On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 06:59:48 -0500, DSK wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

There's a *lot* of boats out there for sale, assuming your wife doesn't
have her heart totally set on this one.

You got that right.

I was down at my marina yesterday morning and the sales guy there was
telling me that he's had more calls in the past month from folks
trying to sell their boats than he's had in twenty years of being in
the business. (month for month that is - it kind of sounded weird).
:)

On Yachtworld.com there are 119 Contenders all over the freakin' place
being sold.

Two years ago, it was less than 20.

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 06:59:48 -0500, DSK wrote:

~~ snippage ~~


There's a *lot* of boats out there for sale, assuming your wife doesn't
have her heart totally set on this one.


You got that right.

I was down at my marina yesterday morning and the sales guy there was
telling me that he's had more calls in the past month from folks
trying to sell their boats than he's had in twenty years of being in
the business. (month for month that is - it kind of sounded weird).
:)

On Yachtworld.com there are 119 Contenders all over the freakin' place
being sold.

Two years ago, it was less than 20.

Later,

Tom

I think it has a lot to do with a sluggish economy and general negative
feelings of world events. Uncertainty causes many to pull back into
their shells.

On the brighter side, in the past 60 days or so there has been a major
up tick in boat sales, according to two boat dealers that I know. Prior
to this positive swing, both dealers said they had been through a year
or more of seriously depressed business.

My former company (now run by my oldest son) also has been through a 2-3
year struggle with reduced orders for capital equipment. Many requests
for proposals had been received, but very few contracts had been awarded
to any of the competing suppliers. Within the past month however,
equipment orders have risen significantly along with requests to
re-quote equipment requirements that had been put on the back burner for
a year or more.

When I ran the company we virtually had no customers outside of the US.
Now, their growing backlog is split about 50/50 between US companies and
orders from Japan, China and Europe. BTW, this is a very specialized
equipment with maybe 6 major US suppliers and 5 or 6 dominant suppliers
split between Japan and Europe. I suspect the value of the dollar
dropping against the Euro is helping sales to a large degree as well as
a general feeling of growing confidence in the customer base.

I've seen this cycle over and over again in the past 30 years.

Eisboch

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 07:47:33 -0500, Eisboch
wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 06:59:48 -0500, DSK wrote:

~~ snippage ~~


There's a *lot* of boats out there for sale, assuming your wife doesn't
have her heart totally set on this one.


You got that right.

I was down at my marina yesterday morning and the sales guy there was
telling me that he's had more calls in the past month from folks
trying to sell their boats than he's had in twenty years of being in
the business. (month for month that is - it kind of sounded weird).
:)

On Yachtworld.com there are 119 Contenders all over the freakin' place
being sold.

Two years ago, it was less than 20.

I think it has a lot to do with a sluggish economy and general negative
feelings of world events. Uncertainty causes many to pull back into
their shells.

I agree with you. I filled up my Ranger yesterday in preparation for
a bay run later this week and it cost almost double what it did last
year at the same time. At my marina, the ops manager keeps his fuel
at cost for his customers, even so, it would have been exactly double
what I paid last year.

On the brighter side, in the past 60 days or so there has been a major
up tick in boat sales, according to two boat dealers that I know. Prior
to this positive swing, both dealers said they had been through a year
or more of seriously depressed business.

A few of the guys I've talked to have sold boats, but at or slightly
below their cost (including floor planning costs, etc) - no profit.
One guy still has a boat (priced right too - no big time profit) that
was the boat which won the '97 Bassmaster classic - ok, the boat
didn't win it, but you get the idea. The deck lids were autographed
by F.L. Woods, the guy (Hibbdon?) who won it - really loaded with
"stuff" - can't sell it. Tons of people come to look at it, can't
sell it.

My former company (now run by my oldest son) also has been through a 2-3
year struggle with reduced orders for capital equipment. Many requests
for proposals had been received, but very few contracts had been awarded
to any of the competing suppliers. Within the past month however,
equipment orders have risen significantly along with requests to
re-quote equipment requirements that had been put on the back burner for
a year or more.

When I ran the company we virtually had no customers outside of the US.
Now, their growing backlog is split about 50/50 between US companies and
orders from Japan, China and Europe. BTW, this is a very specialized
equipment with maybe 6 major US suppliers and 5 or 6 dominant suppliers
split between Japan and Europe. I suspect the value of the dollar
dropping against the Euro is helping sales to a large degree as well as
a general feeling of growing confidence in the customer base.

I've seen this cycle over and over again in the past 30 years.

At our age we've seen it all more than once. :)

Does that make us sages, wizened old wizards, Elders or just grumpy
old men? :)

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:



At our age we've seen it all more than once. :)

Does that make us sages, wizened old wizards, Elders or just grumpy
old men? :)

Later,

Tom

All of the above, with an emphasis on the latter.

Eisboch

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 15:56:31 -0500, Eisboch
wrote:

I've often mentioned Mrs. E because she is a major influence on just
about everything I do.

As we have recently entered into the beginning of our retirement years
at a relatively early age, we have found new opportunities to enjoy
individual interests, she mostly with horses, and me still with boats.

