Tough decision-- when to sell the boat

[Frank Langer]

So have you made any kind of decision on Morning Mist?

I really appreciate all the helpful comments here! It gave me lots to think about. I will see how things develop for me over this summer, and will likely take what could be our last trip to Desolation Sound, one of our favourite areas where we spend several weeks in our favourite anchorages. I am currently thinking that I will sell Morning Mist in the Fall of 2026. We just had a survey completed for insurance renewal, and the surveyor had no findings or recommendations for change, said she is in exceptionally good condition, which I know! He valued her slightly higher than I had anticipated, so I have a pretty good idea of a likely selling price.
Frank

 

[David Vaughn]

Well then Frank, I hope you get to take that trip, and it’s the best trip, and when you do put Morning Mist on the market, you get a cash offer the next day, and you’re sure the new caretakers are going to do at least as good a job as you did, so you can let her go do what she was built for, with a smile.

 

[windblown]

I appreciate this discussion, but I will continue to put off thinking about it myself, at least for this year. Two friends at our club sold their boats in the last two or three years, thinking they wanted to let go before really aging out. Separately, each of them have shared with me that they regret their decision; they sold too soon. I guess I'd rather part with the boat a year too late than a year too soon.

 

[TKBLACK]

For those of us who have sailed for many years, passionate about sailing, and have loved our boats for their beauty and sailing prowess, how does one recognize when it's time?
Sometimes health dictates, after stroke or heart attack. Sometimes a major life event like divorce requires liquidation. But the less obvious, like advancing age, less mobility, decreased confidence to handle crises and heavy weather sailing.
Or just less enjoyment, fewer trips planned, more time sitting at the dock than out sailing, even on nice days.
While pondering this, still seeing her beauty, but feeling my age, how does one decide to sell their boat, risking a major depressive episode to follow?
Frank

Dear Frank
Think, stewardship transfer versus sell. We think of sharing our Achates as transferring her, for a fee, to new owners who will care for and enjoy her. We happily exited knowing it was the best for everyone. One help for us afterward was attending the Ericson Rendezvous. Change is difficult, but oh the memories! Enjoy. Your vessel is a unique gem for new stewards.
Tom and Karin Black
ACHATES 34-2

 

[TKBLACK]

Well then Frank, I hope you get to take that trip, and it’s the best trip, and when you do put Morning Mist on the market, you get a cash offer the next day, and you’re sure the new caretakers are going to do at least as good a job as you did, so you can let her go do what she was built for, with a smile.

P.S. We had four offers of buyers in the first 24 hours! We were able to transfer from the slip to the first request. There will be joy in the morning!

 

[Frank Langer]

P.S. We had four offers of buyers in the first 24 hours! We were able to transfer from the slip to the first request. There will be joy in the morning!

Where did you advertise to get four offers so quickly? Any other advice on the "transfer"/sale of my boat when I to decide to sell? I find that prospect a bit daunting.
Frank

 

[Bepi]

Frank, Go out in harness. At minimum you have a floating Airbnb that you can visit and stay whenever you want. It's a mercy to those you leave behind to not burden them with unnecessaries, but on the other hand...beware of being unburdened too early and then staring at a clock with regret.

 

[Frank Langer]

Frank, Go out in harness. At minimum you have a floating Airbnb that you can visit and stay whenever you want. It's a mercy to those you leave behind to not burden them with unnecessaries, but on the other hand...beware of being unburdened too early and then staring at a clock with regret.

Yes, Bepi, that's the challenge. To not let it go too soon, but to sell when the boat is in good shape, as she is now. Also to recognize when maintenance is getting harder, but then I have a wonderful sailing trip with beautiful anchorages. So hard to decide, but I can tell I'm getting close.
She is a wonderful boat in pristine condition, so I'll want to find the right buyer who will also appreciate her.
Frank

 

[David Vaughn]

Maybe you could find one that would do that and invite you out for a sail now and then.

 

[Captain Pete]

Maybe you could find one that would do that and invite you out for a sail now and then.

I recommend Frank looks at this approach closely should he decide to sell and even build it into any deal. I sold my family boat to a young family with that type of arrangement built into the deal and have put offers on a couple of boats (purchasing two) where I justified the lower price offered with the ability of the seller and/or seller's family to use the boat for an agreed upon number of days/weekends/weeks in a season and over a specified number of years. In reality though I never did utilize that part of the deal on the boat I sold, nor have the sellers on the boats I bought. That said, in my mind someday, mostly for nostalgia's sake, I might exercise the deal on the old girl now in someone elses's good care...

