Longshort: Well, I have to admit... I have no idea how much they want for this particular used TC24 hull. I did not call. But, I will mention to you like I mentioned to a banker one time using some of the same "GENERAL" percentage figures when I was looking for a PARTICULAR item.
My hunt was for a Toyota truck. One with automatic. One with the little extra extended cab. One with a V-6. I was looking to buy a new one cause I never had a new truck. $13,500 was the brand new sale price...in 1991. Every time I said I wanted each of the 3 items above... they added $1000 basically...so...my new truck went from $13.5 to about $16,000... I sat in my recliner that Saturday morning drinking coffee getting myself in that "You deserve it mode...".... before going to the dealer and dropping the $16K. Then...blow me down, if just in the next neighborhood, there was a 1989 Toy truck with the 3 items I wanted....never wrecked, 22,000 miles on it for $8500. Well my banker who had no problem sinking me in for $16K for a new about to be used truck that would depreciate about 20% the day I drove off the lot.... said his little yellow/blue/black books said the particular used truck was only worth about $7500.... I said FANTASTIC!!! Find it for me in as good as condition in this town and I'll give you $7750 for it and you treat your wife Jenny to a weekend in Birmingham at the Gallarea shopping mall wthe the $250... Well... he smilled, realizing that if Jenny went to the Galarea...it would cost HIM way more than $250...and that was a great deal and better "investment" for $8500 than a new one for $16,000... and....no way in Bama could he find anything close to this truck used. ....and an hour later, I brought him the title...and loved my used truck for another 187,000 miles...and still sold it for $6000...
So...all I am saying with your math....is you are 100% correct with MOST BOATS... I feel you will truly loose out on enjoying a lot of great times on a very nice hull if you attempt to find one using the NORMAL BOAT numbers... I had hull #54 that was built in 2003. Not sure how many more they built thru 2003-2005(ish) when they stopped building them, and started the big brother (with advantages and disadvantages alike over the original TomCat)...but.... IF.... IF... you are looking for a C-Dory TC24 used hull on the east coast... you are looking for a needle in a hay stack. Most of us who have sold, or have for sale our TC24s, can wait out for a buyer, making our investment in our TC24s a sound choice, and know not to put ourselves in a pinch over a boat...buy ordering a new one prior to selling the old. Now I found my needle with the used 89 Toyota. What a blessing that was. Get over the 50% stuff... if you want to enjoy a TC24. There simply is not that many of them around, and they bring their price...and are a great, roomy, wide open, economical hull to operate, AND...they hold their value. So... you might re-do your numbers, figuring what you could sell the used 2 stroke motors for, for what you could sell the used trailer for...and start there.
FINDING A USED TC24 on the east coast is the trick. Drive cross country to the west coast where the "population" of TC24s are (less than 100 ever built I think???)...and unless your treck cross country has always been a dream...you will for sure spend thousands in fuel alone. Go ahead and spend it on the boat and go get out having fun and enjoying life on the boat.
And... like James and his family on Molly Brown have enjoyed... go do the crossing. Hopefully, a gang of us will get a trip up Apr07 and go over together.
Happy Hunting!!
Byrdman