{"id":280,"date":"2012-11-02T17:51:20","date_gmt":"2012-11-02T21:51:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/?p=280"},"modified":"2015-07-12T14:07:16","modified_gmt":"2015-07-12T18:07:16","slug":"winter-boat-buying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/2012\/11\/winter-boat-buying\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Boat Buying"},"content":{"rendered":"

First published 12\/9\/88 in several Maryland newspapers<\/span><\/p>\n

Winter boat buying<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u0004\u000e\u0003by \u0004\u000e\bTom Dove<\/span><\/p>\n

While most people are turning their thoughts from boating to \u0004\u001cwinter sports, a few astute folks are roaming through marinas, \u0004\u001clooking for bargains in used boats.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the time of year to do \u0004\u001c\u0003it.\u0004\u001c Many boats have been hauled out of the water for the cold \u0004\u001cmonths and are in a perfect position for a buyer to make a \u0004\u001cdetailed inspection. Their owners are not thinking about the \u0004\u001csummer boating season and may be receptive to offers. Some of \u0004\u001cthem may want to sell before the end of the calendar year for \u0004\u001c\u001bbookkeeping or tax reasons.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

A used vessel ashore for the winter is a forlorn object. Out of \u0004\u001cits element, with old bottom paint and barnacles exposed to view \u0004\u001cand its scruffy topsides exactly at eye level, it is like a glamorous \u0004\u001cmodel who has been spotted at the local supermarket in an old \u0004\u001c\u001dsweatsuit and without makeup.\u0005\u001c All of these factors make winter boat shopping an exercise in \u0004\u001creality in a sport that relies heavily on fantasy.<\/span><\/p>\n

As you stand \u0004\u001cbefore it in the cold December air, it is relatively easy to \u0004\u001cconcentrate on what a used boat will need in the way of \u0004\u001cresotration rather than how it will make you feel when it is \u0004\u001canchored in a quiet cove or docked beside a classy waterfront hotel.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Certainly, used boats are better values than new ones. A \u0004\u001cnew, standard production vessel in the 30-35 foot range may easily \u0004\u001ccost more than $100,000 if it is made by one of the better builders. \u0004\u001cEven a low-priced, cheaply-built one with a short equipment list \u0004\u001c\u0015may cost $60,000 new.\u0004\u001c You can buy a comparable ten- to fifteen-year-old boat from \u0004\u001ca reputable builder for about one-third of that amount and, with a \u0004\u001cmodest amount of work and\/or cash, have the equal of the new \u0004\u001cone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boats are not like cars; they do not wear out unless they are \u0004\u001c\u0012very badly abused.\u0004\u001c When you buy a used boat, you normally get a complete, \u0004\u001cworking package. It will have anchors, fenders, docklines and lots \u0004\u001cof other accessories you would have to purchase for your new boat \u0004\u001cbefore you could go out on the water. They may not be in perfect \u0004\u001cshape, but you can replace them gradually and enjoy the boat in \u0004\u001c the meantime.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

A used boat has already been ‘debugged’ by its first owner.\u0005\u001c Any new vessel has defects that must be corrected by the builder \u0004\u001cor dealer and the second buyer is spared the hassle of curing them.\u0004\u001c On the negative side, the engine may need work, sails (if any) \u0004\u001cwill be old and nearing the end of their useful lives, and other \u0004\u001cmechanical and electronic devices aboard will be of obsolete design \u0004\u001c\u0012and advancing age.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s take an example: a Tartan 34 is a good, solid sailboat. \u0004\u001cOne built in the mid-’70s and still in pretty good shape can be \u0004\u001cbought for about $35,000. Even if you have to replace the sails, \u0004\u001chave the interior completely reupholstered, and install a new diesel \u0004\u001cengine, you are unlikely to spend much more than $12,000 to \u0004\u001crenovate the boat to near-new condition. \u0004\u001c If you are willing to live with the old features and replace a \u0004\u001cfew parts each year, you can have the use of a steadily-improving \u0004\u001cvessel with a manageable cash outlay. When you finish, you have \u0004\u001cthe equivalent of a $95,000 boat for $47,000 without the onerous \u0004\u001cmonthly payment that goes with the higher price.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Similar economies work with powerboats. I would rather put \u0004\u001cmoney into a substantial fifteen-year-old Bertram, Egg Harbor or \u0004\u001cHatteras than to spend more on a brand-new ‘affordable’ boat that \u0004\u001chandles like a milk carton and will look ratty in a few years.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

When you locate a boat and decide to make an offer on it, \u0004\u001cyou should always have the sale contingent on a satisfactory \u0005\u001ccondition report from a marine surveyor. The survey will be at \u0004\u001cyour expense and may cost several hundred dollars, but \u0004\u001cit is always worth it. Look in the Yellow Pages or in a boating \u0004\u001cpublication for names of surveyors, or ask a knowledgeable boating \u0004\u001c\u0018friend to recommend one.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many well-made vessels that are worth seeking \u0004\u001cout in the cold Bay boatyards of December. They do not have the \u0004\u001csmell of a new boat just out of the factory and there are no vases \u0004\u001cof flowers on the tables, but they are gems, all the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0004\u000e — The End —<\/span><\/p>\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

First published 12\/9\/88 in several Maryland newspapers Winter boat buying \u0004\u000e\u0003by \u0004\u000e\bTom Dove While most people are turning their thoughts from boating to \u0004\u001cwinter sports, a few astute folks are roaming through marinas, \u0004\u001clooking for bargains in used boats. This is the time of year to do \u0004\u001c\u0003it.\u0004\u001c Many boats have been hauled out of Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=280"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":622,"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280\/revisions\/622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}