Is a Wooden Yacht a Good Investment? Resale, Operating Income and the Data That Is Missing

By Wooden Yacht For Sale Editorial Desk

Asking prices, not valuations: prices on this page are quoted as published by third-party brokers and marketplaces, with source and check month. Every boat is subject to third-party survey, haul-out and document check. Nothing here is legal advice.

Is a wooden yacht a good investment? Published data cannot answer that, because no third-party depreciation or resale series for Indonesian wooden hulls exists. What is published: Labuan Bajo had 340 phinisi among 707 registered vessels in September 2025, media reports of nightly rates, and Emerhub's company structure for commercial operation. Value from comparables and survey.

Anyone who gives you a confident return figure for a timber boat should show you the evidence for it. In our research we found operator marketing and scattered asking prices, but no neutral record of what boats actually sold for or what they earned. Here is how to think about the decision anyway.

Is this an asset, a business or a lifestyle purchase?

The word "investment" gets used for three quite different purchases. Work out which one is yours before looking at numbers, because each is judged differently.

Most honest cases are a mix, and it's fine if lifestyle wins. Just don't let a spreadsheet pretend otherwise. Our comparison of wooden and fiberglass yachts shows what a timber hull adds to the running side.

Why does no resale or depreciation percentage appear here?

A depreciation rate needs a series of real sale prices, matched by age, size and condition. We could not find one for Indonesian wooden hulls. Listing sites show what sellers ask, and sellers rarely publish what they finally accepted.

Timber makes this harder. Two boats of the same age can be in very different states, so an average would hide the thing that matters most. The price table on this page shows two published examples, and our wooden yacht price guide gives more, all as asking prices.

Those examples can help you check the market range. They do not show you a trend, and any one of them may be out of date.

What context is there on operating income, and what are its caveats?

Published figures come mostly from media, aggregators and consultants. Travel sites publish nightly liveaboard rates in Komodo in budget, mid-range and luxury bands, and Emerhub cites much higher nightly figures for established operators. We leave the figures to those sources because the range is so wide that a single number would mislead.

Keep three caveats in mind:

• A rate is not income. It says nothing about occupancy, commissions or the months a boat is out of service.
• The sources have interests. Consultants, agents and operators all benefit from a confident market story.
• Your structure sets your costs. Emerhub describes specific licences, Indonesian crew requirements and capital requirements for a foreign-invested operator.

Emerhub also reports about 432,000 visitors to Labuan Bajo in 2025, up 30 percent year on year, citing Tempo. That is useful context on demand, but it says nothing about how those visitors spread across a large number of boats.

What does the Labuan Bajo fleet count say about supply?

KSOP Labuan Bajo reported 707 registered vessels operating in September 2025, of which 340 were phinisi, according to Labuan Bajo Voice. That is a lot of competition in one harbour for any new operator, and also a large pool of boats that could come to market.

The count has limits. It tells you nothing about occupancy, age, condition or how many boats change hands. It is also a snapshot, so ask whether the number has moved since. For an investor it raises useful questions rather than settling any.

• Who are the guests for your proposed boat, and who else is chasing them?
• What would make yours different, besides price?
• If you needed to sell in a hurry, how many similar boats would be on offer?

Which costs eat returns: survey, refit, crew, permits, insurance?

We print no amounts here because we have no reliable source for them. List every line, and get a written number for each one.

1. Purchase. Survey, haul-out, legal work, notary, transfer.
2. Catch-up. Repairs from the survey, plus any refit.
3. Company. Emerhub reports that foreign shareholding in a domestic shipping company is capped at 49 percent, with an Indonesian legal entity holding the rest, and it sets out minimum investment and capital levels. Check these with a licensed lawyer.
4. Permits. Emerhub names SIUPAL, SIOPSUS and SIUPAR, and reports three to six months for the company and permits.
5. Crew. Emerhub reports that all crew on such a vessel must be Indonesian nationals.
6. Insurance. Emerhub reports hull and machinery plus P&I are needed for port clearance. Premium data for timber hulls is a gap.
7. Upkeep. Antifouling, haul-outs, varnish, caulking and engine servicing.
8. Downtime. Time in the yard, off season, or held by the port authority.

