Price vs Value of used Moody yachts

Sticky Fingers

Sticky Fingers

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Well I've been looking at a few Moodys or should that be Moodies. Surprised at the strong prices asked for 20 year old used examples, compared to Ben/Jen/Bav of similar size/vintage. Is it down to a strong demand coupled with a rarity factor? Or does it reflect the original cost of them? Or is it a sort of Hallberg Rassy effect? Or misguided pricing and they sell for half the asking price... ? Or have I missed some nugget.

Piece of string I know. Views welcome...
 
They do tend to command higher prices - but not necessarily the same differential as when they were new. For obvious reasons very few newer than mid 90's on the market (which was when European makers took over the market), but those later boats do command high prices. The bulk of the boats on the market are from the 80's and those have dropped significantly recently, partly because of age/condition and the high cost of refits. The growing supply of more recent AWBs at similar price levels has also hit prices of older boats.

Difficult to comment on !value" - but have just sold my 2001 Bav 37 at a price comparable with a similar size worn out 80's MAB. Know which I would rather have!
 
Marine Projects did a fairly good job with the Moodies, reasonable gear and engine power, headlinings that don't fall down, so they do tend to age well.
 
From Frank Cowper's Sailing tours written in 1909..
"They are a genial, pleasant set of people up at Bursledon. The Moodys, whom I have known--father and son--for over fourteen years, are as good a type of small boatbuilders as it is possible to come across. I was glad to see how they had flourished since I last landed at their little hard"
 
Sometimes an element of the value of a yacht is that ownership privides an entry ticket to a social group/activity, J-Boats are a prime example.

I once observed a Moody owners group meet at a SW Breton port, they were all shall we say very compatible with each other.
 
Quandary said:
Marine Projects did a fairly good job with the Moodies, reasonable gear and engine power, headlinings that don't fall down, so they do tend to age well.
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Also they built the larger ones themselves at Swanwick, fist time I ( about 85 )visited them they were still building yachts and had 3 or 4 larger custom Moodies on the stocks.

Brian
 
jonjo5 said:
Sometimes an element of the value of a yacht is that ownership privides an entry ticket to a social group/activity, J-Boats are a prime example.

I once observed a Moody owners group meet at a SW Breton port, they were all shall we say very compatible with each other.
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Haha very nicely put. I don't go to their gatherings. The boats are well made and there is an excellent owners association. The boats are strong and sail well. Never heard of one with osmosis. All in all a good package that is ageing well.
 
Asking prices bear absolutely no relation to final selling prices in the MAB market. I keep half an eye on brokers like yachtsnet and clarke and carter and unless it's a KVI yacht the family MAB's stick and stick until 3 price drops later they sell for who knows what in the end. Jonic tells us he sells everything for asking price but the blue water market is as niche as it gets.
 
A1GSS said:
:) So what 'types' were they...? I'd hate to join a group where I felt, errr, oddly out of place.
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They were civil, harmess, having fun and just a bit noisy at times however they were extremely insular as a group and completely blanked the world around them.
 
A1GSS said:
Well I've been looking at a few Moodys or should that be Moodies. Surprised at the strong prices asked for 20 year old used examples, compared to Ben/Jen/Bav of similar size/vintage. Is it down to a strong demand coupled with a rarity factor? Or does it reflect the original cost of them? Or is it a sort of Hallberg Rassy effect? Or misguided pricing and they sell for half the asking price... ? Or have I missed some nugget.

Piece of string I know. Views welcome...
Click to expand...


I think you nailed it. They are dear because people want them, they want them because of all those reasons and a few more that have been suggested.

If you don't rate them you are in clover because you can buy something cheaper that you like better. A fine result not open to everyone.
 
doug748 said:
If you don't rate them you are in clover because you can buy something cheaper that you like better. A fine result not open to everyone.
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Not that I explicitly don't rate them (indeed, I think some models have some great strengths) but not sure I see the value to me from the added cost. Means going older than I want to get under my "budget" (which is more of a guideline anyway). Then there's the unknown costs of replacing / upgrading things. Might as well spend less, get something newer that needs less work and fewer upgrades.
 
As the owner of a Moody S31 for 7 years I would make the following observations .....
1. Your options are limited if you want a reasonably modern boat with half skeg rudder and traditional stringers
2. Lots or well cared for examples are looking much better than alternatives at half the age (a combo build quality and typical owner?)
3. They are a bargain compared to HR's and have much better hulls .... just ask your local hull blasting co :-)
4. The Moody Owners Association has significantly increased our enjoyment of sailing weekends on the Solent
 
jonjo5 said:
Sometimes an element of the value of a yacht is that ownership privides an entry ticket to a social group/activity, J-Boats are a prime example.

I once observed a Moody owners group meet at a SW Breton port, they were all shall we say very compatible with each other.
Click to expand...
Spot on! As an [ex]-member of MOA, I can also confirm they are more hierarchical than Downton Abbey.
 
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