[PSUBS-MAILIST] Question

[Jon Wallace via Personal_Submersibles]

Subs are a niche item and it's near impossible to standardize a price 
like a motor vehicle.  It comes down to how low the seller is willing to 
let it go for and how high the buyer is willing to go to take 
possession.  The one thing that seems to be universal is that the person 
who actually builds the submarine believes it is worth WAY more than it 
is.  This likely due to the time and effort put into fabrication plus 
the emotional aspect of having proudly completed it.  I'm generally at 
the same place Alec is...$25k for a 250 and $35k for a 350, finished and 
ready or near-ready to dive.

Nobody took the $145k original price for Lake Diver seriously, however 
Maynard didn't have to sell it at the time and could afford to sit back 
and wait to see if a buyer someplace would show up.  As finances became 
tighter the sub price dropped.  At $45k it was still a bit high but at 
least a lot closer to getting a deal.  I always felt that $30k cash 
plunked down in front of Maynard personally would have pried it from his 
fingertips but $35k would have definitely sealed a deal.  Ultimately 
Harold was ready to sell somewhere between $30-$35k.  My guess is that 
his widow was not as emotionally attached to the submarine and that 
Ragan got it for $25k or less.  That deal was likely brokered by 
Harold's son.