For Sale: Catamaran: Cautionary Tale for Wannabe Cruisers

[Sand crab]

Doing a Yachtworld for cats from 38' to 44' and priced between $100,000 to $150,000 yielded 30 boats. Most were smaller and with less equipment. So, I would say that the asking price is not too far off the mark although the Panama location isn't going to help. You certainly won't find a comp in this lower range.
Good Luck

[Paul L]

Jane
Humor aside, you might want to get a little more serious on your listing page. Make it look like a good example of a Yachtworld page. I don't even see the year and model listed on the Blog post page. The boat is 20 years old, so showing many more pictures that show the true condition and all areas of the boat is much more likely to attract a buyer who needs to go to Panama to view it. Lots more details, like engine hours, will help. Also, I'm not sure coming across as ''this is such a deal price that we will wait for the right buyer' is the best way to attract someone to make the journey to Panama. How about trying to inspire them to actually come down and view the boat? Offer them a bonus, like you'll pay for the airfare/travel costs for a buyers inspection if the deal closes. Selling a boat in Panama is tough. It isn't like its in the states and you can get 10 viewers and hope the boat will touch one of them. Not letting the listing get stale will also probably be important. This means you are willing to drop the price or move the boat after a month or so to get some action. If no one is looking at it, no one is buying it. Of course this assumes you are a serious seller.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Doing a Yachtworld for cats from 38' to 44' and priced between $100,000 to $150,000 yielded 30 boats. Most were smaller and with less equipment. So, I would say that the asking price is not too far off the mark although the Panama location isn't going to help. You certainly won't find a comp in this lower range.
Good Luck

Oh I don't know... might be just the ticket for an Aussie looking for an import... I know they're out there... I've met em..

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by sww914

Bummer. Sorry you don't like it. This is an inconvenient life at best but since my old life sucked pretty hard, I'm not yet dissuaded.

HA. This is what I'm going to call my tell-all cruising memoir: "An Inconvenient Life at Best."

Steve, one of our upcoming topics on The Monkey's Fist is The New Normal, and your post Is It Worth It? will make a great addition, if it's okay with you. It's relevant to this thread, I think, because it's about what you give up and what you gain by cruising - and the calculus is different for every family of course.

And speaking of humor, your blog makes me laugh out loud - you and Tamiko and Eli have got it going on - and I'm glad you're finding that it's worth it, since it means you'll keep writing.

[maytrix]

What I don't understand is why anyone gives up everything for this "dream" that they've never even experienced much of.

You don't typically see people who've never skied - say "I'm going to take the winter off and ski every day the whole season" - They usually have done some first and got a feel for whether or not they like it and this isn't even a huge change.

To the OP - were you newbs at sailing in general and boat maintenance..etc? Or just to cruising.

My wife and I are planning on cruising in the future (not dreaming - planning). We own two boats now - one in charter and a smaller one we can use at home and practice with. Not only to gain added sailing experience - that's the easy part, but to gain experience with all the other stuff that goes with it. Re-wiring electrical, patching holes, troubleshooting issues..etc. Just getting it ready for this summer took a lot of weekends and the boat was in good shape. We know we want to do this and know it will be a good fit as well, but we also know we need to understand all the various aspects as best we can to be prepared and know what it will involve. I'm always amazed when people dive in head first without knowing how to swim.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Oh I don't know... might be just the ticket for an Aussie looking for an import... I know they're out there... I've met em..

True dat!

There's a Venezia in Australia listed on yachtworld for $330K US. We were thinking that our ask should be "$275K if you're from Australia or NZ; $210K for everyone else." Ha Ha Just Kidding.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by maytrix

What I don't understand is why anyone gives up everything for this "dream" that they've never even experienced much of.

Well, some folks tend to be more look-before-leap, and other folks tend to be more leap-before-look. There are disadvantages at either end of the spectrum, right? We definitely have leap-first tendencies, but since you ask, it also had something to do with a unique set of circumstances at a particular moment in time. This is what I wrote on the blog, trying to partially explain our insanity:

"We had decided we wanted to do something interesting with our lives. We were at a crossroads: not fully embedded in our current realities, not completely committed to our goals for the future.... And Ean said, "If you don't do anything interesting, you aren't." We decided that buying a boat and cruising around the world would be... interesting."

And so it was...

Originally Posted by maytrix

My wife and I are planning on cruising in the future (not dreaming - planning). We own two boats now - one in charter and a smaller one we can use at home and practice with. Not only to gain added sailing experience - that's the easy part, but to gain experience with all the other stuff that goes with it.

Maytrix, it sounds like this life will really work for you - the way you're preparing, the experience you're gaining - this is a much better way to know, before you start, whether or not you will like the life. Also, if you know your boat well and know how to fix it, your odds of cruising contentment go way up. Hey, all you Dreamers/Doers! Wannabe/Soon-to-be Cruisers! Maytrix is doing it RIGHT. In all seriousness (for just a moment), when we call ourselves a Cautionary Tale, we really mean it.

