Time for a ‘new’ boat?

[blamtro]

@tpenfield I saw your post. I felt your listing was lacking. Just offering an opinion but the vast knowlege and care and meticulous maintenance and new upholstry and all that youve show us here was not conveyed in your post. It looked like everyother 330 posted for sale out there. I’d never think about touching a salty boat, but I WOULD EAT, SLEEP, AND DO DIRTY THINGS ON YOUR BOAT but only because I know how meticulous you were. But your buyers arent seeing that. If you expanded your post/ photos, you may get a few more bites. Every $K needs a photo, so if your asking 40K, you better have 40 GOOD, relevant photos. For example, one of your anchor locker photos has a streak of rust from a fastner. Clean that streak and redo the photo. Neatly coil the rope. Show a photo of the new upholstry job and how good it looks.

Another thought it may be worth your while to pickup a trailer and expand your buyer base.

 

[gr8knurlin]

With all the documented work you have done I would think that yours would be top of anyone's list even if there were 100 available. If it was a PC instead of an SS I'd be on my way down from Canada with a trailer to get it......

 

[Lou C]

Hello Ted,
What was the engine misfortune? I must have missed it...
Anyway I found it interesting that you will stick with the I/O, there are some advantages but the main thing that would stop me (smaller boats) is bad access and cat converter exhaust. The complexity now in inboards has caused them to lose the cost advantage that they once had over outboards. My brother just bought a boat, an '18 Chaparrall SSI 21' it is an I/O the new Merc 4.5, beautiful but cat coverters. I tried to talk him out of it but he liked it. I said just don't ask me to change a starter when the time comes lol. I'll have to try it out and see how she flies. But for me it would have to be a single OB.

 

[tpenfield]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Yes, if I hit the lottery (tomorrow) it will definitely be a brand spanking new outboard powered boat. Plan 'B' would be a boat that is of the size, people capacity and features that we want, as well as fitting into a modest 6-figure budget. So, that keeps the I/O boats in play if I want to get a newer boat. If I want to go 15+ years old, then it would be the outboard route.

I get about 1 inquiry per day from the Ad. . . I have been a bit surprised at the number of inquiries regarding a trailer. It seems that about 1/3 of the 330's have trailers now . . . so it must be a thing. Does everyone have an F-350 truck in their driveway??? Not sure I'd go out and spend $8K on a trailer just to sell the boat. May as well take that off the price . . . but maybe if I found one for $4K. Trailer capacity would have to be in the 11-12,000 lb. range.

 

[gr8knurlin]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Yes, if I hit the lottery (tomorrow) it will definitely be a brand spanking new outboard powered boat. Plan 'B' would be a boat that is of the size, people capacity and features that we want, as well as fitting into a modest 6-figure budget. So, that keeps the I/O boats in play if I want to get a newer boat. If I want to go 15+ years old, then it would be the outboard route.

I get about 1 inquiry per day from the Ad. . . I have been a bit surprised at the number of inquiries regarding a trailer. It seems that about 1/3 of the 330's have trailers now . . . so it must be a thing. Does everyone have an F-350 truck in their driveway??? Not sure I'd go out and spend $8K on a trailer just to sell the boat. May as well take that off the price . . . but maybe if I found one for $4K. Trailer capacity would have to be in the 11-12,000 lb. range.

I guess geography plays a role.... Here in Alberta most middle class families run a 3/4 or 1 ton truck as well as a "commuter" vehicle. Lots of 5th wheels and trailers around here that require a 15-20K tow capacity. Myself I don't need a trailer for in season use because I have a private dock but I do require one for maintenance and winter storage. We don't have full service marinas around here, hell we barely have lakes, most are just glorified slews. When I was shopping the lack of a trailer is what ruled out many boats from down south and the great lakes. Now that I have a 21K lb tri-axle my next boat will likely come out of the US and I will just take my trailer down to retrieve it. Getting a boat across the border is easy because it does not have t be licensed so they don't seem to care much, if I were to buy a boat on a trailer out of the US I'd have to send all the trailer paperwork to the border crossing 72 hours prior to crossing and pay all applicable licensing and tax fees prior to crossing into Canada. Even most of the big boats around here have trailers - we can tow up to 12'6" wide with an annual permit for $60 and a wide load sign.

