The Great Boat Hunt - It never ends...

I did talk to the listing broker for the boat in Daytona, and he still hasn't sold it.  As I mentioned in my last post, he'd shown it to some potential buyers a few weeks ago, and while they thanked him for the showing, they didn't make an offer.  If they were seriously looking to buy, they may have been put off by the asking price.  Like most listings, it was 'way out of line with the current market.

Anyway, I finally got enough of my business straightened out, that I could take the time to go and have a look. Contacting both brokers again, I arranged to have a showing this past Tuesday.  The timing wasn't terrific, but we had to be in Jacksonville anyway.  We had to collect some large items that my mother-in-law was gifting to our children, so we just went down a little early, and a little further, to see the boat.

Gusto is a 1974 model, and like most of the Morgan Out Islands we've seen, is aging gracefully.  There's nominal wear and tear, as you would expect to see in a 35-year-old fiberglass boat, but overall, she appears to have been well-loved.  This one, unlike so many of the others we saw, was relatively clean and ready for inspection.  I found no weak spots on the decks, and owner mods were minimal.  As far as I can tell the only visible owner mod was the addition of an aftermarket nav station.

The boat has tiller steering, which is inconvenient, but that can be changed.  The bimini is unusual, in that it has aluminum grab-rails running nearly the full length on both sides.  Very convenient for moving down the narrow side-decks, and a safety enhancement, too.  Since she's in the water, I couldn't tell much about the condition of the hull, but a marine survey report should expose any problems there, as well as any involving critical systems.

Based on our impressions during the showing, we decided to make an offer. We went a little high for a boat of this vintage, offering a full $19K, contingent on favorable marine survey and sea trial.  Gentle Journey II, which was two years newer and in significantly better condition, sold for the same amount!  In my opinion, a 1974 model, even in excellent condition, is worth only about $18K in the current market. Call the extra $1000 a payoff for the seller's sentimentality.  If he takes our offer, we both gave a little.  We should know by Wednesday evening.