My P-19 Selling Story...

Posted By: Charley P-14 #729 "Sea Bug"
Date: 6/22/09 6:05p.m.

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In Response To: Boat Selling Protocol (link) (Ted)

Back around 1990, I bought a P-19 as a fix up project. The boat had bad gelcoat, which had just about become transparent, so there was a lot of cosmetic but when I finished, the boat looked great. As far as a test sail . . . many Potter buyers will be first timers, and many will get their first lesson from the previous owner - this was true about my buyers. I met them at the reservoir, and went through the set up procedure, went for a two hour sail, during which husband and wife took turns at the tiller, then put the boat back on the trailer. The couple bought the boat for my full asking price. But the neatest part, was that the couple owned and operated a hot air balloon company and out of the blue, gave a me a private balloon ride for two. I took my dad along on the balloon ride for his 65th birthday. This Spring, I bought and sold a Dolphin Senior sailboat which I spruced up as a winter project. The buyer had never sailed and asked if I would give him lessons. It turns out that the buyer is a machinist, so we have traded custom stainless parts for Sea Bug, in exchange for sailing lessons. So far, he's made me some very nice SS plates for the cabin roof where the new lateen mast sleeve is, a nice SS plate to cover the old sloop mast hinge, a replacement SS cap for the joint in Sea Bug's new rub rail(this is to die for), and a half dozen SS backup plates for the round bases of my cockpit rails and pulpit. So I just wanted to offer my experience with taking time to help a buyer out, which often results in a better deal and sometimes even a good friendship. Good Luck!