I was wondering if there are any stats on how long people actually
keep their boat. Like if they buy a new runabout or cuddie etc. how
long do they actually keep it, before selling it or trading it in for
a new model.

some people keep cars a year then trade for new, others buy new and
run the wheels off it.

I've never bought a brand new boat in my life and really don't plan on
it. My two boats are 1983 and 1977. Both in very good shape and will
be keeping them for quite a while.

Does anyone know what is the average trade off or average length of
ownership is for boats?

Tim wrote:
I was wondering if there are any stats on how long people actually
keep their boat. Like if they buy a new runabout or cuddie etc. how
long do they actually keep it, before selling it or trading it in for
a new model.

some people keep cars a year then trade for new, others buy new and
run the wheels off it.

I've never bought a brand new boat in my life and really don't plan on
it. My two boats are 1983 and 1977. Both in very good shape and will
be keeping them for quite a while.

Does anyone know what is the average trade off or average length of
ownership is for boats?

MY GUESS is first time boat buyers either trade up or to a different
model or get out of boating very quickly. I have purchased 3 used and 2
new boats. I believe used is a much better way to do it. Let someone
else take the 20% hit. New boat smell just isn't worth that much.

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:

MY GUESS is first time boat buyers either trade up or to a different
model or get out of boating very quickly. I have purchased 3 used and 2
new boats. I believe used is a much better way to do it. Let someone
else take the 20% hit. New boat smell just isn't worth that much.

Yes, I would think that for middle classers that the used market would
be a better value.

20% hit? I would think that the spread would be greater than that, but
then again, I really don't know. I haven't priced brand new, and
compared with a year or two older models

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:50:08 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

20% hit? I would think that the spread would be greater than that, but
then again, I really don't know. I haven't priced brand new, and
compared with a year or two older models

Depends on the boat and how old it is. 20% after the first year or
two is probably in the ballpark. After 5 to 7 years it's closer to
50% for all but the highest quality.

Wayne.B wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:50:08 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

20% hit? I would think that the spread would be greater than that, but
then again, I really don't know. I haven't priced brand new, and
compared with a year or two older models

Depends on the boat and how old it is. 20% after the first year or
two is probably in the ballpark. After 5 to 7 years it's closer to
50% for all but the highest quality.


Depends on the boat, the demand for the boat, and its condition.

I sold my 2003 Parker 25' rig in 2007 for only 10% less than I paid for
it. No broker, either. I wasn't hurt by the fact that between 2003 and
2007, Parker raised its price for the same model boat by nearly $20,000.

On Nov 30, 9:50 pm, HK wrote:
Wayne.B wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:50:08 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

20% hit? I would think that the spread would be greater than that, but
then again, I really don't know. I haven't priced brand new, and
compared with a year or two older models

Depends on the boat and how old it is. 20% after the first year or
two is probably in the ballpark. After 5 to 7 years it's closer to
50% for all but the highest quality.

Depends on the boat, the demand for the boat, and its condition.

I sold my 2003 Parker 25' rig in 2007 for only 10% less than I paid for
it. No broker, either. I wasn't hurt by the fact that between 2003 and
2007, Parker raised its price for the same model boat by nearly $20,000.

Sounds to me like somebody got a bargian! buying the boat at "sale
price" with an extra 10% off.

On Nov 28, 8:47�am, Tim wrote:
I was wondering if there are any stats on how long people actually
keep their boat. Like if they buy a new runabout or cuddie etc. how
long do they actually keep it, before selling it or trading it in for
a new model.

some people keep cars a year then trade for new, others buy new and
run the wheels off it.

I've never bought a brand new boat in my life and really don't plan on
it. My two boats are 1983 and 1977. Both in very good shape and will
be keeping them for quite a while.

Does anyone know what is the average trade off or �average length of
ownership is for boats?

Small boats probably turn over pretty quickly. Two-foot-itis is more
prevalent in boats under 30 feet or so than with larger models.

That said, I've had my boat since the early 90's and among our circle
of friends we are the only couple who haven't traded boats at least
once and more commonly twice during that same time frame- and most of
the people we know from the club,etc, have 30-50 foot boats. So they
do turn over, but nowhere nearly as rapidly as people churn through a
succession of cars or trucks.

Chuck Gould wrote:

Small boats probably turn over pretty quickly. Two-foot-itis is more
prevalent in boats under 30 feet or so than with larger models.

I'd say thats right, Chuck. I bought my 83 Chriscraft 169 because the
boat was in well maintained shape and the price was right. when I took
it out the next eyar I found out it was a bit cramped for my wife,
daughter and myself. Oh it's a fun little boat, and I still enjoy
taking it out occasionally, especially for a quick trip out to the
local smaller lakes, but because of it's smaller deminsions,
that'swhen I decided to move up to the 23' Marquis Cuddie. It's a lot
more boat, and still well maintained and was priced very reasonable.
But it uses a lot more fuel. Room and ride is still a decent trade off
for the economy, though. But I'd really like to get up to a 27+ footer
again, but then again trailerability becomes a problem for cruisers,
plus at this stage the fuel expenses are prohibitive.

