GRP Future Classics

Well I've just bought a twister for half it's insurance value. Didn't buy it as an investment though just a pretty and capable boat that I could afford. Don't imagine I could sell it for much more than I paid despite the reputation they have.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Well I've just bought a twister for half it's insurance value. Didn't buy it as an investment though just a pretty and capable boat that I could afford. Don't imagine I could sell it for much more than I paid despite the reputation they have.
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I think you have just encapsulated the 'Old Boat scenario.' Worth nothing, but I love the idea of owning it. And, if in right mind, realise the effort needed to keep it in top condition. Not for the weak kneed...
 
Amongst the prettiest production yachts, and probably a future classics is the US-built Morris 42 - https://morrisyachts.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/6281246_20170625135924326_1_XLARGE-1.jpg though the in-boom reefing and the bimini although nice to have does detract from the overall appearance. https://morrisyachts.com/wp-content...171_20180117112714669_1_XLARGE-1-1280x958.jpg is one with a standard boom.

I saw one once and fell in love - truly lovely lines, a modern keel, and interior joinery on a par (though lighter overall effect) with Hallberg-Rassy or Malo etc.
 
Tranona said:
No. It is just another old boat, although with perhaps a better following than other designs of the same period. There is a dwindling market and an excess supply of similar old boats which is why prices are so low - even if the CO 26 commands a slightly higher price than say an Invicta.

If you like the boat then keep it in good nick and enjoy it.
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Agree, I have a 50 year old 8m Snapdragon.

Everybody I meet has had one; loved it and has fond memories but mine has no real value.

Less than £5k but I love Hageso, my Snappy and wouldn’t swap for a real classic!
 
Minn said:
For each person who lusted after a Nic 43 as a youth, there are a thousand who lusted after an Aston Martin DB5. Hence the price difference now!

I lusted after an Ohlson 38. And now I’ve got one. She is a classic of a sort I suppose, and there’s a nice owners group, but she is never going to increase in value. Still, I do notice that these boats don’t fade away - they get thoroughly rebuilt. Think of it as an overgrown Contessa 32 - another contender for classic plastic status.
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Minn - PM sent.
 
sjdtuk said:
I have a Nic 45. A bit more managable than the 55 but otherwise very similar. Makes a great family boat and sails beautifully. Needs a fair bit of upkeep and probably not worth that much.
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Definitely qualifies as a “modern classic”! I have sometimes wondered why C&N gave up so quickly on this one; I assume that they were just the wrong side of an IOR tweak of the sort that seemed common at the time. They must have been hugely expensive when new, and perhaps they were at the price point where only the sort of wealthy offshore racers who so dominated sailing in those days could afford them. A truly lovely boat.
 
Minn said:
Definitely qualifies as a “modern classic”! I have sometimes wondered why C&N gave up so quickly on this one; I assume that they were just the wrong side of an IOR tweak of the sort that seemed common at the time. They must have been hugely expensive when new, and perhaps they were at the price point where only the sort of wealthy offshore racers who so dominated sailing in those days could afford them. A truly lovely boat.
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Think it was something like £17K in 1972
 
Minn said:
Definitely qualifies as a “modern classic”! I have sometimes wondered why C&N gave up so quickly on this one; I assume that they were just the wrong side of an IOR tweak of the sort that seemed common at the time. They must have been hugely expensive when new, and perhaps they were at the price point where only the sort of wealthy offshore racers who so dominated sailing in those days could afford them. A truly lovely boat.
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Think they gave up as the "oil crisis" hit and no one could afford them.
 
Probably not of practical interest to you, but J class yachts have what it takes to qualify. Rarity, heritage and drop dead good looks.
 
nortada said:
I have about 4,000 miles in The Nic 55s.

Great big crew boat and ideal for Joint Services but hardly comfortable and never a family boat so I see no market for them.
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Nic 55 hull #1 (ex-Lutine) recently sold with Berthon. Listed at 450k GBP.
 
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Motor_Sailor said:
That's what you need for anything to increase in value! Demand must outstrip supply. Rarity alone doesn't do it. A guy along the road has a large car collection, and his rarest is a late 20th century, large executive saloon from Vauxhall. They made very few of them and only two or three still exist. But sadly it's not worth much as no-one wanted them when new and still no-one wants one.

For an old grp boat to be a classic (in the sense it will appreciate in value), there would have to be a real good reason why lots of people would want them. It has to offer something that modern boats don't do without sacrificing all the things a modern boat do better. The Fairey Spearfish has a contemporary deep-V monohedral hull so it goes as well as a modern boat, but with classic styling, heritage and the convenience of a GRP hull. The winning combination!

My tip for the sailing equivalent would be the Hinkley Sou'wester 42. Expensive when new, still sails beautifully, available in only limited numbers and satisfies a 'classic' aesthetic.

However the big driver to whether these boats will really become classic is the attitude of the 'classic boat' world. In the car world there is a simple age stipulation for when your car will automatically be welcome to events. When they reach that age, they become eligible and you are "in the club". But at the moment, there is a real resistance to any old GRP boats being regarded as classics. It's ironic you can have a 'spirit of tradition' boat built in carbon covered wood strip and that's okay with many events, but a Swan 65 is unwelcome. If the classic boat world was ever to universally embrace (as opposed to the odd exception) some designs as GRP classics, then this would see values jump. But it might also see the demand for the smaller wooden boats fall, so it's unlikely to happen.
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I think you would find that she would be welcome at both Cowes Classics and Hamble Classics events. Nic 32's have their own start at CCW.
 
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