is there a certain percentage they devalue yearly? say for instance if a kayak is new for 1 grand .and you find it in good shape 2 years old what should you pay for it?
If it’s new 1 grand
then I would pay no more than 600 for 2 years old in a good condition. Because this would be polyethylene, which is a lower-end material compared to composite kayaks. Though, whitewater kayaks work better when from polyethylene (unlike touring kayaks), but they still have usual drawbacks of polyethylene.
cool
that seems reasonable
Shops often use the 50% rule
around here at least, several shops price their used demo and rental boats at 50% of retail price. Sometimes this is a good deal, sometimes not, depending on the condition. Some shops seem to list their used boats for 70% of retail, which might be OK for a buyer if the location allowed for demoing with minimal charge. These are probably less than 2 years old and usually a current model still for sale new.
I’ve bought 5 used kayaks in the last few years. Some were as old as 10, some only 2-3 years. The newest one was at 1/3 rd current retail, the others were discontinued models so no retail comparison is valid.
man used is the way to go
long as its in good shape i dont care how they look i guess i over payed for my pelican 100 its a 2009 model and in good shape but i payed 195 with the portage cart i think there only 200 new .but i didnt have to pick it up was from guy who lives across from me
What a bunch of B.S.!
Just check the classifieds here and elsewhere for a comparison. Good luck on finding one for 50% and/or $600 these days. Have you been watching the price of crude ?
Other factors …
… Can come in to play.
Some boats are modified over the years, so one with a desirable modification, especially one that corrects a problem, could be worth more than one that had the problem. WS Tempests and their hatches comes to mind.
Some boats are harder to find. Or the boat might be particularly desirable due to its design or performance. Or the opposite: it’s a dog.
I’ve looked at the summer rentals many kayak places sell off at the end of the season. Some of these boats are so beat, 50% off is no bargain, especially when the same boat from a single owner in far better shape can be found for the same or a few bucks more.
The for sale section on this site is a great place to get an idea on prices. Also do a google search.
1 Like
does Georgia have a off season
i means its pretty warm all year round here.if we do have a off season i for sure will look for a kayak then
ps
whats wrong with plastic kayaks ? even my cheap pelican seems strong as hell
It depends…
– Last Updated: May-13-11 10:39 PM EST –
Actually, I don't go by the 50% rule. Nor do I calculate the discount by years. Boats by and large don't get much wear and tear in normal use. So the number of years is not very meaningful. The actual condition is more important.
*** Plstic: Max 50%. It's rare a plastic boat is indeed in "good condition". It's got all sort of scratches the first time it's used. It's also too easy to demage these boat during storage and transport. Unlike fiberglass, it's not easy to repair any demage at all. So 50% is the most I'd pay.
But there's an exception: WW boats. They're meant to be trashed on rocks. So they're more over-build than flat water kayaks. And knowing I'll be putting it on the rocks a bunch, the "condition" really don't matter as much. As long as there still seem to have enough structural stiffness. That said, most WW paddlers sell their boat at around 50-60% any way. So it's a no brainer.
This same exception also applies to a few special sea kayaks. Valley Avocet being one of them. It's yet another over-build plastic boat that will stand up to a lot of abuse.
*** Fiberglass: 60% or even 70% if it's in decent shape. Below 50% if it looks neglected.
This has to do with individual. I know how to repair fiberglass so I don't mind pick up a scratched up one and make it work quite well. And a well-cared for one is as good as new to me once I fix up the minor scratches. Not a bad deal to have a brand new looking kayak at 60-70% cost of new.
*** Most folding kayaks keep their value 10 years out of show room. Why, I don't know. So if I were to ever get a folder, I'd buy new.
But in the end, the price of ANYTHING is what you think it's worth to YOU. So there's no over-paying per se. For the enjoyment you get out of it is probably worth a lot more than whatever you paid.
