To sell or not to sell... please help me!

[mike]

Greetings all,

It's been a while since I've posted here! I am currently in a state of near mental incapacitation regarding what to do with our 26X, and I could use some help with sorting things out in my mind.

First, a little background. We'd wanted a MacGregor since first seeing and learning about the boat in 1999. Finally, about two and a half years ago, the dream became a reality when we bought a used 26X. We had a nice first year with it, learning to sail on Lake Pontchartrain and doing countless mods to the boat. That summer, we took a wonderful trip along the MS Gulf Coast, and it was just plain heavenly.

But this past summer was truly unforgettable... I'd have to say that it was the happiest time of my life. Up until then, we had stored the boat in a slip on a bayou off Lake Pontchartrain. It was a pleasant and scenic marina, and slip fees were very inexpensive. But we made a decision to move to a marina on the MS Gulf Coast so that we could make better use of the boat. Being able to get out to Cat Island in just an hour or two vs. a grueling eight hour trip from our old marina was so wonderful, and we went nearly every weekend.

Our five day summer trip, last July, was just paradise. I remember our last night out at anchor, at West Ship Island. I sat up on the cabin top with my wife and kids, looking at the stars and enjoying the light breeze, thinking that life could not possibly get any better than this. Though I wouldn't call it a "premonition", I remember thinking to myself that this was all simply too good to last.

One month later, I was pulling the boat out of the water with Hurricane Katrina bearing down on the region.

Now, nearly eight months after Katrina brought unprecedented destruction over an unimaginably wide area, I'm extremely thankful that, for the most part, things are just about back to normal for my family. Repairs to our house are about 98% complete, and we're about to buy another house, one that, although practically right around the corner from our current house, has never flooded (this house had flooded once before we bought it, and twice since then). As for work, we moved back into our New Orleans office in January and made some tough decisions, getting rid of some obsolete equipment and investing in a new color proofing system that we hoped would be more in demand. Although we initially remained pretty slow, it has since picked up to the point of almost being BUSY. In the meantime, I've booked a decent number of weddings (I'm a photographer on the side), which has helped bridge the income gap.

That brings me to today. The boat, undamaged from the storm, is resting comfortably next to the driveway. With the Gulf Coast wiped out and marinas destroyed, there's not much we can do with her right now. On top of that, the Honda's lower unit, which apparently suffered from a prop shaft seal leak on that last trip, is shot, and the hull needs a new coat of bottom paint. With all of these factors, even if we felt that we could afford slip fees, we simply can't use the boat anytime soon. I'm thinking maybe it will be two or three years before we're back on the water.

Every day when I come home and see the boat, I say to myself that we should probably sell it. But I didn't have time to think about it much, and preferred to take the "procrastinate indefinitely" approach to this unbelievably difficult decision.

Unfortunately, our new house has no place to store the boat long-term. So, I'm forced into facing this issue now.

A week or so ago, I came to the realization that, yes, we should sell the boat... it's the only logical thing to do. We have no place to keep it, unless we want to pay storage fees, and besides, it's a good boat that deserves to be enjoyed, and to not just sit and rot indefinitely. That night I probably only slept two hours, tossing and turning and not being able to stop thinking about it. Last night, with my wife and kids away visiting relatives in Memphis, I sat up late looking through the pictures from our trips. I climbed under the tarp and sat in the cockpit, then in the cabin for a while, remembering the precious times we had on board. Plus, we've invested so much money and effort into outfitting her perfectly for our needs. How can I possibly sell this boat?

If we do sell it, it will almost certainly be replaced by a 26M in the next couple of years. Though we weren't fond of the original 26M layout, the new one is ok, and although I'm still partial to the X, my wife likes the larger rear berth of the M, and is excited about the prospect of upgrading to a new boat. But we're talking about A LOT more money to get set up with a new 26M vs. getting our current 26X fixed and back in the water. Just as money was a substantial hurdle that took years to overcome before we finally bought this boat, it could be longer than expected before we're able to buy a new one, and that worries me.

