Did I miss something rare about mid 80's catamarans? I'm seeing a lot of them lately, on here and on craigslist, 80's Hobie's going for $2500 - $6000+!! I've always assumed $1000 - $2500 max was the fair standard for a 30 year old boat in excellent shape. If those numbers are accurate i'm getting into the catamaran restoration business this spring!

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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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I'll join you !!!!

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Doug Klem
Pensacola , Fl.
Blade F16
Prindle 18-2 w/spin
Prindle 18-2 x 3
Prindle 19 MX
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Lots of older cats get parted out every month. The only ones left are well loved and cared for, and they will just get more expensive from this point out. The number of recoverable cats is a finite number. Demand is up and the supply is shrinking.

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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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What are sellers actually getting for their cats and what are they netting after restoration and sales costs?

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Many factors to take into consideration, purchase price, distance driven (gas), condition of cat, condition of trailer and most important conscience. I purchased a P18 for $600 but had to drive to Ohio for pickup, 16 hr round-trip. Boat cleaned up good, solid hulls, elbow grease and poliglo, needed new tramp, trailer in good condition, replaced bearings, replaced tires, sold it for a profit but had to deliver it to AK. Picked up a P15 for $300 but had to drive 14 hrs round-trip, hulls were solid, a little elbow grease and poliglo cleaned right up, but had to replace tramp, stays, source a boom, lines, had to replace axle on trailer, bearings, tires, safety chains, put a jib on, jib blocks, barely broke even on that P15. I fix it, sail it, tweak it a bit and only then will my conscience allow me to sell it in satisfactory condition. And most times the sale includes setup, sail and breakdown, I've helped several newbies into cat sailing.......priceless..

The other factor is location, if you live on the coast you have access to many more cats in close proximity but you will pay a little more, living in the mid-west cats are few and far in-between but cheaper.

renovator



Edited by the-renovator on Jan 02, 2014 - 03:42 PM.

I guess it depends on how much you would want to sell them for. Fixing up an old cat can be pretty costly. If you put new rigging, tramp and sails on it you are well into the prices that people are asking. Spending $3000 in parts to sell for $4000 doesn't leave a lot of money to pay yourself. That is why most people part out their old cats. As with a car the parts are worth more by themselves than as a whole.

We have a fellow locally who fixes up old hobies by making his own trampolines and sails for them. He tries to sell them in the $6000-$7000 range and doesn't sell very many. Unfortunately that is what he needs to make it worth his time and effort.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Many of that class boat at those prices are still sitting in the classified ads .When the 4000.00 boats out of the 80's and 90's start to collide pricewise with older F18 models things should get pretty interesting

I guess my partial point is that a 2000-2009 Getaway in great condition are around $3500-$6000 all day long. Won't a 1985ish H16/18 that has been restored and patched together - even with solid hulls, be heavier and slower that a modern boat? Its seems the cost of new sails alone on a 30yo boat wouldn't be worth it. I've located a few H18's and 16's that look very functional for $1200-$2500 trailers and all. Add brand new EP square top sails and you're looking at $2500 - $5k right? I might get a set for my 16 if you guys think its worth it!
Tim

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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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I know 1st hand about the raising costs of old cats. I just sold a Stiletto 27 for almost double what I had in it, and it was the cheapest one on the market. I have since purchased a P-18 and a Hobie 17 for such a good price, I couldn't let them sit there. Even though these boats are finally starting to really appreciate, there are lot's of good Nacras, Hobies and Prindles to be had for nothing. Just look other places than Craigslist. All that being said, the Getaway and the Wave are good boats, but comparing them to fiberglass beachcats is like comparing a Chevette to a Camaro.

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Peyton Adair
Prindle 18 classic
Hobie 17
Hobie Wave
Wichita KS
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All things being equal, the getaway couldn't beat an older fiberglass boat like a H16. It isn't meant for speed it's meant for pleasure, low maintenance, and ease of use. The design philosophy of the older cats was to put as much sail as possible on them without making them too dangerous (some are more crazy than others).



Edited by Wolfman on Jan 03, 2014 - 07:40 PM.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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