But yes, I think that most people start out small then for reasons
I've stated will move up to larger rather quickly.

"Tim" wrote in message
...


Chuck Gould wrote:

Small boats probably turn over pretty quickly. Two-foot-itis is more
prevalent in boats under 30 feet or so than with larger models.

I'd say thats right, Chuck. I bought my 83 Chriscraft 169 because the
boat was in well maintained shape and the price was right. when I took
it out the next eyar I found out it was a bit cramped for my wife,
daughter and myself. Oh it's a fun little boat, and I still enjoy
taking it out occasionally, especially for a quick trip out to the
local smaller lakes, but because of it's smaller deminsions,
that'swhen I decided to move up to the 23' Marquis Cuddie. It's a lot
more boat, and still well maintained and was priced very reasonable.
But it uses a lot more fuel. Room and ride is still a decent trade off
for the economy, though. But I'd really like to get up to a 27+ footer
again, but then again trailerability becomes a problem for cruisers,
plus at this stage the fuel expenses are prohibitive.

But yes, I think that most people start out small then for reasons
I've stated will move up to larger rather quickly.



The previous boat I bought new. But was a 14' aluminum boat and I wanted a
deep transom model, so ordered it new. Was about $2100 out the door with a
new Mariner 15 hp longshaft. 1986. The boat I have now was 4 years old
when I bought it in 1995. Is also aluminum, but was $26k in 1991. Have no
plans to trade this one. Did replace the engine 2 years ago. Previous
boats were used also.

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:15:23 -0800 (PST), Chuck Gould
wrote:

On Nov 28, 8:47?am, Tim wrote:
I was wondering if there are any stats on how long people actually
keep their boat. Like if they buy a new runabout or cuddie etc. how
long do they actually keep it, before selling it or trading it in for
a new model.

some people keep cars a year then trade for new, others buy new and
run the wheels off it.

I've never bought a brand new boat in my life and really don't plan on
it. My two boats are 1983 and 1977. Both in very good shape and will
be keeping them for quite a while.

Does anyone know what is the average trade off or ?average length of
ownership is for boats?

I can only give the experience of my family:

Dad:
1. Bought a 16 ft aluminium boat in early 1960s with an evinrude
electric shift outboard.

2. Replaced that in 1972 with a Glastron 18 ft. tri-hull with 6 cyl.
Mercruiser IO. (10 to 12 years?)

3. Sold Glastron to my brother and bought a Crown 20 ft bowrider with
8 Cyl. Mercruiser in about 1983. (11 years)

4. Somewhere in there while not getting rid of the above he also owned
a small cabin cruiser for a few years - probably around 1976 to about
1980. (3 to 4 years?)

5. He also owned a pontoon boat with a 75 HP outboard from about 1980
to 1988. (7 to 8 years)

6. He gave the Crown to my sister when he became to ill to use it in
1993. (10 years)

Brother:
1. Bought the 1972 Glastron from dad in 1982. Sold it last year.
Hasn't replaced it yet. (24 years. In the family for 34 years)

Sister 1:
1. Was given the Crown in 1993. Still owns it and it is still very
pretty and runs well and she wouldn't part with it. (14 years. In the
family for 24 years)

Sister 2:
1. Bought a small Glastron bowrider with outboard in late 1980s to
early 1990s.

2. Sold Glastron and bought a 18 foot Crownline bowrider with 6 cyl.
Mercruiser IO in 2000. (10 years or so for the Glastron) (7 years so
far for the Crownline)

Me:
1. Bought a 18 ft. 1990 cuddy cabin with an OMC IO in August 2004. It
was washed down the Allegheny and Ohio river in September of that
year. I had used it 3 short times. It was totaled after fining its
way about 80 miles and over 4 locks before being washed up on some
wooded shore just up from Wheeling WV. (1.5 months ;-0)

2. Bought a 1995 Sea Pro Citation 1900 cuddy cabin with a small
Mercruiser IO in the fall of 2004 and still have it. (3 years so far)

All in all not a lot of buying and selling or trading up in my family
and in my local experience that is the norm around here. Might be
different in coastal areas or in areas where a lot of the local
economy is water recreation based (i.e. big lake areas, etc.).

Dave Hall
(Forgot that I bought a 12 ft jonboat with 5 hp Wards outboard in 1969
and still own it - 38 years)

Small boats probably turn over pretty quickly. Two-foot-itis is more
prevalent in boats under 30 feet or so than with larger models.

That said, I've had my boat since the early 90's and among our circle
of friends we are the only couple who haven't traded boats at least
once and more commonly twice during that same time frame- and most of
the people we know from the club,etc, have 30-50 foot boats. So they
do turn over, but nowhere nearly as rapidly as people churn through a
succession of cars or trucks.