SeaCraft price increase?

[Mark]

I'm not sure what or who we have to thank/blame, but there seems to have been a rather rapid increase in price tags on older SeaCraft boats over the past five years. When I bought my 18' in late '98, you could easily find 20'CC's with decent power and trailer for $2500-3000. Although there are still the odd instances of people getting a pretty decent deal (anyone heard of Finster?) Now you have opportunists listing Tracker era beater 20's with no power and in need of a lot of work for $6500 on boattrader.

If you want a Potter era 23', stand in line and be ready to pounce at a moments notice.

Has the interest level reached such a point that sellers assume that those desiring these boats will pay whatever they ask?

Earlier this year there was someone basically using this site as a brokerage for friends who were selling SeaCraft boats: preying on the fans basically.

When a boat comes on the market now it has become a race to see who can dial the fastest and drive themselves to south Florida to pick up a hull in need of significant cash infusions.

I guess if you are selling, times couldn't be better. If you are in the market to buy, you'd better have a tow vehicle gassed up and ready to roll.

I was in Stuart, Florida, last week and in driving around saw quite a number of boat rehab facilities with 1970's SeaCrafts in various stages of completion. Most yards I stopped in at had two or more having refits done.

Anyone care to weigh in on why all the nostalgia now?