What to do with a boat that won't sell

rinker270nb

I am seeing a lot of inventory on used boats that just don't sell. Lowering the price doesn't seem to help them. The economy isn't here to help.  Do they become donations then stripped and shredded?

mattie

https://youtu.be/unaFyRs9alM

Boat shredding

TonyG13

I actually felt sorry for the boat. It seemed near the end it was saying, "Help me!"

Black_Diamond

You have to typically pay to shred a fiberglass boat. It is useless / not recyclable. Hence why you see them in yards. Abandonded. Etc. 

Few people want a project. So a problem boat is a big challenge to sell. Type of boat matters too. Go-fasts at least by me are a big loser. Super small set of people who want / can afford them. Can’t speak for now, but last fall finding a used boat in good condition was about impossible.  Probably some deals to be had I bet now. 

Let’s hope things get back to some normal soon!

MarkB

Well, I do know one guy that bought a boat that didn't work well ... it was a big 45 ft boat, and he never took it out.  He didn't buy it to go boating. He bought it because it was a floating house, and it was way cheaper to live on that boat than having a house on land having to pay taxes all the time.

LaRea

Typically, before shredding, the owner joins my yacht club.  He pays slip fees for 20-25 years while the boat rots away, corroding nearby boats and occupying one of the club's precious few slips.  Then his children haul her away to be shredded in a horrifying, loveless death, just like in that video!   

But that thing would have to chew a little harder to shred a Rinker hull.  

Liberty44140

I've wondered the same. My in laws have a 1974 Flybridge and they love it, but they have shown it limited love. We call it their floating condo but its really more of their dorm room. It shockingly runs awesome so I take it to the pump out monthly for them, but other than the air conditioning and fridge not much works. It has plenty of wood rot, broken stanchions, etc. I know one day we will have to get rid of it and I just hope that we will be able to get someone to take it.

Black_Diamond

Had a couple that were in their early 90’s with a mid-60’s all wood Chris Craft cabin type cruiser. Lived on it all summer. Somehow it ran too...pumpout and haulout trips only. Finally had so much hull rot the marina refused to lauch it. lol. Even all wood they basically chainsawed it apart to dispose of it in a 40yd dumpster. 

LaRea

There's always a break-even point, until which you can still give it away for free.  I read that boat disposal typically costs 2-3 kilobucks.  

Willhound

Had a dock neighbour a few years back. Same thing. Old Chris Craft fly bridge. Both in their 80's and it had the step over entry. I used to have to help them in and out. One day when I wasn't around the old guy tried to help her in. She was a little stout and when she fell she landed on him and broke 3 of his ribs. The kids showed up a few weeks later and hauled it I don't know where. Was a beautiful boat at one time and the old guy used to tell me how he did the loop on it years ago and spend winters south and had the faded old Florida permits on it to prove it. It was junk when hauled away though, he just couldn't keep up anymore and the kids and grandkids had no interest.

Handymans342

Good thing I got rid of mine. 

Black_Diamond

RV’s have the same problem lol

Aqua_Aura

Bought my boat 3 years ago almost to the day and the broker still has a couple boats that were there when I was.  There is also a Rinker 280 that I think belongs to a member on here that has been for sale for 3 years north of me. 

There is also an all wood boat behind mine that was an old fishing boat and they added in a bunch of living space. Total piece of scrap wood I can't imagine anyone will buy it. 

PickleRick

Find me one of these junk boats on a trailer...28 to 30 ft range.  I keep keep coming across 2859s i like but i have no trailer.  

Handymans342

Black_Diamond said:

RV’s have the same problem lol

Nope

rasbury

Yep, they do bud...

Handymans342

rasbury said:

Yep, they do bud...

Had mine for 1.5 years and not one issue but now that we live in it full time we are adding a lot of up grades 

rinker270nb

Anything worth taking off it?  Engine, lower unit, trailer, etc.?  Then pay somebody to take it away?

bry1429

Handymans342 said:

Black_Diamond said:

RV’s have the same problem lol

Nope

Option for RV's after their useful life has ended, take notice of the random boat in the mix, maybe a Rinker ?

Watch "RV demolition Derby" on YouTube

https://youtu.be/jR1XQr1MLl0

LaRea

Handy, you were smart.  You got out just in time.  Another few months and you couldn't have given her away.  Most people don't have timing like that!  

Handymans342

LaRea said:

Handy, you were smart.  You got out just in time.  Another few months and you couldn't have given her away.  Most people don't have timing like that!  

Thank you. Just need to sell house now

GMSLITHO

My dad had a 1968 42 foot pacemaker wood boat he kept it in great shape when he passed my evil stepmom gave it to my stepbrother he kept it up for a few years and then couldn’t afford the upkeep so it sat on land at a marina on the Hudson rotting away every once and a while I would go by and take a look when hurricane sandy hit that was the end of it 

davidbrooks

Insurance claim? Forget the drain plug?

Willhound

It's become a topic in Ontario as there was legislation introduced a couple of years ago making the registered owner responsible for the proper disposal of old boats. Most dump sites will no longer take them so as a result people are stripping the registration numbers and manufacturer's plates off and abandoning them. Pi$$e$ me off every time I see one dumped on the side of the road somewhere. But on the other hand there's not a lot of places to take them. There was an outfit for a few years that was salvaging all the hardware and grinding up the hulls for recycling but they couldn't make a buck at it and closed. I our community alone there are probably several hundred old boats just sitting in back yards rotting away.

LaRea

bry1429 said:

Watch "RV demolition Derby" on YouTube

https://youtu.be/jR1XQr1MLl0

BTW that was a sick move at 1:55 to roll that one RV on its side.  

MarkB

mattie said:

https://youtu.be/unaFyRs9alM

Boat shredding

Jeeze makes the fiberglass look like cardboard...

rinker270nb

Some charities will take cars and boats, karsforkids.com.  I wonder when it isn't feasible for them.

Willhound

It isn't feasible when it costs more for the disposal than the value. The junkiest car always has some residual value as scrap metal. A junked boat costs money to get rid of.

PickleRick

Rent a dumpster and go to work with a chainsaw while wearing a mask and suit.    About 250 here and you have a month to toss her in.

Dont do it in the front yard if you have an hoa

Handymans342

Or you could be rich like @javhav and restore and sell older boats. It could be a great business like restoring old cars. I would love to have an older 12 meter Trojan or a Center Console. 

MarkB

PickleRick said:

Rent a dumpster and go to work with a chainsaw while wearing a mask and suit.    About 250 here and you have a month to toss her in.

Dont do it in the front yard if you have an hoa

If there wasn't such a big risk to injury, could you imagine giving a few sledge hammers to a bunch of kids and say "go wild tearing it apart."  Heck, I'd make that a theme for my kid's birthday party ... call it Wreck it Ralph or something.