Peggie, wasn't it a couple of years ago that you sold your boat? Things
might have changed just a little.


wrote:
Thanks Peggy!

those are some things to be considered.

I'm valueing all the opinions I have gotten so far.

Sounds like you did "ok"


Peggie Hall wrote:
Yep...and I had the use of the boat for 4 years too.


Which is a great value in itself, but not one that puts bread 7 peanut
butter on the table.


There will always be old or storm damaged "project boats" available,

Yep. Far more than the market can absorb. Most of these boats are landfill.


some which only need cosmetic work, others which need a lot more. If
you want to do this, I suggest you start by finding one you'd like to
own. Then you can take all the time you need to learn how to do it
right, have the use of the boat once you get it past a certain
point...and then decide whether to keep it or sell it and look for
another one to restore.


The problem is that a storm damaged boat will always have the insurance
claim on it's record, and will not ever be as marketable as a sistership
that was not storm damaged... plus the 2nd-hand boat market is in the
dumper right now. Everybody says "Pristine boats always sell" and that's
pretty close to true, but they don't always sell for their asking price.


Fwiw, I'd do it again in heartbeat...not with the idea of making a
profit, but to have everything on a 32-38' boat for $50k that would run
$175-250k for comparable new...and with class and style too, instead of
something that looks like the inside of a refrigerator or a fiberglass
showerstall with upholstered seats.


I enjoy having the confidence that major equipment on my boat was
properly selected & properly installed, and also knowing how it works
and where all the key hidden bits & pieces are.

But as for fixing up trashed boats & selling for a profit, I'd suggest
what you really need is the kind of salemanship that will allow you to
sell boats for a profit... period... and you should become a broker, not
a fixer-upper.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King