Boat prices have been crazy for 18 months...for the type of boat that interests me anyhow. 20-26', all-welded aluminum, NW constructed boats that is.

Just over a year ago, I sold my 2012-22' NR Seahawk for a couple of grand more than it was new! It had close to 500hrs on it (prob 5500hrs on the T-8), good condition but showed signs of being used (especially from the calcium chloride). I got ALL my money back from all the options that I left on the boat as well (TR-1, 2-Lowrance's, misc etc), and I had it advertised for less than 2 weeks. 1 year later it would bring $5000 more, easily.

A month prior to selling the old boat, I bought a 2018-24' Seahawk that was pretty much loaded. The private party owner was needing to move it, as he didn't want to continue to make payments as the world was shut down due to The Vid. I cashed him out for 40K less than he paid 2 years prior at the Portland Boat Show (it was a floor model), and then I started refusing offers once I got it on the water at home. The scarcity of 22'+ NR Seahawks is just crazy!! January of this year, the wholesale pricing went up 9% across the line I was told. I'm so busy with work my new boat hardly gets used, but with the current backlog of new orders, NR is still WAY behind in production. Inventory is almost non-existant at their dealers (as well as their competitors also). I'm sure I could flip my boat for an additional 30+%, but I like catching fish for people on my boat.

I'll probably look back and kick myself for not flipping it and taking up golf though! The real salmon fisheries are just going to fade away like our steelhead have.