Selling advice

[ylop]

The situation you are describing is why more and more boats are being offered for free or at a nominal sum - the cost of keeping and maintaining a boat can very quickly exceed the value.

Are "more and more boats" being given away? Has that not always been a thing? 50 yrs ago the Waverley was given away for £1 for exactly these reasons: Waverley: 50 years of the paddle steamer bought for £1

 

[D1bram]

Are "more and more boats" being given away? Has that not always been a thing? 50 yrs ago the Waverley was given away for £1 for exactly these reasons: Waverley: 50 years of the paddle steamer bought for £1

Anything where the liability outweighs the value is likely to be given away.

I don’t know, but I remember years back even old and unfashionable small yachts being treasured and valued by their owners and commanding some value. That all seems to be in decline.

 

[KevinV]

Anything where the liability outweighs the value is likely to be given away.

I don’t know, but I remember years back even old and unfashionable small yachts being treasured and valued by their owners and commanding some value. That all seems to be in decline.

The cost of berthing is just so out of kilter with the value of such boats nowadays

 

[Wandering Star]

The cost of berthing is just so out of kilter with the value of such boats nowadays

Ain’t that the truth!

 

[potentillaCO32]

The cost of berthing is just so out of kilter with the value of such boats nowadays

I think the reason for that is that the demand for old small boats has fallen off a cliff in the UK. Young people with young families have so much more to do nowadays than going on an old sailing boat. Lots of youngsters sail in Dinghies in clubs but most drop out and don't move up via small cruisers.
The new market reflects what people want if and when they eventually have the money and time to return to sailing and it's usually white, french, 40 ft with showers and all mod cons. Similar to the boat they chartered on holidays.
So I think it is lack of demand that has driven the resale value down to below the storage costs.

 

[Egret]

You have to compare the cost of running a boat with the cost of a cup of barista coffee each day then it doesn't seem so bad - swinging mooring, club, lift out every other year - marina would be two cups of coffee and a cake each day - still not bad.

For this boat, see if you can find a broker who will take the boat on and give you free or low cost storage for a while until it sells, and worry no more until you find a cheque in the post - See #15 - a few on the East Coast - see if there are any in your area.

 

[ylop]

I think the reason for that is that the demand for old small boats has fallen off a cliff in the UK. Young people with young families have so much more to do nowadays than going on an old sailing boat. Lots of youngsters sail in Dinghies in clubs but most drop out and don't move up via small cruisers.

Ah ha, I think that's a whole other thread! The notion that people would move from modern sailing dinghies (with some degree of speed, excitement, potential to end up in the drink; but performed for a few hours at a time with a warm shower at the end) to small cruisers is somewhat misplaced. But there are lots of younger people buying small vans to "camp" from who should "get" the small cruiser appeal. Interestingly I noted in the recent PBO that the DCA is booming, and I'm not surprised social media is exactly what those old crusties* needed to get a broader appeal.

*I mean that with affection.

 

[xyachtdave]

You have to compare the cost of running a boat with the cost of a cup of barista coffee each day then it doesn't seem so bad - marina would be two cups of coffee and a cake each day - still not bad.

More like 4 cups of coffee and lunch!

 

[Mark-1]

I don’t know, but I remember years back even old and unfashionable small yachts being treasured and valued by their owners and commanding some value. That all seems to be in decline.

That's my recollection. The advent of GRP and other plastics have changed everything. So many boats remain sailable there's infinite supply. They just get cosmetically worse without ever permanently leaving the market.

Same with dinghies. I've heard of three of four Laser Dinghies given away recently. I don't member dinghies being given away as a kid and if they were it would be becaise of rot. A sound dinghy was alway worth money to someone.

 

[jane444blue]

Noble didn't need a survey when I changed last year. My boats 52 years old