the mother load of vintage boat auctions

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

Check out the below link to an auction announcement. It's the mother load of vintage speed boats! There are some very rare and valuable boats on the auction block. I've been in a few of 'em.

Auction will be near Minneapolis, MN in October. I'll be there to witness this historic event. Doubt I'll be able to bid on anything, however!

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/consig...TION_ID=MO1010

[Paul Pless]

Wonder if PMJ shows up?

[C. Ross]

Wow. Is this Todd Warner's personal collection? is he liquidating mahogany bay? What's up?

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

It's F. Todd Warner's personal collection. I suspect it was seized by a secured creditor and that creditor is auctioning it off. That's only a hunch.

Apparently Mahogany Bay is alive again.

[Lew Barrett]

I suspect you are right Andreas. If so, it might well mean that the auction can serve as a real bell weather for current pricing, and equally might mean that there could be some good deals. It will be interesting to watch.

There is very little to be learned (or at least, I can't find anything) online about what is motivating the event.

[Lew Barrett]

Wonder if PMJ shows up?

Somebody should! Some good Michigan boats in that list Paul!

How about a 26 foot Watercar? Yummy!

[Keith Wilson]

Wow, that's an amazing list of boats. I'd certainly be bankrupt many times over if I had that many. Sounds like fun.

[C. Ross]

A fair number of the listed boats are also on the Mahoganybay web site.

http://mahoganybay.net/index.aspx

This is an auction AND boat show. I'm going, too.

[Lew Barrett]

Pictures! And a report!

[C. Ross]

Update. The auction now has a preview day on Oct 15 and bidding Oct 16 and 17.

I saw a rumor on a Chris Craft board that the bidding fee of $100 is waived, but I don't see that on Mecum auction site.

I also found three YouTube videos. The first has maybe 20 boats, the second two are for gear heads only...all engines, mostly inboard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izLVeyQG6tc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGg9ncbdV28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcHohTMpT9E

[Lew Barrett]

I heard from somebody I trust that creditors are likely to be forcing the sale and that the MB enterprise is in significant doo doo.

[C. Ross]

I heard from somebody I trust that creditors are likely to be forcing the sale and that the MB enterprise is in significant doo doo.

Hearing the same thing here. Too bad, because that business has brought a lot of great boats through this community and kept some good folks working on them. I hope he can regroup.

This auction may be a problem. some mornings I feel like I NEED a runabout, like a drunk feels like he needs a little pick me up before work. I might need a twelve step program and a sponsor!

[Lew Barrett]

Don't listen to the little voices urging caution. We all need one, or several runabouts, but few get the opportunity to attend an auction of this magnitude under these circumstances. PM me for another view and why you should not fear being predatory under these conditions. Triple cockpit on the river. Yummy.

(posted from Pt. Hudson Marina in the bowels of Rita
Finally a working network!)

[C. Ross]

Don't listen to the little voices urging caution. We all need one, or several runabouts, but few get the opportunity to attend an auction of this magnitude under these circumstances. PM me for another view and why you should not fear being predatory under these conditions. Triple cockpit on the river. Yummy.

Get thee behind me Satan.

(I figure a religious reference fits in with the current posting in the bilge.). PM incoming.

[Keith Wilson]

. . . .some mornings I feel like I NEED a runabout . . .

How much time do you want to spend varnishing?





It's for sale.

[C. Ross]

Sad truth, Keith? I actually like varnishing. I'd put Epiphanes on pancakes if I could get away with it.

After spending all of Labor Day weekend working on my engines, though (replacing a cracked exhaust manifold, testing compression, changing oil twice to remove water, replacing a coil and electronic ignition, checking wiring from battery to solenoid to starter..you get the idea) I'm a little cooler on the idea of two boats.

[Keith Wilson]

As long as you eat them quick before the varnish dries, I suppose it's OK. I love looking at varnish, but taking something gorgeous that represents so much work, and then putting it out in the sun so it starts to deteriorate . . . well, flat white latex house paint begins to seem very attractive. OTOH, your boat lives in a covered slip. And that triple-cockpit Hacker in the link's only $70K . . . .

[Fishbucket]

. Doubt I'll be able to bid on anything, however!

There are 3 "Duckboats" listed....

Say, how much do duckboats go for anyway?

[Scott Ales]

Here are a few thoughts straight from the horse's mouth, you can contact myself anytime to ask additional questions. I am the person responsible for the auction and am working directly with the owner of the collection, Todd Warner.

The youtube videos were taken and posted by myself and I will admit I am no professional. I took them on the basis that something was better than nothing. Let me state clearly, there will not be a $100 registration fee at this auction.

