The fifth update is here and it’s a big one… figuratively and literally.

I traded the ATV from the last update locally as part of a package for two boats. This trade involved me breaking my cash rule (of not wanting to put in cash, trades only), but I’m allowed to cheat at my own game at least once, right? I put in cash for two reasons:

1. It was necessary as part of the deal I was being offered.
2. I knew with the deal I was being offered that I could get my cash back, and then some, very quickly.

I was not wrong.

The deal was two boats – both running without major mechanical issues – along with two boat trailers, for my ATV + $1,950 cash. Before you tell me that’s a lot of money to gamble on, I already sold one of the boats for $2,000. In other words, I got all of my cash back (+ $50) and effectively traded up my ATV for this bad boy, which is currently sitting at my dock:

It’s a 17 foot Sunbird with the original Johnson outboard – both in real good shape for the age!

Financially this is a big trade up from the ATV, and certainly from the Nintendo where I started.

I would estimate the local value is hovering around the $4,000 range. This means I’m up 2,000% from where I started. Not too shabby and it’s also nice having something that’s more in my wheelhouse since I’m not an ATV guy (it’s easier to trade or sell something when you at least have a little bit of knowledge of how it functions).

It will be interesting to see what trade offers will come my way now that I’m climbing the ladder.

Another bonus is that while I work on the next trade, I have something fun to mess around with on the lake:

The Johnson outboard is a true work horse, I actually had one with the very first aluminum boat I ever owned back in 2008-ish. It was a 8 Horsepower though, not a 90! It flies:

The only drawback is the $80 fuel fill ups at the Marina, but that’s another story…

And for fun, here’s a look at the other boat that I sold:

It’s a fishing boat, and I live in a popular fishing area, so I’m not surprised it was so quick to move. I was, however, pretty surprised the original seller was willing to let it go for so little. Then again he also owns a boat shop and from what I’ve gathered, there’s no shortage of boats he wants to get out of the way.

So long! The buyer, Cheyanne, about to tow it away.

As is becoming a trend with these updates, here’s some of the high(and low)lights via Craigslist when I was first trying to swap the ATV over the end of the winter / spring:

The time and costs involved in replacing the floor would be completely pointless when you could spend the same money on an entire setup that’s not rotting. It’s the equivalent to replacing the body of an undesirable thirty year old car… “great possibilities” though. Sorry, this is one of my pet peeves.

Maine.

This would probably be fun to zip around with until I traded it, but not a big trade up.

Both really rough. Would be a big step down.

Same deal as a bunch of the other trade offers.. would probably be fun to play around with until it was swapped, but difficult to swap in the warm months.

Next:
Update #6 • 7/22/17

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Update #4 • 1/31/17
Update #3 • 12/22/16
Update #2 • 10/7/16
Update #1 • 9/15/16