How to do price negotiations for an elder Trimaran ...

[pingpong1384]

Originally Posted by Skip JayR

... hope to get some ideas and feedback abt how to proceed with owners of elder multihulls (built around 1985-1995) who don't deliver a "complete picture" about their boat.

As I live in North Europe (Netherlands), there are not such kind of boats available (absent the mainstream brands like Dragonfly or Farriers). I get sales offers from overseas.

As I am searching for a trimaran to live on in the category cruiser-racer, I fell over different boats during last months, found on the well known Internet platforms (e.g. yachthub.com, boats.com, rightboat.com, yachtall.com, boatshop24.com, moreboats.com, yachtworld.com, multihullworld.com, multihullcompany.com, catamaransite.com etc. ...).

Boat Designs in the size of 38-41/42 ft size by Norman Cross, Lock Crowther, Philippe Briand, Hedley Nicol, Phil Herting and Mick Price or Dick Newick at the age of 25-35 years mostly I find in USA/Canada, Australia/NZ or some very exotic places (like Indonesia or Mauritius).

I like to get relevant data as much as possible before its worth to fly trans-ocean for a closer look.

In tentency I notice abt many of these boats:

• most of these elder boats in the market are offered by agents/brokers
• the technical specifications are very incomplete, e.g. lacking details about size / age / material of sails, construction materials, displacement, engine hours, capacities of batteries etc. ...
• picture documentation is mostly incomplete, e.g. lacking photos of under water ship/rudder/propellor, engine room ...
• no survey (by an independent surveyor) or elder surveys (5-10 years ago) which is relevant for the insurance

Another trend I notice: the owners are of higher age, and the agent of the broker company can't get more details than already offered on the website. The owners are just not motivated (anymore) to invest any work in the sales process or their health situation doesn't allow it.

The prices for elder Tris in the size of ~40 ft range around 80-120 Thousand dollars. In my understanding heavily overpriced, as not very well equipped for long distance sailing. Another 70-80 Thousand dollars must be invested to make it complete and bring it up-to-date (e.g. solar panels, lithium batteries, wind turbine, new sails, new standing rig, AIS, Radar, water maker etc. ....).

What to do if the answer getting back after requesting more details from the broker is: "We are waiting for offers from buyer's side coming in. Owner says SELL. - We will look at all offers."

For me it feels little bit uncomfortable, if I'd make a prize offer in the range of ~25-30 Thousand (here calculating the ongoing investments of another 70-80 Thousand dollars), while the boat is in the market overpriced for 80 Thousand. - Does this work out ?

Can you advice a strategy how to fix a deal by establishing a good negotiation process (under the given circumstances) ? - Tks in advance for sharing your own experiences and critical feedback.



Greetings/JR

Just bought a fully equipped 10,5 extended to 12,8 marine ply with epoxy cold molded for 58000 euros. I just told the elderly owner that I´d really sail her on a daily basis and that I´d take good care of her. This one got all the equipment one could wish for and I´m in the Biscay sea as I write this.