russ
Well-Known Member
Does the number of previous owners affect a boats market price?
Say 6 over 14 years or 7 if you included myself.
Say 6 over 14 years or 7 if you included myself.
Ownership numbers
- Thread starter russ
- Start date
Greg2
Well-Known Member
Value is affected by things like condition and service history but boats can change hands regularly as people buy one thing and quickly reaslise they want something different or they want to upsize. Our S34 has had quite a few owners and it wasnt a concern for us, or indeed the previous owners that bought her! 
petem
Well-Known Member
Nah, don't worry about it.
Ideally, make sure there aren't any gaps / lost Bills of Sale for the past 6 years in case you or someone else wants to Part 1 register the boat.
Pete
Irish Rover
Well-Known Member
I would definitely be more wary of a boat with frequent changes of ownership. I would be less likely to buy such a boat.
Greg2
Well-Known Member
Why? Genuine question - I can understand doing due diligence but changes of ownership an be entirely normal for boats. I see the same boats change hands regularly as people quickly decide to change for a variety of legitimate reasons.
Sneds
Well-Known Member
I don't know why but I would prefer to buy one that had been owned for a long time, I suppose it would say that the owner was happy with her
I would take a good history over that though
Our current boat had one owner from new, 1999 when we bought her two years ago
I would take a good history over that though
Our current boat had one owner from new, 1999 when we bought her two years ago
Momac
Well-Known Member
If there is evidence of service history what does it matter how many owners there have been?
petem
Well-Known Member
Indeed. There are plenty of boats out there that have had a single owner who over the years has got bored of the thing. Conversely, there are boats where money has been spent at each change of ownership. It's all about condition.
russ
Well-Known Member
Received copies of Bill of Sales today showing every owner from new.
I can see that each owner would sort any surveyed faults before purchase so maybe a good thing that there’s only a few years between.
Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
You probably also buy low mileage cars for a premium even though these will have always been driven cold
BruceK
Well-Known Member
Plus 1. A new owner is also likely to be more extravagent with maintenance and upkeep. Would you buy a broken boat? The only thing Id be wary about with frequent ownership change if there are detailed service records is would I also quickly outgrow the boat and why.
Irish Rover
Well-Known Member
I know some people change their boats very regularly but I'd say they're in a small minority. Most of us buy a boat expecting to keep it for a reasonable period certainly much longer than 2 years. To my mind it would take a huge coincidence for 6 owners in a row to keep a boat for an average of only 2 years. They're may be nothing mechanically or structurally wrong with the boat but there has to be a reason why 6 owners in a row decided to move on so fast especially if the boat appears well maintained and in good condition. Maybe it's just my naturally suspicious nature but, personally, I'd pass.
Greg2
Well-Known Member
Fair enough, a matter entirely for you of course and nothing at all wrong with being a little cautious when spending a chunk of money.
I would disagree a little on your rationale - sure, perhaps larger/higher value boats may tend to stay in ownership for longer but others can move fairly swiftly and as has been pointed out new owners tend to be keen and prepared to spend a bit of cash on their new acquisition. Locally, the main broker does very well from people buying a boat and within a year or two realising they want something a bit bigger or different layout so they either sell through them or trade it in against the next boat. In some cases I suspect that the total amount of commission paid over the years exceeds the value of the boat
It may vary by location as well as size / value of the boat of course. I think my point would be to look at history and condition carefully as opposed to automatically dismissing an option because of the number of owners it has had. FWIW I too am a little suspicious in nature and tend to ask a lot of questions/do a lot of digging in order to satisfy myself as best I can what the situation is. With our latest boat it had a number of owners so I went through the history carefully and was ultimatley satisfied. As the newish keen owner money is being spent that I will never get back but which will enhance our enjoyment of the boat - the next owner will be the one who benefits from a financial perspective - unless of course I can’t sell it because of the number of owners
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Irish Rover
Well-Known Member
Each to their own, as you say. I bought my current 2003 model boat in late 2017. It had 2 previous owners - a Greek charter company for 3 years and a Swiss engineer for 11 years. The engines had over 2,600 hours each but there was a full maintenance record. The PO was fastidious, almost manic, about maintenance and upkeep. The only negative comment from the survey was that I should put caps on the battery terminals. If the boat had 5/6 previous owners I probably wouldn't even have gone to look at it [long trip from Kuşadası to Lefkas] and I'd have missed out. Different strokes and different folks keep the wheels of commerce turning and make life more interesting.Fair enough, a matter entirely for you of course and nothing at all wrong with being a little cautious when spending a chunk of money.
