Has anyone actually sold a boat in the last two years?

EddieBlue

EddieBlue

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I ask this question as I am not sure that anyone has!

I took delivery of a Doral Boca Grande in July 2007, we ordered it with every option that we could think of and then added some more. a few weeks later (August 2007) We (I) saw a Swift Trawler and fell in love with it.

We ended up ordering a Trawler 42 and put the Boca on brokerage emptied, polished and ready for her new owner May 2008, three months before taking delivery of the Trawler. So at this stage the boat was 9 months old.

The boat has hardly been used and we, and the brokers thought that she would sell quite quickly. The price was sensible at the time and not suggested by us, but the two brokers that were instructed.

Since then the boat has sat there, I know that it is widely advertised on the internet as if you Google Boca Grande "T Top" it is the only one that comes up on any search. The price has been reduced and reduced still no results.

I was visiting the boat a couple of months ago to check her over and the brokers had booked out the keys from the marina a "few weeks ago but had not returned them", but we were told "They are on the marina showing some buyers around another boat"

Lyn (my wife) and I went down to the Boca and opened up the boat as best we could and waited for a brokerage looking chap, with a couple in tow to walk past, which they did a few minutes later.

I asked about the keys, thinking that the broker may be wanting to show the Boca to the prospective buyers, but "No I don't have the keys to this boat as I wasn't going to show them this one"

I was just about to ask why not when the prospective buyer beat me to it!

The excuse he gave was lame, and it was so painful to watch him try to tell the prospective buyers anything about the boat whatsoever, he simply didn't know anything about the boat that they will be charging circa 8% to sell so some £15K plus VAT.

In the end it was the Prospective buyers that sugested that he popped back to his office and collected the boat keys (which should have been left in the marina)

In the end the chap bought a motor yacht (so I guess that some boats are selling after all LOL) but they were looking to help them make a final choice so he could have easily ended up buying a power boat. The conversation was farcical: Buyer: "Does she have a genny" Broker: "No" Owner: "YES. Buyer:Heating? Broker: Err No I don't think so Owner: Actually Yes, Webasto with extra outlets!

At this point the potential buyer simply reffered any questions to us whilst the broker showed them around and we tried to keep out of the way.

When we were looking to buy brokers knowledge of the things they have for sale seems to be patchy. When you consider that they are charging four or five times that of say a Estate Agent, who is nowdays far more regulated and policed.

In the meantime the poor sods trying to sell their boats are paying the normal fee's to marina's and insurance and maintence and in some cases additional finance.

I know of three people on the Marina that my new boat is on in Poole that have had boats for sale for some 18 months, where the boat price was right and has decreased in line with the boats age, but it seems whenever the you try to chivvy the brokers up they simply suggest knocking off another ten grand and then tell you it is on the internet, so not much else they can do!

Well there is, they could at least make sure the images are up to date, they know every facet of every boat on their register and that if there is to be a viewing that the boat is opened up and aired and ready prior to the prospective purchasers arriving so the boat that they are being paids thousands of pounds to sell is seen in the best light!

Am I wrong? or have i met the wrong lot?

Eddie
 
Yup

Earlier this year sold my Sunseeker Martinique 36 in about six weeks or so through Medway Boatshed (thanks Suzzanne).
I wanted a good price but it was a good boat.
I did all of the annual maintenance for the new owner prior to delivery rather than taking a hit on what I wanted to achieve.
One smooth transaction.
Lots of boats are apparently going abroad, but there are hungry brokers out there that know what they are doing and can shift vessels.
You may need to shop around but Medway Boatshed did it for me and I bought from Southampton Fairline.
Best of luck.
Mike
 
Brian at Jaykay Marine Sales of Portsmouth sold my boat very quickly. The boat was a Sealine, which was the hardest example to sell due to the engines installed. It was well presented on their website and the brokers knowledge was comprehensive so enabling most reasonable questions to be answered without contacting me unless particularly in depth. Above all there was genuine enthusiasm and a professional approach.
I would suggest trying Jaykay, not because I have any commercial reason to recommend them, but purely because they do a bloody good job which is what you want !
 
Just Googled and looked at the add.

Irrespective of advertised price, the first thing that hits me in the face is.
"Tax Not Paid"

I guess that this might put a few people off.
 
Eddie

Why not have a go at selling it yourself. I have watched your boat (in the marina) for many months and wondered why it hasn't sold. We sold our Doral in July without too much difficulty. It took about six months and we probably had 3 good contacts a month. We sold privately having setup our own website and run a Google adwords campaign. It cost peanuts compared with brokerage fees ! Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further.

Good luck and hope it sells soon.
 
I guess you could also ask "Has anyone actually bought a boat in the last 2 years" as for each buyer there is also a seller, albeit in some cases it would be a manufacturer.

Specifically, yep, sold my last boat in the last 2 years. The broker had at one point owned the boat, so I didn't have the problem of them not knowing the spec. I recognise the problem though from the POV of a buyer. It is frustrating to travel to view a boat and ask questions to be told "I don't know" or "Good question, I'll find out".

I had to point out the lack of interest we were seeing advertising at the broker's recommended price. When I dropped the price 15% or so it sold reasonably quickly.

You are a brave soul buying a new boat before selling the old (or in your case, not so old) boat.
 
mparrish said:
Eddie

Why not have a go at selling it yourself. I have watched your boat (in the marina) for many months and wondered why it hasn't sold. We sold our Doral in July without too much difficulty. It took about six months and we probably had 3 good contacts a month. We sold privately having setup our own website and run a Google adwords campaign. It cost peanuts compared with brokerage fees ! Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further.

