>I will be sitting in on the acution and will note what boats sold for--and how much damage. In my opinion, an auction is one of the worst ways to buy something because something I can describe only as "auction fever" takes over, and you often end up paying more for something than it's really worth, or that you would have paid for it if it were offered for sale "normally"-- in a store or from an individual. True, you can sometimes get a bargain at an auction, and something like e-Bay is a frequent source of good prices on things. But even the e-Bay auctions can get you to pay more for something than you might otherwise have to pay, assuming you could find the item somewhere else to begin with. Evidence of this "auction fever" can be seen at every major art or artifact auction. The appraisers figure Babe Ruth's bat or such and such a Picasso will go for "x" amount of money. Invariably these things go for more, often way more, than the initial estimate. Auctions are great for the sellers, and usually not so great for the buyers from a price point of view. I've been to a few auctions, and even been the high bidder on some items. The competition between bidders on a desirable item often drives the price way above what that same item would have been priced in an antique store, art gallery, etc. Even on e-Bay, you see the "name" of the person bidding against you on a piece of china or something, and a "I'm not going to let that guy get it" mentality sets in and you can end up bidding far more for the item than you would have considered spending if you saw the same item on display and priced in a store. I'm not saying people shouldn't go to auctions and bid on stuff. But it sure seems like the ideal way to spend more than you want to on something that isn't worth what you paid for it. ______________________________ C. Marin Faure GB36-403 "La Perouse" Bellingham, Washington