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| Dan Mecum – Mecum Auctions |
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| F. Todd Warner – Mahogany Bay |
If you are in the hobby of Antique & Classic boats you have no doubt come across F. Todd Warner and his company Mahogany Bay. F.Todd has been in the business of such boats his entire life. Mahogany Bay started in 1974 and has been home to some of the top collector boats since day one. He has owned over 1000 boats and helped write books, give speeches, and even a stint on the Antiques Road Show…You can click here to visit Mahogany Bay.. But what makes F. Todd only half of the coveted Woody Boater of the month award this month? Well.. It’s kind of a duet… Meet Dana Mecum..With Mecum Auctions Dana has been in the business of auctions for close to 24 years.. big time auctions.. if you watch TV, you can’t miss them.. It’s entertainment or a drug fix for us addicts.. Either way you look at it.
When F. Todd and Dana met up.. A new way of thinking has been set for us in the classic boat hobby.. You are watching history take place for the hobby this and next month.. It started off with a bang last year with the sale of a Riva for way over $700,000, and this past month with the Monterey auction. Boats.. BOATS were the top sellers.. So, with this big NO RESERVE Warner Collection auction coming up in Minnisotta, the world is about to change. Prices will change, perspectives will change… For years Todd has been saying these boats are under valued.. Say what you want.. complain… what ever, time marches on.. And if we in the hobby want the hobby to continue, we need to be honest and see the true value of fine wood boats.. The math does not work out after a restoration of $75K on a boat that can only sell for $30K.. Something has to change.. And the change agents right now, are Dana and F.Todd.. Regardless of the out come next month.. change will have happened.. Ironic, since clearly no one in the hobby likes change.. Dear god, the last time that happened was the introduction of Philips head screws!
So here is to Dana and F. Todd, for making that bold leap into the future.. Congrats..I have my new Philips Screw driver ready…
Does that mean the leaky boat in my yard is worth more than I think?
Seeing that I am on the lower price point of wood boating, I am very careful about how much I put into a boat. If I cant sell it at a distress sale and break even I wont buy it.
Randy Rush- Captain Grumpy