Minnesota dealer to hold public auction of boats
By IBI Magazine
Minnesota-based Crystal-Pierz Marine will be holding its first public used-boat auction on Sunday at a location near Minneapolis. According to its website, www.publicboatauction.com, there are over 100 used boats that will be auctioned off. Mike Sorensen, general manager of the dealer's showroom in Rogers, Minnesota, said that Crystal-Pierz is holding the auction for several reasons. "The used boat market is so strong around here that most dealers are not sitting with a lot of used boats, so we thought we would try to locate more quality used product," said Sorensen. "We're also trying to help the industry create some buzz and get more people into boating in these slower economic times." Sorensen said that about 200 boats are expected to be at the auction. A number are from dealers, but many are from individual owners. Some are even being brought from outside the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. "They range from a boat a guy had in his garage for three years to some from owners that are experiencing hard economic times," said Sorensen. Local boater Bruce Larson decided to list one of his two fishing boats in the auction. Larson told the St Paul Pioneer-Press that he's not selling the boat for financial reasons, but hasn't been using it much. "I just have too many toys," said Larson. Sorensen said that about 100 buyers have registered for the auction, and many are coming from Canada. "The strong Canadian dollar is prompting many Canadians to come down here looking for good used product," said Sorensen. Crystal-Pierz is collecting a 5 per cent fee from sellers and buyers. It will also charge a US$250 no-sale fee for sellers who set a reserve minimum above their boat's wholesale book value.
(24 April 2008)
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