[Rhodes22-list] bob mellor - some information

[David Bradley]

Bob, one more bit of data...  I began the process last summer looking for a
recylced Rhodes.  After my first exchange with Stan I realized that to get
the features I wanted I would need to wait for a late-model used boat.  One
came in, so then when I added all the updates I wanted, I was within $10K of
a new boat.  After discounts for up-front cash payment (as published on the
web site) I realized I was within about $5K of a new boat price, and it was
late in the season, so we opted for new this spring.  So I guess the moral
is, you need to make that initial choice of "refreshed but dated" or
"new/essentially new with all the latest upgrades."

Dave B.


On 4/10/06, bobmellor <rhmello at aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> dave..
>
> thanks for the insight.  as i kind of figured, a somewhat nebulous process
> that requires the faith exhibited by current owners on this board. (i must
> say it is refreshing to learn there are still craftsmen out there that can
> create that knd of following.)
> keep me posted on what you may learn as the process moves along....
>
> bob mellor
> bethlehem, pa
>
>
> Woten wrote:
> >
> >
> > Bob,
> >
> > First, welcome to the Rhodes board.  One of the pluses of being
> a  Rhodes
> > owner, sailor, or wannabe is this hyperactive board.  My experience  is
> > that if
> > you've got a question, on virtually anything, many
> Rhodes  owners/sailors
> > out
> > there will have answers and/or opinions.  This  board offers a wealth of
> > information and great comradery.  I think  you've already figured that
> > out.
> >
> > Your questions regarding the refurbishment process and pricing resonate
> > with
> > me, we are trying to get delivery of a refurb boat now.  Elton (Stan's
> > brother and the guy who does the deliveries) is suffering through his
> > second
> > burned out boat trailer bearing somewhere in Ala.  As soon as he gets
> his
> > trailer
> > fixed and can get back to Edenton to get our boat, we're next.   >From
> the
> > beginning of the buying process I've had questions as to how
> this  process
> > works,
> > but I've pressed ahead given the very high regard people on this  board
> > have
> > for Stan - the unanimous consensus is "trust him, he'll do the  right
> > thing".
> >   Here's what I think I understand.
> >
> > WRT the refurb deal, it starts when Stan buys a boat.   Sometimes he may
> > buy
> > a boat because he thinks he can refurb it and resell it  (i.e. no
> specific
> > customer), other times he may know he's got one or more  prospective
> > customers
> > waiting in the wings.  You've got to believe that if  anyone in this
> world
> > can
> > spot a good used boat at a good price, it's Stan.   I'm sure price he
> pays
> > is
> > a function of the year, condition, and equipment on  the boat, and that
> > price,
> > and his markup is a baseline for all that  follows.
> >
> > I think Stan also has used boats that he doesn't refurb - perhaps the
> > right
> > client didn't appear after he'd bought it, or perhaps there's a problem
> > with
> > it.  You can buy one of those boats cheaper than a refurb, but with no
> > warranty.
> >
> > Additionally, he may know of used boats available somewhere in the
> > country.
> > He may be entitled to a commission for this "brokerage" but he  doesn't
> > own
> > those boats.  Perhaps the owners wanted more $ than he was  willing to
> > pay, or
> > perhaps he just didn't have the clients, etc.  Again,  these boats
> aren't
> > refubed - you're really dealing with the owner, not  Stan.  You can also
> > see
> > boats for sale mentioned on this board.
> >
> > Regarding the refurbishment process, I'm not quite sure what the GBI
> > refurb
> > process is.  I know that if there is a working system on the boat,  it
> is
> > not
> > replaced.  For example, our boat came with a set of sails that  were
> > judged to
> > be OK, and an older GBI roller furler which was  working.  We could
> > improve
> > those systems (i.e. new sails) but at a  cost - they amounted to
> mods.  I
> > don't
> > think you automatically get new  sails, or new anything else, unless
> > what's
> > there is judged inadequate or  defective.
> >
> > It's not clear to me that there is a xx-point check list of things that
> > happen when a boat is refurbed, but from my perspective what we're
> buying
> > is the
> > piece of mind that comes from presuming the boat has been thoroughly
> > inspected
> >  and repaired as necessary and that it has the same warranty as a new
> > boat.
> > If our refurb'd boat breaks, I am going to be one ticked off owner -
> it's
> > cost a  lot more money to get a refurb than a used boat - but nothing
> I've
> > seen
> > or read  has suggested it's going to break, or that I will be in the
> least
> > disappointed.  From my perspective going the refurb route buys peace of
> > mind.
> > It's the next best thing to a brand new boat.
> >
> > WRT refurb mods: You decide what mods you want and Stan will coordinate
> > with
> > you as to how feasible they are and what they mean.  As examples:
> >
> > - We're getting an 89 hull and have asked for capt seats.  Stan  pointed
> > out
> > that getting seats could be done, but to mount them on the gunwales  it
> > would
> > be necessary to put on a new wider stern pulpit in addition to
> buying  and
> > putting in the seat post mounts - and that would affect the
> cost.  If  we
> > had a
> > later model hull as a baseline, that larger stern pulpit might
> have  been
> > standard, and we'd only have to pay for the seat installation.
> > Alternatively, it'
> > s possible to mount the post holders for the seats on blocks  that
> intrude
> > into the cockpit and disrupt cockpit seating (it's an option, but  we
> > didn't
> > pursue it and I don't think Stan recommends it).  Stan and
> his  colleagues
> > were
> > very forthright in outlining the consequences of any mod you  request.
> >
> > - We're getting a 2 battery layout, we didn't particularly want one, it
> > turned out that way.  If you check the options list for a new boat
> you'll
> > see
> > there is a cost for that, but it comes at no additional cost to us
> because
> > the
> > basic boat that Stan had bought already had 2 batteries.  Of course the
> > basic
> > price Stan paid for that hull notionally included  the
> depreciated  costs
> > for
> > the 2nd battery layout, but this is an example where it would
> likely  cost
> > us
> > $ to cut back to 1 batt.  The basic used boat Stan buys is really  your
> > baseline for any mods - you mod from that.  You may not have to mod at
> > all.
> >
> > -  Stan gave us a price for new cushions, we visited Edenton
> and  decided
> > that some of the existing cushions that came with the boat would be fine
> > - but a
> > few should be added.  So the cushions didn't cost as much  as they could
> > have
> > - but they weren't free because Stan had to buy a  few.
> >
> > My point is, getting the refurb boat modified with the options you want
> is
> > an iterative process.  It starts with the used/refurb boat you're
> getting
> > as
> > the baseline, not a blank sheet of paper.  You can't just look down the
> > new
> > boat options list and say a specific option is going to cost $xx - it
> > depends
> > on the used boat hull and what's there.  It's an iterative process,  but
> > Stan
> > and his staff will work with you.
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> >
> --
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> http://www.nabble.com/bob-mellor---some-information-t1422025.html#a3852317
> Sent from the Rhodes22 forum at Nabble.com.
>
> __________________________________________________
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>



--
David Bradley
203.253.9973
dwbrad at gmail.com