Appraisal: 1989 MISCHIEF 15

[capewhalers]

Give me a suggested selling price for my 1989 MISCHIEF 15 boat. This MISCHIEF 15 has red gelcoat, no bottom paint, has been used in the northeast on lakes for most of its life. The boat is now in southern Maine. The engine is the original Yamaha 70-HP. I bought this boat from its original owner several years ago. All original down to the paperwork and original gas tanks.

Fig. 1. MISCHIEF 15 to be appraised from this photograph.

mischief-5.jpg (62.98 KiB) Viewed 918 times

Fig. 2. MISCHIEF 15 to be appraised from this photograph.

mischief15-2a.jpeg (58.69 KiB) Viewed 843 times

Fig. 3. MISCHIEF 15 to be appraised from this photograph.

mischief15-3a.jpeg (24.07 KiB) Viewed 843 times

[Two additional photographs are now attached to this post--Moderator]

[jimh]

I have no idea of a suggested selling price for the 1989 MISCHIEF 15. However, I can offer some comments.

First, to judge the condition of a boat from one photograph is very difficult, but the boat as seen in Figure 1 does look to be in very nice condition.

Next, the red gel coat appears to be in good condition. Dark glossy gel coat colors are difficult to maintain, and this boat appears to have been nicely maintained. The red gel coat is an interesting aspect of appraising this boat. Most MISCHIEF 15 boats were molded in red gel coat, so this is a typical example of that model. However, having a Boston Whaler boat in red gel coat is a bit of departure from the usual hull colors used, and the MISCHIEF was also available in the a white gel coat version.

Finally, while the MISCHIEF is built atop the wonderful classic 15-foot hull, the addition of a complete deck superstructure covering the open cockpit and extending from bow to stern as seen on the MISCHIEF results in a radically different boat compared to an open skiff boat like a SPORT 15 or SUPER SPORT 15. I think there are two distinct groups of Boston Whaler enthusiasts: one group is not particularly interested in a MISCHIEF as it seems to be out of sync with the usual Boston Whaler design ethos, and the other group, which I think is smaller, just loves the idea of the MISCHIEF 15.

The best outcome for a seller of a MISCHIEF 15 is to find a buyer who really loves that model and also thinks the red gel coat was a bold and wonderful departure by Boston Whaler.

Mating the boat with a Yamaha 70-HP engine--which I assume is a two-stroke-power-cycle engine from the same 1989 year as the boat--is a very good match. I cannot imagine a better combination. Having a relatively lightweight engine on the transom is important with a MISCHIEF 15, as the added deck superstructure has added weight to the otherwise rather light hull. Maintaining proper freeboard at the transom is important to safe operation of a MISCHIEF 15.

My only recent comparable sale was a locally sold SPORT 15 from 1976, which was offered at $9,000 and found a buyer just sitting on the road side in about two days. The skiff versions of 15-foot hull are very popular, and they apparently will sell very fast at modest prices with hardly any advertising. On that basis, I would expect this 13-year-newer hull in the MISCHIEF model would fetch at least that amount and likely more.

You are in a good position to judge the value of the boat because you recently bought it. Like everything in this era of significant inflation we have been stuck with since 2020, prices are now higher on everything. On that basis I would expect you could sell the boat for more than you paid for it if you bought it prior to 2020, and assuming you are willing to wait for the right buyer to appear. The limited years of production (1988 to 1990) makes the number of MISCHIEF 15 boats available to be rather limited, so there may be an eager fan of the MISCHIEF 15 ready to buy once you actually list the boat for sale and state an asking price.

If you want the best selling price, wait for boating season to resume in 2024 and have the boat ready for an on-water demonstration to a qualified buyer. Having the trailer in road-ready condition for the buyer to tow it away is also very helpful.

[WillVan]

Hello, capewhalers--I am also located in Maine and owned one of these rare red Mischief models for several years. Because the model shares the excellent 15-foot Sport hull from the rub rail down, I enjoyed it immensely and used it mostly in coastal waters. Mine had a Evinrude 65-HP not-too-old engine.

JimH likes to say it's just a frilly sport boat, but we were comfortable going well offshore and used the MISCHIEF with three persons aboard for a three-day, 90-mile island camping trip.

Using tilt helm, I could still stand up at the helm in heavy weather. My crew also appreciated the unusual-for-Whaler comfortable seating, storage spaces, and wind protection that we see more on today's smaller sport models. Although different from other classics of the time, there were very practical parts to the MISCHIEF. We liked responding to quizzed looks from folks that "It's a Boston Whaler!"

Having said this, I negotiated for a lower price both in buying and selling. And I learned that the model is not so well recognized or appreciated as the SPORT 15 models and so has a more limited market. To describe or promote this model without SEEING IT in person is hard. At the time I would have said the value was discounted about 20 to 25%, compared to an ordinary SPORT 15. This has changed a little as the boat market has gone over to more cushy accommodations, lounge seating, bow-riders and all that. Still I would think this is worth less than another model 15-footer.

The red gelcoat on my MISCHIEF was fading badly, and someone had over-coated decks with clear polyurethane (also peeling), but like with rare cars with special features not seen today, part of me wishes I still owned it and used it occasionally. Someday the collectors might be willing to give this more of a premium. With such fine condition, wouldn't it be wonderful to just preserve it somehow?

[capewhalers]

Thanks WillVan.

I can certainly see either a value discount to a "traditional Whaler" lover, or a small premium to a lover of both Whalers and the unusual. With nicely restored 15-footers being advertised for $15,000 to $20,000--no idea on selling prices--I'd be pretty happy on either side for an extremely clean, low-hour all-original example.

[jimh]

I will confess that two very close friends of mine own MISCHIEF 15 boats, but I must also observe that in one case the MISCHIEF is perhaps one of five Boston Whaler owned, and in the second case, the MISCHIEF is one of several other boats owned. And in all cases, the MISCHIEF is generally used only in protected waters.