Went to the boat show last night....

[dave 911]

Now I'm not a boat guy, so until last night I had no idea what they cost...holy crap they are expensive!

When did ski/wakeboard boats get to be $100+?? And they are freaking huge also. And heavy. Now I see at least one reason why pick-ups have gotten bigger.

The was a Master Craft top-of-the-line model w/ a 7.2L Ilmor (sweet looking engine BTW) that had a $144,000 price tag - yowsah.

I went with a couple buddies who are boat guys. It was cool to see all the rigs but I was surprised at how pricey they are - even the fishing boats and pontoon boats.

[Rot 911]

Any boat has gotten crazy expensive. People are paying $25K plus for bass boats! Nice thing is it has driven up the price of used bass boats. I bought my 17' Nitro in 1993 for $5900. Sold it last year for $4900! On the other had, the resale value of most other boats sinks as fast as a boat anchor. Like a 50% drop in just a few years. I could never understand why anyone would buy a new boat.

[biosurfer1]

My family had a 1991 Malibu Euro ski boat growing up. My dad was a competitive water skier so we used the CRAP out of that thing. He bought it for $15k out the door new and sold it 13 years later for $12k. Not a bad return. My dad was crazy anal about keeping that thing it top shape but even so, the return on that boat was amazing.

I can't imagine spending $144k on something barely used each year when you really think about it.

[GH85Carrera]

A buddy of mine got into tournament fishing. He had a fishing buddy partner that bought the boat and my friend bought the truck to get to the lakes. I was over there once the night before they were getting ready to leave the next day.

I was stunned at the huge pickup and boat and all the gear they had just to go fishing.

The claimed they were the small time guys and said it was not difficult at all to spend 1/2 million for a top bass boat, big F450 pickup and all the fishing gear needed to be competitive.

Men and their toys.

That much would be way better spent on a race car!

[Dantilla]

I've had a few boats, always something that will do 60+ mph, always bought used.

At the boat show a few years ago, sales dude showed how they squeezed in a small potty and gas stove so it will qualify for a mortgage on a second home.

What??

A mortgage on a boat? Sorry. Not interested in borrowing money for toys. If I buy another boat, it will be a used one.

[Chocaholic]

We went to the Atlanta boat show last weekend. Hope to move back to the lake house in a few years. Not only are the prices just insane, but they'll finance for 240 months...20 years! And on a pontoon boat ($50k+).

Yep...will be a used one for us when the time comes. Beautiful boats for sure...especially the Mastercrafts and Cobalts, but I can't imagine buying one. You'd have to be insanely wealthy or insanely irresponsible. And I'm guessing most are sold to the latter.

[id10t]

Never been fishing in a boat in fresh water... always small ponds and such... ultra light gear, etc. Should I loose everything fishing related I could re-equip for under $100 including a $20 license...

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

We went to the Atlanta boat show last weekend. Hope to move back to the lake house in a few years. Not only are the prices just insane, but they'll finance for 240 months...20 years! And on a pontoon boat ($50k+).

Was talking to a local high end used car jockey the other day. He was bragging that most people with good credit don't realize he could finance them in something like a 997 for close to 100k on 10 yr payments and it's only around 1k/month... I was thinking in my head, ya they realize it, but they are stupid enough to take out a 10 year note on a used car!!!

I knew several people in OK that had new big fancy boats. Lots of guys working in the oilfield with barely a GED that were making 100k+. They all went and bought fancy trucks and boats. Most of them are crying broke now and toys are getting sold off as they can't scratch the payments.

[ckelly78z]

I've been to the Cleveland IX center boat show several times, and just marvel at how much spendable income people have for thier hobbies. I have owned several boats with the biggest being an open bow 21 ft with 170 HP I/O for family cruising on smaller inland lakes (not the great lakes).

It was alot of entertainment to see these proud new owners of the mini-yachts trying to back down the ramp to get the boat launched for the first time, with one spouse yelling at the other, and nothing going right.