Good luck and hope it sells soon.
Click to expand...

Seconded. I've also sold boats privately off the back of websites and adwords.

Cheers
Jimmy
 
My neighbour sold his Sealine 34 last year - but it was priced to sell, and was a real giveaway IMO.

It strikes me they still sell, if the price is right.

Cheers,
Paul
 
IMHO, the only boats that are selling at the moment are either at the cheaper end of the market or they are sought after models from well known manufacturers and even those have to be in A1 condition and at the right price. I'm sure your Boca is a lovely boat but it's a somewhat left field choice. Anyone with a £150k budget is going to have loads of FairPrinSeekers to look at and consider that one of these would be a safer bet in terms of depreciation and known quality. On the other hand, you have to find a buyer who really wants a Boca. I also think the US layout of the Boca with a curtained off seating area instead of a private 2nd cabin may also put buyers off. On the other hand, I disagree with the comment on its VAT status. It might put the odd private buyer off a bit but it does open up the market for the boat to VAT reg'd charter companies and buyers from outside the EU.
I dont know whether you are doing this already but I would get the boat into one of the used boat shows that goes on at the same time as the Soton Show eg http://www.premiermarinas.com/news_events/view/525 or http://www.ancasta.com/lymington_used_boat_show. A lot of punters do make the effort to visit these shows as well as the Soton Show. If it still doesn't sell, then really your only oprion is to substantially drop the price, especially after Oct when the market dies
 
I think thats a good observation of this particular boat. Actually, I think I did come across it during my summer cruise west, and thought, crikey, that seems alot of boat for the money. But when looking at boats at this size, you would actively have to have thought of the Doral in order to include it in your short list -I guess its not an obvious choice.
So other than someone specifically wanting a bigger Doral, you need to catch the eye of someone who is actually looking elsewhere. If its where I think it is, I dont think location is helping either.
Dont know if its true, but I always got the feeling folk scanned Essex boat yards pages for "deals". It might be the kind of place where at least the boat would get some publicity.
 
Well thank you all for your ideas, it is interesting to get other peoples take on things.

The thing that we liked about the Boca was that it was a little different that the usual European boats, and we thought that the general level of finish and spec was higher than Sealine which was our other possible choice.

That said it hasn't sold so I guess that we will chop another chunck of money of her as there is a huge emotional drain having a boat that isn't being used, or loved or sold or viewed! month after month

Any sensible offers considered LOL

Eddie
 
I have sold and bought in the past year and have seen quite a few boats coming and going at our marina. However the boats that don't sell seem to be around forever.

I will always sell via my own efforts as I have always found brokers to be awful to deal with whan buying, so it's not unreasonable to suspect that they will be cr$p if they are to sell my boat. Like others have done, my strategy is to set up a web site and advertise it in all the usual outlets. Never failed me yet and cost next to nothing. The other big advantage is that you can advertise and sell for about 10% less than the brokers price, thus attracting buyers and still end up with the same money in your pocket. Everyone's a winner - except the broker!

I have to add that there is one exception to my lack of faith in brokers. They are JD Yachts whom I bought my current boat from. If I recall the blokes name was Adrian. They/he were exceptional in that particular transaction. Knowledgeable and responsive. The initial meeting I had was about 170 miles from their offices and the broker specifically drove all that way, met us at the boat and the deal was pretty much done there and then. The money side of the transaction was done to please me, as I had a big issue handing over a hundred and odd grand to someone I met at a marina! The broker organised that I pay the owner direct without any resistance. I was impressed although obviously I can only speak from my own experience. Actually come to think of it, Sunbird were also very good when I bought from them and I would have been a happy seller if that was my boat, although an earlier unrelated enquiry to sell through them didn't exactly impress me very much. I suppose brokers are at best patchy in quality and at worst a pointless and expensive barrier to selling your boat.
 
I sold my boat about 3 months ago but going nuts now so would buy your trawler if you like, sorry can not do speed cruisers. like my flybridge and slippers too much...


Tom
 
I've sold 2 boats within 12 months, I think due to selling myself. SWMBO is getting pee'd off though!

DIYing it means you can give full detials, exude enthusiasm and explain all the reasons why (IYO) its great and better than other brands etc.

Some buyers may be impressed with brokers offices and filter coffee but personnally I couldnt care less. I would prefer to deal direct as I feel I will get it cheaper. I know they take commission so in my mind I want to pay you the figure you would have recieved from the broker and save even more!! The flip side is transfering of money/title, time out to conduct viewings etc.

Perhaps sorting the tax status or price to include tax will help as it can be a confusing and scary thing for numpties like me.

The very best of luck and perhaps a forum burgee will help..........maybe not :)
 
Eddie, I think that your experience with your broker on the pontoon is sumarising your problem.... he doesnt give a snookers.

The problem with Wancaxxxxx is that they have a LOT of boats available... and the guys are employees.... so they are lazy and will sell the easy ones.

I note that I couldnt find your boat on the big yachtworld site....

I would suggest 2 things....

1) Change the wording on the price from £xxxx ex vat, to £xxxxxx (VAT may be reclaimable for qualified buyers.) The other way makes it sound like its a ex-commercial boat and people have to work out what the real price is. I always find the Ex vat price thing off putting.

2) Take some time and try to sell the boat yourself.. as others have suggested.... and/or change to a smaller local broker with the same reach who will be more incentivized to sell.... I suggest Network in Dartmouth. These guys are also more open to some negotiation on the % as well....


One thing I wouldnt do is drop the price... it is already looking too cheap.

My experience with brokers is that there first suggestion when your boat is taking a while to sell is to drop the price... Cop out!

Good luck!
 
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