Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

Hey Trayder, if you are listening, here is an idea. I realize that this would be a bit of work, but if you were looking for ideas...

How about a standard form for people to fill out who are selling their boats. You can link it to paypal or whatever so they can simultaneously pay the posting fee. It could even include a control to attach a picture. It could generate a page that includes all the info and some interpolated from the data (like determining whether it is a Mosely, Potter, CSY, etc from the year). Alot of it could be drop down list controls. It could include:

Hull length (18, 19, 20, 21,23, 27) (if you only include the classics)
Hull ID
Hull Year
Have clear title for hull (yes, no, my state does not require titles)
Transom height(20", 25", 30", Full with bracket, other)
Transom condition (good, fair, poor, unknown)
Has bottom paint (yes, no)
Top (T-top, Bimini, tower, other, none)
Gas tank condition (new, good, fair, poor, unknown)
Steering (wire, hydraulic, Digital)
Trailer included (yes, no)
Type of trailer (galvanized, aluminum, painted steel, other)
Roller or runner?
Condition (good, fair, poor)
Have title for trailer (yes, no)
Narrative
Power type (Outboard, I/O, Inboard)
Engine HP
Engine Manufacturer (Rude, Johnny, Merc, Suzi, Yammi, Nissan, Tohatsu, Honda, Volvo-Penta, other)
Carb, EFI, or DFI
2S or 4S
Engine Condition (good, fair, poor)
Engine compression (not a required field)
Prop (Al, Stainless, Composite, other, none)
prop pitch (not a required field)
prop diameter (not a required field)
Boat location
Price negotiable (yes, no)
Contact Information
General Narrative

Anyway, just a thought. You are doing a great job! Thanks!!

-Muddy

Re: Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

Good Idea. Who here know html, xtml and java?

Re: Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

i lyke tha idear

i'm still tryin to fiqure out fortran and cobalt

sam

Re: Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

I've always found the last item on the list to be adequate: "general narrative".

Re: Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

Ikan, feel free to correct me, but it seems that this was true for you because you intended to scrap everything except the hull itself so none of the extra stuff mattered to you just so long as it was cheap and the hull was sound. How many people here can afford to go your route though? You are blessed. Some of us might actually want to use that old trailer or old motor. Some people might even want to buy an already restored boat, in which case they are going to want details. If they are like me and have to drive half way across the country, they are going to want details before they get in the truck and start driving. This could also potentially save the sellers alot of wasted time and phone calls for people trying to get information so they can decide whether they want to buy it or not.

Re: Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

I drove 1,200 miles to buy my first SeaCraft, sight-unseen based on two paragraphs in boattrader listing what it had and what it didn't. I used it, as is, for six years. Let's not base my entire boating life on one redone boat. I've driven roundtrip from Oakland, CA, to NC for other boats so I think my driving-for-boats resume can hold it's own.

My point was that there are a lot of people posting boats on here that have 2 posts to their name total. If you make the posting template so detailed as to scare off some people, you will limit the amount of boats that get posted which hurts the membership more than a post with less details than some would want. We have email and telephones which can illuminate many extra details if the original post is interesting.

If Trayder wants to add these features, I'm sure it will go forward which will be very nice for the potential buyers. However, no amount of detail in a post will make up for a 20 minute phone call with the seller. We've become a highly automated society but some things still require a bit of human interaction ;)

Re: Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

I liked the checklist a lot.

While sellers may not always want to fill it out completely before posting a boat for sale, encouraging them to fill out as much as possible will surely help them locate the right buyer more easily.

Also, any prospective buyer would be well ahead if they at least used it as a guide when talking to a seller and filled it out as they spoke so as to eliminate any miscommunications and "I thought you saids".

I wouldn't make it mandatory to list an item, but I'd surely encourage a seller to at least fill it out as much as they're comfortable with.

Any one looking to buy should keep that info for each boat they check out.


Darlene

Re: Idea for the For Sale Forum
 

Nothing wrong Muddy with the list but we (CSC Forum Guardians) have had trouble just getting people to pay the listing fee yet give accurate details.
IMO I like pictures and a phone call and if possible a personnal visit on the deck. Over the years what was described to me as " Excellant Shape" or "Mint Condition" in reality was less than described.

Buy quality and do it right the first time. Buying lesser quality just to save a dime will cost you more in the long run when you have to make multiple replacements. I know everyone has said it at one time or another "Why the hell did I but that Crap" or "I should have just got what I wanted in the first place" :(