Have used sailboat prices dropped?

[davidpm]

It might be my imagination but it seems to me as though, at least at the low end, the prices are about 20% lower than just a year or two ago. I'm talking about sub 30,000 boats.
For example the average price for a catalina 27 with diesel a year or two ago was just about 15,000 now it seems to be closer to 10,000.

Have you noticed a change?

[oceanscapt]

I've been looking for over a year and I don't think they've dropped enough to brag about. I'm looking at bluewater capable boats in the 35-40' range, though.

[davidpm]

Maybe the drop if it exists is only on the low end.

[tommays]

There is always a drop in the fall when owners are trying to get out of the winter costs and i have seen deals fall apart over the issue

Who wants to drop 2 or 3k to store a boat they did not even really get to use

[scottyt]

you are right dave the cheaper end of boats are cheaper. the high end stuff attracts people who dont really have to worry about money, so those prices stay high

[paul323]

Not sure if the list prices have dropped around here - but boats aren't selling, so many owners are getting desperate.

[slap]

It may just be that the listed prices are now closer to the actual selling prices. A year ago, there were stories of boats selling for 30%-50% of their listed price.

[souljour2000]

Yes, I think they have dropped...IMHO

[olson34]

Originally Posted by scottyt

you are right Dave - the cheaper end of boats are cheaper. The high end stuff attracts people who don't really have to worry about money, so those prices stay high

That's about the size of it around here, too.
The cheap boats have gotten really cheap. The high end designs stay on the market longer or sometimes get pulled off the market.
Then there is the private market. I am seeing boats sell for good prices within our yacht club, where the buyer is getting a known quantity from a known seller.

These are the Tartans, Ericsons, and Cascades and similar blue-water-capable boats. Never much of a market in any given year, but it's a knowledgeable market that is willing to pay for quality.

Kinda reminds me of our selling attempt a couple years ago. We could have dropped our asking price 10K and sold it two or three times, but the big Ericson we wanted never came down much in price... nor did any of the better-presented sisterships we shopped.
Like us, those guys had no debt and were in no hurry to lower a price.
(What with our major list of upgrades about finished, we just may keep our boat another 15 years...)

LB

[davidpm]

So looks like we have several options.
1. Not happening
2. Seasonal drop to be expected
3. Drop only on the low end.

I'm leaning toward number 3 as being the most likely