Thread: Help pricing a Vaucluse Senior

Value is all about condition and pedigree. Both the junior and Vaucluse Senior have associations and this would be the first place to check. Next would be having a surveyor look her over, to access any issues.

Thirty years seems a bit optimistic for a VS, I haven't seen one on the water since the early '60s. Does it have Dacron sails? Is it varnished or painted plywood? Is the mast timber or alloy? Is the centreboard wooden or a steel plate? Are there water stains in the plywood, particularly around the centrecase? All these factors will impact on the value.
My guess would be a fairly low estimate for anything less than pristine condition. A ply VS these days would be an orphan, as the last VSs were fibreglass, and a wooden boat would have value only as a nostalgic retro day-sailer, as I don't know of any fleet which races this one design class, it has been overtaken by lighter, more modern designs.
I have memories of helping to manhandle the one VS in our club in the late '50s, everyone cursing the weight!

The VS class is still alive and well although only sailed by a couple of clubs in Sydney and Newcastle. The last wooden VS sailed competitively was built in the late 70's and sailed out of the Dobroyd Aquatic Club in Sydney. The class has undergone a number of design changes to rigs and deck layouts although the basic waterline shape still remains the same. Good competitive second hand boats are being sold for $2K-$5K, so as previously said, unless the boat is of some historic value or wanted by an enthusiast, I doubt there would be much of a market for it. Unfortunately that is the way of a lot of one design class boats as they get older and now that sailing as a sport is not as popular as it once was, there is even less of a market for older boats.

Just as a way of an aside, if you have a look at the Olympic class "49er" it bears an eerie resemblance to the current design VS. I know for a fact that the designer turned out the 49er just after completing the new design VS and when the owner picked up his VS it was remarked that "these would make a wonderful 2-man boat with the right rig". Within months the new Olympic class was launched from the same builder.


Brett
VS Class Life Member

Hi Brett how's things in Qld. I have sent a personal message to the person after vs pricing info, not sure but, it may be of interest to Alfie ?

will cu when the vS's return to QLD for nationals, who knows when.

lindsay

Hi Nawench, sent you a PM but not sure if I did it correctly as it doesn't show up in my sent items?

Anyway, I will ask around here anyone that may be interested in the boat, contact me on 0458 733 338 , not urgent, or reply via forum.
look forward to it.

Lindsay
Vs sailing Assoc Measurer