Used boat market

[PacMan]

So I'm looking into buying a boat in the next year or so. I remember the last time I went on ski it again it seemed like there were pages worth of boats for sale, now there's only 60 boats or so!? Is the used boat market like the used car market right now? I was hoping for $50000-65000 range and a few years old but not sure what's even available right now after just a quick search.

[FSSPCat]

You should be able to find something, but be ready to jump on something quick and potentially open to compromise. I can’t speak for where you are, but in Alberta it is slim pickins. Not even close to what is normally available.

[vtjc]

Yes it seems the boat market is very hot, perhaps even hotter than the car market.

 

I did learn of this search in Only Inboards to find some recent sales data: https://www.onlyinboards.com/SoldBoats.aspx?fbclid=IwAR3xwYrun7-HE37Q8o-Bi1eDUPJF7yM3wk1ydaMWSd8JMAipFMgoAs_EQ-Q

 

Good luck in your search. I tracked prices on CC 196 for a period prior to finding my 08 so I knew the market pricing and felt comfortable jumping when I found the right boat.

[jjackkrash]

Prepare for some sticker shock unless you luck into a sale where the buyer does not appreciate the state of the market. Good luck.

[ColeGiacopuzzi]

If you're not in a rush I would honestly hold off until the used boat market stabilizes and there is more used boats available. The prices are inflated and you're going to pay way more than what a boat is worth no matter what make, model, year it is. If you don't mind the price; then be ready to jump on it quick like @ FSSPCat said.

[ALPJr]

What @ColeGiacopuzzi said +++ here’s a nice one, 85 hours, priced high but says negotiable https://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?endless=summer&topic=Search&category=Boat_ShowSki&postid=62571

 

[Horton]

yeah the market is insane right now. I was between ProStars for a little bit last year and so I had to go buy something old to ski behind while I waited for my new boat. I paid 30 grand for a 13-year-old boat, put 200 hours on it and then sold it again for 30 grand. it's just wild out there.

[PacMan]

Yeah, that's all what I was afraid of. I really don't NEED one right now but I already have permission from my wife and we're talking about kids in about a year or 2 so... I should really just buy one ASAP lol.

[Mastercrafter]

@PacMan .. just be like me, get married, have a kid, buy a boat, build a garage, buy wife an SUV, all in the same year. It's fun, I promise, especially in 2020.

 

Also FML.

 

Joking aside, the market is nuts and I'm tempted to sell off a few things while prices are high, but I'm not patient enough to wait for replacements to come around at a reasonable price.

 

Could be fake news, but I was told Mastercraft cut their Prostar production about in half this year from ~350 to ~ 175 boats, to focus production on higher profit models. Not going to help ski boat market prices.

[unksskis]

Yea, not sure when/if it will ever "stabilize". These are the new prices.

 

It is cheaper to order a new Jeep Wrangler than buy used right now.

 

For that money I would talk to your dealer about ordering a new boat.

[Lars]

There’s a bare bones 2015 pro star in Texas that will be for sale, had to pass on it due to no bow seating for the kiddos.

[MDB1056]

Sure am glad I’m an old boat guy . Simple. Solid . Dependable . Great time to be an old guy.

[morfoot]

Used boat market and it's prices are insane right now. I'd been searching for a SN196 TSC I or II for months in the SouthEast and NONE were to be found. when one did pop up I waited a day or two to inquire about it and when I did it was already sold. Thanks to a midwest ski bud who saw a 99 SN 196 posted on SIA at about 8pm EST only 25 miles from me. He texted me to let me know about it with instructions to drag it home. Was up at 2:45am to get ready for work and saw his msg. Looked at the boat and thought looks clean and taken care of...I think about it on the ride into work. That lasted 30 seconds and then immediately messaged the guy and said I was interested. After talking to the guy later that day he told me that I was the first of 3 interested in the boat but because I was1st guy that responded at 2:59am that he would give me first right of refusal. By the time I got to see it that day he said he's had 7 other interests in the boat and 3 were cash in hand site unseen. Needless to say I brought home an early Christmas present. Guy was dumbfounded that the boat sold in less than 24 hours. If you find one be ready to pounce on it right away. High demand and low supply especially as new ski boats are $100k.... Sellers market for sure.

[6balls]

@morfoot, just sold my 2000 TSC1, had maybe 15 interested within days of listing. Some were on vaca couldn't get here soon enough. One showed up to look, offered full price. Others inquired after and I said it's sold full price and they offered more. Told them my word was gold on the first guy offering full price, as much as I would sure like another thousand bucks!

