Where to sell - French Polynesia or Fiji?

[KonstantinS]

Our sailing adventure in the South Pacific draws to an end, and we have began to consider finding the future owner of our 47 ft monohull, a Beneteau Oceanis 473 Clipper from 2002, which has served us well. ⛵️

However we have yet decided where our journey will end, and hence where the boat will be set for sale - here in French Polynesia or in Fiji!

That depends on our appetite to sail to Fiji, would love to see Cook, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, but we plan to be back in Europe in Aug. It also depends on where the best market is for a boat like ours.

Anyone with experience with these two boat markets in the Pacific? Or at least with Fiji which we are least familiar with? Any insights worth sharing?

Appreciate your thoughts and advice on where we will get the best deal for our boat 🙏

[Tin Tin]

Unless the boat is heavily discounted I doubt too many prospective buyers will want to pay for flights accommodation, survey in Tahiti, some might but not many. Fiji is a lot closer to Australia and chances would be better as it is less expensive. The best place would be Gold Coast Australia. Fantastic hard storage facilities many brokers very easy place to get to and a large well heeled boater population and is out of cyclone zone in case you need to keep it somewhere after October. NZ may be OK too but has much smaller population. True, there is a hassle with paperwork and taxes on entry to Australia, but not insurmountable as many boats cross the Pacific to be sold there. In addition a new buyer may want access to parts and services before sailing off and that are either not available or very expensive in FP. There are brokers on the Gold Coast that sell yachts around the Pacific so know the game pretty well. Whilst some will rail against import taxes and brokers fees, the net cash return could be similar, but the speed of sale will likely be faster and so then holding costs like dockage, insurance etc play a role.

[grantmc]

Selling/buying boats in Fiji isn't for the faint hearted. There are still many boats stuck here from pre covid. They've often been sitting in pits since 2019 with the elements and the bugs. Finding competent people is difficult, for example a surveyor. Similarly most parts have to be privately imported and most firms don't ship to Fiji. Way worse for Tonga, Samoa, Cooks, Vanuatu, New Cal etc. Australia and New Zealand offer first world everything.

So there are a significant number of boats for sale. There's a very limited local market. For the discerning buyer there are bargains to be had.

There are also rules and local duty and taxes for importing and exporting. Similarly in Oz and Kiwi land. If sold to a local buyer then those charges will need to be paid. Each country offers a temporary import exempt option where by so long as the boat leaves the country within a set period of time then the owner is exempt to paying such taxes.

And whichever place you choose to sell there are mooring costs. And you'll need to organise someone to be available to show prospective buyers over the boat, trial sails, survey options, lifts etc. Quite difficult from a distance. You'll also need to be concerned with cyclones and theft.

I'd suggest get in early and advertise now. Many boats are bought and sold in French Polynesia. And most prospective buyers will be interested to sail on across the Pacific. Your boat's already demonstrated it's ability as a blue water cruiser and you've sailed the really awful part of the passage. Much of the rest can be island hopping.

And presumably you'd be looking at US$125-150K. So the price of an airfare to Tahiti to check her out is relatively trivial.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

Unless the boat is heavily discounted I doubt too many prospective buyers will want to pay for flights accommodation, survey in Tahiti, some might but not many. Fiji is a lot closer to Australia and chances would be better as it is less expensive. The best place would be Gold Coast Australia...

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, KonstantinS.
I think, Tin Tin & grantmc have offered wise [local] counsel.

[Tupaia]

Being it is a French boat there would likely be a potential for (French) buyers in Tahiti and New Caledonian, would therefore suggest a French broker. For buyers wishing to cruise the SP without actually sailing there. Not sure if there are bond issues in FP. Anywhere else off the beaten track will limit sale possibilities. There are also tax implications if you advertise the boat for sale and subsequently arrive in Australia.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by grantmc

Selling/buying boats in Fiji isn't for the faint hearted. There are still many boats stuck here from pre covid. They've often been sitting in pits since 2019 with the elements and the bugs. Finding competent people is difficult, for example a surveyor. Similarly most parts have to be privately imported and most firms don't ship to Fiji. Way worse for Tonga, Samoa, Cooks, Vanuatu, New Cal etc. Australia and New Zealand offer first world everything.

So there are a significant number of boats for sale. There's a very limited local market. For the discerning buyer there are bargains to be had.

There are also rules and local duty and taxes for importing and exporting. Similarly in Oz and Kiwi land. If sold to a local buyer then those charges will need to be paid. Each country offers a temporary import exempt option where by so long as the boat leaves the country within a set period of time then the owner is exempt to paying such taxes.

