1976 Tri-Fly

[aweimer]

Wow... Sounds too good to be true.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/3722282459.html

Probably is.

[summer storm]

Boy, the Trojan's still seem to be tanking pricewise

[captainmaniac]

Boy, the Trojan's still seem to be tanking pricewise

The more people just give them away, the worse it is going to get. People have to stop thinking of boats a commodity items and recognize there is way more to them... Too many people just don't get it that a 30 year old boat is NOT like a 30 year old car. If everyone demands higher prices, we will all get them.

[summer storm]

Boy, the Trojan's still seem to be tanking pricewise

The more people just give them away, the worse it is going to get. People have to stop thinking of boats a commodity items and recognize there is way more to them... Too many people just don't get it that a 30 year old boat is NOT like a 30 year old car. If everyone demands higher prices, we will all get them.

I agree with you but getting "everyone" to demand higher prices is just not going to happen.

[captainmaniac]

I agree with you but getting "everyone" to demand higher prices is just not going to happen.

Then lets just shoot the buggers who try to sell on ebay and craigslist, since they are the worst offenders. Y'all Americans have all the guns.... you can fix this!! I am tired of seeing ignorant yahoos selling perfectly good F32s (or 28s, 30s, 31s, 36s, and the International series) for $5-10K because thats how much their new 60" TV is gonna cost 'em, and they bought it on craigslist 2 months ago from some other yahoo for $500 less so they are actually makin' money!!!!

Demand what it is WORTH - not what you think you have to price it at to move it within 30 days.

[prowlersfish]

In this economy if you ask what they were worth you will never end up selling .

[summer storm]

I agree with you but getting "everyone" to demand higher prices is just not going to happen.

Then lets just shoot the buggers who try to sell on ebay and craigslist, since they are the worst offenders. Y'all Americans have all the guns.... you can fix this!! I am tired of seeing ignorant yahoos selling perfectly good F32s (or 28s, 30s, 31s, 36s, and the International series) for $5-10K because thats how much their new 60" TV is gonna cost 'em, and they bought it on craigslist 2 months ago from some other yahoo for $500 less so they are actually makin' money!!!!

Demand what it is WORTH - not what you think you have to price it at to move it within 30 days.

I'm just wondering, what do you think a F-32 that is in a good state of repair and falls into the "Average" category for a 30 year old boat is worth?

Here are my numbers for middle of the road running boats, gas powered-

F25-F26 = 5K to 8K

F32 10K to 20K depends on the year

F-36 tri early 10K to 15K late 15K to 25K

F36 sedan 18K to 28K

Recent repowers, paint jobs, and top tier boats I think would be worth a lot more, say 30% more. But I think it is hard to prove that to a uninformed buyer.

I'm ready for it- go ahead, attack!

[75 Tri Cabin]

You also have to remember some of those people are not making what they used to. When you ad slip fees and winterizing in every year, and it needs to go, you are better cutting your losses and sell it for less. I know my slip is 3800 for the year, instead of trying to get 15000 if it had to go, I would subtract that and sell it. No use trying to get it on one end and lose on the other.

[Big D]

Though we’d like all our possessions to be worth what we as owners would like to recoup in a sale, unfortunately ANY item one puts up for sale is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay, period. An item may have a million dollars into it but if it or its subcomponents don’t appeal to anybody, and the most anybody would pay is $10, then for the purposes of selling, that is all it’s worth, there’s no getting around that. Waiting for the right buyer that may be out there for the price you want may be an option for some but not most in recent years. Sure there is a buyer out there for everything, it’s a matter of whether one can wait to find that person. There are always success stories though. The law of supply and demand also applies to everything however and that affects the odds. Right now, there is an abundance of supply so one may be waiting quite a while for the right price, and demand has been down for several years. It’s basic economics 101 that affects us all whether we like it or not. Our particular vessels and their vintage, though we love and have an emotional attachment to them as owners are limited to a small market share. With the exception of a few good design features, what may be keeping them alive today is their current price point for some. Others that can afford more expect and want more than our vintage delivers, and the buyers don't have an emotional attachment yet.

Hey don’t get me wrong, I wish mine was worth more too but if I ever sell, I know there will be conditions that affect my price based on outside influences and my circumstances at the time. I know it's likely I won't get what I think she's worth but I understand the economics and how they affect me. It sucks but that’s how the world turns, and if someone has to let one go dirt cheap for whatever reason, then hey, it just gives someone with shallow pockets a chance to get into the game and enjoy a form of recreation they may not have otherwise been able to afford and all the while keep the vessel alive.

[The Dog House]

I agree with others who say the fixed costs are a significant contribution to the lower prices. Between slip fees, maintenance, and insurance, the fixed costs can easily be $5K - $10K depending on where the boat is located. Add in to that the cost of fuel (variable cost) and the amount of potential buyers dwindles quickly. With few buyers and fixed costs of $5k - $10k per year, most sellers want to sell quickly to avoid paying the fixed costs and so therefore sell at a low price. We might not like it, but I totally understand it.

I would love to buy a tri cabin, but the fixed and variable costs of owning one would be way too much for me. Even if someone wanted to give me a tri cabin I would not accept it because I could not afford to keep it. There is a small pool of buyers for the bigger boats right now which really limits how much the selling price can be.

[Archiee]

That's impressive and unique design.