In regards to the condition of MB or any other business today, times have changed. If you are operating the same today as you were two years ago your days are numbered! We all must adjust to this new economy and as a board member at small community bank in Florida let me say this. Mr. Warner is adapting to the severe limitation of available credit to run a small business these days. He believes and we agree that he has equity in his inventory so rather than trying to get blood from a turnip (banks) he is willing to sell his inventory. It is that simple. The bottom line is that a no reserve auction will produce high and low returns. Some boats will bring well more than most feel they are worth, along with this there will be others that bring far less than expected. The cumulative result will be market value. The more items anyone consigns to an auction the better this leveling affect has. Selling this inventory to create liquidity will provide capitol to move into this new marketplace effectively.

As far as the actual items. The interesting part is the makeup of styles, configurations, and conditions. Something for everyone without a doubt. Even if you don't buy something it will be a great place to see old friends and make new ones. The entertainment value will be hard to beat that weekend!

[C. Ross]

Thanks Scott.

Check out the updated auction site with pictures and descriptions of boats here. Wow.

[Concordia...41]

That is an amazing collection of boats!

Some, however, need more than varnish

[C. Ross]

Wowsers what an auction.

Top dollar went for this 1929 Dingle 30' Triple Cockpit Runabout. $285,000



A bunch of duckboats and nice rowboats went for $200 -$500

How about a nice 1947 Higgins for $7500.



Now is not the time in my life for another boat. Good thing I left before they auctioned this lovely 1918 Luyere 30' launch for $19K. I woulda been sorely tempted.....as far as I'm concerned, the steal of the auction that also included Dodge Watercars selling for $16K, $32.5K and $60K...



It was almost certainly the best single collection of boats I will see in my lifetime. Sure was fun!

The listings will probably still be up for a while: http://www.mecum.com/auctions/consig...Rare%20Engines

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

You can go to woodyboater.com as well to see some photos and commentary.

The high end stuff sold for values too low in my opinion and the small, low end stuff sold for 2, 3 and 4 times its value.

Auctions are weird. A 1927 Hackercraft 28 ft. Dolphin in need of full keel up restoration sold for $57,000 whereas a decent condition 1929 Hackercraft 26 ft. Dolphin Junior sold for $47,500. The latter was the steal of the day. And the bidder who got it thought he was bidding on a differnt boat. His advisor told him afterwards, you did good my boy!

Yup, I agree $19,000 for that beautiful launch was a steal. Warner paid nearly that much in the past month getting that one boat ready for the auction.

Andreas

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Andreas, Do you know what the big Staudacher hydro went for?

[Lew Barrett]

Thanks for the reports, gentlemen. The Huckins does look to be a good deal as well, especially for somebody who just wanted a nice speedboat for the river.

Andreas, I have frequently heard auctioneers say that it is not uncommon for the most valuable stuff to be the best buy........Not specifically referenced to automotive or marine auctions.

Is Warner's place done or did this save the operation?

[C. Ross]

Peter the Staudacher went for $92500

Lew, I was sooooooooo tempted. Marital harmony or nice speedboat for the river? I couldn't afford a fast enough boat for a clean getaway, so I didn't register for the auction in order to avoid temptation.

This auction had quite a few really high end boats in excellent condition, quite a number of undistinguished boats, and then the ones in the middle. Andreas is right on the mark.

I went to places like Antique Boat America/Canada, Antique Boat Center, Classic Boat, Lady Ben to look for comparables. The Dodges and Hackers seemed both under and over bought, and the unknown makers were by far the best bargains, IMO.

The Chris Crafts went for more than what you could buy elsewhere. Though this lovely little 28' 1936 cruiser in very good to excellent shape, the only Model 557 left, went for $23,000.





I thought about Tom Freeman and his lovely Richardson when I looked at this boat.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

I thought that big hydroplane was WAAAAAY cool..... totally impractical, expensive to maintain, but it would be the bomb to drive it.

That CC cruiser was a deal. Lovely boat.

[C. Ross]

The hydro was just as cool up close. I've seen it at shows over the last few years - on the display trailer shown in the first picture.

I think boats made of plywood can be lovely, but I can't think of many boats where the plywood is laid and finished bright where the effect is more appealing than that boat. With such an expanse of plywood, at a distance the effect to my eye anyway is almost like birdseye maple veneer.





And it's powered by an Allison v-12, so its a badass, too.

[Lew Barrett]

Nice little boat on a trailer, $23K, ready to rumble. Good deal, but cruisers are so inexplicably cheap that unique as it is, I'm not surprised that's what it brought. . I have the same toaster (it is a toaster, isn't it?) by the way, but mine doesn't have the foliage growing out of it!




Had to be a fun exciting event. $285K for a Dingle...hmmm.