Needing to sell sail boat. . .

[dochip]

I just checked "Sold Boat" for you. Twenty four 1975 Ranger 33s have sold in the past years at a high of $27,500 and a low of $6,500. The most recent sale was back in 2014 and at $8,000.

Happy to help with broker-esque questions anytime.

[toddster8]

When I was buying a 30-ish boat, there were half a dozen possibilities on the market. There were all listed for months on end. Interested parties had plenty of time to kick the tires, but nobody seemed to buy. Prices gradually started going down... Then the first week of really nice weather in June, there was like, a feeding frenzy. All those boats sold within a couple of days. I made deals on two boats and both times, someone else walked in with cash while I was driving across the state and I arrived two hours late.

But it's true that the boats that sold first, and for more, were the ones that the sellers bothered to clean.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by toddster8

But it's true that the boats that sold first, and for more, were the ones that the sellers bothered to clean.

As a buyer, if I look at a dirty or neglected boat...I don't mind...I just think to myself how many thousands less I'll pay for that boat.

And while its true...3 nice spring days in a row will bring out all the buyers...its also like a game of musical chairs...if July 1 comes around, and you still haven't sold, its likely the boat won't sell that season at all....unless you DRASTICALLY drop the price...(in which case, please PM me, thanks)

[Scout 30]

I strongly agree with clean & that includes the engine. A little paint can go a long way towards making a boat looked loved.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

To attract serious interest, clean it! Seriously put a lot of effort into just making sure it sparkles. Get rid of any junk and take off anything that does not go in the sale. If you have spares and tools that will go with the boat, organize them. But the main take away, clean clean clean.

Some great advise. Looking like a pig sty sells nothing.

[KetoNomad]

I agree with the cleanliness advocates. Having a dirty boat that you're trying to sell is like looking buyers in the face and saying "I'm too lazy to even pretend I care about my boat" I usually rule out pigstyes before I even see them in real life because when is anything ever nicer in real life than it is in the photos?

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I strongly agree with clean & that includes the engine. A little paint can go a long way towards making a boat looked loved.

While I agree with you in principle, as a buyer I would be wary of anything freshly painted...what are they hiding beneath the new paint? I have used white sail tape on the ceiling liner to cover up holes. I know they won't last, but they sure look pretty for a while.

Spares should be neat and organized. Spare sails folded. I always make a nice set of cotter pins, split pins, circle pins, small shackles, a variety of ss screws, etc to include along with spare lines and life jackets. Little things like these cost me little to replace, and go a long way to making the boat desirable.

Take a look at your lines and fenders...thats the first thing the buyer will see and will make a lasting impression.

If you can show the boat in the evening, when its dark, so you can use the cabin lights...and make a pot of coffee (and pull out some gourmet cookies)...that would be a good showing. BTW, I have NEVER been to a showing like that...I wish!

When I sold my last boat, a Pearson 30, I showed it I think 10 or 11 times before it sold. I insisted that each showing be a sea trial...because...well...the boat looked like crap. It was built in the 70's and was totally retro...and not in a good way. But it sailed like a dream. We would get out in the wind, turn off the engine, let the autohelm steer, and it was just heaven on the water. I may not have sold the boat to the first 10 lookers...but I definitely got some new people into sailing!

[Pete7]

What a great time of year to sell a boat. Get it cleaned and advertised, Spring is just around the corner.

Pete

[JPA Cate]

In thinking about what everyone has written so far, I guess probably the two most important things are empty it of everything that doesn't go with it. and clean it so it sparkles. Corral what goes with it in one decent plastic tub that fits somewhere easy to get at. The line you leave, leave in the lazarette, or sail locker. Remove the sails, wash, allow to dry, and re-fold, and "brick", and tidily in all their sail bags. Label them if they are not already labeled as to size or type.

Next, I would put the list of your improvements that you made, along with the backup material that documents it. Tidy up the ship's notebook (where all the owners manuals for all the equipment are tidily stored), and log showing use of consumables: what you replaced, when, oil use, impeller replacements, all the routine maintenance.

