Association Forum - Soon to join the Admiralty

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Soon to join the Admiralty

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

2270 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/01/2016 : 16:40:32

It is with mixed feelings that I announce that our offer on a 2001 Catalina 34MkII has been accepted. Assuming no big issues with the survey, we will take possession in Deale, MD on June 17 and relocate the boat to Rock Hall.

This opportunity came up suddenly. For 6 years I've told people that our next boat would be a C320. We chartered one two weeks ago in wet, chilly weather - weather that we would not have ventured out in if we hadn't prepaid the charter. Much to our surprise, we had a great time, due largely to the comfort of a dodger and connector panel to the bimini top. That got us thinking.

We have loved keeping Take Five 12 minutes from our home and doing short daysails after work. But my new job keeps me at work later in the evening, due partly to a one hour commute. So we're doing less daysailing. Also, the emptying of our nest allows us to go away for weekends. So it was time to make the change to a larger boat for cruising in comfort. And, quite frankly, the low dockage and maintenance costs of the C250 really helped us to save up for the next boat.

Our only complaint about the C320 charter was the relative lack of interior storage space. The C34MkII is very similar, but with significantly more storage space. So we went looking, found a boat in great shape, and decided to pull the trigger rather than wait.

Right now my main focus is on preparing to take ownership of the new boat (tentatively planning to rename it Breakin' Away), but I will be putting Take Five on the market as soon as I've cleaned out our personal belongings. So if you know of anyone who wants a pimped-out C250 with a great cherry wood drop-leaf cabin table, give them a heads-up. I will help deliver (by water) to points on the upper Chesapeake Bay or Delaware River.

This Association and Forum have been great resources for me, and I've tried to give back as much as I got. I'll be checking in periodically, even after I've found a new home for Take Five.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - TakeFive on 06/02/2016 06:20:41

TEM58
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 06/01/2016 : 17:15:00

Rick,
Congratulations! I saw your post on SN, so expected to see this at some point. Thanks very much for everything you've contributed on the C250 and other topics. I've used much of what you posted and have put many of your projects on my list to complete.

By coincidence we also like the 320 quite a lot, and have chartered it previously. I find the C34 and 36 to be much more budget friendly though, and both are on the short list for next year.

Have a great time with the new boat, and thanks again.

Tim M
�Perfect Match II�
2003 C350 #35
Cruising FL
PO "Wine Down"
2000 C250 WK #453
PO "Perfect Match"
1983 C25 SR/SK #3932
Lake Belton
Belton, TX

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/01/2016 : 19:14:24

Congratulations! Do you have any pictures of the new boat?

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 06/01/2016 : 21:09:28

Some great, old friends, who I introduced to sailing on a Sunfish and who later bought it from me, after four Catalina upgrades, are now on a C-34 Mk II--wonderful yacht! They live aboard it from June through September, cruising Long Island Sound, Rhode Island, the Mass. islands, and occasionally up to Maine. We rendevous around here most years...

Lots of new systems to deal with, including golf cart battery banks, inboard with fresh-water cooling, hot water, refrigeration,... They have a 2KW Honda generator they run on the swim platform, but no air conditioning--it's not much of a issue up here.

Congrats! Welcome to the Admiralty!

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

TCurran
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
588 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2016 : 03:10:33

Congrats! Good luck and enjoy the new boat.

Tom Curran
1981 Capri 25 Hull #101 "Dirty Debbie"
1988 Watkins 30
PAFB, FL

glivs
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
822 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2016 : 03:39:52

Super! Congrats and keep us posted as you begin your new adventures.

Gerry & Leslie; Malletts Bay, VT
"Great Escape" 1989 C-25 SR/WK #5972

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5853 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2016 : 06:10:24

Glad you plan to stay with us in the Admiralty, Rick! You've been a thought-provoking contributor.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2016 : 08:18:29

TakeFive, I missed your Sailnut post... WOW super happy for you. Also I'm impressed that we all think alike. I too liked the layout of the 320 and considered it high on my list of boats I'd love to upgrade to (someday). The 34 is also up there as one of the boats I'd genuinely consider.

For now my goals are much less lofty and pointed more towards Tartan 28, J28, or Beneteau 285 (all of which I MIGHT be able to sail on our local puddle).

Regardless, I wanna see LOTS of pictures (I'll look here and sailnut).

C&C 32 Smith Mountain Lake Virginia

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2270 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2016 : 08:37:48

I'm heading down tomorrow to look some things over, measure some things for projects, etc. I'll try to get some pics then, but I know that the interior is a little taken apart right now because the relocated owner hired electricians and mechanics to check the boat out prior to survey.