 

[Frank Langer]

I recommend Frank looks at this approach closely should he decide to sell and even build it into any deal. I sold my family boat to a young family with that type of arrangement built into the deal and have put offers on a couple of boats (purchasing two) where I justified the lower price offered with the ability of the seller and/or seller's family to use the boat for an agreed upon number of days/weekends/weeks in a season and over a specified number of years. In reality though I never did utilize that part of the deal on the boat I sold, nor have the sellers on the boats I bought. That said, in my mind someday, mostly for nostalgia's sake, I might exercise the deal on the old girl now in someone elses's good care...

Interesting idea, but I think it might be hard to be on board again, especially if the new owner has made changes.
I'm inclined to think I'll just make a clean break, say good bye, and wish her well. We'll see...
Frank

 

[Christian Williams]

My personal reference is Andre Ward, Rocky Marciano, the billionaire Money Mayweather and the other great boxers who retired before they got humiliated or disabled. We could add a few NFL players. They all turned away huge money to come back one more time.

A psych note is that upon mentioning retirement friends and family may say, 'oh no, keep at it, what a shame it would be to quit something you love.' That is because it makes them feel old, and a chill of change in their own lives.

But better that than, 'good thing grandpa sold his boat, he was a menace to himself."

I bought my current boat from a guy with increasing dementia, who entertained the broker and me with adventures that were hard to follow, and who could not remember where he rigged the hidden ignition cutoff switch. Took us hours to find it. He explained to us in the car later that he didn't want to sell the boat, it was his wife's idea. The broker and I nodded. "I never loved her anyhow" he said. Hmmm. The broker and i shifted in our seats as he rambled on about more ulfiltered personal matters, causing me at the time think that if when this came to be me, I would try to do better than that.

 

[Captain Pete]

Interesting idea, but I think it might be hard to be on board again, especially if the new owner has made changes.
I'm inclined to think I'll just make a clean break, say good bye, and wish her well. We'll see...
Frank

Frank following your instincts is probably best. FWIW when I parted ways with my Pearson 39 I had owned for 25 years - bought it new, kids grew up on it, PHRF raced it with my buddies, family vactations and all - I was one with that boat - so the pain leading up to the decision to sell and the process of selling was not insignifigant. But surprisingly I got over it quickly, much more than I expected, as life moved on. It turns out OK. Peter

 

[Frank Langer]

So while I am reasonably certain that Morning Mist, my 1984 E30+ is becoming harder to manage, my confidence decreasing, my aches and pains increasing, I'll likely sell after one more summer. But my wife can't imagine me without a boat after over 30 years ownership, and thinks I'll be bored, depressed, too old too quick. She thinks I should buy a smaller boat with an outboard engine that's easy to maintain.
I think a smaller boat after my current boat would be a disappointment, not really able to take me to our usual anchorages and might delay exploring new pasttimes.
Who said retirement was easy and complacent!!
Frank

 

[ky ed]

My personal reference is Andre Ward, Rocky Marciano, the billionaire Money Mayweather and the other great boxers who retired before they got humiliated or disabled. We could add a few NFL players. They all turned away huge money to come back one more time.

A psych note is that upon mentioning retirement friends and family may say, 'oh no, keep at it, what a shame it would be to quit something you love.' That is because it makes them feel old, and a chill of change in their own lives.

But better that than, 'good thing grandpa sold his boat, he was a menace to himself."

I bought my current boat from a guy with increasing dementia, who entertained the broker and me with adventures that were hard to follow, and who could not remember where he rigged the hidden ignition cutoff switch. Took us hours to find it. He explained to us in the car later that he didn't want to sell the boat, it was his wife's idea. The broker and I nodded. "I never loved her anyhow" he said. Hmmm. The broker and i shifted in our seats as he rambled on about more ulfiltered personal matters, causing me at the time think that if when this came to be me, I would try to do better than that.

I love that grampa was a menace to himself (that is how i want to remembered like) the one about the old sailor with dementia spinning nonsensical yarns is great, the old sailor never really loved his wife who made him sell boat!

