Where Do Boats Go When They Get Old?

[redhead78]

I have to agree, most of us are older, I think some of it is commitment, a more mature person will stay with anything longer, remember my Dad telling me the definition of youth is impatience. Especially with a sailboat, our youth today want instant gratification, as I say sailing just don't work that way. I have had lots of different age groups over many years, and I recall hearing, okay "now what" after we get underway...I never really thought of sailing as a sport, for me its more a way of life...I think it was Bill Schanen from sail Mag put the boat thing in an article in the last year or so, great article he referred to our boats as the "Ghost Fleet", all the boats made form the 70,s to 90,s actually made sailing more reachable, for lets say the non rich, handy person, brought these boats back .....It would be pretty hard for me, to say replace sailing with whatever....just me anyhow..one of many times my wife ( extremely tolerant of my disease as she calls it), rolled her eyes and gave me that look, I had to remind her I could have a lot worse vices,.. I admit I am hooked...sorry bot the rant....Red

 

[Stu Jackson]

Lots has to do with family and interests. But around here there are plenty of junior sailing programs, both from yacht clubs as well as communities.

 

[rickbarr]

There are quite a few of us 30 somethings chaseing the dream, restoreing old classics but it's not easy... I know quite a few of my freinds who look at their boats allmost as an option to affordable houseing.. The problems lie in dwindleing live-aboard sheltered Mooring fields and increases in Live aboard Dock Fees. An due to insurence pressure and zoneing, work yards have to charge an arm and a leg. Yards are charging up to 60 dollars a day to be in a work space that you can sand and paint in for a 30 - 40 ft boat. 400 dollars to pull and drop a mast.. ect. Further more most yards wont let you live aboard while your working on the hard so theres you having to rent a place while your working on your boat and paying yard fees plus matierials it's a hard graft any way you look at it.. I get advice from older Salts on my projects and am enviouse when they tell stories about how they went about restoreing their boats.. Getting an engine overhauled 20 years ago was'nt a big deal (a new diesal was'nt financially out of reach either for the average working person).. Matierials were cheaper, Teak was availble ect.. There was no red tape to stop a guy from working on his boat when and where he wanted to. I take great pleasure in restoring my boat I recognize the pure quality and perfection and years of science and history in it's desighn it's allmost as if she deserves to be brought back to life. But not everyone will look at old boats like this. I do think that for the most part young people who are passionate about sailing will take this rough and tumble road twards restoration though. The comparrison between picking up a half decent sailboat for 20,000 investing a few years and maybe another 15,000 to restore her or coming up with 300,000 for a new boat of the same size and probably not close to the quality of the restored one.. the numbers speak for themselves. I would like to see more do it yourself yards opening rather than closeing I live in a very large boating town. Only two Yards out of the 10 or so that are close by will let you do your own work, enviremental and insurence reasons are the excuse.. How some other guy with an openfaced grinder does any less damage to the envirement or himself than me with the same tools I'm not sure, but this is the way things are going... If it continues the old boats will continue to decay and younger generations might miss out on them..

 

[eliems]

I think there will be a rebound in the value of our boats for two reasons ... First new boats are becoming so expensive to make and secondly gasoline is making power boats too much of a burden.

The economy will recover and we will be holding good assets!

 

[jackhararis]

I converted my old parted out S2 into a clubhouse for the grandkids. Works Great and they love it!

 

[shipwreck66]

Fuel prices may start changing the scenery on the water, I started noticing it this past year. Where 5 years ago the lake would be packed with boats and jetskis like mosquitos, now on an average summer day you only see a few dozen. Slip fees for the bigger boats definitely kicking a lot of our butts. I'd have a 36ft if it didn't mean doubliing my slip fees for the year. As for maintenance, a sailboat is hands down much cheaper than a comparable-aged cruiser. Old boats just get unceremoniously hauled out, drug out, and sawzalled up and stuffed in a construction dumpster, some of them deservingly so as they are so decrepit.

 

[vetch]

I am seeing more and more offers to trade powerboats for sailboats on Craigslist.

 

[CPseudonym]

I don't agree with fuel prices driving folks out of powerboats as a complete picture of the paradigm. I seriously doubt sailboat values will rise soon either. Price of fuel was an issue when .89/gallon gas was the norm.

