deteriorating and not being used. When I was looking for a small motor sailer I found a boat in a local yard, just what I was looking for, a Cox Master Mariner. The problem was however, that the boat had been purchased some years before and never left the yard and was now in a poor state. I spent many hours trying to empty the water and clear up the boat to assess the work needed to make it seaworthy. I contacted the owner and made a sensible offer, talked to the yard owner and found out the storage fees owing. I was really keen on this boat and had become blinded to the problems and costs involved in bringing this boat back to life. I asked a local marine engineer to look at the boat and start the engine, I was told by local boat qmen to leave it alone unless I wanted to spend time just working on boats rather than sailing..!
I did walk away..but with a far greater understanding of that type of boat design. I purchased through eBay a while later after seeing a Master Mariner advertised for some time. This boat had a new engine with very low hours, but was overpriced. Eventually the owner realised that to move onto a new boat as the season approached he had to lower the price. Having made contact and visited the boat on the Dart. I made a realistic but low offer and waited.
I purchased the boat and sailed that season.
The cost of owning a boat for many sailors is a real drain on the family income, when the time comes to sell you need to be realistic and price accordingly, otherwise the cost of storage and general upkeep will loose you money in the long run. Sell at a realistic lower price, cut your losses and move on.