In a quandary.

[Denek]

I’m not sure if this is the best place for this post but here goes. I’m in a quandary as to which path to take. We are moving house this spring and the place we are buying needs a complete refurb and so sailing will probably be off the agenda this summer. I don’t know if selling the boat now as prices are high and buying another in 2023 is the best option or should I keep her on the hard for what will amount to 18 months. If I do decide to keep her what extra things would you do to keep her in good condition? I guess empty the water tanks ( I don’t usually bother over the winter) the engine is already winter is Ed with the impeller removed and she’s plugged in.
what would you do?

 

[Stemar]

I think it comes down to how you feel about your boat. Some love their boats as much as they love their spouse - more sometimes! They'd move on board rather than sell. For others the boat is just a commodity that gets them out on the water, so getting rid when they aren't using her would make sense. If you're asking, I'm guessing you're more towards the commodity end of the scale, so it would make sense to get rid.

OTOH, how much investment do you have in your boat in terms of refurbishment, updating, etc, and how much would it take to get the next boat up to snuff? I can only afford projects, and when I've got Jazzcat sorted, I really don't want another I'm feeling my age with this one! You may be able to buy in sailaway condition, if there is such a thing. You give up your berth; will you find as good later?

Finally, I know how much work a tired house can take, and get that you may not have a lot of time to go on the water, but you will need a break from time to time, or you'll get sick of the house and all the work. Would the boat make a useful escape from that?

Ah well, there you go. No answers, just more questions. You have to find your own answers.

If you do decide to keep her, I'd be tempted to keep her in the water and run the engine for a couple of hours once a month - just the excuse for a weekend away from plaster dust and plumbing!

 

[V1701]

Difficult to be unsentimental where your boat is concerned but if you love it, have put a lot in and can afford the storage you could get an all over cover or even maybe get it shrinkwrapped? Remove sails, cushions, etc. and usual precautions. OTOH and especially if you can get a good price for her one less thing to worry about...

 

[bedouin]

I think it depends how certain you are of sailing in 2023. A complete refurb on the house could well take 2+ years and sap a lot of your energy. Having a boat standing on the hard is one more thing to worry about (partly depending on how far it is away from you).

Even on the hard and out of commission a boat costs a fair amount in yard fees and insurance etc.

Were you to sell now and buy again say in 2024 would you be looking for an identical boat or would you choose something a little different?

The rational decision is to sell and buy again in a couple of years but if you love that boat above all others then keep it. If I were you keeping it I would try to keep it somewhere where I could at least take it out a couple of times a year to get away from the work in the house

 

[doug748]

It only makes sense to sell if you have already thought that a different boat might suit you better. If you think bigger, smaller, newer, or older might be on the agenda in the next few years, it makes sense to think about doing it now.
Otherwise it would be crazy to sell one boat and buy a similar thing in 12 months time - which you would want to do, at the very latest, if you were planning to sail in 2023.

Ashore the boat might cost you a few grand a sum easily eaten up in a boat swap.

.

 

[25931]

I think it comes down to how you feel about your boat. Some love their boats as much as they love their spouse - more sometimes! They'd move on board rather than sell. For others the boat is just a commodity that gets them out on the water, so getting rid when they aren't using her would make sense. If you're asking, I'm guessing you're more towards the commodity end of the scale, so it would make sense to get rid.

OTOH, how much investment do you have in your boat in terms of refurbishment, updating, etc, and how much would it take to get the next boat up to snuff? I can only afford projects, and when I've got Jazzcat sorted, I really don't want another I'm feeling my age with this one! You may be able to buy in sailaway condition, if there is such a thing. You give up your berth; will you find as good later?

Finally, I know how much work a tired house can take, and get that you may not have a lot of time to go on the water, but you will need a break from time to time, or you'll get sick of the house and all the work. Would the boat make a useful escape from that?

Ah well, there you go. No answers, just more questions. You have to find your own answers.

If you do decide to keep her, I'd be tempted to keep her in the water and run the engine for a couple of hours once a month - just the excuse for a weekend away from plaster dust and plumbing!
[/QUOT
I couldn't have put it better.

 

[Denek]

Thanks guys. You are posing all the same questions I have been asking myself. As you say it’s a tricky one. We do love the boat although it was always the intention to downsize eventually but we were thinking in 5 years or more. She already is under an all over cover but you are also correct that keeping her afloat would give us a break now and again. I am leaning towards keeping her but just can’t make up my mind wether I should drop her in or not.
the house ( well bungalow actually) is a major project and will require a lot of hard work but it keeps me busy. We have fixed up our current house over the last two years so have kept busy during lockdowns.
it doesn’t help that I have COVID ant the moment. Too much thinking time ?

 

[Clancy Moped]

Is the boat near the house renovation? Better than a caravan?

