Wow Harry, that $40k price spread between used boats sure sounds a lot
like what I've been seeing! Who can say that brokers use an average of
real past prices to choose their numbers. Sounds more like they make it
up as they go along, testing the waters for whatever the market will
bear, no fools refused. grin

Glad that your idea of restoring an older boat passed as it didn't
stick - nothing worse than investing your time and money in the wrong
boat at a time when used boats aren't selling.

But are they selling or not? Does anyone know the numbers? Possibly
we're seeing a strange market phenomena: Fewer new boat sales than the
market demand would otherwise prompt, due to unreasonably high prices.
Maybe a new generation of Marketing MBAs getting hired by boat builders
to raise their margins and profits? This would mean that even if new
boat sales are numerous, they could have sold many more at a friendlier
prices. By raising their margins and thus financially limiting the
volume of new sales, they've created a modern monster: the new boat
buyer looking for a NEW USED BOAT.

As some such boats exist, and have always commanded a healthy premium
over the price of worn and tattered boats, they fill this gap. This
would mean that they are no longer as before compared to used boat
prices, but instead to the higher and higher new boat prices which
pretend to promote etheral intangibles such as lifestyle change and
other imaginary necessities magically bestowed upon their owners.
Newborn harbor Easter bunnies are apparently hatching from chocolate
eggs and hunting down dockside campers with plenty of glitzy plastic
and varnish. Marina cocktail lounges, see what I can do cruisers, watch
me go sportboats have apparently become a desirable addition to 2.5
kids and the mandatory SUV. Ocean loving boaters, move over, or find
yerself a beater to fix up with loads of cash and TLC.

The fresh and reasonable used boat has become a fiction from the past.
Unless you like to pay sensibly more for a used boat than you would
have paid for a new one only a few years ago. In a boat owner's forum I
am a member of, one poster was thrilled that their 10 year old diesel
engines were appraised for insurance purposes at a higher price than
when they were new, and this wasn't at replacement cost. Apparently the
Marketing MBAs have infiltrated the entire boating industry, replacing
honest and sensible pricing with reasonable margins with hit 'em with
ever higher prices, who cares about making more sales and having more
happy customers if you can claim to be making more short term profit.
round of applause

But Harry, as you said, prices are negotiable, and this boy is getting
ready to play some tough snooker, brokers beware. If one says he is Bob
Krause the second, I'll cut him some slack. But others out there, you
ain't seen Lowball played this hard in a long time! Those small good
faith deposit checks are going to be raining on you - and you guys are
going to have to start working to earn an honest livin'.grin

I will NOT pay the inflated salaries of worthless marketing vultures
and subsidize bloated advertizing budgets by buying a new boat. And I'm
certainly not about to accept the consequences on the used boat market
of their insatiable appetite for profit. If I don't find a decent used
boat - at normal banking/insurance/buyer used boat guide pricing -
there will be NO SALE. And no, Gould, I will not throw away the price
guides.

Rich