Do not spend money on things like new cushions. If the old ones are good, stop reading here. If they are history, remove them, clean, polish, possibly paint the underlayment if it needs it. We painted the interior of our lockers bright white, the new paint looked way better than the stained wood, and it makes them look larger, as well as being easier to search in.

If the varnish is about ready to be re-done, at least get some paste wax and wax it nicely, see how it comes up. Don't be tempted to lie about it, I'd admit what I'd done, what you want to achieve is that it is clean and sparkling.

Advertise her locally, with a low end firm price.

Good luck.

Ann

[Sailorbob8599]

Well, there's certainly a lot of good advice here, even if contradictory between some of you; eg. to clean or not to clean. To paint or not to paint.

I too have a boat I wish to sell. My problem also is what price to ask? It's an "owner completed" vessel & virtually unused. Reason for selling, age and health (mobility) problems. I can no longer stand on a rolling deck.

I've spoken with a broker who says he would be proud to show my boat, suggesting a price (he says) it would sell at. Valued at "$140K replacement cost" at time of launch by a respected local marine surveyor (for Insurance purposes) ... Well of course it would sell at his suggested asking price, I feel he wants to give it away in Cndn Dollars and take a commission for doing so. Hell, I can do that myself; What i'm looking for is a salesman. Not someone who believes in welfare. Sometimes one has to find the right "buyer" for the boat and this may take some time.

The opening line in my sales pitch would be: "This boat, first launched August 9th. 2015, may not be for you". - For one thing, she is not a race boat but she can certainly maintain her hull speed of 5 - 6 knots in a fair wind.
She is of the traditional "Falmouth Cutter type family". A 24'-6" LOD & 30' LOA coastal cruiser, designed by the late Tom Gilmer N.A., who knew how to design a boat for safety, comfort and looks ... after all, he built one for himself in his later years. (Reviewed in Wooden Boat magazine) This hull & deck assembly however was built in fibre-glas (or GRP, if you wish).
She is for the person who enjoys just being aboard, even if simply tied to the dock just puttering and taking in the boating scenery, whilst chatting it up with other folk who love boats ... sailboats in particular. After all, isn't this what boating is all about for many of us?
She has lots of interior, as well as exterior teak, including a teak deck over glass, all of which will require maintenance to keep her looking 'purrrty' ... so if you're not interested in care and maintaining her, don't even bother ... just go look at the plastic 'jelly-beans' for sale on down the dock. This one is for sailors only.

You may want to add things, but one thing you will NOT need to do if you decide to buy my boat, is to replace anything already on her ... not for a very long time; and that includes the BMW diesel, mechanical, rigging, Selden spars, cruising sails by premium sail loft, Lewmar s.t. winches, hardware & fittings, etc. - because everything is basically unused, with less than a total of 30 hrs. use since launched.
Only top quality name brand products have been used in the construction of this boat. In addition to myself, only qualified craftsmen and tradesmen have worked on her.
There are no electronics on this boat because such items can be obsolete within a very short time besides which, if you are a sailor like me, you do not rely on 'toys' to get from 'A' to 'B' ... I can supply a comprehensive list of everything on the vessel, as well as the names of all trades and professional people involved in the completion of this boat.
I'm asking 45kU$ and willing to throw in lots of extra "new" stuff & parts to the right buyer.

Anne Cate, although you always give good advice, I can't agree with your comment to, Advertise her locally, "with a low end firm price". You know as well as I, rarely will anyone want to pay the asking price no matter how fair you make it. They will always offer 50% or less. This is borne out by many responses in other threads on this forum whenever this subject is raised. One needs to recognise true 'value' in any item offered for sale, including boats but I suspect there are many who are simply not prepared to pony up for quality and value.

[Island Time O25]

IMO boat's cleanliness all over is a given. As far as pricing based on the comps that's the tricky part. If you had the luxury of having the boat at your own backyard it is one thing. But if you need to sell fast and have 2 boats on your hands this needs to be reflected in either negotiations with any interested party or initially low enough price to attract more than the usual tire kicking crowd. Or is it fender squeezing crowd in this case?