And whichever place you choose to sell there are mooring costs. And you'll need to organise someone to be available to show prospective buyers over the boat, trial sails, survey options, lifts etc. Quite difficult from a distance. You'll also need to be concerned with cyclones and theft.

I'd suggest get in early and advertise now. Many boats are bought and sold in French Polynesia. And most prospective buyers will be interested to sail on across the Pacific. Your boat's already demonstrated it's ability as a blue water cruiser and you've sailed the really awful part of the passage. Much of the rest can be island hopping.

And presumably you'd be looking at US$125-150K. So the price of an airfare to Tahiti to check her out is relatively trivial.

Got my vote easier in FP but when you get a long distance from major markets you’d better have a well thought out marketing plan, great pictures and absolutely a real honest discription. Under promise and over deliver and a reasonably sharp price and you’ll get the sale.

[NorthCoastJoe]

We bought a boat in FP. I would never do it again. The storage space is very limited unless you want to leave it at anchor. It is difficult to get parts and the duty importing them really kills you.

I would get the boat to the mainland anywhere if you hope to get a good price for it.

[Sailorichiban]

Hello all!
Seems in my recollection those are really difficult destinations.
Perhaps not the best choice in your situation.
If you could provide more information, which is somewhat of a task but you’ll need to do it anyway, possibly someone here might be interested.
Anyway all the best in your endeavor!

[DEAN2140]

I came across this article (2019) about selling in Australia, which sounds like the best bet.
https://www.cruisingworld.com/sellin...-in-australia/

[donradcliffe]

It's 3200 miles from FP to Australia. Should take less than 30 days.

[JPA Cate]

Yes, Don, but the boat electrical stuff is all French: might be better to stick with Outre-Mer countries: The Societies or New Caledonia. [Will have to meet Oz elec & refrig. standards to be sold here legally, as well as having to be imported first.]

Is it a question of better markets? Or convenience to the OP? It IS lovely cruising on the way to Oz. I'm not at all sure how the polar vortex is affecting this year's SEly's, which could also affect the OP's + partner's motivation.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

... I'm not at all sure how the polar vortex is affecting this year's SEly's*, which could also affect the OP's + partner's motivation.

Good question!


The “polar vortex” is a feature of Earth’s atmosphere, that describes the high-altitude winds, that blow around the pole, every winter, in the stratosphere.
The stratospheric polar vortex forms in the winter hemisphere, when the Earth’s pole is pointed away from the sun. The polar stratosphere enters darkness, and becomes cold, relative to the tropical stratosphere. The temperature contrast makes for strong winds, in the stratosphere, that blow from west to east. This wintertime stratospheric wind is what we call the Arctic polar vortex.

Arctic Oscillation and Polar Vortex Analysis and Forecasts: January 15, 2024
➥ https://www.aer.com/science-research...c-oscillation/

Polar Vortex Blog
A blog about monitoring and forecasting the stratospheric polar vortexes and how they do and don’t—mostly don’t!*—affect extreme winter weather and seasonal climate.
➥ https://www.climate.gov/news-feature...ar-vortex-blog
Jan 16 ➥ https://www.climate.gov/news-feature...-vortex-acting

2023-24 Winter Outlook ➥ https://www.weather.gov/media/abq/Br...terOutlook.pdf

* The SEly's are trade winds, that reliably blow east to west, just north and south of the equator.

[JPA Cate]

Yes, Gord,

Here in Tassie, when they blow, the leading portion of the new high coming in brings with it colder antarctic air, which is colder than the air it meets, and as a result there are showers on the SE winds, which was not at all what we experienced at the lower (numerical) latitudes of the SE trades, when we crossed to the NZ/Oz region.

Ann

[argonauta1]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Yes, Don, but the boat electrical stuff is all French: might be better to stick with Outre-Mer countries: The Societies or New Caledonia. [Will have to meet Oz elec & refrig. standards to be sold here legally, as well as having to be imported first.]

Is it a question of better markets? Or convenience to the OP? It IS lovely cruising on the way to Oz. I'm not at all sure how the polar vortex is affecting this year's SEly's, which could also affect the OP's + partner's motivation.

Australia is full of locally owned Jeanneaus and Beneteaus mainly because Moorings has been a charter operator in the Whitsundays for decades where many have been sold. We sailed our Caribbean based Beneteau 440/445 to Australia where we stayed for almost two years and never encountered a supply issue and there where many techs familiar with the make. Oz is certainly the best bet unless you are stuck.

[nofacey]

Sailing from Tahiti to Fiji is comparatively easy, and Fiji is totally worth the visit - but neither is a good place to sell your boat.
Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and into Australia gives you short runs with enjoyable landfalls, and prices/parts/yards in Australia are simply better for selling.