Anchorage Sportsman query

[Lakelandrose]

Hello fellow boat lovers. We are interested in a boat advertised on Ebay but we think they are asking far too much money for her. It's a Sportsman power boat built by Anchorage of Windermere around 1960
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Itali ... 20df41693a

Could anyone give us an idea of current value please? It seems to be in pretty good nick although I know from the previous owner that it hasn't had much, if any, work done for many years. The current owner bought it on Ebay for less than £5k last September and now wants £19,500, without having done anything to it or even using it. Prior to that it had been laid up without use for several years. He has just re-posted it on Ebay, for the 3rd time and at the same asking price. Any advice would be appreciated as we are quite new to the boating world.

[se7en]

The value of the boat is what someone thinks its worth, and what somebody else is prepared to pay for it, I know this is not of much help to you but it is as simple as that, there are so few of these about that you can't compare prices, or play one off against the other, all you can do is make the person selling it an offer based on what you would be prepared to pay, there is no market value, only what it is worth to the individual, what I would pay could be vastly different to what you would pay, or what the vender is asking.

[Rapier]

Se7en's right.

My view is at that price you're in nice ChrisCraft territory, at the upper end of Bosch 510s and can fund multiple minor wood, or ali, or fibreglass classics, some readily available a short hop over the channel. Even at 19.5K you might be able to import something more usable / desirable from the US. That Sportsman model is few and far between, I've never seen an intact one, or one for sale for more than a few hundred quid, so can't comment much on how desirable, or useful they are. The 1960s MKII Sportsman with Volvo Penta I/O doesn't sell particularly well either, running examples pitch up in the fishing boat section for not much money.

[eastcoast]

Lakelandrose, given the fact you state the current owners paid £5k and now want nearly £20k almost answers your question does it not?
For me its about loving and restoring classic boats, not profiteering. Many owners spend thousands of pounds without a hope of getting their money back.
Personally I'd go with Rapier, ChrisCraft or a nice Boesch for that kind money.

[chris barker]

Being a teenager on Windermere in the 60s, The Anchorage Boats have a special place in my mind and are quite rare now. Very rarely do I see one for sale.

However if you've not got a special interest in Windermere then the Anchorage name will not be special . It does not have the cache of Riva, ChrisCraft or Boesch and in general is unknown and not desired away from Windermere. Only old fogies like me will remember them.

I would view it as the purchase of an unknown one-off classic wooden speedboat purely desirable for its looks only. I could see it's value at £12/13000 in its present condition which seems to look good, but if you were to sell it again I think you could wait a long time for a buyer and receive most offers considerably lower, probably under £10000. Most people feel safer buying a 'Name'.

These days even ChrisCraft etc are proving difficult to shift for good money and those wanting to look after wooden boats are few and far between.

Personally I lust over the later model Sportsman with sloping back corners. I saw one of those for sale in decent condition for £3000 12 years ago, was tempted but didn't buy it and often wonder if I should have. Bet it's wet though!

Chris B

[bigminiandy]

I have to agree with all the other comments on here and have also noted that its been on eBay for months.

I first noted it due to its location, within 30 minutes of home but now pay attention to it as it seems to have been for sale forever and never reduced in price.

It looks beautiful, great lines and looks nice and fresh. Unfortunately I wouldn't sink (no pun intended) almost 20 grand into it. For that money the US built boats are available or if you truly want a British boat of similar size buy something like a Healey 75, not a cheap boat (cheaper than this Anchorage) but will hold its value and isn't a complete unknown.

Stunning boat tho

[Lakelandrose]

Thank you all for your thoughts which helped us decide not to bother. Instead we've bought a 1950 Storebro/Electrolux Lux Camping boat sport which has been completely restored by a boating guru. It has an Evinrude Ecotech outboard, not contemporary of course, but won't chuck muck into Coniston.

[Rapier]

Well done, sounds like the boat that came to Beale park a few years back. Post some pics if you can. Come and join us, if you're not already a member - click on the burgee above, will take you to the main site...

[Lakelandrose]

Cheers, will do when we've brought it home:)

[Sea-Jay]

Was that the boat from Scotland?