Fuel prices - and the cost of fiberglas, resin, and all that other petroleum-based stuff. I'm sure this must have contributed to the demise of PDQ Yachts as much as the increased value of the dollar.
My price question - being obviously new to this game (first post!) - is perhaps more general: how inflated are most "asking prices"? E.g., when I see a Contessa advertised for , say, $10,000 or $15,000, what should I really expect this will work out to once the deal is done?
My related question: since it's pretty much unlikely that I'd be able to afford a newer boat, am I really missing out on anything by getting a pre-1983. I'm only 5'9" (and guests should just consider themseleves lucky enough to be aboard!) so the headroom thing isn't much of an issue. A hatch is easy enough to install, and an anchor well should be within the realm of possibilities, right? It seems the premium for these is quite expensive.