U.S vs Canadian used boat prices

[ricohman]

I can't be the only one who has noticed this but why are older boats in the U.S so cheap compared to Canada?
I see prices that people pay and I know the same boat out west in Canada would be 2K more. We don't have a lot of the rot issues and with a 3 month season the boats don't get as much use but still, boats in the U.S seem so cheap by comparison.
Any early 80's boat that's running will bring 3k out here. Same boat down south is worth 1k or less it seems.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: U.S vs Canadian used boat prices

Funny to think of places like Montana as "down south", but it's all relative, I suppose I think it's all a matter of scarcity. Along the east coast (i.e. "Eastern Seaboard") there has been a rich maritime tradition for centuries and millions of people involved in it. Many schools on the East coast have sailing teams in addition to other team sports, and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland still requires all midshipmen to take basic sailing. I'm not sure about Canada, but here in the states things get noticeably drier as you head out West. Less water, means less boating, which means fewer boats and motors, which drives up the prices. I know vintage motors that would be $200-$300 US where I am on the East/Gulf coast would easily be two or three times that much and often times not even run, for no apparent reason. It could be worse, I suppose. There's a new member from the Netherlands who was trying to track down a small, vintage 5.5-7.5 hp Johnson. He found a nice little AD model,,,,,for over 1,000 EURO! Ouch! I would have thought that the Netherlands of all places in Europe would have motors everywhere, but apparently not. Go figure. I guess we're at least in the right hemisphere, so it's a start.

 

[Philster]

Re: U.S vs Canadian used boat prices

I can't be the only one who has noticed this but why are older boats in the U.S so cheap compared to Canada?
I see prices that people pay and I know the same boat out west in Canada would be 2K more. We don't have a lot of the rot issues and with a 3 month season the boats don't get as much use but still, boats in the U.S seem so cheap by comparison.
Any early 80's boat that's running will bring 3k out here. Same boat down south is worth 1k or less it seems.

You got lots o' boats laying around? My understanding is that boats are not as ubiquitous in Canada per capita because you have less disposable income and less equity overall per capita versus the USA. With fewer boats piling up over the years, it's relatively slim pickings; i.e., the supply is lower versus the demand. Whenever Canada has a mild surge in buying power, it's leveraged against a history of lean years where there wasn't much equity or disposable income thrown at boats (supply is down).

It's a boat toy box down here in the U.S., and while the U.S.A. has lean years, decade over decade, the common guy has more money to throw at a leisure item, like a second home or a boat. Inventory tends to pile up, which stabilizes prices. In other words, used boats are everywhere down here because so many people bought one with their disposable incomes.

.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: U.S vs Canadian used boat prices

I can't be the only one who has noticed this but why are older boats in the U.S so cheap compared to Canada?
I see prices that people pay and I know the same boat out west in Canada would be 2K more. We don't have a lot of the rot issues and with a 3 month season the boats don't get as much use but still, boats in the U.S seem so cheap by comparison.
Any early 80's boat that's running will bring 3k out here. Same boat down south is worth 1k or less it seems.

Just go shopping for groceries, clothing and household goods on the south side of the U.S. border.
Even though the Canadian dollar is close to equal with our dollar, the prices for everything in the U.S. is substantially lower.

And that is comparing prices within 50 miles either side of the border.

Makes no sense at all, even stuff made in Canada is more expensive than the same stuff shipped south.

 

[rallyart]

Re: U.S vs Canadian used boat prices

We just like paying more.
Actually, the dealers have a much shorter season to try to sell so they spend more on stocking and on transportation. Dealer prices are higher so the used prices are higher. Look at it as an opportunity for arbitrage as you buy a good US boat and resell it in Canada. Maybe you even get a free year or two of use without the economic hit.
Canadian manufacturers have high costs on transportation and it's harder to manage gel coat and other processes in the cold so those costs go up. You don't see a lot of Canadian boats sold in the US because of the relative higher costs.

 

[Philster]

Re: U.S vs Canadian used boat prices

Just go shopping for groceries, clothing and household goods on the south side of the U.S. border.
Even though the Canadian dollar is close to equal with our dollar, the prices for everything in the U.S. is substantially lower.

And that is comparing prices within 50 miles either side of the border.

Makes no sense at all, even stuff made in Canada is more expensive than the same stuff shipped south.

I am certain Canada is taxing everything higher/harder. When a company has to pay taxes, fees and surcharges to the government, the price to the consumer goes up. It's the reason fuel prices vary like crazy within the U.S. and why California is crushingly expensive compared to the rest of the country in many ways. The more the government levies corporations, the more those corporations have to charge you, the consumer. Works like that for consumer to consumer sales, too.

 

[skyking897]

Re: U.S vs Canadian used boat prices

I've bought my last 3 boats south of the border just for that reason. In fact the Sylvan I bought last year was almost half the price of any similar boats I could find here. In my opinion, it's just the sheer volume of boats south of the border and todays economy. While I don't necissarily agree with Philster's disposible income theory, just look at the population of the US versus Canada. More people equals more oppurtunity to buy toys, thus more boats available and the old supply and demand laws dictate prices. More boats, more competion, lower pricing. I believe it's that simple.