It has been an interesting few months, thought I would check in and update everyone.
When we sold the IP we were getting out of boating. The Admiral talked me out of that and into a new boat with more up to date technology. We had a list of things that we based on our perceptions, talking with other boat owners and research. The current Hunter 27-3 checked every box with the exception of size for me, I wanted a 33' of the same vintage. Keeping in mind that the winter layup often means buying without trying, we have done that with the last three boats, all purchased when they were winterized.
This past summer was a wild one for most everyone, no hurricanes for us but a series of cold fronts that continue to blow through and unreliable forecasts from the local guessers. We were caught out on the lake three times with winds well over our comfort level and learned the hard way just how tender this boat is (I have attached a video, boat is the same although we have in-mast furling which is a 3' taller mast and is 3 years newer).
The last time out we were blown over a little quicker than I could react, the Admiral was tossed around and reinjured her back. After more discussion we decided again that it was time to sell.A couple in our club expressed interest but ultimately decided to purchase something older and bigger. We approached our favorite local broker to list it but I was shocked and disappointed to hear his answer. Basically, he said we have something that VERY few people are looking for, something newer but smaller. He said the trend is to take "X" number of dollars and do exactly what the other couple did, get a boat that is larger but older. He said he loves to list our boats because they are so well taken care of but we would have to "give it away" and likely lose $12-$15,000 or about 30% of what we paid for it two years ago (which was actually less than other 27-3's were going for at that time). Yes, we all know that boats don't appreciate in value but yikes! He had a 2006 h27-3 that had been for sale for four years, that owner finally donated it to a sailing school in Florida, unfortunately the week before Irma. We would also be paying for storage until it was sold. His advice was to keep it and sail it myself until such time as we were ready to just get rid if it.
So we still have it, on the hard and covered for winter now. Come spring I guess we will re-evaluate things and figure out which direction to go.
When we sold the IP we were getting out of boating. The Admiral talked me out of that and into a new boat with more up to date technology. We had a list of things that we based on our perceptions, talking with other boat owners and research. The current Hunter 27-3 checked every box with the exception of size for me, I wanted a 33' of the same vintage. Keeping in mind that the winter layup often means buying without trying, we have done that with the last three boats, all purchased when they were winterized.
This past summer was a wild one for most everyone, no hurricanes for us but a series of cold fronts that continue to blow through and unreliable forecasts from the local guessers. We were caught out on the lake three times with winds well over our comfort level and learned the hard way just how tender this boat is (I have attached a video, boat is the same although we have in-mast furling which is a 3' taller mast and is 3 years newer).
The last time out we were blown over a little quicker than I could react, the Admiral was tossed around and reinjured her back. After more discussion we decided again that it was time to sell.A couple in our club expressed interest but ultimately decided to purchase something older and bigger. We approached our favorite local broker to list it but I was shocked and disappointed to hear his answer. Basically, he said we have something that VERY few people are looking for, something newer but smaller. He said the trend is to take "X" number of dollars and do exactly what the other couple did, get a boat that is larger but older. He said he loves to list our boats because they are so well taken care of but we would have to "give it away" and likely lose $12-$15,000 or about 30% of what we paid for it two years ago (which was actually less than other 27-3's were going for at that time). Yes, we all know that boats don't appreciate in value but yikes! He had a 2006 h27-3 that had been for sale for four years, that owner finally donated it to a sailing school in Florida, unfortunately the week before Irma. We would also be paying for storage until it was sold. His advice was to keep it and sail it myself until such time as we were ready to just get rid if it.
So we still have it, on the hard and covered for winter now. Come spring I guess we will re-evaluate things and figure out which direction to go.