SEA ROGUE – Why Is the Price So Low
Question of the day – why are woodys so cheap in the USA compared to here? Is it a numbers game? Or is the cost of ownership (haulage, marina berth, insurance etc) make them unaffordable?
David Glen sent me a link to Sea Rogue a 54’ 1972 pilothouse, trawler style woody that was designed by naval architect Arthur Defever and built in 1972 by the Oriental Boat Company in Japan.
If you believe her 4sale listing she has been continuously upgraded by a meticulous owner. The zoom zoom is via twin Caterpillar diesels.
3 staterooms, each with head + captains berth in the pilothouse.
Currently located in San Diego – and the price? An unbelievable NZD$174,000.
Even if the motors didn’t go, that’s a very cheap waterfront apartment.
wooden boats are beautiful, the craftsmanship was fantastic, but time moves on we do not go back, fibreglass and carbon is now the trend, if we lingered in the past kiwi fruit would be shipped in clipper sailing ships built in 2019, foward we must go.
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If you purchased this boat for $174,000 USD, ship to NZ, then pay duty and GST, you’re up for around $400k NZD. Electrics will be 110V and not easy converting to 230V under current regs. Not exactly a cheap boat! I reckon value about $250k NZ, without seeing it.
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So add duty and GST to the NZ$ price and you are over NZ$300,000…
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The price listed is not NZ dollars, it is US$174,000. At today’s exchange rate that is $253,000 New Zealand Dollars.
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To compare with something kiwis may be more familiar with, the old single skin mahogany eastern built Grand Banks 36 launches are available extremely cheaply in America and always have been.
$30-60k US. They changed to fibreglass approx 1972.
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Question of the day – why are we doing a price comparison of one boat, of Japanese origin, in the US with the entire NZ wooden boat market on a Monday?
Seems like a bit of a stretch and does nothing for the NZ wooden boat market by stirring up all the malcontent Discount Dan price conspiracy theorists to post a permanent record on WW of why they think NZ boats are expensive in comparison to this one example.
Preserving or even growing the value of the NZ classic fleet relies on considering provenance, materials, historic relevance and design/build quality that’s unique to our NZ designers and builders. That’s why our boats are considered some of the best in the world.
Peter – shout if you want a hand climbing down from the soapbox ;-). Alan H
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Let’s face it I think it’s the same as here it’s hard to give away wooden boats now,everyone wants no maintenance like fiberglass.
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