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by Jane.Joy

Maytrix, it sounds like this life will really work for you - the way you're preparing, the experience you're gaining - this is a much better way to know, before you start, whether or not you will like the life. Also, if you know your boat well and know how to fix it, your odds of cruising contentment go way up. Hey, all you Dreamers/Doers! Wannabe/Soon-to-be Cruisers! Maytrix is doing it RIGHT. In all seriousness (for just a moment), when we call ourselves a Cautionary Tale, we really mean it.

Thanks. I read a bunch of your blog since posting and its been fun to read so far.

I do think its good to have some cautionary tales . Many people think its all fun. We fortunately know its not. We love using our big boat because its so easy - we fly down, get on and go for a week or more at a time. The little boat takes more effort.

Certainly not everyone needs to take the same approach and in our case, I'm pretty sure we'd do fine either way, but going in with as much knowledge as you an certainly helps. I know looking the last time I looked at the electrical panel on the big boat I had no clue what was going on, but now that I've re-wired the little boat, I should be able to make heads and tails of it - still far more complicated though.

I'm looking forward to reading some more of your blog - just have read a few posts so far.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by maytrix

Certainly not everyone needs to take the same approach and in our case, I'm pretty sure we'd do fine either way, but going in with as much knowledge as you can certainly helps. I know looking the last time I looked at the electrical panel on the big boat I had no clue what was going on, but now that I've re-wired the little boat, I should be able to make heads and tails of it - still far more complicated though.

Truly, it seems like an ideal situation - you can spend some time playing and learning on "the big boat" - and then TAKE A BREAK, return to "real life," for a while. Part of what has worn us out is being full-time, relentlessly baffled by our little floating space shuttle. Most non-cruisers don't understand why cruisers need to "take vacations" - "Dude, your WHOLE LIFE is one big vacation!"

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by maytrix

and a smaller one we can use at home and practice with. Not only to gain added sailing experience - that's the easy part, but to gain experience with all the other stuff that goes with it. Re-wiring electrical, patching holes, troubleshooting issues..etc. Just getting it ready for this summer took a lot of weekends and the boat was in good shape. We know we want to do this and know it will be a good fit as well, but we also know we need to understand all the various aspects as best we can to be prepared and know what it will involve.

That's the reason that I tend to suggest folks who are starting from zero and who have time own their own boat before committing big bucks and / or over investing into their dreams. Skippering, Sailing, crewing and even living aboard are seperate (even if overlapping) from owning own boat - a squillion "dull" things you get to learn first hand, especially that a) all those easy / 5 minute jobs add up to hours / days / weeks and months and b) their are no 5 minute jobs .......IMO far easier to learn all that before committing to "the boat", especially if she has been bought at a price that includes a few 5 minute jobs, needed or simply wanted.........

But not to say that jumping in can't work (clearly it does for some ) - but upping the odds of success is useful, and that success defined either by achieving boat dream or coming up with a Plan B before betting the farm on the dream. and the marriage. and the pension plan. and yer sanity .

The deceptive thing about boats and boat voyage plans is that pretty much everything is doable (and no rocket science involved ) - the big questions are only whether "your" plans are achievable by "you" and whether they will turn out to fun enough to have bothered!.......and the only person who can answer those is "you", mostly by the doing, no matter how many "which is best" questions are asked.

Personally I see nothing wrong with someone deciding that the boat thing (cruising or not) is not to their tastes, whether after 1 day or 1 year. Indeed, fair play for giving it a go Being married to that decision financially is though IMO kinda dumb ....but I will admit that am firmly in the camp of "it's only a boat" , of course me never done the great cruising adventures others here have, just 40 odd years of "simply messing around in boats" whilst living on an island and a fair chunk of my life wandering around foreign parts having fun via the magic of Jumbo Jets . IME wayyy more fun (and cheaper) ashore than afloat, if the getting there is not a core part of "your" fun.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

But not to say that jumping in can't work (clearly it does for some ) - but upping the odds of success is useful, and that success defined either by achieving boat dream or coming up with a Plan B before betting the farm on the dream. and the marriage. and the pension plan. and yer sanity .

The deceptive thing about boats and boat voyage plans is that pretty much everything is doable (and no rocket science involved ) - the big questions are only whether "your" plans are achievable by "you" and whether they will turn out to fun enough to have bothered!.......and the only person who can answer those is "you", mostly by the doing, no matter how many "which is best" questions are asked.

True dat.

Plan B is definitely going to save the marriage and our sanity - we didn't realize ahead of time that we would be "betting" them! Not sure what Plan B IS yet but I'm sure it's gonna be great and I'm pretty sure we're not going to LEAP As you say, always good to have an exit strategy and to make sure that you can actually afford your exit strategy - morally, mentally, and physically, as well as actual dollars and cents.

