Re: Should I restore a craft or build new to sell?
I'm thinking I'll look for a fishing boat, probably a bass boat type or a fish and ski maybe. Those should be easy to sell.
But I'm also willing to do a vintage hull.
I'm basically going to keep my eyes open, not hurry, and shop for just the right boat to rebuild.
More news as events warrant
Erik
PS: The poll was timed to last some fixed number of days, so it closed automatically... if I'd known people were going to vote longer I'd have left it open longer. Sorry :\
There will always be fishermen/women no matter what happens to the market and here in Germany the smaller simpler boats are holding there prices, where as the bigger expensive boats a dropping to half what the were 4 or 5 years ago. Down sizing is full in trend here.
A real classic is never a bad deal whether on or off the water, you just have to pick the right one, at the right price. The minimum expected quality of the restore is also critical to making or loosing money here though. A true classic in bad but complete condition, can be worth more than a badly restored version.
What ever you do, keep it simple, and do it right.
The other point to think about is what would you have accomplished at the end of winter, if you hadn't restored a boat. If you enjoy doing it, do it. Some people build model cars or boats and spend the same amount of time. In the end they are unsaleable, but they had fun doing it.
I did two small boats in the last three months. A 5 meter fiberglass Kayak, it took a couple of weeks of free time with the wrong tools and no garage. I had about $50-70 total invested, and it sold for $700. The second boat, a 3 meter row/motor boat took about two months and I have about $125 in it. It is not for sale but I will probably put it on the market next year, for money to buy a bigger motor.
Many here questioned why my restores were posted on these pages. One even going so far as to suggesting my post should be deleted. It was not appropriate, too small were the boats. The funny thing was I made money, they don't.
If I look at my hourly wage though, it would not be good, but I had fun, and I made a little money that I used to buy a third boat, a 3,6 meter Hypalon inflatable, a 6HP motor, plus gas tanks, life jackets, and, and, and ....
Had I done what my neighbors all did, which is nothing in this time frame, that is what I would have had, nothing.
I now have two small boats and a lot of fun. Not to mention the new friends I have made doing this, and on the river here.
Just have fun, that is the most important part.
