Quote: (04-04-2012 09:35 AM)el mechanico Wrote:
Quote: (04-04-2012 09:25 AM)xsplat Wrote:
See here is what I'm talking about. This guy just soloed this 30 foot sailboat from the US to Australia http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bundaberg...1000229957 and is asking $45,000 for it in Australia.
With the current price differences between regions, that's real money to invest and shift boats. Maybe $15,000 on that one.
Someone tell me where my thinking is wrong on this, or better yet, tell me that you want to sail boats.
You can find people here to do that but my experience with boats is they take forever to sell. You have to watch the market and see how long it takes to get the money. What a fucking job though. I'm going to talk to an exporter today and have some news for you. Sailing and getting paid if I were childless I would be all over it. Stop here and there grab a few bangs and pick one up for the longer runs, dump and next.
Ya, that's why I'm thinking you have to team up with some tourist agencies to have a steady stream of customers for a charter business. Or at least enough customers to justify sitting on inventory. So if there was not a fast turnover on the boats, the money invested would still be giving a fair rate of return. And then when there is turnover (if the market remains similar) there is the ability to upgrade to a bigger boat or expand the fleet.
And some tourists who charter may get boat fever and opt to invest in a charter time share, or a % ownership of the boat as a business.
Bali is one obvious choice to moor a boat for charter, however there are plenty of other good options - more niche market, out of the way places, such as Papua or Kalimantan.
Other investment options in my mind are gold (1/2 liquid assets in gold now), a farm, and real estate. This is a type of investment that has the bonus of being fun, promote travel and adventure, and helping to attract pussy.
I'm not in a health position to shift the boats myself right now, plus I need steady internet connection for my business, and would expect that to be rather costly mid-ocean. I'd need to work with someone on that. Not to mention I've only ever sailed boy's hobby boats.
I also wonder if some 30 foot sail boats can be containerized - I'd guess the beam would be too wide.