One thing that has heavily influenced both me and my wife into feeling, well, just not very enthusiastic about boating anymore is the fact that the coast was wiped out. An overnight stop in Gulfport in the middle of our trips, though initially conceived as a necessity for charging the batteries and fueling up, developed into a little tradition of ours. After a couple of days anchored out, a shower was such a luxury. And, though beef stew, chips, sandwiches, etc. all taste quite good while out at sea, a hearty meal at the nearby El Magueys mexican restaurant was always a much anticipated part of our trip. At night, we'd fall asleep to the "aarnk aarnk aarnk" of the sea lions at the Marine Life Oceanarium adjacent to the marina. D.J., the super-nice harbormaster, would do thoughtful things like leave treats and toys in the cockpit the next morning for the girls. But all of that is gone. The simple truth, as my wife put it soon after the hurricane, is that we'll never have trips like that again. Even our favorite daytrip spot, Smugglers Cove at Cat Island, is gone.

So, it's hard to get motivated to get back on the water. However, I just can't stop thinking about our girls, now 6 and 8. We all have had such a wonderful time with this boat, and I am acutely aware of how fast they are growing up. Yes, they are still very young, but the reality is that there aren't all that many summers between now and them heading off to college. As I'm writing this, I'm feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency to do whatever it takes to get us back on the water by next year. Sure, it won't be the same as before, but it sure beats looking back 10 years from now, wondering why we sat around moping about it instead of going out there and making the best of it.

Now, my neighbor has offered to let me keep the boat on some land he owns in Mississippi, about 30 minutes away. I initially was not thrilled with this idea, since we no longer have the boat insured and it would presumably be more vulnerable to theft out there in the middle of nowhere, though he says it would be safe, since he has numerous relatives living nearby. So, I do have an option, though not a perfect one.

The problem is, as you might have gathered from this lengthy post, I don't think I'm thinking straight right now... am I letting emotion overpower logic? I could really use some help from my friends here in sorting all this out.

--Mike

[richandlori]

Danm Mike....you got me choked up just reading your post. It's like I can see myself in your shoes with the young kids and all the Mac Memories.

It all comes back to why we loved our Mac and why you obviously do also. It is all about the Family time opportunities it gives us to do things with the family.

Almost weekly, while on an airplane or sitting bored at my deskI scan through all the digital photos of trips with the kids and smile at all the memories!

That is what a Mac affords usthe opportunity to make memories and bond with our family in a way that many other families never have a chance to do these days with 500 channels on cable TV and our busy schedules.

Could you get a used M for a decent price down the road if you sell your X now? Yesyou could. But I would look at it this way.having the Mac X and only if you use it a few times a year those will be memories you wont get with just planning on buying a boat in a few years with no boat now.

You know this as well as I dotime just goes by too fast and you dont get time back. You have to force yourself to leave the opportunities available to make those memorieswithout a Mac (X of M) you will at least have to replace that opportunity with something else.

I just cant image not having a boat. It was difficult to sell my Mac M, but the in buying a new and bigger boat, all I was really doing was expanding my opportunities to make those memories thats all. The extra 10ft in length and 3.5ft in beam, just opens up more diverse opportunities to do things with my family. Things that my dad wasnt able to do with me because his focus was on making $ and providing us with all of our material needs (which he always did). But now that I am 35 yrs old and have two kids of my own (7 yr old Boy and 8yr old Girl) the things I see that gives them the most joy isnt the material thingsits the Family timethe memories.spending time as a family, and the Mac (and now my new boat) does just that!

In your gut Mikeyou know what to do, what will make the most sense when you are giving your daughters away at their wedding? Follow your heart on this one man.it knows what is best for the Family and if that is to sell the Mac Xthen by all meansfind some family activity to replace it in the mean time.

Best Regards from your California Friends.Rich and Lori Boren!

[Helaku]

You have another delima. If there is not a working outboard on a Mac you will take a beating selling it and all the money you put into will be gone. If you fix the motor then you would probably want to put her back in the water.

I of course, have no idea about where you and the wife are with this. This is a decision that is best made between the two of you without outside input, IMO.

[Night Sailor]

Unless the need the sale money for other immediate needs, then kepe the X. Any other kind of replacement is likely to cost more in the long run, that what you have now. Remove the sails, running rigging, cusions, batteries and tires. You can find space for those in your house, garage, or at a friends. With those things in good storage there is little else to worry about on the X. If you have a space under the eaves or garage wall or something, take the boom and mast also. Don't fix the motor until you are ready to use it some time in the future. Install metal screen wire over all ventilation holes to keep out muddaubers and mice.

