MacGregorSailors.com

Hi all, I have an that I've been extensively modifying. All new raymarine bits (chart plotter, wind/speed/depth gauges & transponders, radar, autopilot), new bathroom with marine toilet & holding tank, shower head & hot water, new bluetooth stereo inside and out, tons of emergency gear, also considering upgrading the motor (e-tec 90 if I can find one). All told I'm going to have about $15-20k in upgrades which seems to far exceed the value of the boat.

Do I have any chance of getting any of that back when I go to sell? For the record I have no plans to sell whatsoever, but at some point in the next 2-4 years I'm going to want a big boat for blue water cruising.

What do most Mac owners do when they upgrade? Sell at a loss, pull the upgrades out and sell separately, or just hang onto it as a day/inland/trailer sailor that can go places the big boat can't?

Any upgrades you do are best done for your own idiosyncrasy, not some future owner. Don’t be disappointed if they rip everything out, and start over.

imjustinbraun wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 8:40 am Hi all, I have an that I've been extensively modifying. All new raymarine bits (chart plotter, wind/speed/depth gauges & transponders, radar, autopilot), new bathroom with marine toilet & holding tank, shower head & hot water, new bluetooth stereo inside and out, tons of emergency gear, also considering upgrading the motor (e-tec 90 if I can find one). All told I'm going to have about $15-20k in upgrades which seems to far exceed the value of the boat.

Do I have any chance of getting any of that back when I go to sell? For the record I have no plans to sell whatsoever, but at some point in the next 2-4 years I'm going to want a big boat for blue water cruising.

What do most Mac owners do when they upgrade? Sell at a loss, pull the upgrades out and sell separately, or just hang onto it as a day/inland/trailer sailor that can go places the big boat can't?

This is a good question, and one I'm struggling with myself. The problem lies with potential Mac-buyers...a lot of them can't differentiate between a 10K boat and a 30k boat. All macs get grouped into a universally "cheap" category, with tons of uninformed opinions about what the price should be. I've seen some ridiculous comments on FB marketplace and other selling sites. One was a beautiful 26X, with a full suite of electronics and safety gear, new motor, nice trailer...just a beautiful boat and the owner was asking a fair price at around $25k. All kinds of peanut-gallery comments about how the boat was a 10k boat, overpriced, blablabla.

In general, you can't expect to recoup what you put in. Maybe 50%, if you're lucky, so you have to put in only what you need or want and are willing to pay for. That is, unless the right buyer is out there, who has done some research and knows what a nice boat looks like.

Prices are certainly going up, but there's a lasting market perception that a Mac should be cheap. I've seen some nice 26 classics come up for sale in the mid teens recently, but again with the peanut gallery commenting about how they're "$1000 boats". Saw a 26M in the low 30's recently as well; again with the same kind of comments.

I don't think a Mac is a good "flip" platform, meaning that you'll never get back what you put in.

If I ever go to sell my boat will be like yours: 90HP, self contained marine toilet, full SeatalkNG network, enclosure, new cushions, barrier coat and anti-foul, tons of small convenience electronics, newish dual-axle trailer, pressure water, etc. etc. but if I did ask 25k on FB I'd be inundated with "overpriced" comments. I have "big-boat" plans in the future, but still have (hopefully) many years with Bear Hunt, so I don't feel bad about modding her the way that suits me without worrying about recouping the investment.

Mods are worth every penny you spend on them (to you), or at least they should be. There is no way to know what any of them are going to be worth at some future time to some future buyer. The mod that excites one buyer could be the thing that causes another one to walk away. There's no way to be sure.

Don't ever make a mod because you think someone else will pay you more for the boat because of it. If it helps you sell it some time in the future, that's just "gravy" but it's a pipe dream to plan on it.

It's your boat. Set it up the way you want it to be and then get all the "goody" out of it while you own it. That goes double for a boat that you have no intention of selling in the foreseeable future.

Be Free wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 12:02 pm Mods are worth every penny you spend on them (to you), or at least they should be. There is no way to know what any of them are going to be worth at some future time to some future buyer. The mod that excites one buyer could be the thing that causes another one to walk away. There's no way to be sure.

Don't ever make a mod because you think someone else will pay you more for the boat because of it. If it helps you sell it some time in the future, that's just "gravy" but it's a pipe dream to plan on it.

It's your boat. Set it up the way you want it to be and then get all the "goody" out of it while you own it. That goes double for a boat that you have no intention of selling in the foreseeable future.

^^ This

Do mods because YOU enjoy them. Just like with a house, don't expect to get your money back out of them. However, you can enjoy them while you own the boat.

Hi All!

Definition of a boat, is a hole in the water that one throws money into.
This applies to even a row boat never mind the best multipurpose boat ever made (a Mac26X or Mac26M).

The basic rules for “flipping “ an asset for a profit, be it car, house, land bicycle or boat, is to buy the item at below market and make enough repair, improvement, (cosmetic or structural), to bring the asset into serviceable and aesthetically pleasing condition with minimal investment that can be sold for above the median cost of similarly configured assets in the current marketplace.

The most decked out, glitzy, tricked out, landscaped, custom kitchen and designer pooled house in the neighborhood will generally not generate as much a profit percentage ratio (costs/profits) as a similar median level house in that neighborhood that has been cleaned, painted and the lawn cared for.

Now which one would one like to live in is the first one, but the profit on selling is the second one.

There will be someone interested in a good boat with all the modifications made, recognize the value and be willing/able to pay a reasonable price for it so that they can spend their time using it rather than modifying it. Those individuals are fewer in number though, take longer to find, and in general require an active marketing plan approach rather than a passive one. Those potential buyers are also looking for a unique boat with unique capabilities for a unique application they are particularly interested in pursuing which limits the target pool of potential buyers. Your mods are going to appeal to those looking to use them in an environment where they have application.

Personally we love all the mods you are making and would really enjoy doing them if/when we have the time and could afford the associated costs. But it would never be with the expectation of recovering those costs financially.

Our own personal philosophy is to make an improvement to use and enjoy it ourselves while at the same time knowing that life can be all too short and bear in mind that things can change in a heartbeat. Our vessel is our hobby and recreation, not a financial profit generation investment tool.

In general those punters on Facebook are little more than wannabe tire kickers with “no hat and no cattle” so ignore them and whatever petty commentary flatulence they vent. Facebook is a venue one is generally best to ignore and avoid the detracting commentary.

It’s your boat, your rules.

Best Regards
Over Easy
fudt

imjustinbraun wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 8:40 am Do I have any chance of getting any of that back when I go to sell?