 

[mrming]

It could be good timing to sell her now while there is scarcity in the market and prices are strong. You would be betting on the pandemic purchasers offloading their toys by 2 years time and prices softening again. If it wasn’t for the B word I would say this is a good bet, but we could still have a scarcity issue with not as many new boats coming in and second hand boats not being so economical to import from the EU. Tricky, but even still you’ve got to think there has never been a better time to sell.

 

[jwilson]

When after selling our previous boat on the other side of the world we bought a beautiful harbour view with a decrepit house attached in late 2000 we thought it would be all sorted in a year or two at most. In 2005/6 we more or less finished the work and bought a boat again. Admittedly the house being old, fairly big and listed slowed progress.

 

[LadyInBed]

The factors to consider are
Selling price to cost of replacement to cost of storage to depreciation
Could the money be better utilised elsewhere
Time involved in maintainance
Satisfaction with current boat
Change of circumstances in the next 18 months

 

[Denek]

I think I’m going to postpone the decision for a while. We will probably be moving in early May so We have some time. I suppose it will also depend upon how much I could get for the boat but I know I would miss her even when she’s sitting on the hard at least I know she’s there.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Seems a bit extreme to park the boat for 18 months or sell it. Why not keep it in commission and grab a bit of sailing here and there in between "housework". All work and no play makes for a miserable existance or worse.

 

[Denek]

Seems a bit extreme to park the boat for 18 months or sell it. Why not keep it in commission and grab a bit of sailing here and there in between "housework". All work and no play makes for a miserable existance or worse.

You could be right.

 

[Blueboatman]

I can’t answer the question for you
But having bought houses and put them ‘ right’ to my satisfaction over the years I will definitely say that taking a day off from housework at least once week actually improves productivity and clarity of ideas .

( so, one consideration might be selling the boat tomorrow, buying a nice campervan that can be put to use almost on the spur of the weather’s promising forecast , would be one way to get the work /rest /fun balance in place ..)
There will always be boats to buy

 

[Denek]

I can’t answer the question for you
But having bought houses and put them ‘ right’ to my satisfaction over the years I will definitely say that taking a day off from housework at least once week actually improves productivity and clarity of ideas .

( so, one consideration might be selling the boat tomorrow, buying a nice campervan that can be put to use almost on the spur of the weather’s promising forecast , would be one way to get the work /rest /fun balance in place ..)
There will always be boats to buy

My other half wants a camper. I am resisting.plus they are very expensive at the moment as well.
I have to admit though that the idea of visiting places that don’t have to be by water does have some appeal. There is a lot of our fair isle that I have not visited.

 

[jonic]

Our builders were supposed to be gone by Christmas and are still here!

From a market perspective (and I am a yacht broker) the market is still good and well presented yachts in certain segments are selling well and relatively quickly. I almost sold out in December.

If she is going to be left for a while, keep her checked and running regularly. They hate being left on their own.

 

[Povremeni pomorac]

I think it comes down to how you feel about your boat. Some love their boats as much as they love their spouse - more sometimes! They'd move on board rather than sell. For others the boat is just a commodity that gets them out on the water, so getting rid when they aren't using her would make sense. If you're asking, I'm guessing you're more towards the commodity end of the scale, so it would make sense to get rid.

OTOH, how much investment do you have in your boat in terms of refurbishment, updating, etc, and how much would it take to get the next boat up to snuff? I can only afford projects, and when I've got Jazzcat sorted, I really don't want another I'm feeling my age with this one! You may be able to buy in sailaway condition, if there is such a thing. You give up your berth; will you find as good later?

Finally, I know how much work a tired house can take, and get that you may not have a lot of time to go on the water, but you will need a break from time to time, or you'll get sick of the house and all the work. Would the boat make a useful escape from that?

Ah well, there you go. No answers, just more questions. You have to find your own answers.

If you do decide to keep her, I'd be tempted to keep her in the water and run the engine for a couple of hours once a month - just the excuse for a weekend away from plaster dust and plumbing!

Keep the boat and get somone else to do the work. If you cannot afford both and you like your boat, do the work over a couple of winters. Unless you are one of those masochists who like DIY, plastering, decorating etc.

 

[Povremeni pomorac]

My other half wants a camper. I am resisting.plus they are very expensive at the moment as well.
I have to admit though that the idea of visiting places that don’t have to be by water does have some appeal. There is a lot of our fair isle that I have not visited.

Camper eh? Has she/he ever used one for a week or two? We did for ten days in NZ and were deeply unimpressed. On balance, if I had to, I'd rather be a shed-dragger, as a lot of campers are too big to get into smaller places. Port Isaac for example. At least with a shed one can leave it on site for a week and drive off for day trips. BTW do you really mean a "Camper"? Purists regard those as things like the old VW one or a converted Transit. Might you mean a "motorhome"? BIgger, and IMHO grossly over-priced.

 

[Stemar]

"Shed dragging" has many advantages, We lived in one for 6 months between houses, and the big advantage over using a camper/mobile home is that you don't have to pack everything up and drag it all to Tescos because you need a pint of milk. All the same, I'd guess it could be pretty unpleasant through a cold wet winter.