You already have the boat that brings good fun for you and the familly. As you say the gulf coast is great sailing. Having been a gulf coast sailor (based in Bradenton, cruising as far North as Cedar Keys or South to Everglades City) for more than 20 years, I know that despite the damage that storms do, nature can grow it back in incredibly short time. Favorite holes are gone, but new ones are made. As wildlife settles in to new places, new fun can be had just by exploring the unknown in a shallow draft boat, and making your own charts. New marinas will be coming in to fill the present vacuum. In a few years, it will be fun again and your boat will only require cleaning up, rerigging, fixing the motor and taking off. Use that trailer to experience TX, or AL, or Florida offshore islands.
Hope this helps.

[Richard O'Brien]

Mike , I sold my '54 Porsche when i was in college because I wrecked it a little, and thought it was prudent. Worst decision I ever made. It cost me the girl I cared about, and that because it made me feel a little smaller in life. I lost my self-confidence then. It was right after Kennedy's assasination too. It wasn't the prestige, as that little car hadn't much then. It was the exhileration of four wheel drifting that makes you feel, just Feel. I thought I was making a smart and responsible move, and I never got over it, and when i replaced it years later, well...hmmm!...actually, that was pretty fun too to be honest?

[jda]

I too have two girls. Currently they are 16 and 18. One is gone to college the other a sophomore in High School. We did a lot of boat camping in Voyageurs National Park. We had a great time - but, from my experience, you really start to lose them when they hit high school We still did things, but not as much because there are other "options" that keep them busy.

For example, downhill skiing. We have a good ski slope within 15 minutes of the house. Oldest daughter not interested anymore. Youngest one busy playing basketball. I'm not that interested unless we were doing it as a family. End result? No more skiing.

Boating? Oldest one has been working and would rather spend time with her friends and the youngest one is playing softball, babysitting, band practice until the 4th of July 2x's per week (after school is out), summer basketball practice/games (2x's per week). Softball should be done by mid to late July, Volleyball starts mid August. Last summer the youngest daughter had 2 weeks off. Plus - they are driving now and want to do the things that teenagers do.

Plus, I'm a pastor so I can't really take weekends off. (Since Sunday is the only day I work )I could go out on Thursday p.m. pick wife and kids up on Friday, come back on Saturday. We did that a lot, but it gets to be difficult and costly when you are looking at a 90 mile trip one way to the launch site.

All of this to say that 6 and 8 is perfect and time is moving very fast. Unless things work out differently for you, things start tapering off well before they go to college. I believe the Lord created things this way to "ease" them out of the next.

[Another milestone(s) for us - 1) youngest got license in February; 2) she has been gone all week on a school band trip to DisneyWorld, etc. We've been "empty nesting" all week. Such is life.]

John (jda)

[Rob (1992 26S)]

nobody can really afford boats ( a couple on a new Catalina 36 told me that ) you just make it work. Since storage isn't costing you anything why not keep it? Boats don't depreciate much like cars do. I think of it as a way of forced savings - you could sell it now and waste the money away on various bills, or keep the boat and use it when you have a chance to get the motor fixed. For me, I find it hard to save any money these days, and I know if I sell my boat it would be harder to afford to put out that kind of money again.

See if you can get storage insurance on it.

Good luck!
-Rob

[Catigale]

MIke

jda hit the nail on the head with the age 6 and 8 - you do have a limited window where the kids will join in the family activities...I guess the way I see this Mike is if you sell, you almost close any opportunities in this window for sailing. ...

Im adverse to paying for storing anything, but that makes sense to me here. The cost of storing the boat for 2-3 years will be far less than the price delta of selling and rebuying an in a few years. You also dont really suffer much more depreciation on your in storage since its on the 'low slope' part of the depreciation curve. If you can score the 'store it at a friends house' by all means get insurance and do that....

Good advice about holding off on the power unit repair until you need it - of course, you should keep your eye on ebay for a used lower unit

You will get a lot more money for your with a working motor of course.

[Beam's Reach]

Assuming it's paid for, your only cost is storage, which may be free, and insurance. Why not keep it?