 

[tpenfield]

I am thinking about a trailer for the next boat . . .

 

[alldodge]

I am thinking about a trailer for the next boat . . .

And a truck maybe
I hate to have to depend on anyone to move my boat. No matter what boat I have, I have to be able to move myself

 

[tpenfield]

And a truck maybe
I hate to have to depend on anyone to move my boat. No matter what boat I have, I have to be able to move myself

Yes, I guess the BMW wouldn't be able to pull that sort of thing

I got an offer on the boat today, so things are moving forward, pending a survey. Also have a couple of folks interested in seeing the boat, in case the offer falls through.

In other news . . . probably going to take a look at the Cruisers 328 CX that is for sale in town.

 

[alldodge]

Yes, I guess the BMW wouldn't be able to pull that sort of thing

I got an offer on the boat today, so things are moving forward, pending a survey. Also have a couple of folks interested in seeing the boat, in case the offer falls through.

In other news . . . probably going to take a look at the Cruisers 328 CX that is for sale in town.

Doesn't look like you will need a dually I would pull it with my 2500. Even at 11K dry I could pull it. Or have your own trailer and no longer need to have it blocked, just hauled

 

[Lou C]

I think any trailer-able boat will sell faster with a trailer. For us we are limited with storage so can really only have boats in the 20’ range anyway.

 

[alldodge]

Another note: with the 328 weighting more, your going to want max HP. Your 330 had 330 hp motors, wonder if it comes with 502's

 

[tpenfield]

Another note: with the 328 weighting more, your going to want max HP. Your 330 had 330 hp motors, wonder if it comes with 502's

The Cruisers 328 has the V-P 380 HP engines, which are based on the new generation GM 6.0L blocks with variable valve timing. So, yes the HP would be about 100 more than the Formula.

 

[Lou C]

PPS
About I/O vs O/B went for a ride in the nearly new Chaparral my brother bought. Mercs new 4.5 V6 with 200 hp. I have to say compared to the old engines it is very nice! Accessibility is not good but for him it’s a non issue he will take it in for maintenance & repairs. So I take back some of the bad stuff I said about I/Os…

 

[tpenfield]

I went to look at the Cruisers 328 today. It has the 350 HP engines, not the 380’s.

lots of rust in the serpentine belt pulleys - so probably has not been run in a while.

 

[tpenfield]

Just catching up on my old thread about selling/buying. Sort of a situation of you never know how things are going to turn out.

I sold my boat for asking price to a person that was the farthest away as compared to all of the other interested 'buyers'. I would have never imagined that, but most of the local buyers were either indecisive or were really not in a position to buy.

Just as we were selling, and having looked at a few boats, a 2016 Cruisers 338 came on the market and I was the first one on the scene to make an offer.

Ended up getting a trailer and a truck as well, which I had not envisioned until it was happening. I feel so much more comfortable having my own trailer, after having been 'boat hauler' dependent for the past 10 years. It was a bit stressful trying to get my previous boat 100% ready and reliable each season so as to avoid mid-season maintenance haulouts @ $800 per . . .

 

[alldodge]

Looks like a savings of $800 a year now

 

[tpenfield]

Looks like a savings of $800 a year now

Sort of . . . the trailer registration is $300/year, so it nets out at $500 savings, and I can haul out as needed, which is something I've always wanted to do.

 

[alldodge]

Sort of . . . the trailer registration is $300/year, so it nets out at $500 savings, and I can haul out as needed, which is something I've always wanted to do.

Wow, 300 a year, what a ripoff

 

[Lou C]

Really? 300 a year to reg a boat trailer? Even in the high tax capital of the USA, New York State, we don't get dinged like that! I think I pay $60 a year for my small Load Rite registration. And boat reg's here are good for 3 years.
But then there's property taxes and electricity. We are still paying for the never used Shoreham Nuclear Power Station lol!

 

[tpenfield]

Yes, the registration is figured on the weight capacity of the trailer. 15,600 capacity @ $20 per 1K . . . pretty much a rip-off. Small trailers are reasonable, but as you go big, it costs.