Yacht purchase; New vs Used

A seakeeper is not an end all of all end alls. I've found on several yachts and sea states, where the boat rode markedly better with the seakeeper locked (off) at cruise. Drifting, anchored, hull speeds, the boat always rides better with the seakeeper on, plus this is where the seakeeper shines. I've run a few boats on plane though, in a few sea states, where the seakeeper made the boat too stiff and it rode worse...….One situation 3-5' sea on a 60' SF on the starboard bow, doing 32 knots (from it's 35 knot cruise), seakeeper made the boat pound, versus allowing it to wiggle just enough where it rode down the waves...…….another situation on a 55' MY where if the sea was off of a stern quarter, the seakeeper made it too stiff and when the boat rolled to one side, the seakeeper made it stay there for like 60 seconds before it righted itself and ran flat again...….with it locked, it rolled the same but came right back.....at 24 knots.

I agree that the mega brand dealer networks are detrimental to prices and ownership in general. Most of them offer poor after the sale support and warranty repairs, and it turns off the new buyers and the boat, even under warranty becomes a pain in the ass for the owner.

Let's not overlook rentals and charters either. The boat rental and part time ownership business has grown tremendously. It's only barely hit the 30'+ business though but I see that coming. It's certainly provided an affordable entry to boating on the lakes. So, the business model evolves and will continue to do so.

Shared ownership sure makes a lot of sense for those who can only use their boat 30 days a year. I think you'll see builders more into encouraging such. Look at all the boats sold into Virgin Island Charters over the years, perfect solutions for part time users. Look at the success of Moorings.

Every industry must continue to evolve and for those that are expensive, even more so. I was reading earlier about country clubs. They were once primarily golf clubs, at least in orientation. Places for adults. Limited membership. Well, for a few rounds of golf a year, that's expensive. Certainly hard to justify if you have a family. So, less exclusive and larger memberships now, family fun places, technology in simulators and in tracers on the range, more casual, expanded games and activities for all ages. One sentence I read sums up good advice for all industries. Here it is, "Club boards and general managers have to stay ever vigilant as to where society is going and making sure their clubs go with it."

Attitudes change. There was a time everyone owned their car. Well, they and the bank did. But look at the percentage today that are leased. Leases make up 32% of all new car transactions in the US.

If I was trying to sell Sea Ray Sundancers or other similar boats, small Princess's, etc., I'd absolutely be trying to set up a shared ownership program. Planes have already done it. They figured out that a lot of executives who had private jets were being pressured or those who owned them personally were questioning themselves. So, charters moved in but then groups like Netjets moved in. We flew on one of their planes to SC and then to Nebraska and then home this week. For our itinerary it was great. No way we could ever justify owning a plane. When I retired, my former boss sort of slipped us a membership and we've continued to renew, tricky man he is. We don't own a share but just have a jet card.

Part of Grand Banks success in the US was charters in the PNW and on the west coast of Florida. Sell a boat to someone to put it in charter.

The problem with shared ownership of yachts in the size you're talking about, is there is just so many things to go wrong and ones you can't tell right when you get off the boat. Was the other partner the one that damaged the props or the 3 behind him. It might be easier with outboard boats in that size, can trim the motors up instantly and see if there's damage. etc. But then what about normal or abnormal wear and tear on the boat, especially ones that need to be fixed ASAP and screw up another partners schedule. Then scheduling.

But then I ran into a Captain that ran a 38' Hinckley in NYC for 10 partners, he was full time and the only one that ran the boat, most of the partners used it as a taxi cab to get to work from NJ or etc. and once in a while used it as a pleasure boat...…….

If you look at income distribution and “middle class” it tells the real deal:

https://dqydj.com/average-median-top-household-income-percentiles/

Wealth disparity is driving boat models/developments, the middle class is shrinking.

I don't mean partnerships. I hate them. I mean shared ownership with a Management company like Freedom or AY or others that will develop where the owners use but someone else manages and keeps repaired and resolves any issues.

Really a lot like timeshares which have all their well deserved negative publicity but many very happy owners too. They were overpriced, they were misrepresented, but the concept still makes sense.

My insurance agent sold his boat and joined a boating club. Paid a sizable membership plus several hundred a month, gets his pick of the fleet with no limit by reserving in advance and only pays fuel cost plus needed supplies, and tips. Sounds good for some that are busy, and have no time or want to do any maintenance or cleaning. Looked at a spreadsheet for cost of owning a 23 footer with depreciation and all cost including indoor rack storage and if it was accurate the boating club was a care free way to boat for less cost and no work. Get on, go boat, get off and go have diner and a beer instead of the owner cleaning and fixing thing, while everyone else is having fun.
I've been doing it the wrong way all these years!
Pascal has a good point too, you can do a lot of chartering cruising/fishing for the cost of ownership without the ownership hassles.

Shared ownership ultimately breeds a boater who is not trained/experienced enough to be a successful boater on his own and simple maintenance tasks under their watch become panic calls to a management office that may or may not have the resources on hand to take care of the issue, then he becomes relegated to a dockside condo.

Shared ownership can spin it anyway they want but it is expensive and you have no idea who is doing what with your shared asset. Might as well rent a beach house on the ocean and rent a jet ski.

Which is why they want the $1 million dollar 45' in their back yard......because most of them only have a day or two a month to go boating, so they can walk out their back door, get on the boat and go out for the day or for a few hours.

I think the quality used boat market is the Achilles heel of shared boat ownership.

Even though there is a lot if homework necessary, it still provides a better experience for those who really want to captain there own boat.

I can also see the shared ownership market creating a revolving door as people just leave the boating scene and move on to something that does not require as big of a personal and time commitment.