Wind vane self steering , a plus point or not?

[Donside]

I’m toying with the possibility of taking the wind vane off my boat in the belief it would be easier to sell the boat without it.
I’m not sure it would be easy to sell the vane by itself but the boarding ladder is unusable as the vane sits over it. Maybe the available ladder is a better selling point than the vane.
Any opinion welcome.
Thanks.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I’m toying with the possibility of taking the wind vane off my boat in the belief it would be easier to sell the boat without it.
I’m not sure it would be easy to sell the vane by itself but the boarding ladder is unusable as the vane sits over it. Maybe the available ladder is a better selling point than the vane.
Any opinion welcome.
Thanks.

What sort of wind vane? There appears to be a ready market for most models.

 

[Kwik Decision]

What is the boat? If it is a traditional sail anywhere long distance boat, them leave it on. If it's an AWB, I'd take it off, and sell separately. I like wind vane steering, and regularly sail on a friend's Saltram Saga 40 with a Monitor, which works very well. I wouldn't fit one to my Sadler 290 though, although there is at least one out there with a wind vane.

 

[Rappey]

It seems obligatory that a rustler 36 has wind self steering !
How about removing it, capping the holes and offering it as an optional extra?
As already stated, self steering gear seems popular 2nd hand.

 

[Poignard]

I have thought about this and concluded that I would be better taking the high value Monitor off my low value boat and selling it separately.

 

[pandos]

I think the added value to the boat is unlikely to be more than it would fetch separately.

To get the same money you need someone who wants both.

Probably easier to get two buyers.

Also the perception of big holes in the stern will put people off, much more than the reality of a few carefully plugged holes.

 

[srm]

My current boat came with an old Aries. I had kept the Monitor, bought second hand, from my previous boat as I liked it.
Put the Monitor on the current boat and sold the Aries for almost what I had paid for the Monitor.

Part of my reasoning came from comparing the instructions:
Aries: oil every day.
Monitor: do not oil.

 

[Poignard]

My current boat came with an old Aries. I had kept the Monitor, bought second hand, from my previous boat as I liked it.
Put the Monitor on the current boat and sold the Aries for almost what I had paid for the Monitor.

Part of my reasoning came from comparing the instructions:
Aries: oil every day.
Monitor: do not oil.

.... and no aluminium components in the Monitor

 

[KompetentKrew]

I disagree with the other replies. Having a windvane installed on a boat shows that it is well setup - it has all the necessary accoutrements.

If I buy a boat without autopilot / windvane then I'm just going to have to fit one myself. Dismantling it, selling it, fitting a replacement - this all creates more work.

I do agree with @Kwik Decision that it depends on the boat, though.

 

[penfold]

They don't add much if anything to the sale price of a boat but can be sold on for upwards of a grand; not a difficult decision unless you actually use the thing regularly.

 

[Donside]

Thanks for your interest, it’s a Monitor wind vane, which i really enjoy using, on the stern of my Sigma 362

 

[steveeasy]

They don't add much if anything to the sale price of a boat but can be sold on for upwards of a grand; not a difficult decision unless you actually use the thing regularly.

They might not add too much to a boat, but I think they very much help sell a boat.
Steveeasy

 

[Koeketiene]

If you're selling the boat, I would take it off.
Just sell the windvane separately.
Windvanes are an acquired taste and not everyone likes them.
And those that do will pay a fair price to get one second-hand.

 

[jac]

I would not take it off yet but make it clear on the particulars that the boat is for sale without the wind vane but that the windvane is available separately if wanted and only remove if the potential new buyer says they don't want it.. You can then negotiate a price for both and if the purchaser wants it then they can and you don't have to go to the trouble of taking it off and advertising / selling to someone else. Two sales will probably be more profitable but will also be more work.

 

[penfold]

They might not add too much to a boat, but I think they very much help sell a boat.
Steveeasy

As already observed it's highly dependent on what the boat is; if an AWB then almost certainly it will be getting removed, if a blue water cruiser type then you may have a point, notwithstanding that both categories are subjective. No point in letting it go if the buyer won't pay a premium, even if only £500 or so.

 

[Praxinoscope]

I very much regret letting the wind vane (a Plastimo Navik ) with my last boat when I sold it, I used to enjoy sailing with the wind vane and it would have fitted my current boat with just a small amount of modification.

 

[dunedin]

Thanks for your interest, it’s a Monitor wind vane, which i really enjoy using, on the stern of my Sigma 362

Definitely split then, would be my suggestion. Most buyers of a Sigma 362 are likely to prefer a clean stern and an electronic auto pilot.
Perhaps different with a Sadler 26, say.

 

[robmcg]

Thanks for your interest, it’s a Monitor wind vane, which i really enjoy using, on the stern of my Sigma 362

Boat isn't in the Clyde is it?

 

[MisterBaxter]

I'd offer it for sale with the wind vane as an optional extra, for a named price, but leave it on the boat until a sale is agreed. It would be a big plus for me to see a boat with a wind vane fitted and (presumably) properly set up and working, and a waste of both our time for you to take it off then me to buy it and put it back on!

 

[srm]

.... and no aluminium components in the Monitor

The Aries had been rebuilt. The scars were clearly visible where the stainless shafts had been forcibly driven out of the alloy body. Aries manual said they had to be driven out with a single heavy blow rather than tapping.