Bob Gough wrote in message
om...

The Moorings is the oldest and were, prior to the merger of
Sunsail
and Stardust, the largest bareboat charter operation around.
Quite
often people who have never chartered before are recommended to
The
Moorings because of their efficiency and high level of service
enormous snip

Very accurate and balanced reply, Bob.

I used to own and run a charter fleet of some 70 yachts and we
looked at this technique. It handed the finance costs
(depreciation especially) to the owner, and these are by far the
biggest costs of running a fleet. We didn't do it in the end
because:

We reached a similar conclusion to you. In the long term, finance
costs are a lot lower buying second hand boats, and doing them up
really well.

So what we did was keep our (own) ex-charter boats, do them up
really well, and run them for a further 15 years or more. We kept
a steady trickle of new boats coming in, and our gamble was that
the market wouldn't turn its nose up at the older boats. It
didn't.

I sold out some 15 years ago, and I note that the outfit is still
running with the same policy, and that (together with another
using the same policy) they're both great value for money for
charterers, and also the most profitable outfits for their
turnovers in the business.

JimB

Hello all:

I read with great interest the long exchanges about charter boat
ownership, with or w/o Moorings.

I must first disclose the following:
1. I am currently on my 3rd. boat in the Moorings management program
2. I am the president of the Moorings Owners Group - an independent
association of about 230 Moorings boat owners, the intent of which is
to collaborate with the Moorings' management to maintain a good
quality of ownership-life for Moorings owners. I repeat: The
association is independent, just in case it would appear that this
would make me a Moorings apologist, which I am not, of course.
3. I am also the founder of Sailonline.com, which was quoted in a
posting. And the site is COMPLETELY independent from any charter
company.

That said, there were several accurate postings, and some very
inaccurate about this whole issue.

I will not elaborate much because, as one of the postings said,
everything is explained on the web site in great details. However,
know this:

a) Charter boat ownership is NOT for everyone who just wants to buy a
boat. It can make a lot of sense for person X and no sense at all for
person Y. The issue is further complicated by the fact that charter
companies are not all alike: some programs fit a certain type of boat
use and ownership, and some don't. For instance, if you want a very
customized boat, Moorings and Sunsail will NOT accomodate you at all.
If you want to sail your boat 3 or 4 months a year, again, those 2
will not accomodate you.
But in both cases above, TMM or Horizon gladly will.

b) Boat ownership CAN be a great experience, on a sailing and
financial standpoint. However, you MUST do a lot of serious soul
searching and homework, and know ALL the details of what you are
getting into BEFOREHAND. No stone unturned. And this is more
complicated than it appears.
It is interesting to note that most people do a huge amount of
research before buying a house, but very little when buying a boat,
although a boat can have the same cost AND depreciate 40 or 50% in 5
years! The reason: EMOTION (see below).

c) Do NOT get emotional when negotiating your boat and contract. I
have consulted for about a dozen of boat-buying families and most get
very emotional out of excitment, against my strong advice. The minute
it happens, it's all over: The salesperson has won. So be prepared to
coldly walk instantly if any of the clauses in the contract makes you
uncomfortable and the charter company is not willing to negotiate it.
If you don't, you will regret it. Guaranteed.

Having said all that, when you've done the home work and everything
that goes with it, and when you have made sure that ownership is
indeed suitable for you and your family- in one word, if you know what
you are doing- then, yes, ownership is a very rewarding experience. On
many counts.

I hope this helps.

Michel Benarrosh

Hello all:

I read with great interest the long exchanges about charter boat
ownership, with or w/o Moorings.

I must first disclose the following:
1. I am currently on my 3rd. boat in the Moorings management program
2. I am the president of the Moorings Owners Group - an independent
association of about 230 Moorings boat owners, the intent of which is
to collaborate with the Moorings' management to maintain a good
quality of ownership-life for Moorings owners. I repeat: The
association is independent, just in case it would appear that this
would make me a Moorings apologist, which I am not, of course.
3. I am also the founder of Sailonline.com, which was quoted in a
posting. And the site is COMPLETELY independent from any charter
company.

That said, there were several accurate postings, and some very
inaccurate about this whole issue.

I will not elaborate much because, as one of the postings said,
everything is explained on the web site in great details. However,
know this:

a) Charter boat ownership is NOT for everyone who just wants to buy a
boat. It can make a lot of sense for person X and no sense at all for
person Y. The issue is further complicated by the fact that charter
companies are not all alike: some programs fit a certain type of boat
use and ownership, and some don't. For instance, if you want a very
customized boat, Moorings and Sunsail will NOT accomodate you at all.
If you want to sail your boat 3 or 4 months a year, again, those 2
will not accomodate you.
But in both cases above, TMM or Horizon gladly will.

b) Boat ownership CAN be a great experience, on a sailing and
financial standpoint. However, you MUST do a lot of serious soul
searching and homework, and know ALL the details of what you are
getting into BEFOREHAND. No stone unturned. And this is more
complicated than it appears.
It is interesting to note that most people do a huge amount of
research before buying a house, but very little when buying a boat,
although a boat can have the same cost AND depreciate 40 or 50% in 5
years! The reason: EMOTION (see below).

c) Do NOT get emotional when negotiating your boat and contract. I
have consulted for about a dozen of boat-buying families and most get
very emotional out of excitment, against my strong advice. The minute
it happens, it's all over: The salesperson has won. So be prepared to
coldly walk instantly if any of the clauses in the contract makes you
uncomfortable and the charter company is not willing to negotiate it.
If you don't, you will regret it. Guaranteed.

Having said all that, when you've done the home work and everything
that goes with it, and when you have made sure that ownership is
indeed suitable for you and your family- in one word, if you know what
you are doing- then, yes, ownership is a very rewarding experience. On
many counts.

I hope this helps.

Michel Benarrosh