What do buyers look for in used boats?

Paulkarlsven

New Member
Dec 29, 2010
436
Port Stephens, Australia
Boat Info
.
Engines
.
We are trying to sell and as we are hauling out and having the engines repaired I thought it might be an opportune time to update some of the electronics package at the same time. However I would like to maximise the selling potential so I would like to know from a brokers point of view what items they think sells a boat more readily?

I currently have the latest Raymarine autopilot system installed and a Navman Tracker 5607 with latest mapping chip. Raytheon CRT Sounder fully operational.


 
I would say most improtant is the engs/gen and systems maintained properly. Second is the boat clean and does not look abused. I would say third are electornics. I think all are important but in that order.
 
Think of it as driving a new car off of the lot and you instantly lose 10%-20% of the value of the car. It will be the same thing with installing new electronics and the associated labor costs.

In your depressed market, you would not recoup the investment made.
 
Used boats?

Here, this is what used boat buyers do.

They decide on a model & year.

Next they do a national search and sort by price at various used boat websites until they fine the very lowest priced one on the market.

They find this lowest priced, badly maintained POS boat who’s photos are not even of the actual boat for sale.

Then they call you and ask you a crap load of stupid questions. They will stay stupid stuff like they want twin engines, lots of room but want to pull the boat with a F150 pickup with a gas 6 cylinder.

They will set up an appointment to come see it on a beautiful Saturday when you could be doing something else.
15 minutes after the appointment time they will call and say they are running late because (insert stupid excuse here) and say they are almost there.

Even after all this 2 out of 3 times they never show up and never let you know they are not coming. If you call them back your call goes to voice mail.

After you have this no-show happen 2 times the next potential buyer will show up.

They look at your boat with a critical eye. More stupid stuff gets asked like “What is that thing in the middle of the dash?” Politely you answer “A compass.” They will reply “Well, I don’t need that and I’m not paying for it!”

Now after all this….if your boat is perfect, clean, you have all maintenance receipts and the boat is a real like new condition boat they will tell you your price is too high and point to that POS repo boat they found at the start of this post and say that is the price you should be asking.

Yet if you were to shoot them with a gun somehow in this crazy country they would say you are the insane one.
 
Last edited:
Used boats?

Here, this is what used boat buyers do.

They decide on a model & year.

Next they do a national search and sort by price at various used boat websites until they fine the very lowest priced one on the market.

They find this lowest priced, badly maintained POS boat who’s photos are not even of the actual boat for sale.

Then they call you and ask you a crap load of stupid questions. They will stay stupid stuff like they want twin engines, lots of room but want to pull the boat with a F150 pickup with a gas 6 cylinder.

They will set up an appointment to come see it on a beautiful Saturday when you could be doing something else.
15 minutes after the appointment time they will call and say they are running late because (insert stupid excuse here) and say they are almost there.

Even after all this 2 out of 3 times they never show up and never let you know they are not coming. If you call them back your call goes to voice mail.

After you have this no-show happen 2 times the next potential buyer will show up.

They look at your boat with a critical eye. More stupid stuff gets asked like “What is that thing in the middle of the dash?” Politely you answer “A compass.” They will reply “Well, I don’t need that and I’m not paying for it!”

Now after all this….if your boat is perfect, clean, you have all maintenance receipts and the boat is a real like new condition boat they will tell you your price is too high and point to that POS repo boat they found at the start of this post and say that is the price you should be asking.

Yet if you were to shoot them with a gun somehow in this crazy country they would say you are the insane one.

:smt043

We are trying to sell and as we are hauling out and having the engines repaired I thought it might be an opportune time to update some of the electronics package at the same time. However I would like to maximise the selling potential so I would like to know from a brokers point of view what items they think sells a boat more readily?

I currently have the latest Raymarine autopilot system installed and a Navman Tracker 5607 with latest mapping chip. Raytheon CRT Sounder fully operational.

Paul,
I would not invest in new electronics. You are already getting pounded in the derrier thanks to that ace surveyor! I would not throw good money after bad. As long as you have a functional electronics set-up now I would leave it. Electronics seem to be a personal preference and as many buyers as you may attract, just as many may find the set-up less than ideal.
 
:smt043



Paul,
I would not invest in new electronics. You are already getting pounded in the derrier thanks to that ace surveyor! I would not throw good money after bad. As long as you have a functional electronics set-up now I would leave it. Electronics seem to be a personal preference and as many buyers as you may attract, just as many may find the set-up less than ideal.

Yes, I guess you are right on this. we will just get the engines doneand leave it at that. everything electronics wise is functioning perfectly. The genset is now operational again too, so to date we have done the following:

3 X new bilge pumps.

3 X new start batteries.

1 X new alternator.

New DC charging system which now charges all start and house batteries.

New shower plumbing and tank.

New TV/DVD system.

New Raymarine Autopilot.

Engines have already had 100 hour services done and all filters and plugs changed.

New EPIRB 406 MHz.

New RIB tender and Mercury 4HP outboard makes a total of 2 outboard motors now available for the tender.

New ICOM VHF radio and new VHF antenna.

New Anit-foul on hull and running gear plus new anodes.

New navigation lights.

So in all once we have the engines pulled and repaired this boat should give a buyer some pretty hassel free usage for a while.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,861
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top