Chainsaw or charity?

[sandingblock]

I'd like to get anybody's opinion on a problem i've got at the moment.

Trying to sell a set of spars and wire for a very resonable price and having no joy. Getting a few insulting offers and there's a few who think if they hang about long enough I'll offer it at a give-away price. This stuff is costing me storage.

I'm in the process of setting up to build a new rig and know full-well the costs involved. The rig I'm selling isn't suitable for what I'm doing but is basically new. If I could get a rig that was suitable for the price I'm offering the one for sale, I'd get my cheque book out in a flash.

I'm thinking chainsaw before any of these tight arses get there hands on it.

Am I off my head?

What do you think?

[rbgarr]

Is there an alternative to cash that would work for you with any of the 'suitors'?

[Mrleft8]

Sounds spitefull to me. You'd rather destroy something than let somebody have it for less than you percieve it's worth?
People ask me all the time what some piece of furniture or other is worth. (Usually prefaced with:"I know it's valuable because it's old...")
The plain old fact is that something is only worth what someone is willing to give you for it. You think your spars are worth more than anyone else? Keep 'em. Cutting them up is childish, selfish behavior.

[outofthenorm]

With stuff that has less perceived value than actual, I've always tried to trade it rather than sell it. There's always something you need, right?

- Norm

[George Ray]

I feel your pain but if all else fails make the world a better place by trying to find the old rig a good home even if you make nothing or it costs you a bit. In the long run if you have made the world a better place, YOU WIN!

[Thorne]

Can't say much about the offers or value, but donating them to a local sailing club for resale at a marine flea might be a good alternative to the chainsaw.

As above, the value of used goods is purely in the eye of the beholder.

Don't be insulted at everyone's reaction, as some of us have posted here about our problems trying to buy boats for what we think they are worth, only to have the owner insist on 'his price or nothing' and hang onto it until he dies or the boat rots away...

Best of luck!

[katiedobe]

Be Generous, it makes the world a nicer place to live in.
also ask them to come over and give you a hand doing some manual labor for a few hours in addition to the cash.
who knows maybe those tight folks will be come friends of yours.

[sandingblock]

Yeah I know what you're all saying. There's a few guys around who I would donate some of the stuff, bowsprit, boom for a spinnaker pole, wire and fittings will all find a home.

It just gets my goat a bit you know? I'm of moderate means but still like to pay a fair price for things.

[johngsandusky]

Supply and demand, You're trying to sell an item for which there is very little demand. Probably because each rig is nearly unique, and there are few boats that need new spars. A low price makes it more attractive. Good luck, sincerely.

[Jase]

Hey Jonny, sorry to hear you've been getting the run around. I had a squiz at them when you had the advert on the cya site, but, they are not suitable for the average run of the mill small NZ classic yacht. ie the whole topmast thing. Maybe an advert on Ebay would be more appropriate, NZ is a very small market. Also alot of the people who belong to the classic boating fraternity in NZ have the skills to make the whole setup for a similar price as what you were asking. (excluding fittings obviously). As some one pointed out "Supply and Demand" and the demand for gaff spars is low I would suggest.

[rbgarr]

There was a guy who had a custom carbon spar made for his boat (reportedly for $50K) and it had a twist in it. He got $800 for it on eBay, far less than I imagine he was hoping for.

[Lew Barrett]

Think of it this way; at the moment, it's worth nothing to you. Having it hauled away for free is a gain from that point of view.

[ssor]

How much are they worth as firewood? And scrap metal? I damn sure wouldn't let some --------- take them off my hands as a favor.

[sandingblock]

In my defence I don't think I could ever take a saw to it. Just frustrated. I'd dropped my price quite a bit from what I originally thought it was worth. And thought I had 'come to the party' from my position.

I think I'll split it up and get it to good homes, but it still leaves me with a wacking big bottom mast to store that certainly won't have any value on it's own.

[Nanoose]

Ah, sander, time to make some wood chips! Fire up the chainsaw! :D :D

[rbgarr]

Do you have a flagpole? Does a local place need or want one?

[py]

It'd be worth a good $ if the right buyer needed it right now. All about the timing I guess, which is probly why you can't just buy your new rig off the shelf but have to get it made up. Its probly not exaclty what the guys who are making offers need either-and maybe they don't really need it just yet, but would put it away for a future project. I suspect your price is reasonable compared to what you are paying for a new rig, but over the top for what its worth on the market. Lower your sights, let it go with good humour to a good home. Do it right and you'll probly make yourself a lifelong friend. How much is that worth?