Back in Kiel, I faced a new challenge. I needed to sell Rassvet as quickly as possible so I could transfer the summer berth and winter storage to Aurora, and sort out her ship radio licence and German registration. I'd already bought the new boat and agreed to collect her by 20 September.
It seemed there was only one thing left to do: show Rassvet to as many people as possible. More platforms meant a better chance of finding a new owner quickly.
Secretly, I wanted about €12,000. But at that price I might spend years waiting for someone who appreciated the work done and the boat's condition. For a quick sale, I listed her at €6,900 straight away.
Waiting
The advert went on my own website, in two of Vadim Luppo's Telegram chats, and on Boat24, Kleinanzeigen, Scanboat, Marktplaats, Botentekoop, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Listings and promotion cost about €350. Then all I could do was cross my fingers, refresh the statistics and fret about how little I could do to speed things up.
The figures illustrated that helplessness best. A video on Vadim Luppo's English-language Instagram account received 274,000 views, 4,781 likes and 102 comments. People asked for the seller's contact details. One of them actually wrote to me.
On YouTube there were 1,114 views and one comment. Six people opened the Facebook listing. Huge reach created a sense of activity, but hardly any buyers.
The two dullest platforms did the work. On Kleinanzeigen the listing had 2,743 views, 121 people saved it and eight wrote to me. Boat24 brought 1,310 views, 12 saves and five messages. All three viewings came from those two sites.
People
Even a message didn't necessarily mean interest in buying. Two people asked what a yacht costs to keep. I honestly set out my German expenses: about €4,000 a year for berthing, lifting out and launching, mast handling, engine servicing, antifouling and insurance. Both disappeared. Perhaps I shouldn't have given my own figures: you can do much of it yourself and find a cheaper berth.
Another person asked whether, with no experience, he could sail this boat to Malaysia the following summer. I talked him out of buying her. An Italian asked for a list of safety equipment, then requested half off the price and disappeared too.
The sale
One weekend a young couple from Kleinanzeigen called me. They viewed the boat, then asked to go sailing the following morning. In three hours the wind ranged from 5 to 25 knots, so I was able to show Rassvet in different conditions.
That evening they wrote to say their budget was €4,500. I was furious. I replied that the boat was already discounted and I'd only come down to €6,500. A few days later they'd ‘shaken out their piggy banks’ and offered €6,000, hoping I'd meet them there.
That made me stop and think.
It was nothing like what I'd wanted. But it was the first real offer. I'd already spent about €350 on advertising, and Aurora's delivery was less than a month away. Refusing could mean renewing the listings and paying for Rassvet's winter berth: about €500 afloat or €1,500 ashore. To try to sell her for more, I'd first have to put more time and money into her.
I decided to accept a lower price rather than keep carrying a second yacht, and agreed to €6,000.
In hindsight I'd have used only Kleinanzeigen and Boat24. At their initial rates, they'd have cost about €70 together. Starting negotiations at my minimum price was another mistake. An extra two thousand on the listing would have left room to negotiate. Perhaps I'd have got my €6,900 and the buyers would have been happy with the discount they'd secured.
Overall
Rassvet sold in twenty days. The adverts and videos attracted about 280,000 views. There were three actual viewings. The buyer came from Kleinanzeigen.
#notes
It seemed there was only one thing left to do: show Rassvet to as many people as possible. More platforms meant a better chance of finding a new owner quickly.
Secretly, I wanted about €12,000. But at that price I might spend years waiting for someone who appreciated the work done and the boat's condition. For a quick sale, I listed her at €6,900 straight away.
Waiting
The advert went on my own website, in two of Vadim Luppo's Telegram chats, and on Boat24, Kleinanzeigen, Scanboat, Marktplaats, Botentekoop, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Listings and promotion cost about €350. Then all I could do was cross my fingers, refresh the statistics and fret about how little I could do to speed things up.
The figures illustrated that helplessness best. A video on Vadim Luppo's English-language Instagram account received 274,000 views, 4,781 likes and 102 comments. People asked for the seller's contact details. One of them actually wrote to me.
On YouTube there were 1,114 views and one comment. Six people opened the Facebook listing. Huge reach created a sense of activity, but hardly any buyers.
The two dullest platforms did the work. On Kleinanzeigen the listing had 2,743 views, 121 people saved it and eight wrote to me. Boat24 brought 1,310 views, 12 saves and five messages. All three viewings came from those two sites.
People
Even a message didn't necessarily mean interest in buying. Two people asked what a yacht costs to keep. I honestly set out my German expenses: about €4,000 a year for berthing, lifting out and launching, mast handling, engine servicing, antifouling and insurance. Both disappeared. Perhaps I shouldn't have given my own figures: you can do much of it yourself and find a cheaper berth.
Another person asked whether, with no experience, he could sail this boat to Malaysia the following summer. I talked him out of buying her. An Italian asked for a list of safety equipment, then requested half off the price and disappeared too.
The sale
One weekend a young couple from Kleinanzeigen called me. They viewed the boat, then asked to go sailing the following morning. In three hours the wind ranged from 5 to 25 knots, so I was able to show Rassvet in different conditions.
That evening they wrote to say their budget was €4,500. I was furious. I replied that the boat was already discounted and I'd only come down to €6,500. A few days later they'd ‘shaken out their piggy banks’ and offered €6,000, hoping I'd meet them there.
That made me stop and think.
It was nothing like what I'd wanted. But it was the first real offer. I'd already spent about €350 on advertising, and Aurora's delivery was less than a month away. Refusing could mean renewing the listings and paying for Rassvet's winter berth: about €500 afloat or €1,500 ashore. To try to sell her for more, I'd first have to put more time and money into her.
I decided to accept a lower price rather than keep carrying a second yacht, and agreed to €6,000.
In hindsight I'd have used only Kleinanzeigen and Boat24. At their initial rates, they'd have cost about €70 together. Starting negotiations at my minimum price was another mistake. An extra two thousand on the listing would have left room to negotiate. Perhaps I'd have got my €6,900 and the buyers would have been happy with the discount they'd secured.
Overall
Rassvet sold in twenty days. The adverts and videos attracted about 280,000 views. There were three actual viewings. The buyer came from Kleinanzeigen.
#notes
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