Good point was made on knowing your potential buyer's interests and intended use of the boat. This gives you some leverage in a very stagnant buyers' market. When I got my 2nd boat I still had the first one and although my running expenses were low (I left her on the mooring over the Winter) I wanted her gone yesterday. Despite numerous ads, from craigslist to sailboatlistings, etc the buyer was found through waterfront grapevine. He was actually nagging our launch drivers if they knew anyone selling in his price range (very low). They passed his name and number to me and it sold the day he scraped enough $$ to pay me. He was actually looking for a cheap boat in any condition as long as it floated and had a working motor. He was kicked out by his old lady (or at least that was the story) and couldn't afford the rents in the area. The boat's price was less than 2-3 months for a studio around here.

Another one I sold at 1/2 the final, lowered listing price to two dreamer potheads (they actually wanted to light up a blount while sitting in the cockpit ) But they had cash in hand (at their first and only viewing), the outboard was giving me hard time and needed some work, and this was early in June and I knew that if it's not sold by 4th of July the chances of selling that Summer would dwindle after that. So I happily accepted their 1/2 asking price offer and was done with it. They were actually the first interested parties to come to the boat. There were about 1/2 a dozen inquiries in May-early June but no one else bothered to make it to the boat.

Oh, and the boat was very clean, all the cushions in A1 condition, good sails, no smells, etc, etc. They actually made the comments that they were amazed how clean my boat was compared with the boats listed at 3X the price.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

In thinking about what everyone has written so far, I guess probably the two most important things are empty it of everything that doesn't go with it. and clean it so it sparkles. Corral what goes with it in one decent plastic tub that fits somewhere easy to get at. The line you leave, leave in the lazarette, or sail locker. Remove the sails, wash, allow to dry, and re-fold, and "brick", and tidily in all their sail bags. Label them if they are not already labeled as to size or type.

Next, I would put the list of your improvements that you made, along with the backup material that documents it. Tidy up the ship's notebook (where all the owners manuals for all the equipment are tidily stored), and log showing use of consumables: what you replaced, when, oil use, impeller replacements, all the routine maintenance.

Do not spend money on things like new cushions. If the old ones are good, stop reading here. If they are history, remove them, clean, polish, possibly paint the underlayment if it needs it. We painted the interior of our lockers bright white, the new paint looked way better than the stained wood, and it makes them look larger, as well as being easier to search in.

If the varnish is about ready to be re-done, at least get some paste wax and wax it nicely, see how it comes up. Don't be tempted to lie about it, I'd admit what I'd done, what you want to achieve is that it is clean and sparkling.

Advertise her locally, with a low end firm price.

Good luck.

Ann

Waxing your varnish would be a pretty cruel trick. When the new owner tries to recoat nothing will stick.

[Jolly Roger]

I agree with everything everyone has said, especially the cleanliness. But I would also add something nobody has mentioned:
Make sure everything actually works! and if it doesn’t, or you can’t afford to fix it, admit as much. It will probably be found out during a survey anyway, when it can, and probably will, be used as a lever for a lower price.
Be up-front, and there is nothing wrong with saying, “If you buy the boat I will have, such-and-such fixed.”
Reduce the discovery of nasty surprises to zero.

[andyft]

I also am looking to sell my boat, it is a 1985 37' Dickerson aft cockpit ketch in very good condition. Many recent upgrades, well maintained by me. Perkins 4-108 with 3800 hrs. Alpha 3000 pilot new in 2013, many recent upgrades.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

I agree with everything everyone has said, especially the cleanliness. But I would also add something nobody has mentioned:
Make sure everything actually works! and if it doesn’t, or you can’t afford to fix it, admit as much. It will probably be found out during a survey anyway, when it can, and probably will, be used as a lever for a lower price.
Be up-front, and there is nothing wrong with saying, “If you buy the boat I will have, such-and-such fixed.”
Reduce the discovery of nasty surprises to zero.

Unjolly Roger,

I believe giving a little on the price would be cheaper and less complex than an agreement to fix a probable problem. I doubt to many will buy on a promise to fix.