Pete Meisinger
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2012
- Messages
- 3,145
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Best Alternative
- Vessel Make
- 36 Albin Aft Cabin
As many of you may remember, I recently sold my boat. It was not a totally pleasant experience nor was the experience all bad. However it is an experience that I would NOT recommend to any boat owner. (Good luck with that, right?)
To refresh memories. My boat was a 36 foot Albin aft cabin trawler, a 1978 model. It was well appointed with electronics, extras like bow thruster and genny. It featured a recently rebuilt Ford Lehman engine. The rebuild cost me $20,000, I have the documentation. But remember the boat was 45 years old. I was asking only $25,000 for the boat.
I showed it about 10 times, answered numerous calls and texts, many asking for more photos and information which was in the various ads I had posted (Trawler Forum, Craigs List and Marketplace)
Now the humerus part....
I could tell one buyer didnt like something about the boat, although his spouse was quite excited. When he decided to pass on the boat he said, "there is a lot of wood which will need regular maintenance". Duh!!
One fellow texted me saying his spouse wanted a newer boat..Don't we all? , why look at a $25,000 boat if you are able to buy a newer boat?
One lady said she was not interested because the refrigerator was not very big.
One fellow offered to send my a $500 deposit on the condition I would hold the boat for about a month until he could come see it. That would be October, the boat long having been on the hard by then.
Of course I had the normal scam calls which I recognised immediately and rejected.
Some offered rediculious trades. Snowmobiles, motorcycles, etc. Not interested.
In closing I will quote the old phrase. "The two happiest days in a boaters life are the day he buys his boat and the day he sells it" I would have to differ with that. Selling my boat was not a happy occasion, I'll miss it.
pete
To refresh memories. My boat was a 36 foot Albin aft cabin trawler, a 1978 model. It was well appointed with electronics, extras like bow thruster and genny. It featured a recently rebuilt Ford Lehman engine. The rebuild cost me $20,000, I have the documentation. But remember the boat was 45 years old. I was asking only $25,000 for the boat.
I showed it about 10 times, answered numerous calls and texts, many asking for more photos and information which was in the various ads I had posted (Trawler Forum, Craigs List and Marketplace)
Now the humerus part....
I could tell one buyer didnt like something about the boat, although his spouse was quite excited. When he decided to pass on the boat he said, "there is a lot of wood which will need regular maintenance". Duh!!
One fellow texted me saying his spouse wanted a newer boat..Don't we all? , why look at a $25,000 boat if you are able to buy a newer boat?
One lady said she was not interested because the refrigerator was not very big.
One fellow offered to send my a $500 deposit on the condition I would hold the boat for about a month until he could come see it. That would be October, the boat long having been on the hard by then.
Of course I had the normal scam calls which I recognised immediately and rejected.
Some offered rediculious trades. Snowmobiles, motorcycles, etc. Not interested.
In closing I will quote the old phrase. "The two happiest days in a boaters life are the day he buys his boat and the day he sells it" I would have to differ with that. Selling my boat was not a happy occasion, I'll miss it.
pete