Bottom line is I think I could have listed higher.

[MISkier]

And, that was selling a boat in February in Minnesota without a test drive.

[6balls]

@miskier correct--some trust (and some risk) had to be there--not able to run the engine, feel the steering or throttle cables. One potential buyer wanted to re-power.

She's a good boat, though, no issues, drop her in the water, hit the code and start in the spring I'm fully confident. Buyer is nice young guy, wife and kids are excited--so that makes me happy, too.

[LoopSki]

What are you talking about? Look at this fine ski tug for under 10k. Lol

 

 

[Wish]

After you get that over priced boat, good luck NOT getting an insanely over priced truck. Geeez..?

[bananaron]

As most of you ballers know I have bought and sold a few boats in the past several years.This mkt is crazy and so over priced it is ridiculous.I only bought boats that were low hrs and mint condition.Today that is difficult to say the least and I will not pay this crazy prices.The housing mkt is the same on our lake and also motor vehicles.I dont see things changing anytime soon and not this summer.If I had all of the boats I sold and could sell them now at these inflated prices I would be rich and could live next door to HORTON.

[ReallyGottaSki]

I got this pound rescue in late October for 7. Monsoon,wedge,pylon,boom,pp, and two acmes. good bones.

restoration in progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MDB1056]

Yikes…… that’s awful

[thager]

Few $, elbow grease, upholstery and you're good to go!

[Wish]

Awful ..yes. Restored..worth 3x what was paid with 1/3 more in restoration cost. That’s a tidy profit if flipped.

[ReallyGottaSki]

Thanks men! yes @Wish , you are spot on, my math says I'm looking at like 6 and change to get it all fresh. Hopefully i wont have to flip it but the option is there just as you said.

So far its gotten a quality trailer jack, brakes, actuator, all fuel, water, exhaust and heater hoses; heater blower and core, tilt helm all three cables and pivots, new strut, shaft straightened, filters, adding a water separator, fuel sender, and Gabe is making skins for it as we speak. Have secured new brackets and gas struts, blower, shower parts. Buffed out and windshield frames getting painted. the speaker holes up front will become defroster vents for morning rips.

 

the hull is remarkably blemish free, quite a paradox considering the condition of the rest the soft parts. the rug actually power washed up nice, but will get new rug as we pulled it up this week to address the wet foam this Saturday

 

 

[swc5150]

Guys like me are adding to the crazy market. I have a perfect older boat that I wouldn't sell today for double what I paid for it, as new/used replacement boat prices are just way too high. After a dozen or more new boats purchased over the years, along with a handful of used ones, little did I know my current Prostar could very likely be my last boat ever.

[PacMan]

At least I already decided to drive as far as I need to for a good boat. I'm currently seeing ones in Texas Connecticut and California that I would want lol. Only one in my home state of Wisconsin. I still have to talk to the bank but I think I just gotta pull the trigger.

[tjs1295]

Agree with @swc5150 . We paid high market value for our 2007 196 in the fall of 2018, but it's a massive bargain seeing prices these days. Also wouldn't sell it for double what we paid for it.

[MDB1056]

@ReallyGottaSki - what year is it and how many hours?

[Kevin89MC]

@ReallyGottaSki I chimed in on your facebook post as well, but just wanted to say again that that is really coming along nicely! I got a '99 RLX that was in pretty tough shape, but not nearly as rough as yours. Now that I see more of what you're doing, I have some questions for you as I re-do mine. I'll hit you up on FB messenger. Good luck with the resto, that's gonna be a great looking boat when done!

Kevin

[Vernon Reeve]

Last time I was looking for a boat, I had a document with short cuts to craigslist with all the search parameters already filled in for each of the major cities within about 800 miles. And a short cut to ski-it-again. Then every morning I clicked on each shortcut until I found the exact model, color, condition I was looking for. It became pretty clear what a good price would be. Some were asking way too much, and those boats just sat there, of course. Took about 3 months before I found one. It's a 2003 Malibu Response LXI, and like it so much I probably won't ever sell it.

[ReallyGottaSki]

@MDB1056 this is a '99, and i'm a bit embarrassed to say so, but i don't know the engine hours! but i did take it for a proper test ride and a ski behind it. it ran real smooth and so i was shocked to find the bent strut later on. my phone app said 49mph. later found it had the 12.65p acme on it, and the 12p prop was new in the box.

Just rewired and powered up the pp last night, half expecting to see an hour meter in the menu, but alas. Perhaps the ecm has accumulated hours but i havn't investigated how to retrieve yet. I see no hr gauge on the multi nor the dash anywhere. im perplexed!

