Frustrated Seller - Tartan 37

[amessick]

Taoist; I emailed your broker, twice, and sent you a PM on here. I was pretty interested in the boat, but it's been over a week and I've never heard back from the broker at all. Let me know if you get my PM or see this, I'm still fairly interested but its difficult to communicate with a broker who won't respond to my emails.

[Swiftsure30]

Taoist, Respectfully I think you know pretty much all the reasons why she hasn't sold even though you may not be willing to admit them to yourself. First and foremost the reason why you are selling her in the first place. You "downsized" to a Bristol 31.1 which isn't half the boat of the 37 (I am talking build quality and sailing characteristics) yet is twice the boat below deck and half the maintenance and yearly cost. The problem here is what is driving the market these days. The vast majority of the people in the market are more interested in creature comforts than crossing oceans. You are looking to cross oceans? you choose the Tartan 37. You are looking for creature comforts and a cozy warm environment to escape to and relax in with the fam or a few friends? You choose the Bristol 31.1 which is exactly what you did. Your biggest mistake was not getting rid of the Tartan first and if it makes you feel any better I have been there. Good luck with the sale but if you really want to sell her on you need to get real with yourself. I am guessing the 37 was your first boat? If my hunch is correct you got sucked in by her Siren song and I don't blame you. You most likely overpaid and then got sucked down the rabbit hole of the "10 year refit". You will never recoup that money. Did you See Meridian? Don't know what she sold for ultimately but I can bet you it was no wheres near the 30k that was the asking price for a couple years at least as well. There was one of these beauties in my marina for Several years and the owner could not give her away. They are boats from a bygone era built for true Sailors not weekend warriors. Also you said months ago that you had lowered the price to 20k but she is still listed everywhere for the 25k. You might want to look into that.

[Achdee]

To Frustrated Seller Tartan 37. You might sell it if you returned requests for information. Emailed this guy a couple of days ago and still nothing? And...frustrated seller, how about frustrated buyer. I'm in the market and cash ready but these people seem to not want to sell their boats. Don't answer your requests, don't return phone calls and trying to get any information from those two who finally get around to you is like pulling teeth and then it only comes to you in dribbles. And those who think only 4 pics of your hull is going to sell your boat, not.

Look, if you want to sell your boat act like you want to. Have plenty of pictures, a complete list of what you have, yeah, that includes everything and be forthcoming and available. By giving all of the information on the first request it saves time and makes the decision process move faster which can either sell your boat faster or not. Strike while the iron is hot. And enough with the my boat is worth more because its a "blue water", or one had circumnavigated. And you're the only one who thinks your Alberg is the one that survived Fastnet, so we aren't going to beg you, nor jump through hoops, for you to sell us your 50 plus year old plastic project boat. Keep acting like you are holding the holy grail of sailboats and are doing us buyers a favor just for the opportunity to maybe own your boat and if you don't budge on that ridiculous price for a boat that needs everything to sail, will only leave the Marina collecting $2-3000 a year in fees the winner. So when you spend $15000 in fees on a $12000 boat, because you refuse to believe its no longer the 60's and that there are so many better and newer boats than yours on the market and the only ones looking to buy your boat are DIY cruisers who are usually poor and can't not only afford your price, but can't afford your delusion that a stripped down, 35 ft, 1967 project boat that does not motor or sail is worth more than the lead.

But, someone will overpay for it, spend 3 times as much to get it seaworthy, and in couple years they too will make another Marina a winner.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by taoist

Thanks for the reply. Have been a GOB subscriber for years and ran some ads last year that elicited a few scam responses. According to the broker there have been nibbles with one offer of $16000 - much too low. So, kind of dead in the water right now.

Should've accepted it. With boats the first rejected offer in retrospect will often end up as the best offer. Call it Murphy's Law of boat selling.

[NormanMartin]

Flogging the topic some more:
IslandTimeO25 is absolutely right... most of the time. Chuckle.

Looking at it from another angle... Marketing and sales are about story telling. (Reference Seth Godwin and Purple Cow and All Marketers Tell Stories) Read most sailboat ads and one is at a loss for what the story is. Why did you buy this boat, use this boat, and decide to sell this boat?

Stories matter as much as the cleanliness and seamanship shown in the yacht's presentation.

A story tells the prospect why the yacht is worthy of consideration. Why did the owner change the interior layout? Has it worked? Why sell? Applies to not just this Tartan 37 of Ted Hood's design. Applies to every sale of everything.

People buy things because they want to change their story.

Anyway... that's enough for now. Norm out.

[Achdee]

taoist Good news, I heard from your Broker so he is alive, however, might you be advertising the wrong boat? In doing some research, I found out that Hood built another 37 called the Black Watch 37 also built by Tartan and it has a modified full keel unlike the Tartan 37 with a fin keel. Your boat has the modified full keel (as the Black Watch 37), and according to sailboat data it gives your boat, if it is the Black Watch 37, a higher comfort and capsize ratio but much less power than the Tartan 37 you are advertising. Correct me if I'm wrong. Both exceptionally built boats. Same designer, builder, and yard.

[Rockinar]

Good looking boat and I think it's priced well. I think the issue is it's brutally cramped for a 37' boat. Its a 37' boat with the cabin space of a 27' boat

[NormanMartin]

Achdee:
The Blackwatch 37 has a wooden cabin structure and fiberglass hull. Reverie has an all-glass deck and cabin. She is a Tartan 37-Hood. The interior has been remodeled for better or worse. Looks like a very good job.

https://sailboatdata.com/designer/hood-ted

The Blackwatch and later version, Tartan 37, are completely different from the S&S-designed Tartan 37. The Tartan 37-Hood is derived from his earlier designs, Little Harbor 36 and 40 which are wood. They are all good sailors. Cramped by today's standards. In 1960-62 I cruised as a kid with my family. Friends, a family of 6, had a Little Harbor 40. It was tight but no one thought their boat unusually so. Different times.

My wife and I looked at a Tartan 37-Hood in Marion MA and a Tartan 37-S&S in Harwich MA and she decided against them both. A YouTube channel "Sailing Soulianis shows the S&S model.

I hope you find the right boat and enjoy a good cruise.

Norm, Cape Cod