Oldgits yearly trawl through the Thames Marinas.

[oldgit]

From Winsor to Harleyford produced the usual neglected and mildewed collection of unwanted sad old rubbish at joke prices as seen last year and the prob the year before that and before we get to the subject of petrol boats that nobody will touch with a barge pole.
If your boat has not sold at asking for say 50K for two years is it to much for the broker to suggest that the price ibe dropped to stop it clogging up his marina for ever.
Handy tips by all means wander round the Thames valley to see what a boat is like,but always buy elsewhere,anywhere else,you will save minimum of 10-15% of asking price.
Ps.Got an unsellable petrol boat,whip round to Thames you can ask a fortune and actually may be able to flog it.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[alistairedw]

I agree. I went looking for a small mototboat in the spring and was seriously underimpressed with the rubbish that was up for sale. A lot of the owners/brokers couldn't even be bothered to give the interior a quick clean up!

Good boats do come on the market but you have to move fast. I spotted a really nice boat at Shepperton and asked that it be taken off the market immediately (and before SWMBO had even seen it).

The boat had only been on sale for a couple of days. I am very happy with the boat and thankful that I just happened to take a drive down to Shepperton to see what they had. It did not appear on any website, so I'm afraid you cannot always browse from home.

 

[byron]

Strange but true. People have an over inflated view of the values of their boats. You see terribly tatty tubs for fortunes. I wonder if the vendors have ever cast a buyers eye over their craft indeed have they been to see them in the past 12 months.
There was a Birchwood 33 for sale down river, it may even still be there for all I know, it had grass growing on it and a small shrub sprouting too. Lord only knows what the inside was like, knee deep in mushrooms I guess. For what they were asking you could have bought a Broom 37 Continental in good nick.

 

[oldgit]

Worst of the bunch were a Sealine at RYB and a Turbo 36 at Harleyford.The pong in the tatty Sealine was overpowering and the Turbo had mildew over everything esp the roof lining.
Best was a much cared for Broom 37 in Windsor.Getting on a bit at 1980 ,but even a careful inspection of the toe rail at the stantion bases failed to produce a single crack in the gel. coat.Be interesting to see if any of the current crop of boats look half as good in 25 years time.

 

[thamesS23]

Have to say that this is the one thing that has really suprised me since looking to buy our first boat. We have been visiting the various marinas and looking at the websites for about a good year and a half now, with alot of the same boats still being around now that were around probably a long time before we even thought about looking. And it's no suprise why that is. The condition that some people (and also the brokers), try and sell the boats in, is just a joke! We have actually walked into a couple of boats at the early stage (at around £18k) and had to walk straight out due to the bad smells and condition. Also, no attempts have been made on a lot of boats to even slighty clean things up or more importantly, just tidy up all the junk and clutter on it.
I wouldn't try and buy or sell a second hand car in this way (baring in mind they might be worth about £7k), so why try and do it with something more expensive.

 

[ianc1200]

On this subject, how often can you get sellers to accept a more realistic price?

Anybody got any advice how to tackle the issue of an over priced boat that you want, other than just offering a lower price?

I want an additional boat to put on my marina mooring on the Blackwater. In particular, I want a Corribee, bilged keeled. There's tatty one for sale at the marina, which has been for sale for aboat 6 months, several things wrong with it, and the price is £4500. Two have gone on E Bay in last three weeks for £1500 or so, including one today. Others are in Cornwall, this one doesn't come with any transport issues.

Should I just phone up and say, I'll offer you £1500 because it's tatty and that's the going rate, or is there some other approach?

IanC

 

[byron]

Yes! you simply must offer what you feel it is worth to you. However put it in writing together with your detailed reasons.
Anything is only worth what someone is prepared to pay. In this case that person is you.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

[ QUOTE ]
There was a Birchwood 33 for sale down river, it may even still be there for all I know, it had grass growing on it and a small shrub sprouting too. Lord only knows what the inside was like, knee deep in mushrooms I guess. For what they were asking you could have bought a Broom 37 Continental in good nick.

[/ QUOTE ]

SWMBO would like us to have a Birchwood 33, but not if a Broom 37 were available at the same price I like mushrooms, where's the boat?

I assume that brokers don't care about shifting a boat if it isn't clogging a mooring or hardstanding, after all, I assume a storage income still applies.

 

[theguvnor]

I purchased from RYB about 6 years ago. Nearly lost the boat as SWMBO stepped on board. The smell was dire. Soon found two pairs of old trainers left by previous owner. Easy to remedy and freshen up - it cost the vendor £4k on a £23k sale !

 

[byron]

Dunno if it is still there but it was below Kingston but before the Shell Moorings on the port hand.

 

[oldgit]

Pop round to the broker with written details of your offer and your phone number.
Walk away sit tight and wait.
A few years ago put in an offer of 25k on one of only two Pegasus 35 Fly built completely in glassfibre.Boat needed love but both engines had been totally rebuilt at vast expence with photographic records to prove.
First asking price was 60k via broker in posh photo ad in MBY,this dropped to 40k within a year.Boat surfaced again on web and went to look at it.Seller had inherited boat from relative.Turned down my offer,so left my phone no and waited.
Repeated whole thing again with different boat,but this time bought it .
Just taking my new boat round to my moorings when phone rang,it was seller of Pegasus ringing up to tell me he would accept my offer.this was 5 months later.
Not totally sure but a very similar boat in the same area(Poole) was for sale last year at offers on 15K?

 

[byron]

people who ask too much all end dropping in the end whereas had they accepted a fair offer straight away, they would have had the money sitting in the bank drawing interest. Back when interest rates were about 15% (1989?) I offered £85,000 cash for a Crown. He turned it down, he finally sold for £85,000 19 months later having had 19 months of expenses and lost the interest he would have gained on my money.

 

[theguvnor]

Perhaps he didn`t like the look of you - don`t forget I`ve seen you !