Re: My Heavenly MacGregor Twins (Photos)
All the info is on the Mac website.
They are a hybrid......a luxuary 26' trailer sailer, with water ballast, 1900kg without ballast (boat..trailer..extras) so easy to tow, can plane on a 50hp O/B and pull water toys. So built to meet a wide variety of needs.
I became fascinated with them about 1.5 yrs back.
I am one of these blokes that have to have a project.....when I decide I have an interest in something I get a bit obsessed by it....can't give it up.....just read and read and read......then research and plan every last detail out, then just do it.
Biggest problem was not the buying part, but finding the right person to act for/with me in the US, and trust with a fair bit of money. Anyway found a broker in San Diego who seemed to fit the bill, and I bought a boat thru him. Didn't tell him of my plans tho.
He is excellant to deal with.
Everything went perfectly with him.
Got the boat, worked out everything about it, and maybe 1yr later put it on the market, and it sold!!.
So back to Vic in San Diego for another, and then telling him my plans.
There is another due on the warf in next few days: the one JB assisted with in Southlake Tx. arrives in maybe 2-3 weeks: and another is about to leave Long Beach Ca anytime now. Think there is 8 since last Nov.
I price them differently to everyone else.
Not interested in what others sell for here.
Just total all costs, and add a set % margin I require.
Result is; I am '000's below everyone else, so they sell quickly, and as the buyers work out, if they need to quit their boat, they should never loose a penny at the worst case scenario.
Biggest problem I have is, I can't advertise them at my price, as I don't want to alarm other sellers, and have them pull their prices down, so advertise just below them, make it negotiable, and when a buyer makes contact, then tell the buyer the true price.
It is working well so far, and if the situation changes, (like buyers dry up) then i will adjust to another type of boat and repeat the same pattern.
It is a lot of work, but I make good money, and it is fun.
Vic only buys good stock, and we only pay a fair price.
Some Americans have woken up as to what is going on, so up the sell price....that dosn't work with us...the principal is I have to have my margin, and I am not trading at anything less, so if they overprice their boat, we don't buy. Always believed I am better off going broke sitting on my butt with a beer in hand, rather than working like hull to go broke.
Another secret is no debt...just expanded out from my initial savings for No1, and just re-invested every cent of profit.
At the moment I am platting a 2nd string for my bow, just in case MacGregors sales slow up. Then I will just switch to another type of boat. All the mechanics and systems in place...I will just feed a diffent product in to it.
Doing the exercise on 23' or there-abouts sunbridge cruisers on trailers, and then the 32'-34' hard tops, bit like the 2000 or there-abouts 32-34' Bayliners.
Just in case.
Refurbishment.
Because my full-timer was a mechanic, we can get around a lot of problems.We clean the trailers right back and repaint. Then change lights etc. Most times wheels studs are frozen on etc. use an engineer for the new hitch. Clean the boat thoroughly, do any touch-up work and make any small repaits to rigging, furnishings equipment etc. Vic checks them thoroughly before he buys for me. Surprisingly that takes a lot of time.
No QC, that's Anita. She has to hold the ropes when the boat is in the air to stop it swinging while John and I shove the trailer under.
Don't get too complicated with your coupler plan Kevin. I reckon my idea was the simpliest!!
Anyway, that's it.
Cheers
Phillip
