Need some help- Laser pricing/value

D

dex110

New Member
Hey guys,
I've sailed a few lasers in the past and think they're a blast- So I'm looking into buying one. However I have very little guage on how they are valued. I need some help.

I'm looking at 1974 Hull (old I know), in good condition, firm deck, no major cracks or damage, very slight soft spots near the mast step, and some scractches I can sand out on the bottom. The condition is mostly cosmetically lacking but otherwise the hull is actually fairly solid, firm and in decent shape. Also included are decent Used but TLC needing blades, plus decent spars and a tiller (extension broken) plus a decent generic daycron fullrig sail. I am hoping you all could help me in getting an approximate value for the entire hull/rig. I'm thinking in the $400-500 range? Please let me know what you think! Also, is it worth buying? I do want to race, but its not my priority- I really just want a boat I can manage/transport myself to mess around with in or around the harbor.
 
oh god, the dreaded Laser pricing? actual value/worth topic again....

I've got my popcorn...

I'm not going to get into it this time..
 
The "unhelpful answer" might be that something is worth what somebody is prepared to pay for it.


(Sorry)
Ian
 
Didn't know it was such a sore subject- well if apparently its been talked about so much already, someone could direct me to the old thread, or give me a useful response?
 
well it usually turns into " laser stuff is to damn expensive, how can we fix this?" kind of thread
 
hmmm. $US huh?

I would guess that '74 laser as described should be worth about the average weekly wage of an unskilled factory worker

or

the weekly rent of a one bedroom city fringe apartment that isn't a dump but isn't high living either

or

two weeks food bill


does that help? :D

$US500 directly exchanges into a bit too much for a '74 laser here. People try it on, but it's not worth that much. I would pay about $NZ500 for one - max.
 
i bought my 1975 boat yesterday for $800. Full rig sail, good condition hull, very good condition blades, no dolly or trailer.
 
comparison: I bought my 84 hull, which came with a trailer, 2 sets of covers, plus a light covers, 2 full lovers, 1 radial, 1 boom, and like 5 uppers, an M rig, and like 8 sails, 2 sets of blades, and tons of lines and other stuff

all for $1500

the price of an old boat is what the person selling it believes its worth, and what your willing to pay for it
 
Alright, Thanks guys for the input. Yea, It might be where I am too (New England [East Coast NA]). Looking at listings it seems Northern East coast boats are slightly more expensive than west coast or southern boats. But like you said, its all in what you are willing to pay. Thanks again for your input, and I'm always open to more advice as well.
 
I picked up my '76 for $650. Take whatever the seller is offering, and if the hull is in fact in good shape you can resell it for more than that. Make sure to check the mast step base though.
 
I got into sailing 6 months ago. I paid A$900 = US$720 for a good '76 with road trailer. Fun per dollar - it is a bargain. It doesn't matter if you pay 1 or 2 hundred over or under. As long as it's solid enough to let you get out there and sail around and have fun and fall in the water a lot you will have got your money's worth.
 
Hey guys, thanks again for all your help. I think I get the picture. I appreciate the input. Now I just gotta go and buy the thing (hopefully, I do have some what of a budget- college loans are killer) Let you know how it turns out! Can't wait to get out on the water!
 
Ross B said:
comparison: I bought my 84 hull, which came with a trailer, 2 sets of covers, plus a light covers, 2 full lovers, 1 radial, 1 boom, and like 5 uppers, an M rig, and like 8 sails, 2 sets of blades, and tons of lines and other stuff

all for $1500

the price of an old boat is what the person selling it believes its worth, and what your willing to pay for it
Click to expand...

thats a sick deal. jeez
 
Hey Ross B - sounds like a bargain at $1500 if it includes 2 FULL "Lovers". Were they as much fun as the boat (-;
 
The price in hulls that old seems to be driven by folks who don't know that much about the laser.

I've recently looked at two very comparable boats somewhat similar to what you describe (softer deck, though) and slightly newer 38000 series hulls, where one seller was asking 1500, and the other was asking 650. I offered both owners 800, which the 650 guy was pleased to take, and the 1500 guy was pleased to turn down. ;-)

Basically, the price I was willing to pay was driven by the structural integrity of everything. Stiff deck, hull, uncorroded spars, etc...

I was corresponding with the owner of an old boat, 74, 4 digit sail number, wooden blades, who was asking 500. Everything was going great and I was willing to pay the asking price until it came out that the mast step leaked. Now it had obviously been fixed once after being ripped out, so I had no way of knowing what was inside the repair, so I decided to turn down the deal at that point.

The best way to value lasers in your area is to watch craigslist and see what boats come up, at what price, and how quickly they disappear. In my area, that's about the only way to get one at all; you just about have to be the first one to look at the boat. Then if it's worth the asking price, you buy it at full asking price and if, in your opinion, the condition doesn't justify the cost, you turn it down and the next buyer won't be so picky.
 
