Boat & watercraft market????? Down??
 

I own a Personal watercraft Business in Delaware, sales, have been down, we also sell some high performance boats for select customers, anybody else notice the same problem? I have had my own personal Donzi 26Zx for sale all summer with maybe 2 phone calls, and in the last 2 months I sold just 4 new Sea Doo watercraft with great rebates. Not trying to be a downer just asking everyone else in the industry if they have noticed a slowdown?

www.WMFwatercraft.com
www.WMFwatercraft.net ( new Site)

Is this a joke?

No joke just wondering what to look foward too in the market, sorry if this is a dumb question.



www.WMFwatercraft.com
www.WMFwatercraft.net

its great if you got cash to buy!!!!!!!!!

Yes I agree with that its a buyer market, not a sellers market


www.WMFwatercraft.com
www.WMFwatercraft.net

I sell Liberator tunnels and Checkmates in Florida. I'm just a one man shop and do it all myself. Most of my stuff is more custom than normal. I was selling 4 or 5 boats a year. So far this year I sold 19. Three just two weeks ago. I don't know what's going on, but I hope it does'nt stop! http://liberatorfl.tripod.com

Great to hear, I am also a small shop owner, with just 4 employees, but I do most things myself, I just wanted to hear some good news I am tired of listing to bad news and economy problems. Thanks

www.WMFwatercraft.com
www.WMFwatercraft.net

Unfortunately it is bad news for boating businesses.

Maybe it's this part of the country then



http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=171391

The PWC business is down because all those punkass kids can't get 110% financing anymore! High end stuff is selling because those type people don't count on creative financing.

I know the market here is off bad in our area. My local marina sells pontoons, aluminums, v-hulls, decks, sea-doos. Most of their stuff is quality boats from 26 foot and down, anything larger they usually order. Last year they sold like 61 aluminum boats rigged with trailers and outboards, this year they have sold a few G3s and thats about it. They are a monterey boat dealer and I bet they haven't sold 10 fiberglass v-hulls all summer long. Their marina is full of 2007 and even a few 2006 models that are brand new. The PWC business here is booming though, lots of those sold this summer.

The funny part is that Cigarette boats are raising there prices another 15% more this month? I cannot believe guys are paying those prices:rolleyes:

The PWC business is down because all those punkass kids can't get 110% financing anymore! High end stuff is selling because those type people don't count on creative financing


Most people that own PWC's arent kids they are in the age rang from 30-60 years old, the PWC,s industry has changed greatly over the years, its geared more for adults now.

I'm just going by my area. Never see adults on them around here. Hope things turn around for you guys next year. When your business is up that means everyones is up!

I agree the PWC industry has changed, I see a bunch of older couples riding them on our lake all the time. Hell, they have become about as practical as a boat in today's time with the large storage and the ability to haul three folks, and even tow skiers and watersports activities. Hell they will even run 70+MPH out the door. Other than no lights to run at dark there isn't much difference for some, they'd rather have a PWC.

Sales has & always will be a tough racket. It always goes up & down.. I did some sales at our place as well as brokerage in the past as a sideline, but now I just mainly do refferals for my customers looking for a boat.. Now my service, resto & Custom shop has been busier than ever.. So I dont have to really worry about sales at all.. :D

However I know from some other places that we are friendly with that are mainly sales facilities that the sales there could be better.. The housing market, fuel prices & Banking procedures today are not doing anything to help the situation..

I would think eventually this will tun around for the better again as well, this $hit seems have cycles to it..

:) Jamie / Lakeside

.

Our biz is the slowest Ive seen 15 years,Its pretty soft.:(

dern...15 years, thats incredible man. I hope to see it pick up soon also. Like mentioned above, fuel costs has a bunch to do with it.

Is this because of the oil prices raising the cost of materials?

That and the fact that people in that boat price range can afford it.

I am in the custom industrial hydraulic power unit business. We have more work on the books now than ever before. We are booked out until the end of the year and rapidly approching the end of January. That being said, component lead times for pumps, valves ect are edging out. This makes delivery date forecasting very difficult. The last time I saw this happen was just before the recession in the 70's.

I heard from some reliable sources that Mercury has had some layoffs in several facilities. This is a good indicator that the market is real soft now. We seem to be moderatly busy now and I hope it keeps up and the market comes back strong soon for everyone in the industry.