I visited Bethel Island in the California Delta a month ago for the first time in 25 years and wow, what a change! Used to be a powerboat paradise, now just a ghost town of mostly empty docks, abandoned marinas with neglected boats. Downturns in the real estate market coupled with lower disposable incomes made a bigger impact than gas prices. Gas is somewhat of a factor(more of a convenient scapegoat) but only one piece of the overall puzzle. The folks I know personally that own powerboats without a change to their disposable incomes are still buying gas and maintaining their boats quite well.

What I do see is the folks who lived by the sword of leveraging their assets to fund their dreams have run out of income to keep up appearances. Short translation, they can't re-finance home equity to "afford" boating. My next door neighbors re-fi'd their home of 25 years 5 years ago to keep up with the Jones's, his home was just sold by the bank last week. They lived large until the market tanked.

FWIW. I was given my O'Day by a total stranger who tried in vain to sell it for a year. He inherited it from his dad who bought it new. He needed it out of his driveway as his home was being foreclosed.

To answer the OP's question. One of them wound up in my driveway.
~Craig

 

[shipwreck66]

When these people go to boat shows and sign a 180 month payment plan for a new boat, they usually lose their lust after the first season when they finally do the math. I mean, the salesman made $359 a month sound good, until you figure in insurance, slip fees, etc. and you have another $500 a month easy to cough up each month, not counting fuel.

 

[fox islander]

...the brother of a friend of mine (early 70's) couldnt sell his older hunter 42 in mexico...so he just abondoned it there. :-(...guess that happens a lot.

 

[KD3PC]

...the brother of a friend of mine (early 70's) couldnt sell his older hunter 42 in mexico...so he just abondoned it there. :-(...guess that happens a lot.

wow!

I would have taken it...I HEAR about these deals all the time...but have never seen one in person...

Kind of like condos in FL for $40K with a pier...I called about a dozen realtors and they all laughed.

Don't believe what you hear.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Next generation of sailors/boat owners...

At my yacht club, we developed a sail camp and training program for not only our own member's kids, but those who want their kids to have this experience in growing up.

We put an average of 35 kids through a four day camp each week for over ten weeks in the past few summers, using Opti's Sunfish, and Lasers as training vessels.

The result has been an increase in our membership of younger families with kids who will be the next generation of sailors in at least our community.

As far as ownership is concerned, we have very few "brand new" boats arrive in our marina--those that do are owned by the more affluent and older members. A number of these new, younger members have expressed the desire to acquire their own boat in the near future. To this end, a well-maintained used boat will always find a home while those that can afford it will seek to buy "new" as their needs change.

 

[TravelinJack]

I just saved one from being chopped up this weekend. Got it free, with 90% of the parts and hardware with it, just had to get it out off their land. A little TLC, some beer and a lot of elbow grease and I'll have her floating in no time. I'm 30 and have been sailing a couple years now. I grew up on fishing boats, and I still love them... for fishing. But the thrill of going 30 knots flat out doesn't compare with being heeled over going 7 knots on a sail boat. Friday evening beer can races have become a summer time staple for me.

 

[Vic H.]

Not sure if it's because of the economy but I have recently noticed that fewer younger people are buying sailboats. That observation also makes me wonder what will happen to all of those beautiful vessels owned by people who are now in their 60's and 70's. In my area I estimate 40%-50% of the boats make up that demographic. What will happen when they finally stop sailing? Visit Yachtworld, look up "sailboats 25'-40'-1980-2011" and you will see that there are almost 12000 for sale (world wide).

Sailboats are not like automobiles which eventually rust and then are scrapped, they stick around forever.

Based on all of that my question is this: What will happen to all of these boats and what effect might this that have on overall boat price valuations?

I know where a neglected 1967 "Shark 24" went back in 1990. And she's still goin' strong!

Happy Sailing!

Vic H.

 

[jackhararis]

After parting out my old 24', I took it out to our ranch and put it on the ground and the grandkids use it for a club house. It is Great!

 

[soling42]

A boat club house is a great idea.....near possum Kingdom lake(love that name). Texans know how to find a good use for old cars down at the Cadillac ranch and Floridians make a statement with our abundance of old Airstream trailers.

And then there's the French artist who calls his half sunken sail/power boat hybrid "love love". He crossed the English Chanel and has toured many European ports after exhibiting it in an art gallery. I especially like the marina pic.

We are a curious people aren't we.