The safety record belongs here too. Media counted at least six tourist phinisi sinking around Labuan Bajo in 2025, and KSOP at one point closed sailing temporarily. A closure stops income while most costs continue.

How do you value a boat from comparables and survey findings?

Lacking transaction data, use a structured estimate and be open about how rough it is.

1. Gather comparable listings by length, type and age, recording source and date.
2. Remove expired, unverified or incomplete ones, or mark them clearly.
3. Commission a survey with haul-out and a sea trial on your chosen boat.
4. Price the survey's recommendations with written yard quotes.
5. Subtract those costs from your view of what a sound equivalent would ask.
6. Ask the surveyor for a written value opinion, with the evidence behind it.

Boatmere's warning signs are also relevant to value. A seller who refuses a haul-out or sea trial is telling you something about the price.

Where are operating boats discussed?

If you're leaning towards the business case, our guide to liveaboards for sale in Indonesia covers cabins, permits and what to check on a working boat. Consider also talking to someone who has run one, and find out what they would do differently. Then have an accountant and a lawyer stress-test your plan with pessimistic assumptions before you commit.

If the plan only works when every month is full and nothing breaks, you have your answer.

What do people ask about returns and resale?

We answer what we can and mark the rest. We are not financial advisers, and nothing here is investment advice.

Do wooden yachts hold their value?

We cannot tell you with data, because we found no third-party depreciation or resale series for Indonesian wooden hulls. Sale prices are rarely public. Well-documented boats with recent survey evidence should be easier to sell, but that is reasoning rather than a measured result.

Do classic wooden yachts appreciate?

We found no reliable index showing that they do. Sandeman and Wooden Ships publish asking prices for classic yachts, which tells you what sellers hope for, not what buyers paid. Restoration and upkeep can also exceed any later gain, so treat appreciation as unproven.

Is a wooden yacht worth buying if it will not make money?

It can be, if you want the boat and can afford to run her. Use and enjoyment are legitimate reasons to buy. Set your budget on the basis that you may not recover the money, and let the numbers be a limit on the dream rather than a justification for it.

Can charter income pay for a wooden yacht?

It might cover part of the cost for some operators, but we cannot confirm a typical return. Published nightly rates vary hugely and are not profit. Occupancy, crew, permits, insurance, repairs and time out of service all come first, so build a full model with your adviser.

How do I value a wooden yacht before purchase?

Start from comparable published asking prices, sorted by length, type and condition, then adjust using the survey's repair estimates. Ask a surveyor for a written value opinion and find out what evidence supports it. Asking prices alone are only a starting point.

Which sources support this page?

Checked by the desk in October and November 2026. A source being listed does not mean the source agrees with us or has reviewed this page, and limited-verification items deserve a second look before you rely on them.

• Labuan Bajo Voice, KSOP vessel count, September 2025
• Emerhub, Liveaboard business in Indonesia, March 2026 (commercial consultant; limited verification)
• Asik Travel, Komodo liveaboard rates (aggregator; limited verification)
• IDN Times, 2025 Labuan Bajo vessel incidents (media)
• Yacht Sourcing, used vessels
• YachtWorld, Asia category (search listing, verify on YachtWorld)
• Boatmere, Surveying a wooden hull
• Sandeman Yacht Company, classic yachts
• Wooden Ships, sailing yachts for sale

Written and checked by the Wooden Yacht For Sale Editorial Desk.

How do I discuss an operating or private purchase with the desk?

Tell us which of the three cases fits you, and send a buyer brief following the wooden yacht buying steps. Reach the desk on WhatsApp 6281139414563 or at bd@juaraholding.com.