Ray @ Raylar

I posted this in another thread. The issue of market softness of high performance boating in particular is around the increased cost to be in the sport/hobby. In 2001, you could buy a brand new Cig 38 Twin Step Top Gun for 150K. Today, you pay $350K. This has something to do with the increase cost of petroleum based material but also, quite frankly, the products are a whole lot nicer around finishes. The variable and associated costs are up as well. In 2001, gas was $1.50 on the water, today it is between $3- $3.50, Insurance was about $1200 a year, and today I pay $4700. Storage has also doubled, trailers have doubled. Name another industry that you have seen a rapid inflation of cost. If you can find a few other than South Florida condos, I bet they fit in a “need” category versus a “want”. The bottom line is that the sport/ hobby is now only affordable to a few. The middle class can no longer afford to participate, which softens the market as a whole. With no middle class, the secondary or resale market dies. It eventually pulls down new boat market as well. You are seeing some of that now. That is why companies like OL and Active Thunder are only doing limited production of their product, so they can control their margins and ability to profit in a smaller market. Production makers like Donzi and Fountain will suffer given the shift. That’s just my .002.

I've been slow lately, but it is normal for sales to drop just before the boat shows in this area. At least I finally got some time to work on my cars! Next week is already booked for 3 days, so this vacation is over.

Most of the boat industry is down. Small cheap stuff is selling according to other dealer....and I mean inflatables and aluminum boat are hot.....BUT CHEAP.

Now the HP stuff........very slow in the NE, mid west and central south, but certain pockets of the country are doing just OK....like FL, CA, TX and thats about it.

So is it economic or gasoline or just a shift in demographic clients getting older and moving into fishing and cabin cruisers?

Just look at Poker Run attendance.......from what I see it is down nationwide.......right there is a solid indication of market change.

My business has been down for the last 10 - 11 months.
I am a member of lots of other A/V dealers and everyone of them is experiencing a slow down. Where's this booming economy we keep hearing about?

I also have a small boat business. Our sales have been off quite a bit this year, but service has been pretty good. I attributed it a lot to the fact we had record rainfall this year and our main lake was closed all of July due to flooding. I haven't seen the gas prices having a noticable impact on boating around here. None of my custmers have even mentioned gas prices(related to boating).

INTRESTING (I BELIVE THE MIDDLE CLASS IS BEING TERORIZED BY ITS LEADER BUSH. PERIOD:hitfan:

compared to the sinking dollar yes...
It has been going down at a rate that if it was a ski-jumping hill not even the best would wan´t to try it...

I am in the business of selling companies. Our firm Premier Business Group, LTD is representing two large boat dealers in the Midwest. Both have sales that are up for the year. Both sell upscale quality boats. I have been told quality boats with solid brand names are selling.

About two weeks ago I was talking to different boat dealers when I was at Lake Travis and both said this year has been a banner year for sales.

Maybe watercraft sales are down because the average one costs upwards of $10-12K, up from $5K or so a few years ago!....... You can buy a used powerboat for that.
Now, most young people don't have that kind of money sitting around for a PWC, forget the 110% financing BS the dealerships offer, the money is still way too large for a PWC.
Maybe one of the reasons for the popularity of standups.........cheap, fun to ride, simple to work on and easy to haul around in the back of a pickup, unlike those huge new "couches" that weight in at around 800-900lbs!

Brad I Looked At Your Site And The Dealers You Speak Of And 20 Million In Sales With A Profit Of 1 Million Befor Expenses Doesnt Sound Like A Strong Proffit Margine, Maybe Im Reading Wrong?

BRUNSWICK HAS LAID HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES OFF AND CLOSED 1 PLANT COMPLETLY. NOT A GOOD SIGN. IVE HERD AT THE BAJA PLANT 30 PERCENT OF THE PRODUCTION IS SEA RAYS NOT BAJAs.

I agree with everything most have said, but as a general whole the market is down in allot of industry's not just in boating.

There is probobly allot of boats selling but they are not bringing the money they should, it is very much a buyers market.

I own a wholesale car business and our sales are down roughly 18% after being pretty consistant over the last 5 years.

I personally believe the slump is due to the downfall of the sub-prime housing market and now it is trickling into other industry's. There isnt too many lenders or finanical institutions out there lining up to take risks anymore....which in turn slows allot of things down.

I think allot of it also has to do with the fact that we have a complete idiot running our country, although I personally think he does a wonderful job for a retarded person.