 

@Kevin89MC thanks yes, you see its potential as well!, lets bat those ideas on the fbm

[MDB1056]

Carpet is actually pretty simple and since you’re obviously redoing the entire interior anyway, glad to hear you’re replacing that as well even if orig did clean up ok. You’ll be glad you did . Plus you can now flirt with non carpet options if you choose

[Ronny61]

@ReallyGottaSki How's your swim platform? I have one for sale from my 2000 Malibu Sunsetter LXI https://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?endless=summer&topic=Search&category=Parts_Boat&postid=62577

 

 

 

I made a new one for my boat that is a bit deeper and a different design with handles, I used Plantation Teak because the Burmese Teak is so expensive (would cost around 2k to buy the raw lumber)

 

 

[MDB1056]

@Ronny61 - very nice work. I have to ask the purpose of the hatch in center and the handles

[ReallyGottaSki]

@MDB1056 I'll consider that after Saturday, I hope to demonstrate shareable success regarding wet foam because it appears so many of these fine boats are riding heavy but decades of life left in their bones

 

@Ronny61 magnificent work! Yes, this platform needs love as well and may not be satisfactory even with repair. I wish I could act on your platform immediately but I have a few unknowns to sort out first. thank you for the headsup I will consider as we go!

 

 

To sort of wrap my interjection and tangents back into our OP observation, in this particular perhaps unique case due to what it was asthetically, this operating boat I monitored on CL from mid July till began moving on it in mid October, he had many tire kickers that restated the obvious but I believe for perhaps 500 more one could have driven home with it in mid August

 

[03RLXi]

@MDB1056 the hatch will be for accessing The Wedge from the platform rather than needing to get into the water

[Wish]

Not to bad ...

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/191393363147896/

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/607499890294839/

[Ronny61]

@MDB1056 The trap door is access to put the wedge up and down and the handle holds make it much easier to climb back on the platform when your old.

[Ronny61]

@ReallyGottaSki , no problem, just contact me on SIA down the road if your interested and I still have it, I am also plenty negotiable on it to any Ballers that are interested. Also willing to build a new custom platform for anyone that needs one, the Plantation Teak is much more affordable than the Burmese Teak, it's not as rot resistant or does it have the same anti slip texture but if your boat is covered anytime it's not in use and you keep it oiled more often then it should still last for many years. It's commonly used for outdoor decks and furniture. Has a lot of nice character as well in my opinion.

[Ronny61]

 

[PacMan]

So I'm talking to banks with my wife now and currently looking at 2 to contenders, 17 prostar that @ALPJr sent. Thanks! It's even my color! And a 13 prostar. There's a couple others too, anybody have any experience buying from Canada? There's a nice looking Malibu up there. Are there any issues or concerns to deal with? Customs wise.

[6balls]

@wish nice finds! That 'Bu looks like a steal--almost question it why are they not asking commensurate with the market?

[Mastercrafter]

Get the 17 Prostar.

[PacMan]

Yeah. I'm definitely leaning towards that one right now. I want open bow too, which that has.

[Jody_Seal]

Re-fit! kinda the current trend all across the marine industry. Keep what ya got and update it.

however if one is looking for a new repower inboard power plant be advised on a 10-20 week wait for delivery....And it has to be prepaid.

I wonder how a 300 hp Merc outboard would work on a 196??

[rockdog]

No way the hours on that 196 are legit.

[Wish]

@rockdog maybe but he just dropped the price $4000. Least expensive ‘97 I’ve seen in a long time with this market. That’s a repower worthy boat and price.

[6balls]

@wish yeah there's a dude asking $25K on Minneapolis craigslist for a '97 bubble butt with 350 hours--been listed a while though--obviously high.

[Jody_Seal]

The 97 in question is stored at mercury marines test facility here in Panama city. I have been in touch with them and get a look at it tomorrow or early this week.

I too am skeptical of 197 hours

[6balls]

@Jody_Seal a 300 hp merc sure would free up the interior! Barefoot boat, anyone?

 

If that Nautique is truly $10K might be a good repower or at least keep the power and flip it. 10-20 weeks for deliver on a repower engine--geez.

 

What a strange world. I sold a e39 M5 with some issues years ago--circa 2012 for $8K. Those things are going for $30K now or if a really prime example $50K. Nutty. My 2011 Panamera Turbo hasn't depreciated a bit in 2 years of my ownership--if anything could get a little more for it.

 

Homes are nuts, too--in the middle of both buying and selling and it's pretty crazy.