Ever buy a boat, Doc?

(Not to be confused with a boat dock)

The value of the NADA used boat pricing guide is clearly stated on the
cover of the book itself, in Spanish.

Negotiating with the NADA book is one thing, but in some cases the
buyers decide that there is a "secret" stash of boats out there,
somewhere, all priced at or below the NADA book. Can't blame them- who
in their right mind would pay "high book" for a car in most cases?

The mistake is to decide that the NADA book is some sort of price
gospel and to assume that all sellers offering their boats for sale at
prices above NADA are out to rape and gouge the public. The boat market
is a lot more regional than you probably realize.

Then, factor in that in some specialized boats there may only be a half
dozen boats even built and sold, new, in any particular year. It's a
certainty that not all of the ten existing 1997 33' Ho Lee Smokers will
come to market in a given year, and in some years there may be only one
or maybe even no boats of that particular vintage and model even
offered for sale. Let's say there are two- one of the boats was run up
on the rocks and sold for insurance salvage at $15,000.
The other was in bristol shape and brought $110,000....(somewhat a
decent price as a new one now brings about $200k). NADA takes both
boats and calculates an "average" price of $62,500.
Totally useless. That price is 47,500 more than the junker brought, but
$40,000 less than the nice boat sold for. Is the nice boat really only
worth $62,500 because somebody dumped a junker at a sacrifice figure?
Did the guy who bought the salvage hull at $15,000 "steal it"?
(Probably not).