Anyway, thanks, man....

[Jane.Joy]

Finally got a page up with tons of pictures - it's here:

Pictures of JOY, Part 1

and more to come....

four inquiries so far... only time will tell!

[nimblemotors]

I agree, a buyer if anything will appreciate the honesty, and also the known history of the boat, and nobody buys a $200k boat on an impulse buy at the checkout counter. Oh wait, maybe that is what you did...
You had a great experience. Best of luck in the next adventure!

Originally Posted by Jane.Joy

Hey! I truly am grateful for all the kind words and well wishing. Generous spirits, you have.

Regarding our "honesty" - only time will tell. It is indeed possible, as some of you have advised, that a bit of "spin" could help us sell the boat faster or for more money. It's not that the thought didn't occur.

But first of all, we value honesty and want to put more of it out there, into the universe. It's a small contribution, to be sure.

Secondly, as Shakespeare put it, "Truth will out." Moral implications aside, we could take the whole blog down and say we LOVE LOVE LOVE cruising, but the inescapable fact is, we are selling the boat 'cause we don't want the damn thing any more. Any serious buyer - and these are the only folks that matter, here - will see through any spin and understand that, really, we don't want the damn thing any more, based solely on the PRICE, which, in our best estimation, is truly a selling price. (Maybe even an eye-popping price, although reasonable people may disagree on this point.) Those boats on yachtworld - those are listing prices, and those owners may or may not be serious about wanting to "meet the market" and sell the boat.

On the other hand: Is it a "distress" sale? No. We are not in distress. Folks will always come with low-ball offers, even lacking evidence of said distress, because they think (hope?) there may be a little secret distress lurking behind the public facade. But we are neither annoyed nor swayed by the buy-if-it's-a-steal folks. We just need to find ONE buyer who not only agrees with us that this boat is worth $210K, but also has the means and the inclination to buy it at that price. Is that buyer out there in the market right now? Only time will tell.

Finally. Thirdly? A straight yachtworld listing, coming from Shiny Happy Cruisers, is NOT funny. And - honestly! - we value humor even more than we value honesty. And honest humor-- even more better! If we have the chance to put a little LOL out into the universe, we're there. A small contribution, to be sure. But still.

So STAY TUNED, Ever'body. Maybe a year from now, JOY will be on a dock at Pier 7 in Edgewater, MD, still waiting to be sold, listed with our favorite broker, Tommy from Sailaway Catamarans. He sold it before, he can sell it again - if it comes to that.

[TOM]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Jane
Humor aside, you might want to get a little more serious on your listing page. Make it look like a good example of a Yachtworld page. I don't even see the year and model listed on the Blog post page. The boat is 20 years old, so showing many more pictures that show the true condition and all areas of the boat is much more likely to attract a buyer who needs to go to Panama to view it. Lots more details, like engine hours, will help. Also, I'm not sure coming across as ''this is such a deal price that we will wait for the right buyer' is the best way to attract someone to make the journey to Panama. How about trying to inspire them to actually come down and view the boat? Offer them a bonus, like you'll pay for the airfare/travel costs for a buyers inspection if the deal closes. Selling a boat in Panama is tough. It isn't like its in the states and you can get 10 viewers and hope the boat will touch one of them. Not letting the listing get stale will also probably be important. This means you are willing to drop the price or move the boat after a month or so to get some action. If no one is looking at it, no one is buying it. Of course this assumes you are a serious seller.

Well said Paul ,you are spot on.

[cheoah]

Hi guys, I don't have the first clue about selling cats so no tips from me there. It will sell, one way or another, eventually.

I just read a bunch of your blog, at least the early days and it was incredibly entertaining. I frequent that section of waterway a good bit in my regular travels so the places are all familiar, by land and water. The experience is not! You guys really did figure it out as you moved south, kind of a learn as you go program, with like a dozen cats on board. Certainly nothing to feel bad about - having given it a couple years of your life and realizing it aint that fun for you. I'm sure it was tough, after all the planning, provisioning etc, making the decision to move on. As opposed to years of planning and preparation which in some cases ends with nothing.... you guys did sail down the east coast to the Bahamas, including an offshore passage, along with some time on Hispaniola and CEntral America, right? How bout a big damn pat on the back, really, and lets step up the attitude and get that boat to the next skipper without losing a bunch of cash.

Someone will snap your boat up for the right price. It is what it is, independent of the experience you guys had, so get it ready. It's a big, complicated boat for crying out loud, all the more surreal when I read what it was like for you guys going from boatyard(marina) to boatyard, not really having the experience or skills to troubleshoot and repair all the different systems that your boat has.

Thanks for posting. I don't usually read sailing blogs except for a couple of friends', but I enjoyed reading several entries this morning after you set the hook, then some more after a full day of boat maintenance.

Good luck with those cats-