Upon retirement, I might get another 16' Lund, or Lowe brand deep V fishing boat with a 40-50 HP motor on the back, with a bow mounted trolling motor.....something for hitting small lakes, resevoirs, and rivers, but I think I will have to look at used boats

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

We went to the Atlanta boat show last weekend. Hope to move back to the lake house in a few years. Not only are the prices just insane, but they'll finance for 240 months...20 years! And on a pontoon boat ($50k+).

Yep...will be a used one for us when the time comes. Beautiful boats for sure...especially the Mastercrafts and Cobalts, but I can't imagine buying one. You'd have to be insanely wealthy or insanely irresponsible. And I'm guessing most are sold to the latter.

My family got into the boat thing for many years (we live on the pacific coast).
My brother and I would go to the boat show just over the bridge in Long Beach and ohhh and ahhh over the yachts... but yeah, many of them carried the price tag of a modest home. My brothers dream was to live on a boat, however his plan was to do that by restoring an old trawler or tug boat.

Originally Posted by biosurfer1

My family had a 1991 Malibu Euro ski boat growing up. My dad was a competitive water skier so we used the CRAP out of that thing. He bought it for $15k out the door new and sold it 13 years later for $12k. Not a bad return. My dad was crazy anal about keeping that thing it top shape but even so, the return on that boat was amazing.

Not bad... but what was the anual cost of maintenance on that boat?

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

Any boat has gotten crazy expensive. People are paying $25K plus for bass boats! Nice thing is it has driven up the price of used bass boats. I bought my 17' Nitro in 1993 for $5900. Sold it last year for $4900! On the other had, the resale value of most other boats sinks as fast as a boat anchor. Like a 50% drop in just a few years. I could never understand why anyone would buy a new boat.

$25k for a bass boat...you mean the outboard sans boat?

The big power outboards, you know the ones you see multiples of hanging off big center consoles... Them little babies start in the $20k ea range!

[VincentVega]

I have an eye out for a ~21' runabout or maybe a center console, target 5-8k. Sure it'll be older but it floats and runs. I dont get it either but just like new Porsche's someone has to buy it new so I can buy it used.

[J P Stein]

My fishing partner died a couple years back......we had about 30 years of good times. A great guy that had a cheepo drift boat......yeah, I know, WTF is a drift boat.....It drifts down rivers and has oars. Going up stream is a problem.

Now days, I'm a solitary bank rat with a fly rod......don't get much simpler than that.....and I still get Steelhead. No more expeditions wading down river a mile or so. BTDT and found several spots on several rivers. Summer only, I'm old.

[MT930]

My current Boat

Growing up around lots of boats. I have seen a lot money frittered away. Airplanes will do it even faster.

I do see the draw. A 10-15 year old Trawler would be a great second home in the PNW. the Wife would never go for it. Used is the only way it could see buying one.

The depreciation curve on boats is hard fathom.

[onewhippedpuppy]

We have a 23' Monterrey, if I had to sell every toy that I owned, the last to go would be the boat. It is the best investment in family fun that we have ever made. It is also a 2004 that I could probably sell for $25k, best case. It was probably $65k new, and the new ones are more like $80k. I have no idea why anyone would buy a brand new boat.

[gprsh924]

As with most things, buying lightly used is key.

We bought a 2012 Nautique 200 Sport V last spring with under 200 hours. Saved over 40% compared to a new one.

The second home on the lake for the boats is really the expensive part.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by MT930

The depreciation curve on boats is hard fathom.

I see what you did there...

[yetibone]

In 1990 when my dad was fishing his last year of Red Man, and Hungry Fisherman tournaments trails, a new and fully rigged Ranger 394V with Lowrance graph and depth finder, a 200hp Johnson GT, and a Minn Kota trolling motor with foot control was somewhere around $35,000.

A comparable rig these days is around $80,000

[bkreigsr]

Any thread about boat shows is supposed to include pictures of well endowed spokes models.
Please re-read the forum guidelines regarding introducing personal experiences to the community.
Thank You
Bill K

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by bkreigsr

Any thread about boat shows is supposed to include pictures of well endowed spokes models.

Bill K

I saw plenty of those "supermodel" types at the Detroit auto show on Tuesday, after talking to several, I was very impressed with thier indepth knowledge of the cars, and of course thier hemlines !