 

[Bepi]

So while I am reasonably certain that Morning Mist, my 1984 E30+ is becoming harder to manage, my confidence decreasing, my aches and pains increasing, I'll likely sell after one more summer. But my wife can't imagine me without a boat after over 30 years ownership, and thinks I'll be bored, depressed, too old too quick. She thinks I should buy a smaller boat with an outboard engine that's easy to maintain.
I think a smaller boat after my current boat would be a disappointment, not really able to take me to our usual anchorages and might delay exploring new pasttimes.
Who said retirement was easy and complacent!!
Frank

Frank,
In rereading all of this I realize you've already made the decision, since you can't take it with you my advice is to find a young couple who is looking for a sailboat and give them the deal of their lifetime, along with technical advice as long as they still own the vessel.
I stopped surfing a few years back, 45 years of riding waves, but I can sit in a chair and in my mind's eye I can see everything, the shape of the wave, the speed, the flying foam, the sunlight sparkling off the ripples like a million diamonds, and I find that that's enough to get my heart pumping.
So cut the cord Frank, cut it with joy, cut it with a sense of accomplishment, send your baby out into the world, she will live in glory in your memories.
Then you get the motorboat!
Aspera ad astra,
Tim

 

[Frank Langer]

Frank,
In rereading all of this I realize you've already made the decision, since you can't take it with you my advice is to find a young couple who is looking for a sailboat and give them the deal of their lifetime, along with technical advice as long as they still own the vessel.
I stopped surfing a few years back, 45 years of riding waves, but I can sit in a chair and in my mind's eye I can see everything, the shape of the wave, the speed, the flying foam, the sunlight sparkling off the ripples like a million diamonds, and I find that that's enough to get my heart pumping.
So cut the cord Frank, cut it with joy, cut it with a sense of accomplishment, send your baby out into the world, she will live in glory in your memories.
Then you get the motorboat!
Aspera ad astra,
Tim

Thanks Tim! But no motor boat!
Frank

 

[Vtonian]

My personal reference is Andre Ward, Rocky Marciano, the billionaire Money Mayweather and the other great boxers who retired before they got humiliated or disabled. We could add a few NFL players. They all turned away huge money to come back one more time.

A psych note is that upon mentioning retirement friends and family may say, 'oh no, keep at it, what a shame it would be to quit something you love.' That is because it makes them feel old, and a chill of change in their own lives.

But better that than, 'good thing grandpa sold his boat, he was a menace to himself."

I bought my current boat from a guy with increasing dementia, who entertained the broker and me with adventures that were hard to follow, and who could not remember where he rigged the hidden ignition cutoff switch. Took us hours to find it. He explained to us in the car later that he didn't want to sell the boat, it was his wife's idea. The broker and I nodded. "I never loved her anyhow" he said. Hmmm. The broker and i shifted in our seats as he rambled on about more ulfiltered personal matters, causing me at the time think that if when this came to be me, I would try to do better than that.

Kind of reminds me of when I had to take Pops keys away from him. He was not ready to give up driving but I followed him to town one day and he was all over the road. It was relatively easy on both of us then to convince him he was a menace to others, and assure him we would not let him become isolated.

He couldnt make the decision to pull his own plug, but was able to accept it for the benefit of others. Always the provider and protector...

 

[Jim Picerno]

I know selling your boat is a difficult decision. And only you can decide when that time comes. When some life changes prompted me to sell my previous boat a few years back, I thought my boat ownership days were over. And being yet another septuagenarian, the plan was to crew, charter, and I did do some of that. But I missed owning a boat so I dove back into the deep end of the pool and bought my Ericson last year. I have been thinking a lot about strategies to keep sailing as long as possible. One of my first projects was to install a Tides Marine strong track to make hoisting the main a little easier. I’m now living on the east coast where seasonal sailing is very much the norm so I elected to leave my boat on the hard this winter and I may continue this practice in years to come. I saw a product called the “ewincher”, basically a battery powered winch handle, at the Annapolis boat show that I’m considering buying this spring. I know the sad day will eventually come and I’ll have to pass her on to the next caretaker. And I agree with the aforementioned sports analogy of “retiring with one season left”, and I will hopefully have a few marbles left rattling around when that day comes. But maybe there are some ways I can cheat Father Time a bit, and keep sailing a little longer. As the saying goes, only time will tell.

 

[TKBLACK]

Where did you advertise to get four offers so quickly? Any other advice on the "transfer"/sale of my boat when I to decide to sell? I find that prospect a bit daunting.
Frank

Hi Frank,
We advertised on this Ericson site and with a local broker in the area who had worked with our Bremerton Yacht Club members. Buyers seek out Ericson vessels.