Matt Trulio

This is one of those "Friday light" columns, http://www.boats.com/boat-content/20...o-great-calls/ that's mostly just for fun. But it seems to me that most of the activity in the performance-boat market right now is the big stuff. The smallest new model I've reported on lately is Sunsation's new 36-footer.

Some of this trend, if in fact it is a trend, is a function the economy, meaning that the people who can afford big boats can always afford big boats, and that the people who own smaller boats can only afford them in good economic times. And I realize that a decline in smaller-boat sales does not mean big-boat sales are on the rise—it might only appear that way because of the decline in the small-boat market.

Still, I am amazed at how many go-fast 40-plus-footers are being built. If you're as old as I am (though younger than T2X) you remember when 40 feet was really big. Now, not so much.

Have a great weekend.

Russ13100

While not a new model, i know Sunsation has a few orders on 288 boats right now so even smaller models are moving there, and they are in the works to possibly add a 26' entry model into there lineup but there hasn't been much more info given out other than they are working on it.

Matt Trulio

You're absolutely right about Sunsation. They do have several smaller boats in production. (I think I might have quoted Joe Schaldenbrand about that in my last piece on the new 36.) So across the board the news is relatively good for them. Glad you brought it up.

Jupiter Sunsation

Tampa- Not sure anyone would buy a small performance boat with Volvo power or the like. Mercury offers worldwide service and decent pricing on black motors (non-Merc racing). I would think they would be aggressive on price trying to sell motors to a small boat company. In that bracket of boat I think an outboard would be the way to go for sure (simpler, cheaper, lighter, faster).

Von Bongo

Problem with only big boats getting built is the entry point for new boaters to the sport is getting very high. Now a days you have to go bac 4 to5 years to get a 22 to 27 performance boat. I think that will hurt the industry going forward. Not every one needs a 38 foot boat given the size of the body of water they boat on too.

Matt Trulio

All good points here:

Tampa: There is definitely a market for a lower cost performance-boat in the size range you defined. And part of how that can happen is defined by Jupiter.

Jupiter: Dead right on MerCruiser (black) power pricing (reasonable), even more on point with the notion of outboard power. Checkmate is managing to produce solid, relatively small go-fast boats at reasonable prices—with outboard power.

VonBongo: It absolutely hurts the industry that smaller, more affordable boats are not selling, but that's a function of the economy. As I said at the outset of this thread, that big boats are still selling only means that those who could afford them before can still afford them now—at least some, anyway. But entry-level is only way to go for the "average" performance-boat buyer, and since sales of that kind are really slow I can only guess that the "average" go-fast cannot, in today's economy, afford a boat.

Mastercraft240

Will it necessarily? All of these four to five year old smaller boats are all aggressively priced against each other. This only lowers the average price of them and therefore increasing the amount of new boaters.