You can look at the listing pictures here. They are a pretty accurate representation of the actual condition:

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2001/Catalina-34-MkII-2841662/Deale/MD/United-States

A broker friend looked up some stuff for me, and found out that this boat is actually a tall rig (though listing didn't say so), and also the current owner paid $26,000 more than I'm paying. Surprising, since Catalinas usually hold their value pretty well, but he had the unfortunate timing of buying on the bubble in July 2008, just a couple months before the economy collapsed. But that explains why he had the boat so overpriced. I actually feel bad for the guy losing so much money on the deal, but the broker said he had no lookers for a year because the boat was so overpriced. After he lowered the price, he started getting traffic.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - TakeFive on 06/03/2016 08:40:19

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2016 : 19:14:36

I don't see a 15-year-old larger Catalina "holding its price" from new, regardless of the economy. A more robust economy would likely mean more interest in new big boats at new-boat prices--used boats were also a relative bargain leading up to 2008, when the market was hot. In general, sailboats hold their value better than powerboats, and Catalinas better than Hunters, but 15 years is 15 years.

The good news for you is that the bulk of the depreciation is in the early years--especially the first. You might be at the point with this one where the value is virtually stable as long as you have an attractive, well kept package. But who knows--you might not care... (One of the names I considered for my latest vessel was "Last Boat II". That sets the precedent for a III.

)

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2270 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2016 : 19:42:23

It's been awhile, but in 2009 I analyzed Soldboats.com data for a couple hundred Catalina boat sales, for 5-15 year old C250, C28, C320, and C36 models (C34 was not on my list). I was very surprised to see that most boats were selling for about the same as their original list price. Boat prices dropped 4.2% a year in age, but the new prices escalated about 4.2% a year for newer models, so the two exactly canceled each other out.

Of course, owners did not break even, because during the time of ownership they were paying for commissioning, electronics, upgrades, and replacement of accessories. The trend was very surprising to me, and was what led to my statement that they "hold their value pretty well." They don't hold their value perfectly, but pretty well. I also analyzed a few Hunters, which showed a much different trend, which is why you can pick up a 10-15 year old Hunter at a bargain price.

Since I did the analysis in 2009 based on sales in prior years, a lot of the sales were pre-collapse. Maybe things have changed since then.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - TakeFive on 06/03/2016 19:43:30

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 06/04/2016 : 09:47:18

Aside from the expected difference between Catalina and Hunter, I think part of the analysis should include the thousands of dollars typically spent over and above the list price of a new boat. Custom canvas, high-end instrumentation, additional sails, auto-helm, TV+antenna, upgraded winches, high-tech stainless anchor, upgraded refrigeration, galley-ware, custom mattress, air conditioning, solar or wind generation, expanded battery bank capacity, possibly a dinghy and motor... Most of these things don't show in the MSRP, but become part of the package with a used boat--all done and ready to go. Adding even half of these costs to the new boat price when doing a comparison can make buying used look financially very favorable. Correspondingly, it says some of the depreciation from the original list price is hidden.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/19/2016 : 17:41:32

Congrats Rick,

Do you have any long term sailing destinations in mind?

1989 C25 TR/WK, #5822
1973 McVay Minuet 19
1975 Jester 12
1981 C25 SR/SK, #2428
1981 C22 SR/SK,
Tanzer 16
Sunfish

"There is nothing, absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." Kenneth Grahame

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2270 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2016 : 09:06:30

Well, it's official. I have joined the Admiralty. Take Five sold this week - two days after putting her on Annapolis Craigslist. The first people who visited the boat bought her on the spot. The new owners had a Catalina 250 that they sold a few years ago, which they have regretted ever since. So they were thrilled to find another one. They sailed her away yesterday, relocating her to Baltimore's Inner Harbor, a short daysail away from my new C34 in Rock Hall. So I look forward to seeing her out on the water!

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2016 : 10:35:53

Congrats! Did you ask them to let you know when they change the name? (They all look alike, you know...) Welcome to the infamous Admiralty!

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2270 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2016 : 10:48:22

The new owners like that name, and are leaving it as is.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 07/21/2016 : 14:30:47

How wonderful.

Frank Hopper

ruachwrights
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
258 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2016 : 08:44:24

Congratulations on your new boat. She sure is a beauty. Looks like she's a capable enough to take you anywhere.

Vern Wright
Hajime

97 Catalina 250 TR/ WK
Hull #301
Attleboro, MA

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.