"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote:
yep, for folks with cash in hand...there are now, and will be grat
deals
avail...at least thst's what i am discovering...i started a boat corp
and we ( 5 members ) *are shopping right now for a used ericson
38-200...

shoppin' and browsing the net, i see some great deals out there...i
bid on a 1976 ericson 35 in tx w/rub rail damage...not major....and
missed
by aprox $8,500 getting it...i bid a max of $2,500 and it sold for
$10k
or so...

not the boat i/we wanted.....but a heck of a deal...."cash in hand"
talks
in a recession, that's for sure......

cheers everyone......

Frankly, I don't see 99% of boats on the market right now as a
"bargain" unless you have very limited sailing plans.

First of all, most boats are mass-produced dockominiums that don't
sail all that well and are not designed or equipped for serious
sailing or cruising. They're nice for drinking beer at the dock, so if
that's what you wanna do, then you can get a good deal.

2nd, most boats on the 2nd-hand market are badly neglected. Very few
are reasonably equipped for anything other than mild weather (see #1
above) and all will need skilled work plus at least a few BOAT unit$
for repair, maintenance, upgrades etc. Many have been neglected to the
point of needing major work.

When I was boat-shopping this past spring, it was a buyer's market
although not as much so as now; and of the boat within the size & type
range I was looking at, I didn't see a single one I considered a
bargain. Most I would not have accepted if offered to me for free.

But then, I'm kinda picky. YMMV

Ericsons are pretty good boats, but even at serious discount you will
probably sink more $$ into it than you'll ever get out, and that's not
putting a dollar value on your time & work. Remember, when good times
come again, it will most likely still be a buyer's market and the boat
will be older yet. So, pick a boat you really really like and will
find rewarding to own & sail. Then it will be worth the work & effort
you put into it.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King