My kids are about the same age as yours and love the boat, but I can see a time in the not too distant future that they'll have other interests. That just means a change from family trips and weekends aboard, to moonlight and wine evenings with the Admiral. Not a bad trade off if you really don't have a choice anyway

Take out the cushions and anything else that will attract mice or other critters, tarp it well, put a good hitch lock on, and maybe take the wheels off the trailer if you're really worried about theft.

And keep going through those pictures to remind you what you have waiting only 30 minutes and a few hours of cleaning and set up away In fact, enlarge a couple of the really happy pictures and hang one at home and one at the office.

Prices go up, time gets short, and memories fade...you've got the boat, just keep it until you can make the time to make more memories...

[Mac Ziggy]

If most people waited until they could afford children, they wouldn't ever have any. And although children are our lives, they only raise us for about 20 years and then they go off and do something else (if youve done your job right).

I take it youre going to keep the kids. The boat is an option or an opportunity. You've made a lot of progress in a short time. There'll probably be a lot of unexpected expenses when you move to the new house.

If you sell your boat to help your family - you're a good dad. If you keep your boat to help your family through a rough time - you're a good dad. What's best for your family is important. Guilt has no residual value. Please get that motor fixed if you decide to sell or you'll take a hit on the boat too. Of course, by the time you get it fixed, take the boat out to check it out and decide on a price, things may have changed.

Some people say Macs are a compromise. Maybe yours isnt just a question between a motor or a sail.

I sold my X and am looking at an M now. I sold the X because I had cancer and thought I should put the money elsewhere. Someone stole the money (and a lot more). I have three daughters. My youngest will be 10 in about 2 weeks and one that will soon be 13. My oldest is in college. Stop and look at those faces everyday and youll find a way to make the time count.

[Catigale]

Mike

One more thought on the storage option

If you strip the stuff out, and take the wheels off and block up the trailer, the chances of it getting stolen (driven away) are almost nil in any reasonable area....maybe even take the outboard off

[Idle Time]

Since the boat would be worth more with the motor fixed...I'd get that done...put it in storage if you can find one that is reasonable...this is a trailerable boat....other than haveing your past float plan ruined I didnt see any reason for not getting back out there. Look at your map and find something totally new to head for. I'll bet after your initial trip you'll find yourself looking for new adventures.

[mike]

Thank you for all the insightful replies. After sleeping on it, and reading all this, I feel I should find a way to keep the boat, and aim for getting back on the water early next year.

Now I just need to convince the admiral. While she's not necessarily unbudgeable on selling the X and getting an M later, she's gotten used to the idea because I've been insisting that's what we should do. Now I'll be making a 180, but I think I have a pretty strong case for keeping the boat.

--Mike

[James V]

mike - I found a very secure boat storage with a ramp and They will splash it for me (for $$$). Cheeper than owning a truck. Another factor to look at is the cost of a new M vrs what you will sell your X for + the cost of repairs.

It will take some time for the marinas and waterways to be cleared out, But IT will happen.

[Moe]

Mike, it may be a couple of years before the Gulf Coast comes back as you knew it, but it WILL be back that way. In the meantime, you can enjoy it as I knew it 40+ years ago, when it was much closer to nature. I know you've anchored before, but prefer to stay in marinas. The issue is whether you can live without them.

Don Fitzgerald called me from on board our ex-26X out on Lake Ponchatrain this week. Since he can't get it back into a slip yet, and since he's not big on trailer sailing and stepping the mast every time either, he's leaving the mast and boom home and using the X as a trailered cabin cruiser powerboat. With a 6 gallon tank under the helm seat and our two 12 gallon tanks, he has quite a bit of range. Obviously, you'd need to fix the Honda to do that, but it IS an option if you have to trailer.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you don't have to overnight and have a cabin boat to enjoy boating. Many families enjoy it with a small runabout or pontoon boat. But frankly, I don't see the X as being much harder to launch and retrieve than one of them, if you leave the mast and boom home. You just can't keep it in a garage like a small runabout.

The problem may be that if you sell the boat now and don't replace it with something immediately, the kids could have many other time-DEMANDING activities, especially those involving friends rather than family, by the time you're ready to buy another one.

Just some thoughts...
--
Moe