If it’s warm all year round
then it’s a bad news for polyethylene kayak. There can be other factors involved in depreciation like people noted (popularity, degree of abuse etc), but there is one universal factor for poly kayaks: UV degradation. Even here in Northwest poly hull doesn’t last more than 8-9 years (provided the owner doesn’t destroy it earlier). After 9 years poly hull becomes brittle. Fiberglass and kevlar hulls have life span 25-40 years (depends on the resin). So you may use this as a rough estimate of percentage per year.
But again, - degree of wear is important. Rental kayaks, for example, are abused MUCH more than with a private owner.
does it matter
if i store my kayak inside? i mean in my liveing room will it still fadeaway in 8 years or so
Don’t store poly kayaks in the sun, and
put a little 303 on them when driving around the US. I have a '93 Perception Corsica that has not weakened a bit.
As you noted, poly boats can be beaten so hard, especially under the seat, that cracks can propagate. I lost an early Perception Sage that way. But plastic has improved. If one can determine that a poly kayak has been kept out of the sun, and it doesn’t look beat to death, then it may be a good buy in spite of ten years or more of age.
The real issue is that designs have improved considerably, so that old poly boats often aren’t worth considering. There are very few “old school” poly whitewater kayaks that I would consider, even though I own a couple of antiques from the very early 80s. Perception Pirouettes are still desirable, and certain old Prijons. Some people still trade in Perception Dancers, but that’s a thoroughly obsolete design.
To give a straight answer, for a 2 year
old kayak that sold for $1000 new, I would not pay more than $600 no matter how much I wanted it.
Some used boats I have bought:
Millbrook Wide Ride c-1, $1k new, 5 yrs old— $400
REI rental Dagger Animas, 4 yrs old, sound — $350
Mad River Guide Solo, sound, well outfitted— $400
Dagger Zealot slalom c-1, undamaged, $1800 new- $850
Necky Looksha Sport, demo, ~$1100 new — $550
Don’t go by the prices you see on typical internet sales listings. Offer what you are comfortable paying, or if you know that would be an insult to the seller, don’t offer at all.
mine has been stored well
the people i got it from didn’t use it .they thought it was unstable and they storeed it in the basement.i store it in my living room and mostly kayak in the evening when i assume the uv will be less
I don’t buy crude
But I do buy kayaks - here, check their used list and then tell me BS.
http://www.montereybaykayaks.com/index.lasso
Yearly depreciation
Poly boats have an estimated life span of 10 years, so the yearly depreciation is about 20%.
Fiberglass boats depreciate at about 10%/year.
Of course it depends on condition, use, whether they’ve been stored inside or out, etc.
I wouldn’t buy a kayak from a demo fleet. Those kayaks get the most abuse.
UV avoidance
I agree with g2d–as evidence, my 1995 Valley Skerray RM. Stored indoors, used regularly, still in very good condition.
The poly kayak killer is UV exposure, not simply age.
“demo fleet”
– Last Updated: May-15-11 2:30 PM EST –
"I wouldn't buy a kayak from a demo fleet. Those kayaks get the most abuse. "
I would (happily buy off the demo fleet), as long as the price is right.
There's really not much that can go wrong with a boat. There're few moving parts, everything is clearly visible if there's any sign of demage.
My only beef with demo boats is, the dealers knows that also. So they price their demo boats accordingly. Private owners, on the other hand, don't know that (boats don't wear out sitting in the garage). So they price their older (in years) boat low accordingly. I get better deals from private owners than from dealer's demo fleet.
Wear and Tear
Combing can break off, sand get under the seat and grinds down the fiberglass under the seat, foot pedals jam/break, rubber hatch covers crack, neoprene hatch covers get worn through, water can seep in under the gelcoat if there are deep scratches, the gelcoat can get thick and heavy is there’s been a lot of quick repairs, poly boats warp, dent and scratch, deck lines weaken and break, skeg cables kink, even if straighten will re-kink easier, bolts rust, rudder cables weaken and break, rudders get bent…