What is a broken boat worth?

[woro90]

Talking about composite boats there is one more thing to consider: If it's something rare, no longer made and really beat up (the patches would be too heavy), it is still worth patching up from inside, then sanding, filling and polishing from outside, and then pulling a mold from it and making a copy. Here this was quite usual way to get a less common boat in the ancient times before plastic boats and it still is the only way to preserve old designs no longer made or to modify an old design without sacrificing a rare original. For example the old Hartung from which the first close-cockpit C2 was made is quite rare today and many of these boats still being used are copies made long after the production ceased. And I've seen very old C1 converted to close-cockpit wide-hole (kayak spraydecks) C2 this way (the owner covered the original boat with PVA and made a mold from which he made the C2) and the result is quite stunning. Of course don't do this with new boats still in production, the manufacturer would not be very happy - but if you can't afford the original or the boat is not made in version you would like and the manufacturer doesn't offer custom versions, it could be a way to go.

From my point of view, if I was to sell a broken boat, it would be worthless - if the damage was so extensive that I would not repair it, nobody would. And repaired boats sell so bad that I would rather keep it until it was ready to leave this world.

[Sir Adam]

A boat is worth what someone is willing to pay for it:)

I've long thought about posting a "boat buying guide" up here to give folks something to work from - with the internet prices seem to be a little more equal than they once were. As someone who is always on the look out for a few boats I've yet to find for the "collection", and has purchased "a few" boats from around the country, I have come up with some of my own "rules" for what a boat is worth. This is focussed on C1s, but you'll see where my "repaired" ideas go. I'll also say that with the recent inflation in new boat prices these should all be going UP. They don't seem to be yet, though:

-Newer design, or rare design in good condition should go for a good price. Why on earth that doesn't seem to be more than $800 (not that as a boat acquirer I'm complaining mind you) when new composite boats are 1600 and up is beyond me. Too many older cheaper boats I guess

-Not so new, but good design in great shape - no patches, or if there are they are small - 400-600

-Older design in great shape, or newer design in poor shape (major repair) - 300- 400

Older design in good serviceable shape, but ugly, a few good patches structurally to be expected - 250-350

Older design no one wants in good shape - 200 max for excellent condition (Hahn, Slasher are fitting examples)

Older design no one at all wants - $100 max in good shape, 0 in fair shape (even if it's still paddlable, unless someone wants the outfitting (Gyra Max anyone? ( - then $50.))


So to me a broken boat would be worth LESS than any of the figures above as I'd have to fix it. Fixed might be worth 300-400 (or more if it's done well and you're lucky), so the question is how much time / effort / funds will the repair cost. For a lot of us it's just time, as the repair materials are lying around waiting to be used. Or you have a buddy and a tasty beverage you're happy to share.... But if you paid someone to patch it (composite) or weld it (plastic) I'm assuming $100 is not unheard of, especially if any shipping is involved.

[Larry Horne]

With legitamately cracked plastic C1 creek boats.. I think it would be foolish to buy one and criminal to sell one. Free is good.

Open boats have a big hole in the top so who cares if it's cracked

[horizongfx]

And I never got the $50.00 Or the 6 Pack of Newcastle !:(

[Wiggins]

The used boat market is pretty crappy here because of our proximity to Canada.

The higher prices they pay for new boats drives the used boat prices up to insane levels. $800 for a boat with a fair amount of use is not uncommon. This is why I buy almost all my boats new.

That being said I never was able to sell my old Riot Inferno even when I was asking $150 with bags and a spray skirt!

Kyle

[cheajack]

I'm a foolish criminal!!!!!

[Larry Horne]

as most criminals are

I did say legit cracks. a cracked cockpit rim doesn't count. We who have paddled open boats don't worry too much about a crack above waterline.
as far as selling the karnali...well...it's not sold yet, right?

[arhdc]

I have often looked at listings for broken boats and this starts me doing the calculations:

(desirability of the hull design)+(rarity of hull)+(value of outfitting included)-(cost to repair)-(reduced value to resell)-(structural integrity following repair)=Value

Example - Broken Probe 12 no airbags, so, so saddle and thigh straps, gunwales have 50% = $200:

Common Hull
Maybe Desirable
Minimal outfitting value
Can be had in good shape outfitted for $800 rather easily

To make this boat serviceable it may need $75-$200 in glass, Kevlar, epoxy/g-flex, $100 for airbags, D-rings for straps likely need replaced $25-$60. Realistically I could have $350+$200=$550 wrapped up in fixing this boat IF I don't need to replace the gunwales. Total resale value after fixing, what $400 if I'm lucky. Maybe I can make it go again for $50 (if I have airbags for it already and I'm lucky) but even then how good is it going to be, I'll still have $250 in it and not much resale value. If this same boat was <$75 then it's maybe worth the risk and effort.

This is also weighted against the material. I would much sooner go for a broken composite boat that I wanted because I know that I should be able to make it as good as new with the addition of some extra weight. In contrast a royalex boat can be fixed yes but will not ever be quite what it was unbroken.

[Larry Horne]

...uhh ohh. does a smashed stern count as broken?

[Mike W.]

I thought about this last night as I was paddling a broken boat. Last year I gave $450 for a 4 meter Vadja Nova. The stern had been broken off & put back on (what 4 meter boat hasn't lost it's stern?). There are two other patches. I reseamed a section near the stern. I still need to fix the cockpit rim. The outfitting was fine for a young, flexible racer, but the 4" pedestal was useless for this old man, so that had to be redone too.

Am I happy with what I paid? Yeah. This thing weighs 22lbs. & is blindingly fast. I mainly use it for attaining when the water is too high for our surf wave. Next week I'll race it at the boatercross up in Richmond.

[Silent Bob]

Depends on the boat design in question, the material, and the nature of the damage.

Crosslink boat- $0 or less, can't do much more than tape it back together.

Royalex- maybe up to $200 if its not too bad and a decent boat. Likely to end up being an endless downward spiral of patching regardless.

Linear boat- $200 or less, unless damage is minimal and the boat nearly new.

Composite- Totally depends on desirability of the design and how much effort I'd want to put into it. But we'll say $200 just because I'm a cheap SOB


Would I buy a cracked boat? - maybe, I don't really run anything "hard" and am not opposed to running around in an ugly, beat up POS. Just look at my car...

Will I give you $600 for your cracked boat? Umm, no. If I wanted to pay that much for one I could probably find one that isn't broken.

[cheajack]

Larry; Not yet, but I have another foolish criminal on the hook! Actually when I welded the 7" crack on the bottom between the seat rail and my right knee, I also reinforce the bottom with a large piece of plastic from a Gyramax. So far so good. About 50 ELF III/IV runs so far. If I see a blue light flashing how can I tell if there is a good deal going on at Wal-Mart or if the cops are after the criminal? I am a Gemini afterall.

[Craig Smerda]

Well... ask Will.

http://shanesliquidlogic.blogspot.com/2 ... lyons.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TNbound]

And I never got the $50.00 Or the 6 Pack of Newcastle !:(

Huh.... Sent you a PM.

[fleckbass]

Just sold a Probe 12 for $150, crack in stern and delam in front of saddle.