Price of used Lasers

[Josef]

I've been looking around at prices of used lasers latly. Personaly I don't feel any need to buy anything new as the boat I got now is in great shape.
I was kind of considering it anyway cause my clubb is in need of a decent club boat and I figured I could sell mine to the clubb for a reasonably low price. After seeing the 2nd hand prices that idea kind of died though...

I bought the boat for 25000skr (about 2700 euro) for 5-6 years ago or something (boats from late '89). It came with 2 top mast sections, both radial and standard bottom section, one standard sail, one almost new radial sail and one older and all the usual stuff.
Now when looking at boats of similar age (or older) that seem to come with less/worse equipment the prices seem to be between 30000 and 35000skr. Used 170000-180000 boats are going for almost the same and sometimes even more than retail price. I remember that when I bought my boat the second hand prices of the quite new boats where around 35000skr (retail price 50000 then, 58000 now).

Dosn't really feel right that I could probably sell my boat for 5000-7000skr more than I bought it for as the boat is like 6 years older and I've sold of then radial stuff.
Also kind of feels like if I am to buy a new boat I might aswell save up for a brand new boat cause I won't save much from buying a used boat. If I buy a used I'll eather have to pay almost as much as a brand new or I'll get a boat that is possibly in worse shape than the one I got.

Does anyone have an explaination for these insane prices, maybe it's just a Swedish thing, I don't know. I figure it's global, at least european, as else people would just go buy a boat somewhere else.

 

[Josef]

Now why won't this forum let me edit in the euro values for everything so people don't get confused =P
1 euro about 9.4 sek
1 euro about 1.4 usd
1 usd about 7sek

 

[Chainsaw]

Does anyone have an explaination for these insane prices,

Just normal economic games. Happens everywhere.

Your only problem seems to be mixing up your altruistic goals with reality. Unless you have identified some kind social vocation in yourself, or are wealthy or enjoy taking a financial loss, I would just look after your own boating needs at this time. The combined resources of a club will take care of itself.

 

[Josef]

Well the club deal is for my own gain, I'm the only lasersailor in our club and for a wile ago our old club laser broke down to an extent that made it just not worth repairing.
I'm willing to take a financial loss to be able to get someone to sail with =p

Anyway, I don't see whats "normal" about the prices of retail lasers sometimes beeing lower than 1 year old lasers with the same equipment as the retail boats. Don't think paying more than 50% of the retail price of a boat that is 20 years old is normal eather.
Economic games or not, these prices are crazy.
I'm not really wondering about the economic games eather, I know the economic reasons why prices go up and down. I just wonder why the hell people pay this much or what trigger the prices.

 

[Ross B]

I'm willing to take a financial loss to be able to get someone to sail with =p

that is if someone feels like sailing lasers, and sailing Lasers with you lol


remember, the value of a used laser is what the seller deems it to be

 

[Josef]

that is if someone feels like sailing lasers, and sailing Lasers with you lol

Well there are quite a few opti kids who kind of want to try something but our club dosn't have any lasers, or anything similar (like europas or whatever). The best you can get here is a finn and most opti kids arn't ready to go into finns =p
The club economy is kind of crapp so we haven't been able to buy anything decent. I just figured I'd sell mine for a reasonable prize (I'm not gona give it away or something, just sell it without trying to get as much cash as possible =P).

remember, the value of a used laser is what the seller deems it to be

Obviously. Thats not really the question though, the question is why people are paying this much and where those people are, cause I sure as hell haven't seen them at my club.

I've seen quite a few people thinking about buying a laser and then comming to the conclusion that they are to expencive. I've kind of wondered what they where thinking cause they bought optis for quite alot but now when I see these prices I think of understand.

I guess the class has grown alot... somewhere =p

 

[sorosz]

remember, the value of a used laser is what the seller deems it to be

Actually, it's what someone is willing to pay for it. If now one buys it at the asking price then, it's clearly not worth the price.

One reason used Laser prices are high is because the boats do last and there is demand for them (at least here in the US). Look how many are actually listed for sale on this forum and the Vanguard site. There's not that many more listed on Craigslist and E-bay and they seem to sell, presumably close to the asking price.

The thing is, despite all the bitching to the contrary, these are tough, well made little boats and tend to hold up pretty well over time. Twenty and even thirty year old boats are still sailable and on a local level at least can be just as competitive as newer boats.

When boats that are only a couple years old are selling for near or sometimes over the list price of a new boat they often have extras included that wouldn't necessarily be included in a brand new boat. Things like carbon tillers and extensions, extra sails, a dolly, trailer, board bag, cover(s), compass, extra rigging etc. aren't usually included in the base price of a new boat but when added to one only a couple years old boost the value and the price to near or over the cost of a new boat. Extras also help keep the value & price of older boats high too.

Think of your Laser as more of an investment over a long time rather than a consumable that you use up and throw away quickly. Because of the market and demand, if you buy a new boat and sell it in a couple years the depreciation is relatively small (unlike a car that depreciates a LOT the moment you drive it off!). And if you keep your boat for many years (like most of us do) you have something that is still worth a sizeable fraction of your investment when you do sell it 5, 10 or even 20 years down the road. And keep in mind how much fun you can have with it during the time too! These are just some of the benefits of a strong class association, strict one design class and a solid boat.

And just imagine the whining there would be if the new boat you paid $5K-$6K for depreciated down to only a $1000 or $2000 after just a few years!

 

[Josef]

The thing is, despite all the bitching to the contrary, these are tough, well made little boats and tend to hold up pretty well over time. Twenty and even thirty year old boats are still sailable and on a local level at least can be just as competitive as newer boats.

Indeed they are, my '89 boat is just a stiff as the new boats

When boats that are only a couple years old are selling for near or sometimes over the list price of a new boat they often have extras included that wouldn't necessarily be included in a brand new boat. Things like carbon tillers and extensions, extra sails, a dolly, trailer, board bag, cover(s), compass, extra rigging etc. aren't usually included in the base price of a new boat but when added to one only a couple years old boost the value and the price to near or over the cost of a new boat. Extras also help keep the value & price of older boats high too.

Well, I saw alot of those adds for a year ago or so when I where looking around. Alot of the adds I see now seem to quite standard equipment and nothing extra =P

 

[Ross B]

well when a boat comes with several covers, several sets of sails, several sets of lines and spars, and a trailer and dolly, the price will go up quickly, pretty standard really

 

[Josef]

The thing is, the boats dosn't cup with several sets of sails, lines, spars or a trailer =P