Interceptor

Tell that to our Mercedes dealership salesmen ! They can't keep enough cars in stock and they're building a brand new BMW showroom. MTI, Nortech & Cigarette are building boats. Again, I think the problem with Checkmate is the middle class has less access to reckless spending which translates to bad times for manufactures of material item i.e. boats, motorcycles, campers etc.

TexasVines

the stock market is disconnected from what is actually going on with the USA economy and the average person on the street....not because the average person on the street does not own stocks, but because US companies are making a large portion of their profits overseas, productivity is at an all time high, large companies that have access to capital or that have saved capital for the rough times are able to borrow at extremely low rates and or spend on equipment at a relatively low cost and then further increase productivity and lastly banks and financial companies and others are able to borrow at the fed discount window for zero or near zero and take that cash and invest it in commodities and stocks and equipment to increase productivity per worker and make huge returns on that because of course it is extremely difficult to lose money when you are borrowing for zero or next to no cost especially when you are taking that borrowed money and using it to make inflationary investments that drive up the prices and profits of the things you have invested in......while the average person on the street either can't borrow because they are not credit worthy or if they can borrow it is at high pay day lender rates or credit card rates

and yes the type of people that own high performance boats (after the financial melt down) and can actually still AFFORD to do so are going to be able to take advantage of those opportunities to a degree, but those right below them and those that are lower income, but slightly responsible with finances, are not able to drive the lower end of the economy because they are squeezed between banks not wanting to lend because of concerns over default, the increasing cost of goods like $55K 3/4 ton trucks, and the fact that a bank or lender can make 500% more money off of borrowing at zero and dumping right into commodities and stocks VS lending to responsible lower income borrowers at 6-7% and at rates over 6-7% financially responsible borrowers will not be subjected to interest rates that drive the cost of a $55K 3/4 ton truck to close to $100K before the damn thing gets paid off.....same thing with an $80K Tige or Mastercraft...they will buy a jet ski....one of those turd boiling "jet boats" or they will just do something else with their money perhaps even save it and earn next to no return on it because even though banks borrow at 0 from the fed they pay 0 on most savings accounts.....and savings rates have increased (surprisingly) in the USA over the last few years

so it is the financially responsible lower end consumer that has had their throat slashed by stupid government economic policies that are trying to keep from slashing the throats of the financially idiotic and irresponsible because of course the financially irresponsible and idiotic vote like morons for "freebies" and give aways and they do not care about the real economy, inflation, economic harm for the long term or really anything because they are always going to be an irresponsible worthless idiot and their answer to that is to vote for people that give them handouts and tell them that those handouts are coming off the backs of "the rich" while the reality is they are coming off the backs and slitting the throats of their financially responsible neighbors while "the rich" just continue to sell goods and services that people can't do without or they continue to move capital from bubble to bubble leaving the devastation and inflation in their wake

because we live in a country of fools that do would not be able to be "rich" if you gave them a billion dollars (and in fact most that win 1-100+ million in the lotto or that make large paychecks for putting a ball through a hoop end up broke) because they understand nothing about managing money or anything other than take in and consume all you can and then when you run out blame others and vilify those that have saved or produced and try and implement policies that take from them for more foolish consumption by idiots...while failing to understand that even if you live in a society that only is a "sustenance" society there are still going to be those that control the mean sof production or the distribution of the production and those are going to be the ones that are "equal" but just "more equal" than everyone else......like mad bob mugabie or kim jung ****head or vlad putin and his oligarch buddies....but who cares as long as everyone you really rub elbows with is in the toilet like you and those in power vilify those that are not in the toilet and promise to take from them for your benefit like algore the 200million dollar environmental activist that tells everyone the evils of consumption and use while he himself consumes and hoards all his fat little ass can possibly get his grubby little molesting hands on or john ignore my yacht is in a tax haven one state over from where I live, but YOU pay more taxes kerry

bajadad

I hate to say it because it drives me crazy, and I don't understand it, but go fast boats are not half as popular as they was just 10 years ago. Middle and lower upper class people are not buying them, but they are spending there money on boats, the lakes around here are covered up with $50,000 to $100,000 wakeboard boats. and tons of newer 21 to 26 bowriders. From what I see on the lakes around here the market has changed. A lot of people love to see go fast boats and I get looks and people talkin about my boat at all the marinas I stop at , but its not what they go out and buy.