I would disagree a little on your rationale - sure, perhaps larger/higher value boats may tend to stay in ownership for longer but others can move fairly swiftly and as has been pointed out new owners tend to be keen and prepared to spend a bit of cash on their new acquisition. Locally, the main broker does very well from people buying a boat and within a year or two realising they want something a bit bigger or different layout so they either sell through them or trade it in against the next boat. In some cases I suspect that the total amount of commission paid over the years exceeds the value of the boat
It may vary by location as well as size / value of the boat of course. I think my point would be to look at history and condition carefully as opposed to automatically dismissing an option because of the number of owners it has had. FWIW I too am a little suspicious in nature and tend to ask a lot of questions/do a lot of digging in order to satisfy myself as best I can what the situation is. With our latest boat it had a number of owners so I went through the history carefully and was ultimatley satisfied. As the newish keen owner money is being spent that I will never get back but which will enhance our enjoyment of the boat - the next owner will be the one who benefits from a financial perspective - unless of course I can’t sell it because of the number of owners
Momac
Well-Known Member
Any boat will have something to fault about it.
I think making up imaginary reasons to reject a boat such as the number of previous owners is bonkers.
If there has been one owner many years a boat may be well maintained or well neglected.
A boat with many owners may have been surveyed and serviced at every sale with every fault corrected - or it may have been neglected.
In each case the boat should be assessed on its own merits.
I think making up imaginary reasons to reject a boat such as the number of previous owners is bonkers.
If there has been one owner many years a boat may be well maintained or well neglected.
A boat with many owners may have been surveyed and serviced at every sale with every fault corrected - or it may have been neglected.
In each case the boat should be assessed on its own merits.
Irish Rover
Well-Known Member
petem
Well-Known Member
I think we're conflating different reasons that a boat may have a high number of previous owners.
There are individual boats that may be "Friday Afternoon Jobs" or ones that have perhaps has a grounding or dunking that has led to long term issues. These boats are obviously to be avoided.
This is quite different to particular models that tend to change hands relatively regularly. There are some boats that tend to be starter boats or stepping stones for owners to go larger. Searay 240's, Sealine S23's or Fairline Targa 28/29/30's are good examples - owners typically out grow them quite quickly. To some extent, S34's / Targa 34's are relatively compact and owners that have the money tend to go larger after a couple of years. There's nothing wrong with buying one of these boats.
There are also some models that are duffs. Perhaps the handling is poor, perhaps they leak like sieves, perhaps engine access is appalling, etc. These boats are obviously best avoided.
There are individual boats that may be "Friday Afternoon Jobs" or ones that have perhaps has a grounding or dunking that has led to long term issues. These boats are obviously to be avoided.
This is quite different to particular models that tend to change hands relatively regularly. There are some boats that tend to be starter boats or stepping stones for owners to go larger. Searay 240's, Sealine S23's or Fairline Targa 28/29/30's are good examples - owners typically out grow them quite quickly. To some extent, S34's / Targa 34's are relatively compact and owners that have the money tend to go larger after a couple of years. There's nothing wrong with buying one of these boats.
There are also some models that are duffs. Perhaps the handling is poor, perhaps they leak like sieves, perhaps engine access is appalling, etc. These boats are obviously best avoided.
petem
Well-Known Member
I bet there's a lot of people that wouldn't touch an ex charter boat so each to their own!
Irish Rover
Well-Known Member
Me included, if the truth be told, but in this case I thought 11 years rehabilitation in the hands of my maintenance manic Swiss engineer made the risk acceptable. Time will tell.
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
At one time when Sealine built in the uk many owners upgraded on a regular basis because the dealers gave them there money back on a new deal , this kept the factory going at a massive rate.
They also sold far more boats than all the other dealers most years in the good old days.
I would say this is possibly a reason why the boat has changed ownership over the years.
