Catalina 310 market value

[sailboat sabbatical]

So I bought a Catalina 310 a few months ago with the intention of sailing/motoring up the ICW for six months, and selling the boat at the end of the trip. My family has been loving the experience. Strangely enough, some of the stress actually made me enjoy it less, which was the opposite of what was expected.

I'm halfway through the trip at this point, so it's probably time to start thinking about a July sale.

What's a good way to get an idea of what valuation would be in these turbulent market times?

 

[Stu Jackson]

What's a good way to get an idea of what valuation would be in these turbulent market times?

Do whatever you did when you bought the boat, only backwards.
BTW, motoring the ICW has been termed the boat brutal boating experience known to man. It gets better when you reach a Bay or the ocean. Nice boat, too.

 

[dlochner]

Do whatever you did when you bought the boat, only backwards.
BTW, motoring the ICW has been termed the boat brutal boating experience known to man. It gets better when you reach a Bay or the ocean. Nice boat, too.

You're being a little harsh, Stu. I'm sitting on the ICW as I type. There are places on the ICW that are some of my favorite places to be, the low country of South Carolina and Georgia, the Wacamaw River in SC., the Alligator River in NC, and Cumberland Island in GA. Places like Charleston SC, Southport NC, Georgetown NC, and Oriental, NC are great towns and cities. Standing on the dock at Titusville FL, we watched the Dragon Rocket head to the Space Station.

There is of course south Florida from about West Palm south are awful and should be avoided during weekends and holidays. And a few sections along the south coast of NC.

Of course if your goal is to sail, then you've chose the wrong place to be, unless you're able to go off shore with the tides, currents, and wind with you.

 

[sailboat sabbatical]

Do whatever you did when you bought the boat, only backwards.
BTW, motoring the ICW has been termed the boat brutal boating experience known to man. It gets better when you reach a Bay or the ocean. Nice boat, too.

When I bought the boat, I had a little bit of freedom, as I had some flexibility as to when and where I wanted to buy. I searched all over the state of Florida, and by dumb luck found an FSBO boat walking distance from a place I visit for work. Crazy.

When I sell, I'm going to have to sell at a specific time and place (in real life I live in the mountain west), and I expect that constraint to be costly.

Anyways, she's a nice boat, a 310 in good condition with a Fischer-Panda 4.2 generator. Had some diesel bug gum up some fuel lines, leading to a few "while we're there" items that are being dealt with right now (at a pace that's not quite to my liking, sadly)

You're being a little harsh, Stu. I'm sitting on the ICW as I type. There are places on the ICW that are some of my favorite places to be, the low country of South Carolina and Georgia, the Wacamaw River in SC., the Alligator River in NC, and Cumberland Island in GA. Places like Charleston SC, Southport NC, Georgetown NC, and Oriental, NC are great towns and cities. Standing on the dock at Titusville FL, we watched the Dragon Rocket head to the Space Station.

There is of course south Florida from about West Palm south are awful and should be avoided during weekends and holidays. And a few sections along the south coast of NC.

Of course if your goal is to sail, then you've chose the wrong place to be, unless you're able to go off shore with the tides, currents, and wind with you.

Strangely, I loved South Florida. I managed to get some sailing in some of the sounds, took an outside run from Port Everglades to Government Cut in perfect downwind conditions, and even enjoyed motoring past the billionaire houses on the way back up. Right now it's sail if weather makes it pleasant, motor if not. Having the protected conditions of the ICW every night is great for the family.

I even saw a Falcon launch from the boat. Whatever, that's boring.

Watching the boostback burn and the landing, on the other hand, that makes me feel like I live in the future.

 

[Alansails]

Sounds Like No matter what you have gotten value from your Boat/trip ,somethings cannot have plus/minus attached to a value including memories!
What year is the boat?
You could try the blue book for boats.
Keep us in the loop!

 

[Tom J]

I think the C310 will always have a high market value. It's unique features make it a highly desirable boat for a cruising couple. The open interior and the forward stateroom were just a couple of the things I loved about the boat.
I sold my C310, Andante, two years ago in the Boston area. I got full asking price the first day she was on the market, with another offer at the end of the day. She was a 2003, hull no. 238, with over 8,000 cruising miles on her. Most of those miles were between southwest Florida and Boston by way of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. My girlfriend and I enjoyed those trips immensely, and the several "exciting" moments we experienced are part of those cherished memories.

 

[sailboat sabbatical]

Sounds Like No matter what you have gotten value from your Boat/trip ,somethings cannot have plus/minus attached to a value including memories!
What year is the boat?
You could try the blue book for boats.
Keep us in the loop!

I've certainly gotten good value from my boat trip. So has many a South Florida marina and mechanic, sadly.

My stupidity in getting everything fixed will be someone else's gain.

The boat is a 2004 (mid 300s hull number) with the Universal/Kubota/Westerbeke. It's a good engine that I've gotten to know more than I had wanted to, with nice features like the self-priming electric lift pump. I'll miss being the captain of my own little boat, but it doesn't make sense for me to keep one on the east coast when I live in the mountain west. Once my sabbatical is over, it will make more sense to charter.

I think the C310 will always have a high market value. It's unique features make it a highly desirable boat for a cruising couple. The open interior and the forward stateroom were just a couple of the things I loved about the boat.
I sold my C310, Andante, two years ago in the Boston area. I got full asking price the first day she was on the market, with another offer at the end of the day. She was a 2003, hull no. 238, with over 8,000 cruising miles on her. Most of those miles were between southwest Florida and Boston by way of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. My girlfriend and I enjoyed those trips immensely, and the several "exciting" moments we experienced are part of those cherished memories.

I love the C310 interior, but it's best as couple's boat. We're a family of four, but the little ones are quite little, so we fit. I think the C309 would have been optimal for us (the larger cockpit locker and salon would be more useful than the big cabins) but all in all she's been a good little ship. Unfortunately, reality will be calling a few months from now.