74 boats are built like rockets! I sailed one for a while and I thought it was pretty stiff even compared to pretty new boats. A major problem you might encounter is the mast step (but this is true for any laser, unless they are brand new). This can be repaired (do a search here). The soft spots can be repaired as well (again, do a search).
If the boat is complete, it is worth the price (look at the price of these parts, even used).
Good luck!

G
 
I just looked at this 1975 Friday - a family's lake boat, kids are grown, not used for 10 years, stored in a shed on its rail. They want $1100. Deck feels good. I was concerned with some major chips in the rail, a couple of patches, and the crack at the lip of the mast step. Overall fair condition, all the parts are there.
 

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MasterMike said:
I just looked at this 1975 Friday - a family's lake boat, kids are grown, not used for 10 years, stored in a shed on its rail. They want $1100. Deck feels good. I was concerned with some major chips in the rail, a couple of patches, and the crack at the lip of the mast step. Overall fair condition, all the parts are there.
Click to expand...

In my humble experience, it seems people often add sentimental value into their asking price for their boat which is why the asking price for lots of older Lasers can be so high -- they remember when little Jimmy or Janie first sailed this boat and how great that was. . .

From the photos, it appears to me that this boat would need serious mast step repair since it's already cracked at the top and badly worn. Presumably the spider doesn't cost any extra. The repair is doable, it just takes a fair bit of time and work and you might need to install an inspection port to do it right.

From the dings on the rail it looks like the laminate might be (or has been in the past) pretty saturated which could mean serious delamination down the road (if there isn't already). You said you tested the deck, how about the cockpit? If everything seems pretty stiff and dry the repair in the rails is pretty easy.

Given all the scratches and patches on the boat, how stiff is the hull? Especially important: are there spider cracks on the hull around the centerboard trunk? If there are, as the hull flexes when sailing they will open and close and suck water into the hull. They are a pain in the butt to fix and probably would need an inpsection port or two near the trunk (on the deck side of course!) to get to.

So in deciding if this was a good deal or not I would pay a lot of attention what else is included. Are the spars in good shape? Are they straight? Look carefully at the fittings to see if there is any corrosion in the aluminum and if any are loose. How about the sail? Is it pretty soft and blown out? Any tears? Are the blades straight and without chips and dings?

Also, are there any extras like a trailer, dolly, extra sails, cover, blade bag etc.? If there are then that might help justify the asking price.

Otherwise if it is just the boat as pictured, blades and spars in similar shape as the hull and a vintage sail (Elvstrom maybe? Definitely a 3.2 at least) but complete, then I would only be willing to pay much less than what they are asking. Based on my experience in California I'd only be willing to pony up about $400-$600. Depending on where you are at and what the availability and demand are there (especially your demand) it could be worth more.

Good luck.
 
sorosz said:
...From the photos, it appears to me that this boat would need serious mast step repair ...

...From the dings on the rail it looks like the laminate might be (or has been in the past) pretty saturated which could mean serious delamination down the road (if there isn't already)...
Click to expand...
I agree.
No extras, everything pretty rough. Supply and nostalgia are issues here.

And there seems to be an attitude that this is a rare thing, like a vintage sports car, and there aren't many of them with this low number. My attitude is more, "they are all identical and this one is just worn out."

Here are two I just missed in ID - the yellow '78 went for around $900 and the green '92 for $1200. Sold fast, to Puget Sound.

I am generally suspicious of anything less than $1000 or more than 10 yrs old. But you may find a great knock-around boat for a lot less.
 

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dex. You mentioned a couple of soft spots around the mast step? That is the LAST place you need soft spots on a Laser deck. Wait for the next low cost 70's model boat to come around. They are out there. Also, values in the NE do tend to trend a little higher. I believer its because the boats are usually in very good condition due to the shorter sailing season in the North compared to year round conditions south.

I think your price range sounds right for what you are looking at you just need a solid mast step to go with it. Good luck.
 
I'm in New England. Prices tend to be high (highest) at the beginning of our very short season. Otherwise, say in Jan. they can be much different.

A great, raceable '74, should be worth 12-1400, easily. Deduct from this for a good used sail, any repairs needed, especially removing the foam flotation. If it can't be brought back to cosmetically nice, such as the blue one above, the top price might be 800.

Search on hull weight, soft deck, mast step, etc. Any heavy boat (meaning wet for years) is suspect. That said, the parts are worth more than 400. if not too salt corroded. I usually deal with fresh water boats, whose spars can look as good as new.

All that said, there are ridicously few for sale.

Al
 
My advice is the boat is worth what the mast, sail, boom, tiller, and spars are worth on ebay plus $100 to $300 for the hull depending on condition. I would say $500 to $800 unless you can do a little negotiating. If it were in pretty decent shape I might even say $1,000.
 
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