She also enjoys spending time on the boat, but complains about how anal
I am about it sometimes. And I am. At home I am your basic slob, but on
the boat, everything is dress, right, dress and everything in it's
proper storage place. I can't help it, I am a neat freak on the boat.
I've explained to her that even though we both own the boat, there can
only be one captain.

So, when she comes down to the boat for a visit and spreads her junk all
over the place, with her 3 foot by 4 foot pocketbook taking up the whole
chart table, and her dog leaving hair all over the freshly vacuumed
carpets, I start getting nervous. Did I mention Mrs. E is a very strong
willed and emotional Italian? No stereotyping implied here; it's a
fact, Jack.

Today, she showed up at the marina on a mission. Two hours later she
left the brokerage office having left an offer on a 1982, 36' Grand
Banks Classic. This is to be "her" boat, and I have been invited to
teach her how to handle it next summer when we return from Florida.

Whew ... she never ceases to amaze me, even after 34 years.

Good luck. But don't be caught dead letting your dog shed on it, and
leave you pocketbook at home.....


Dave

Subject: I have a crazy wife
From: Harry Krause

Pretty boat, but can't be very fast at 34,000 pounds with only 600 hp.
Fast for a GB, though, eh?


13-14kt cruise, 19 top end

Capt. Bill

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 08:30:41 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:
Wayve, there's a pretty decent 33' for sale at a yard across from our
local West Marine store. A fellow I know is looking at the boat, and
I've climbed aboard it myself with him. Seller wants in the high $80s.
I've not looked that closely at the boat, and I have no idea whether the
price is in range.

It has gas engines, and the friend is thinking it might be worth
converting to diesels. Do you know anyone who has done that...and what
was involved, in terms of cost? My friend asked, and I told him,
"probably as much as the boat is selling for now..." But that was just a
wild-assed guess on my part.

Assuming a pair of, say, 350-hp straight six diesels, what would you
guess as to performance? And do you think the the boat, if it is in
reasonable shape now (no survey in hand), is worth spending $120,000 on
to bring back into tip-top share? That would be $80,000 on engines and
mechanicals, and another $40,000 for various rehabbing.

Just curious. Nothing I'd buy.

=============================================

The Bertram 33 is a great boat with a fresh pair of 350 hp diesels.
Cruising speed is over 25 kts and range should be at least 250 to 300
miles. The conversion cost from gas is $80 to $100K assuming you do
the generator at the same time, and depending on who does the work.

$80K is probably too much for used gas unless it has been repowered or
nicely rebuilt. Mine was an '83 in near bristol condition with a lot
of extras and sold for less than that. A 33 with used diesels
typically has an asking price of $100 to $150K depending on age,
condition and engine hours. A comparable new boat with diesels is
well over $300K and may not be as well built as the older Berts.
Value is all in the eye of the beholder and how you intend to use the
boat. I would not hesitate for a second to take a well equipped 33
100 miles offshore in any reasonable weather.

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 19:02:40 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 08:30:41 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:
Wayve, there's a pretty decent 33' for sale at a yard across from our
local West Marine store. A fellow I know is looking at the boat, and
I've climbed aboard it myself with him. Seller wants in the high $80s.
I've not looked that closely at the boat, and I have no idea whether the
price is in range.

It has gas engines, and the friend is thinking it might be worth
converting to diesels. Do you know anyone who has done that...and what
was involved, in terms of cost? My friend asked, and I told him,
"probably as much as the boat is selling for now..." But that was just a
wild-assed guess on my part.

Assuming a pair of, say, 350-hp straight six diesels, what would you
guess as to performance? And do you think the the boat, if it is in
reasonable shape now (no survey in hand), is worth spending $120,000 on
to bring back into tip-top share? That would be $80,000 on engines and
mechanicals, and another $40,000 for various rehabbing.

Just curious. Nothing I'd buy.

=============================================

The Bertram 33 is a great boat with a fresh pair of 350 hp diesels.
Cruising speed is over 25 kts and range should be at least 250 to 300
miles. The conversion cost from gas is $80 to $100K assuming you do
the generator at the same time, and depending on who does the work.

$80K is probably too much for used gas unless it has been repowered or
nicely rebuilt. Mine was an '83 in near bristol condition with a lot
of extras and sold for less than that. A 33 with used diesels
typically has an asking price of $100 to $150K depending on age,
condition and engine hours. A comparable new boat with diesels is
well over $300K and may not be as well built as the older Berts.
Value is all in the eye of the beholder and how you intend to use the
boat. I would not hesitate for a second to take a well equipped 33
100 miles offshore in any reasonable weather.

I've run my Contender out that far on a beer/fuel/bait run for a
friend of mine on a tuna trip. Dumb ass ran out in the middle. :)

Ordinarily, I stay within the 50/60 mile bouy.

Later,

Tom

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 00:18:48 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

I've run my Contender out that far on a beer/fuel/bait run for a
friend of mine on a tuna trip. Dumb ass ran out in the middle. :)

===================================

Which did he run out of first?

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 22:14:17 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 00:18:48 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

I've run my Contender out that far on a beer/fuel/bait run for a
friend of mine on a tuna trip. Dumb ass ran out in the middle. :)

===================================

Which did he run out of first?

Guess... :)

Later,

Tom