Quote:
|
Originally Posted by hellosailor
Judy, meaning no offense but have you & the hubby really talked over the need for an autopilot at all? ...
... Hunter has a reputation for being a beginners' boat, which is NOT a bad thing since it makes sailing affordable for many folks who just couldn't or wouldn't invest in something like a Hinckley or Sabre. But when you start to look at resale value...well, I'd say that investing in any autopilot could be a total loss at resale time, if the buyer is looking for a budget boat.
|
Hello Hellosailor,
Meaning no offense of course to you or Judy, I have a few comments.
Remember that they've been boating for 11 years so this isn't a beginner boat.
Since this appears from the photos to be a fairly clean new boat the autopilot cost is nominal compared to the resale value in a few years. In the meantime if they do a lot of sailing the quality of the experience can be much improved on long transits whether under sail or power.
As a yacht broker I can say that if they do sell in a few years, the cost of the autopilot will be far from a total loss. The mere presence of the autopilot will make it easier to sell to most buyers so it will sell faster. Most buyers will not view it as an "ugly" factor, but as a definite plus feature. If the seller becomes too motivated, the absence of the autopilot could in fact accelerate a price reduction.
Besides, the buyers never complain because a boat has an autopilot.