Sign of the times

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capt_courageous

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Yesterday we went for a walk along the Solent Way by the side of the Hamble. In one marina there was a 23 ft yacht, built in about 1974 and in reasonable condition, for sale. It had a 2 year old 20 hp BETA engine. The asking price was less than what it would have cost to buy and fit the engine. It was also less than it would cost to keep the boat in that marina for one year. Does everyone now start with a Bavareau 99?
 
There's less and less "progress through the ranks" and more "I want big, shiny, new and I want in now".

Sailing used to be a liftetime passion, now it's just a passing fad. It was the pony a few years ago, now it's the boat, and in a few years it'll be the motorcycle.
In the mean time these "passers-by" push up boating related prices and effectively kill the second hand market.

Getting more people on the water is not necessarily a good thing. Active participants - yes; but floating caravans - no.
 
There again, prices for non-fashinable boats under 30 foot are very reasonable. If it's not a AWB you're after it's a buyers market so more of the 'right' people can get afloat.

Ther are plenty of bargains if it's not pose value that matters. Snapdragons, Macwesters, Hurleys, Seamasters etc are great secondhand buys for those who want to use them. My Macwester 26 cost me just a little more than the price of the new Beta 20 she has and my Vivacity 20 fully kitted with a trailer cost less than some folk spend on a chart plotter (whatever one of them is)!
 
Could not agree more. A couple of years ago I helped a friend to buy his first boat. A very smart, late, Hurley 22 that came with an almost new 5hp 4 stroke outboard. Eventual purchase price - £3,200. Yes, it had a touch of boat pox, but he fixed it himself for almost nothing. He now has a grand, clean, dry cruising boat at the cost of a dinghy.
 
I think your post answers itself - these days the capital cost of many boats is not great when compared to the running costs so almost everyone who can afford to sail can afford a somewhat bigger boat - a couple of feet longer - say 27' and you find the golden oldies holding their value much better.

This is particularly true on the south coast where there are no cheap moorings.
 
And please don't assume that anone entering yachting with a newish, reasonable sized AWB is a fly by night. I'm starting with a newish AWB. There are a whole host of reasons dictating, why now and why that boat. It's the fruition of something thats been progressing for 11 years (albeit slowly and on dibghy's for the first 10) so I resent being painted as a 'fly by night' just because the occassional city banker hits the news losing his annual bonus on the rocks.
 
I'm not too hot on this maths lark - but if you've got 11 years of experience and the first 10 of those are in dinghys, doesn't that mean you've only got 1 year in cruising boats /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anyway I assure you that a modern AWB wouldn't represent anything like one year's bonus for a high-flying city banker /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif They are more in sunseeker territory
 
Hi
It was not really a question, just a thought. The boat was a Seamaster 23, similar to one our friend had 30 years ago. Then it was a pretty respectable size and they sailed it to Falmouth and back for their two week summer holiday. As you so rightly say the balance between buying and keeping a boat has changed absolutely.
 
[ QUOTE ]
There's less and less "progress through the ranks" and more "I want big, shiny, new and I want in now".



[/ QUOTE ]Not just boats is it? If you are older than 40 you must remember your 1st car being a rusty banger and your first home being furnished with bits and pieces, etc. etc.
It won't do for today's go-getters. And this has been going on for a while, so there's a lot of sailor's out there who wouldn't thank you for a cheap, medium sized boat when with a simple Finance Package they can have large, white, shiny and new.

Sod it, does that make me an old fart?
 
There you have it - I would think of a 23' boat as a day boat or weekender - the idea of living on it for 2 weeks sees just too masochistic these days
 
You're right: it's not just boats - you see it everywhere.

My eldest will turn 17 next year, and is desperate to learn to drive and her own car. I got my T-reg Pug through it's MOT (against all odds) again this year.
I told her that once she's got her full license she can have my car and I'll throw in the insurance and one tank of diesel per month.
Amazingly - she's not too keen. My car doesn't look "cool".
Free car, free insurance and free diesel - but it's the look /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Yes - just like me - so we are both right. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Guapa, I had exactlty that reaction from my daughter some time back when I offered her a Metro - taxed etc.
 
0/10 bedouin - Not all angles covered in your assumption - I could have sailed nothing for the last 6 months!!!

10/10 Lakesailor - I had to work behind a bar at weekends as well as having an apprenticeship and studying day release to run a 1966 Ford Cortina that overheated if I pressed her past 60mph!!
 
Ah - so you've only got 6mths experience then?

Never mind - you can get your Ocean yachtmaster with half that /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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