V.I. Outlaw

I will take a stab in the dark and suggest that people like us that have fast boats also like to work on them and have some mechanical apptitude,(gearheads) Maybe the people that buy wakeboard boats etc. dont want a boat that requires them to have some mechanical knowledge. They just take them to the dealer for service. Most people I have met with wakeboard boats and the like dont know chit about working on them,the people that have boats like ours do most of or all of their own work and take pride in it. My .02

V.I. Outlaw

I grew up learning how to fix my own chit. I think alot of people these days are not interested in learning how to fix things themselves. The backyard mechanic seems like a dieing breed.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

All boat sales are down. Performance boats have always been out numbered by more useful boats, always. My local marina sold 80 new pontoon boats this spring, I don't think they are stealing the performance boat crowd however. Wake boarders, skiiers, blow boaters....not the same crowd.

Performance boaters are high risk. How many cruisers went back to the bank stripped of power and drives when the market crashed? Would one pull the small block v-drive out of a wake board boat going back to the bank? Rare. So getting a loan on a $80k new wake board boat will be easier than a used $80k performance boat, cruisers as well.

Insurance companies also noticed fraud attempts were much higher with performance boaters than other types when the market crashed, raising our insurance costs and again throwing more red flags to the banks.

Manufactures also lived beyond their means, with ridiculous debt and nearly no assets, the fact that checkmate stayed alive this long shows they at least had balanced books.


The builders can point the finger to the consumers, we are still feeling the effects of the bad appples.

PatriYacht

I think It's gas prices that are killing the market. At 4.50 plus on the water and rising to who knows what in the next 5-10 years. This is where blame Obama comes into play. If we had an administration that was into cheap energy instead of windmills and solar cells then people might take a chance and buy a large boat again. As it is I'm paying 300.00 a month to air condition my house and 400.00 a month to heat it in the winter and both will double if Obama has his way. Now it costs 200.00 to take my boat out for an afternoon, will it be 400.00 in a couple of years? One of my friends that boats said he would rather buy something nice for his grandkids for that much money.

Matt Trulio

Here's a broader perspective/commentary on the Checkmate situation from the offshoreonly.com home page, Checkmate for Checkmate? | OffshoreOnly.com ? Powerboating Online.

Sunny32SSR

Here's where I think many may overlook a simple concept that is repeated time and time again by Matt and also reiterated by Scott.

Looking at the market, due to depreciation, the cost of owning a used powerboat which is not only larger but with more power is becoming less with every passing year. To this point, to an extent, there is a level of "surplus" with regards to used powerboats within the same price point as the new single boats.

So, for those who have the financial means, where would you put your 80-100k? New single 30ft or a used 35ft with twin 525s? I think that's a pretty easy question to answer assuming the used vessel meets the expectations of the buyers. While we all clearly understand we are not in this sport/hobby for the investment value itself, we are however in it to get the best bang for our buck.

This leads me to my point; there has always been and always will be the law of diminishing returns. Sooner or later the supply, quality, and value of the used market will run dry and to that end, who will be around to supply the product that the market is looking for?

Maybe the demographics of the market are shifting in its entirety. Who knows, wakeboard boats may be our new future. While I grew up with watersports I made the shift to powerboats and am so raising my daughter around what I love hoping that she too shares the same interests. Would I get out of the powerboat market because she wants to wakeboard? Nope. I'd find a way to have both!

4bus

iTrader: (4)

Wow, more blaming of others.....why not focus on what you can control. Change or improve your financial situation so you can afford the things that you want. Can't afford to heat and cool your home, buy something more efficient. I live in NY which is much higher than your area, and my utilities are not nearly that high. Gas too much for your boat, maybe consider finding something a little smaller than that giant Black Thunder, wtf? If your friend can spend money on boating and buy something nice for the kids then guess what......he can not afford to own a boat, plain and simple. Your post says democrat all over it, yet you are blaming a democrat. Don't expect a politician to make things easier for you, unless you are on welfare.

Again, I am not a dem, or a reb. But I am learned in life there is always a way. Never stop trying to improve. Don't focus on things you can't control. And for gods sake stop blaming others....it will only make you bitter. Enjoy life