Frank Maier wrote:
Remember the old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."
Obviously I have zero personal knowledge about any of the specifics
you're looking at. It's possible you could get the deal of the
century. IMO, it's more likely you're gonna get an education in
economics.

And generally, this kind of lesson is something that you already knew
but were hoping for an exception this one time....


Stephen Trapani wrote:
Do you know about Marina auctions? I mean, there's no one there trying
to cheat you, it's a randomly impounded boat, it could easily be great,
right?

Yes, it *could* but the odds are much greater that the boat is of
negative value and is being auctioned to save the lien holder the price
of stripping it & cutting it up for the landfill.


... The marinas dump these boats to get back their lost moorage
money. Aren't these marina auctions common? Are they the best kept
secret in boating or something? What, my luck I finally stumbled on that
gold mine I've been dreaming of all my life?!!! ;-)

I can only say that I have not heard of them, as a regular practice. I
know of several boatyards that park old unwanted boats in a tight pile
at a far corner, and that these boats are generally not worth taking for
free. Almost all sailing clubs have rules that boats must have current
registration, but such rules are rarely enforced and most sailing clubs
have a bone yard of badly neglected never-sailors.

Sometimes marinas get sheriff's papers on boats they really want to
dump, but this is somewhat of a last resort AFAIK and these boats will
always have a cloudy title *as well as* being fit for the scrap yard. I
have known several people over the years to pick up boats like this, but
it always cost them many times more than they figured and lots more time
to actually get them in sailing order. Always.

What you might do is take Dan Best's advice and scavenge around all the
marinas and sailing clubs and try to pick up a boat that is still worth
having from the fringes of these ghost fleets.

It's painful to want a boat, to want to go sailing, so badly and see so
many boats just sitting unused.


Again, my nutty idea: If I get the right boat at the right price, like a
neglected, quality boat with some age, that has value, I'll get my money
back from maintenance and repairs won't I?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA (cough cough)... dang I needed that.

Stephen, if you spend a lot of time & money keeping your boat in really
good shape, you will get back some of your money in the form of selling
it in the higher range of going prices. That could be anything! You will
get back some tiny fraction of upgrades & equipment, but you will never
get back a penny of regular maintenance. And not even the lowliest
cleaning materials aren't free.


I have the money sitting there, waiting to become a boat.


My advice... invest in a no-load index fund, join a local sailing club,
buy a tent and a sailing dinghy (preferably a racing class). You'll gain
a lot of experience, get a chance to share it with your family, AND
you'll still have the money. Best of all worlds! Then you will have a
chance to get a bigger better boat than you can afford now, and your
family will fit into the dream instead of standing outside wondering why
you've suddenly gone crazy.

I hope this doesn't sound negative, I'm really trying to help!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King